SECOND BEADING. (Hansard, 20 May 1887)

THE BISHOP OF BANGOR
, in moving that the Bill be now read a second time, said, that its object was to repeal a portion of Section 2 of the Pluralities Acts Amendment Act, 1885, in order to restore to the Bishops of St. Asaph, Bangor, Landaff, and St. David's the power which was formerly possessed by them to require such ministrations in the Welsh language as they might think necessary in benefices within their respective dioceses, and which he contended the Act of 1885 had unduly limited. The desire was to enable the Bishop to arrange for two Welsh services each Sunday in parishes where such supply was necessary, and not to be obliged to limit the services to one conducted in Welsh and one in English. The right rev. Prelate moved the second reading of the Bill.

THE BISHOP OF ST. ASAPH
, in supporting the Motion for the Second Reading, said, that he regretted very much to be obliged to differ from the noble Earl, who was so staunch a friend to the Church in Wales; but he did so because the existing Act was the cause of much discontent among the Welsh-speaking population of Wales. It was impossible for the Church to maintain a hold on the population in Welsh parishes with only one service in the Welsh language per day. They were anxious to correct the abuse, and the Bishops should be allowed freedom to arrange for two services in Welsh, and they should be trusted to make the necessary provision also for the English-speaking people. If the Bishops were not permitted to give two Welsh services each Sunday, the result would be that the people would be driven more and more into the Dissenting chapels. If the present Act were to 637 remain in force without being amended as was now proposed, it would do more than anything else to promote the present movement for Disestablishment.

THE EARL OF CARNARVON
was understood to draw the right rev. Prelate's attention to the wording of the section of the Act which the Bill sought to amend, and pointed out that under the section as it stood there was no compulsion on the Bishops as the right rev. Prelate seemed to contend; but that it was optional to him to enforce one service, leaving the other service to be a matter of agreement between him and the incumbent.

THE EARL OF KIMBERLEY
said, he should like to have some expression of opinion from the Government with regard to the Bill.

§ THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Viscount CRANBROOK)
said, his impression with respect to the Bill was certainly in its favour; but he should propose that after the second reading some time should be given for consideration, in order to see whether any and, if so, what Amendments ought to be introduced in Committee.