SIR WILLIAM TURNER'S HOSPITAL AT KIRKLEATHAM BILL (Hansard, 12 July 1951)

§ LORD AMMON
My Lords, your Lordships will appreciate that I regret very much the circumstances which have brought this duty upon me this afternoon. The Second Reading of this Bill was to have been moved by Lord Holden, whose sudden, untimely and tragic death has concerned us all. While we express our sympathy to the relatives, it must go out in special measure to the lady who was to have been his wife in a few days' time. That adds somewhat to the tragedy. We ourselves mourn the passing of a faithful friend in this House whose efficiency as a deputy Chairman of Committees and whose qualities as a colleague have been appreciated by us all.
The Bill which I have to introduce is entirely non-contentious, and it concerns an ancient charity which was founded by Sir William Turner, a Lord Mayor of London in the time of Charles II. The Scheme which the Bill confirms is a Scheme prepared by the Charity Commissioners for the application or management of the Charity known as Sir William Turner's Hospital, at Kirkleatham, in the North Riding of the County of York, regulated by an Act for settling the several Charities of the Foundation of Sir William Turner, Knight, deceased, and the Possessions and Revenues thereunto belonging, passed in the 31st year of the reign of King George II. The Bill has passed through another place, and during its passage two small Amendments were made. One of the persons named in the Scheme as the first co-optative trustees died after the Bill had been introduced in the House of Commons. It also came to light that the Borough Council of Redcar wished to be represented on the body of trustees. The Amendments to which I have referred reduce the number of co-optative trustees from seven to six, increase the number of representative trustees from one to two, and give the Borough Council of Redcar power to appoint one of the representative trustees. That makes no difference to the number of trustees. It has merely decreased by one the number of co-optative trustees and increased the representative trustees by one.
817 The Schedule sets out in detail the duties of the trustees and who can become beneficiaries. Part I of the Schedule lists the properties concerned and those who can enjoy receipt therefrom, and Part II sets forth the investments, funds and revenues derived for the purpose of administering the Trust. The whole Bill, which, as I have said, has passed through another place, has been introduced in order that the Charity may be brought into line with modern administration and legal practice. I beg to move that the Bill be now read a second time.

§ LORD LLEWELLIN
My Lords, I think that nobody on this side of the House will have any objection to this measure receiving its Second Reading to-day. I should just like to join with the noble Lord in saying how sorry we are that death has prevented our old colleague, Lord Holden, from being here to move this measure. He was a very friendly colleague in this House, and I think at all times we were all much impressed with his efficiency when he took the Chair. I should like to join in the expressions of sympathy uttered by the noble Lord, Lord Ammon,

THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (THE EARL OF DROGHEDA)
My Lords, before I put the Question, perhaps your Lordships will allow me to add a word on the personal regret which I know we all feel at the death of Lord Holden. As your Lordships know, he did long spells of duty in the House, both as Deputy Chairman and Deputy Speaker. Whenever he had any duties to perform he performed them in the most pleasant manner and with the greatest efficiency, and his death is a very real loss to the House.