DISESTABLISHMENT BILL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 13947, 30 April 1909, Page 3

DISESTABLISHMENT BILL.

THE "tt'ELKH CHI'IiCH

By Electric Tf«lt?graph.— Copyuifchfc. <]{ocojvod April :W. H a.m.) LONDON, Apnl 20. Tho Bishop ol London states that, when thf Welsh Church grievance is boiled down it amounts to this: That four Welsh bishops sat in the J4oi>so ol Lords. By all means, he said, let four stout non-conformist ministera sit there also. It would be most interesting to hear the arguments of both parties.

[As a Welsh Disostablishnn?nt Bill, which was introduced by Mr. Asquith last week, has no chance- ot passing ilie House of Lords »n the present temper of that Chamber, it would seem a* though the introduction of such a measure is to serve the purposes of placating the Welsh members by showing them that the Government is attempting something which Wales desires, ant! to fill up the cmjj of tlie iniquities oi the peers. The Bill of 185).") was introduced into Vhe House of Commons b% Air. Asqiuth, and was an amplification of a Bill introduced the previous, and dropped towards the end of the. session. The -Bill proposed that from January 1> 1597, the Church of England ii. Wales and Monmouthshire should ceasf to be an Established Church, and that , from that date both the privileges and I duties incidental to the status of Es , tablishment should come to an end. The coercive jurisdiction of the Ecclesiastiral Courts was to cease. Provision was made tor the creation of a representative Church body, and power was given to the bishops, clergy, and laity to hold synods, and to legislate on ecoJei iastical matters for themselves. The application of the funds of the Church was entrusted to a commission, one of whose duties was to be the transfer of the churches artd parsonages to the representative bodies. ■ The burial grounds and glebes were to be transferred to the parisn district and town councils, and the tithe rent charge, which was b.T far the largest asset, was to be vested by the Commissioners in the Council of the county in which the lands out of which it 'arose were situated. The cathedrals were to be retained by the commissioners. Every person possessing a vested interest in an ecclesiastical office was to continue to receive the emolHments as long as he discharged his duties of such office. The revenues of the Church that were ultimately available were to be applied tc charitable and educational purposes. On February 2t; !SO7, a resolution *'TbaVin the interests alike of religion and the nation, it is - desirable to disestablish and disendow the Church of England, both in England and Wales." was agreed to by 190 votes' to 90.]