CHURCH PATRONAGE TRANSFER BILL. (Hansard, 10 May 1855)

§ THE EARL OF HARROWBY
, in moving the second reading of this Bill, explained, that its object was to enable any body or person who should be possessed of any right of patronage or presentation to any benefice, or the trustees of any endowments of any church, to surrender such right of patronage or presentation, with or without consideration, provided the effect of such surrender should be to obtain an augmentation of income for any ill-endowed benefice or church to which such surrender shall relate, and also provided that such surrender shall be sanctioned by the bishop of the diocese: the Bill extended the same powers to any benefice of which the patronage is in the Crown, or is part of the possessions of the Duchy of Cornwall, provided that the permanent yearly value of such benefice shall not exceed 200l. In the case the surrender was made by an ecclesiastical corporation, aggregate or sole, certain consents were required.

§ LORD REDESDALE
objected, that no minimum value of the benefices to be affected by the Bill was fixed by any clause, and suggested that the point to which he called attention should be made the subject of future consideration.

THE BISHOP OF OXFORD
said, he concurred with the Bill generally, and especially with that part of it which enabled corporations sole to part with their patronage; but he desired to call attention to another point which was of still more importance. He suggested that care should be taken that the whole of the proceeds of the sale should be carried to the credit of the Augmentation Fund, because it was not intended that any corporation or private individual should derive any private advantage from any sales that might take place under this Bill. He should again call their Lordships' attention to the subject when the Bill was in Committee.

THE LORD CHANCELLOR
observed, that the question to which his right reverend Friend had referred, was one which could be disposed of in Committee.