§ THE PRIME MINISTER (The MARQUESS of SALISBURY), in moving the Second Reading of this Bill, said: The object of this Bill is a very simple one. The Church Building Acts, as everyone knows, are remarkable, as many English Acts of Parliament are, for the labyrinthine intricacy of their provisions, and most erudite lawyers have difficulty sometimes in saying exactly what they mean. But in the Isle of Man there is the additional difficulty that nobody knows what Church Buildings Acts apply to the Isle of Man and what do not, so, practically, things are at a standstill because they do not know whether action can be taken under the authority of the Church Buildings Acts, or under their local Legislature. When this difficulty was brought before the Ecclesiastical Commissioners they recommended that the simple course should be taken of withdrawing the Isle of Man altogether from the operation of these Acts, of course validating any transactions which have already taken place. In accordance with that recommendation, Mr. Asquith, in the late Government, introduced a Bill to that effect, but in the crowd of more attractive and difficult legislation the Bill failed to get through. I think it was introduced twice, and I propose now to make a third effort. If the Bill dies it will be simply because it is not interesting enough. I cannot conceive that anyone can see any objection to handing over to the Legislature of the Isle of Man the management of its Church building affairs—at least the only objection I can imagine is that it may be said that it is a distinct piece of Home Rule legislation. [Laughter.]
§ Read a Second time (according to Order), and committed to a Committee of the Whole House To-morrow.