THE LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURYMy Lords, I now beg to move to resolve, That in accordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act, 1919, this House do direct that the Ecclesiastical Commissioners (Sodor and Man) Measure, 1930, be presented to His Majesty for the Royal Assent. I think it may be said that this Measure is entirely uncontroversial. It passed the Church Assembly without a single note of dissent and the Ecclesiastical Committee of Parliament recommend that it should pass. As your Lordships are aware the Isle of Man is not legally part of the United Kingdom. It has a history and independence of its own, justly prized by the inhabitants of the Island, but by long custom and usage the Island is part of the Province of York. Its Bishop and Proctors are summoned to Convocation, it has its place in the Church Assembly, and, therefore, it has a place of its own in the life of the Church of England.
But it is at present not entitled to receive any benefactions whatever from the resources of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. The reason is that the Commissioners have no estates in the Isle of Man and no part of their funds is derived from that Island. Consequently the twenty-nine benefices in the Isle of Man have been deprived of any of those resources which are being so freely given through the Commissioners to the 946 parishes within the limits of England. Inasmuch as these parishes are in great need and are very inadequately endowed, and inasmuch as the Diocese of Sodor and Man has its place within the life of the Church of England, the Commissioners, if you will be pleased to permit them, are most willing to be allowed to pay out of their resources for the augmentation of the benefices of the parishes in the Diocese of Sodor and Man. The amount which will be necessary in comparison with the very large sums which are administered by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners will be very small, but that amount, though small itself, will give the greatest possible encouragement to the people of the Island. I hope, therefore, that your Lordships will be pleased to allow this Measure to pass.
§ Moved to resolve, That in accordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act, 1919, this House do direct that the Ecclesiastical Commissioners (Sodor and Man) Measure, 1930, be presented to His Majesty for the Royal As sent.—(The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.