§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ LORD AMULREEMy Lords, there have for some time been two groups of almshouses in Reading which were originally administered by the Reading Corporation. The two groups consist of the municipal Church charities and the municipal general charities. The general charities are almost entirely for the poor and almshouses, whereas the Church charities include a certain amount of money for schools and various other purposes. Since 1866, there have been twenty-two general almshouses and ten Church almshouses built on a common site, but these have been now proved to be far below modern standards. Whereas, however, the general body of trustees have enough money to carry out modernisation work, most of the Church trustees have not enough to carry out this work. To avoid there being some good buildings and some bad buildings on the same site, therefore, it is proposed to amalgamate the two bodies under a single body of trustees, of which the Church trustees will continue to nominate three people. At the same time, some of the Church work is being safeguarded by the fact that ten of the people in the combined almshouses shall be members of the Church of England. The scheme has been published and has met with no opposition. I beg to move that the Bill be now read a second time.
§ Moved. That the Bill be now read 2a.—(Lord Amulree.)
§ On Question, Bill read 2a; Committee negatived.