THE BISHOP OF OXFORD, in moving the second reading of the Bill, said, its object was to legalize certain marriages which had been performed in a certain 2 chapel of ease within his diocese, and was founded on precedents in similar cases. The chapel in question was a chapel of ease to the parish church of Lambourne, in Berkshire; and had been duly consecrated for the performance of Divine worship, but no authority had been given for the publication of banns or solemnization of marriages therein. Nevertheless, the Minister, under an erroneous impression that by virtue of the consecration of the chapel marriages might be solemnized therein, had performed several marriages, and had entered those marriages in register books kept either at the chapel or at the parish church. As soon as he found out his mistake he applied to him (the Bishop of Oxford) for advice, and the only remedy was to bring in a short Act to legalize the marriages. Since he had introduced the Bill he had received a communication from the Registrar General, who suggested that a clause should be added to this Bill, as was done in a similar case in 1861, extending the benefits of the provision to every other church in the same position, so as to make it more generally useful. If Her Majesty's Government had no objection he would propose such a clause in Committee.
§ Bill read 2a, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Friday next.