WELSH CHURCH BILL

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2129, 22 April 1914, Page 7

WELSH CHURCH BILL

SECOND REiVDING UNDER THE PARLIAMENT ACT. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright London; April 20. In the Houso of Commons Mr. Reginald M'Kenua, Homo Secretary, moved that tho Welsh Church Disestablishment Bill be read a socoild time, j oLord j Robert. pociMUnionist). moved the fejeotion of the Bill,.

The Eatablished Church (Wales) Bill was brought into' Parliament in 1912 and 1913, passed by tho Commons, aB(l rejected by tho Lords on'bath-occasions. It is reintroduced a third time under the Pafli&taent 'Act. ■ \ Tho Bill would terminate the Establishment of the Church of England in IValcs and Monmouthshire—along tho border betwecu England and Wales some parishes would be left or taken, on both sides, .in English or Welsh dioceses, as the case may be, i'cr the Bill affects county areas. It is in tiro principal parts: disestablishment and disendowment. _ As for tho former, from six to twelve months after tho passing of tho Act, the "Church of England" in Wales and Monmouth would cease.to bp established by law, and do person appointed or nominated by His Slajesty to any ecclesiastical office in Wute, every cathedral or ecclesiastical corporation dissolved, no Welsh bishop summoned or qualified ,to sit in tho House of Lords, but Welsh, clergy became eligible to sit in ,fne House of Commons. Ecclesiastical law shall cease to be law in Wales (though power is given to form an organisation which shall make subh ecclesiastical law binding on members of it by agreement), and after disestablishment no bishops and clergy in Wales shall bo members of convocation. As for disendowment, all property of the Welsh Church shall vest in Welsh Commissioners under this Bill—e.g., property in tho hands of tho Eeclesiastictl Commissioners, Queen Anne's Bounty, or attached to cathedral, office, or holder, subject to tho present conditions on which it is held; but any plate, furniture, etc., or things used for worship shall vest in the "representative body to bo appointed. Tho Ecclesiastical Commissionera and Queen Anne's Bounty are required to givo an accoiint of the Welsh Church property which they hold or grant, and an apportionment will bo made, subject to the concurfenco of the Welsh Commissioners, or, failing that, of tho Privy Council.