Hard times for church

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32639, 22 June 1971, Page 15

Hard times for church

(N.Z. Press Assn. —Copyrlpht) LONDON, June 22.

Church treasures in Engi land are apparently being sold by parishes in need of ! money. According to Mr E. Money, the Conservative member of Parliament for : Ipswich: “It is quite scandalous that so many churches ■ have got to contemplate disposing of their valuables.” He was speaking only hours after a Warwickshire 1 village church had sold two 1 Elizabethan silver flagons for . £30,000 at auction, to pay for repairs. ; He added: “I think the . money the State makes avail- ' able to historic buildings in '• general—about £700,000 a ! year—is totally derisory.” He was interviewed at a \ news conference in support of a new Private Member’s ■ Bill, which would give added protection to historic and architecturally important 1 churches and ecclesiastical i buildings. The bill is being intro- - duced in Parliament by Mr Patrick Cormack, Conservative M.P., for Cannock, Staffordshire. He says that it has "•H-party and all-faith*’ support. It would oblige local councils to use their powers to designate conservation areas around the buildings, particu- . larly if this is requested by i church authorities.