of "Dilapidation." Doubtless all "Restoration" of Ecclesiastical buildings is an excellent thing: but if to be had, under all circumstances, at the cost of the outgoing Incumbent, then "Restoration" and "Dilapidation" become co-extensive terms.

This result has, very reasonably, greatly alarmed the Clergy; and is one principal cause of the prevailing dissatisfaction with the Act of 1871, and with its administration.

2. The spreading over a larger number of years than at present the repayment with interest of money borrowed for building or re-building.

3. The free choice of Surveyors by the Clergy in each case.

It does not appear that a more general election by Clergy of Surveyors for Dioceses, or parts of Diocese, would meet the grievance. What is wanted under any such Act as the present is free choice by the Clergy in each case.

4. The regulation and amount of fees. At present these do not appear to bear a just proportion to amount of "Dilapidations." Where "Dilapidations" are small the trouble is comparatively small. See p. v. of Report,

H. of C.

5. A real liberty of appeal in place of the present unreal liberty. Appeal should always be to a Surveyor-in-chief, resident in London; and the cost of it should be moderate, and be divided equally between outgoing and incoming Incumbent; or, what is most reasonable, should follow the decision of the Appeal Judge.

6. The repeal of the unjust provision created by the Act which makes the incoming Incumbent ultimately responsible for amount of "Dilapidations."

There may be other things in the Act which require amendment in order to making it a fair and reasonable law for existing interests, pending the coming into full operation of the new system; but these appear to be the primary things. A good law your Committee believe it cannot be made; and that, if the alternative be the retaining of it as it is, or the simple repeal of it and return to the old state of "Dilapidations" law, the latter is to be preferred. But your Committee believe that the

real remedy is to be found, not in the amendment of the present system but, in the creation of a new system of the nature of that sketched in this Report.

8. That the only ordinary Survey and repair be upon each successive vacancy: or, if judged more expedient, at the expiration of every five years. The first such period of five years to commence from the completing of the repairs undertaken by the Board upon such vacancy. Any Incumbent desiring to be relieved from such quinquennial Survey to pay at some higher rate of yearly charge.

9. That if an Incumbent see cause to propose extraordinary survey during his Incumbency, he may arrange with the Board for the purpose: and that he do nothing to alter the buildings, &c., of the benefice without the knowledge and the sanction of the Board.

10. That the charge for fire Insurance be covered by the yearly payment.

The advantages of the system here proposed, when in full operation, and pari passu with its coming into gradual operation, would be these:

1. That Bishops, Archdeacons, and Rural Deans would be relieved from an administration which is no proper part of their calling and office. Bishops and Clergy generally from payment of "Dilapidations," and the Church from the loss of them. The Board receiving everything by yearly charge upon each benefice, and paying everything out of the monies so received.

2. That appeals would all be to one central authority; and would be confined to cases in which, after representation and suggestion made by those whose interests are affected to the local Surveyor, there remained difference of judgment as to what ought or ought not to be done.

3. That the security against useless or illegitimate outlay, and for necessary and legitimate outlay, would be ample; it being the interest of the Board to see to both.

4. That there would be no necessity for any attempt to define "Dilapidations." What ought, or ought not, to be done in each case being in the ultimate discretion, and if done, at the cost, of the Board.

5. That the administration would be uniform, and in competent hands, and the whole arrangement very simple.

It does not appear to your Committee that the inconvenience to poor Incumbents of a yearly payment in lieu of "Dilapidations" can reasonably be set against the ultimate inconvenience, and unseasonable pressure, with other mischiefs, of the present system.

It would appear to be just that the system should include under its provisions Lay Rectors as well as Clerical, in respect of Chancels and other Ecclesiastical buildings.

The general issue of adoption of scheme is as follows:

I. Yearly rent in place of "Dilapidations," and of all repairs, building and rebuilding.

2. Ordinary Survey only upon vacancy, or every five years. 3. Extraordinary Survey only at instance of Incumbent during Incumbency.

4. The Church the Landlord as now.

5. The property mixed freehold and trust as now.

6. The Legislature provides an agent, to be paid out of the yearly charge upon Incumbents, and responsible to the Church and to the Legislature for the due execution of the agency.

7. Check upon over-building. This cannot be said to exist now, whether upon Bishops' Palaces, Deans' and Canons' Houses, or Glebe Houses.

Signed, by order of the Committee,
GEORGE ANTHONY DENISON,
Chairman.

HIGHBRIDGE,

November 14, 1876.

d Rent is nothing new to Incumbents, though a permanent rent is. The Chairman gives here his own instance of rent, &c., paid during thirty years of Incumbency.

Two Incumbencies.

Broadwinsor, Dorset.
East Brent, Somerset.
Highest rent paid to Queen

Gross value. Sum borrowed. Anne's Bounty Board. Lowest do.

Broadwinsor, seven years

£2,000
1,500

£146

£70

ΣΤΟ

52

East Brent, twenty-three years, 1,000 Over and above this rent, the sum expended during seven years of Incumbency at Broadwinsor, where the Vicarage House with its surroundings had to be created, cannot be put at less than £1000; and during thirty-one years of Incumbency at East Brent the sum expended upon necessary repairs and upon substantial improvements at less than £800. "Dilapidations” are in prospect.

Resolutions affirming principles of Report, to be moved at Wells, Dec. 7, by Chairman of Committee.

1. That a yearly payment from each Benefice for repair and maintenance of the buildings belonging to such Benefice is to be preferred to "Dilapidations" at close of Incumbency.

2. That the administration and application of the Fund accruing by such yearly payments are better in other hands than those of Bishops and Clergy.

3. That central administration of such Fund-if, upon full and careful enquiry by competent persons ascertained to be practicable, and not burdensome to Clergy-is to be preferred to local subject always to right of representation and suggestion by Patron, or Incumbent, or both, to Surveyor acting under Central Board; with right of appeal from such Surveyor to Surveyor-in-chief.

APPENDIX D.

(P. 59.)

"IN 1663 Convocation gave four subsidies to the Crown, and this was the last time the clergy imposed a tax upon themselves, the agreement already referred to being effected soon afterwards. Speaker Onslow makes the following note to a passage in Burnet, containing the history of this transaction. 'It was first settled by a verbal agreement between Archbishop Sheldon and the Lord Chancellor Clarendon, and tacitly given in to by the clergy in general, as a great ease to them in taxations. The first public act of any kind relating to it, was an Act of Parliament in 1665, by which the clergy were, in common with the laity, charged with the tax given in that Act, and were discharged from payment of the subsidies they had granted before in Convocation; but in this Act of Parliament in 1665, there is an express saving of the right of the clergy to tax themselves in Convocation, if they think fit; but that has never been done since, nor attempted as I know of, and the clergy have been constantly from that time charged, with the laity, in all public aids to the Crown, by the House of Commons. In consequence of this (but from what period I cannot say), without the intervention of any particular law for it, except what I shall mention presently, the clergy (who are not lords of Parliament) have assumed, and without any objection enjoyed, the privilege of voting in the election of members of the House of Commons, in virtue of their ecclesiastical freeholds.

"This having constantly been practised from the time it first began, there are two Acts of Parliament which suppose it now a right. These Acts are, the 10th of Anne, c. 23, and 18th of Geo. II., c. 18; and here it is best the whole of this matter should remain, without further question or consequence of any kind. As it now stands, both the Church and the State have a benefit from it. Gibson, Bishop of London, said to me, that this was the greatest alteration in the constitution ever made without an express law.'

"The effect of this abandonment of the power of taxing the