§ 69. Mr. McAddenasked the Attorney-General whether he is aware of public disquiet that there should be no legal obligation upon a charitable organisation to account for the sums of money collected by it from the general public; and whether he will introduce legislation imposing such obligation.
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The Solicitor-GeneralMy right hon. and learned Friend is not aware of any general public demand for an amendment of the law. In the case of an endowed charity accounts have to be rendered to the Charity Commissioners; in the case of other charities it would be his duty to institute proceedings if there were sufficient evidence of any misappropriation of funds.
§ 71. Mr. Viantasked the Attorney-General whether he will introduce legislation to establish, under the control of the Charity Commissioners, a central pool of undistributed funds raised for specific charitable purposes which could be used for other deserving purposes newly arising.
The Solicitor-GeneralNo. If there appears to have been a general charitable intention on the part of the donors, the Court or the Charity Commissioners has power to make a scheme for applying any undistributed fundscy pres, that is to say, for charitable objects as nearly like as possible to the original one. I am not satisfied that, if there was no such intention, it would necessarily be right to take power by legislation to appropriate the funds for a central pool.