HL Deb 17 August 1857 vol 147 cc1714-5

Commons Amendments considered (according to order).

THE EARL OF HARROWBY moved, that their Lordships should disagree to the Commons' Amendments, respecting the constitution of the governing body of the college. This House had adopted the scheme proposed by the Charity Commissioners, by which the governing body was to consist of four persons, chosen by four London parishes, and eleven by the Court of Chancery. The House of Commons, however, altered this scheme, entrusting the management to eight persons chosen by the parishes, two by the magistrates, and three by the Archbishop of Canterbury, three others being the President and Vice President of the Council of Education, and the President of the Poor Law Board. The result of this constitution would, in all probability, be that the eight persons last mentioned would not attend with, any regularity, and that the eight persons named by the parishes would possess the sole management of the charity. So important a trust, he thought, ought not to be confided to a body thus constituted; and he therefore proposed that their Lordships should adhere to the composition of the governing body as suggested by the Charity Commissioners, and as adopted by this House, and should disagree with the Amendments in Clauses 3, 4, 5, and part of Clause 6. With this and another less important exception he should not object to the remaining Amendments.

LORD CAMPBELL

said, the main object in such a case should be to observe what it might be supposed would be the wishes of the founder. Now, the constitution of the governing body proposed by the Charity Commissioners was, he believed, just that which Alleyne himself, could he start from his grave, would approve; and he therefore quite concurred in the motion of his noble Friend (the Earl of Harrow by).

Motion agreed to; some Amendments disagreed to, others agreed to; and a Committee appointed to prepare reasons to be offered to the Commons for the Lords disagreeing to some of the said Amendments: the Committee to meet immediately: Report from the Committee of Reasons, read, and agreed to; and a message: sent to the Commons to return the said Bill, with the Amendments and Reasons.

House adjourned at half-past Six o'clock, till To-morrow, half-past Four o'clock.