§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYsaid, it might be convenient to their Lordships if he stated the effect of some of the more important Amendments which he proposed to introduce in the University of Oxford Bill. The Hebdomadal Council—the Governing Body of the University—had considered the measure and passed some resolutions respecting it, which were afterwards confirmed by Convocation. In the majority of those resolutions Her Majesty's Government would be able to concur. He proposed that the appeal to the Queen in Council should not be limited to the question of "validity. "He proposed, in accordance with the wishes of the Hebdomadal Council, to set up a Standing Committee of the Privy Council to which the appeals would be referred. After the cesser of the powers of the Commissioners this Standing Committee would have the power of hearing proposals. It was almost the unanimous feeling of the University that a vetoing power given to the University would be an interference with the independence of 599 the Colleges. Accordingly, he would propose, as a substitute, that application should be made to the Standing Committee of the Privy Council. Next, he would propose that the operation of the 42nd clause—within which such dark designs for reversing the University Tests Act had been discovered by jealous eyes—should be limited to those cases in which offices should be created or endowed for which theological learning was a requirement. The clause would not bind the Commissioners to set up such endowments. Another important Amendment was, that the duration of the Commission should be four instead of seven years; but, as experience seemed to show that four years might not be sufficient for the work which the Commissioners would have to do, he would further propose to reserve power to Her Majesty to extend the period on the application of the Commissioners themselves. It had been stated by way of objection to the Bill that no direction was given to the Commissioners. To meet that objection he proposed to introduce in the Preamble a recital for the guidance of the Commissioners. He had now to mention the Commissioners whose names were to be inserted in the Bill. They were the Right Honourable Lord Selborne; the Right Honourable Lord Redesdale; the Very Reverend the Dean of Chichester; the Right Honourable Montague Bernard, D.C.L.; Sir William Grove, one of the Justices of Her Majesty's High Court of Justice; Sir Henry Maine, KC. S. I.; Matthew White Ridley, Esquire, Member of Parliament.
EARL GRANVLLLEunderstood that on Thursday next the noble Marquess would propose that the House go into Committee pro formâ; on the Bill. He wished to know when the discussion of the Bill in Committee would be taken.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYsaid, he proposed to take the Committee on the following day.