COLONIAL BISHOPS. HOUSE OF COMMONS, JUNE 25.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 757, 3 November 1852, Page 3

COLONIAL BISHOPS. HOUSE OF COMMONS, JUNE 25.

Sir R. Inglis asked whether any reply had been, or would be, sent to a despatch from the Governor of New South Wales, enclosing a remonstrance from the Bishop of Sydney, dated the 22nd May, 1 850, against the rank and precedence which, in consequence of a despatch from Earl Grey, the Queen's representatives in the colonies were enjoined to give to any titular archbishop or bishop appointed by the Pope, in preference to bishops appointed by the Sovereign of this country ? Sir J. Pakington said he was not aware till he had entered the house of the exact shape which the question of his hon. friend would assume. Having now heard the question, perhaps the House would permit him, before he answered it, to refer to the despatches which bad issued from the Colonial Office on this subject. In a circular letter of instructions, dated the 20th Nov., 1847, Lord Grey stated that as Parliament had by a recent act, namely, the Charitable Bequests Act, formally recognised the rank of Roman Catholic prelates by giving them precedence after the Protestant archbishops and bishops of the Established Church, it had appeared to her Majesty's Government to be their duty to conform to the rule laid down, and he accordingly instructed the colonial governors thereafter officially to address the prelates of the Roman Catholic Church in their governments by the title of " your grace," or " your lordship," as the case may be. In consequence of that despatch the Bishop of Sydney wrote to the Governor of New South Wales, expressing a wish to know whether it was the intention of her Majesty's Government that the Most Rev. Archbishop Poulding should take the precedence of the bishops in the colony. On the 9th of January, 1549, Lord Grey addressed another despatch to Sir Charles Fitz Roy, the Governor of New South. Wales, stating that he regarded the Bishop of Sydney in the light of metropolitan, and that the instructions were not meant to apply to the Bishop of Sydney, who, as metropolitan was entitled to precedence over all Roman Catholic prelates. In consequence of this despatch, the remonstrance to which his honourable friend had alluded -was forwarded. The letter was dated the 22nd May, 1850, and in it the Bishop of Sydney took exception to the terms in which he was spoken of in Earl Grey's despatch, and complained that, though precedence was given to him, this precedence would not apply to suffragan bishops. This letter which was the foundation of his honourable friend's question, was received at the Colonial Office on the 4th January, 1851. Fiom

that time up to the recent change in the Government no answer had been sent to this remonstrance by his predecessor in office. Since that time the pressure of business bad been so severe that he (.Sir J. Pakington) had been unable to answer the bishop's letter, but it was his intention shortly to do so, and then he would state what were the views of the government on the subject. Sir R. Inglis had another question to- put to his right honorable friend. He hoped his right honourable friend would be able to state to the house that he would not recognise, in the answer which he intended to give, such a construction of Lord Grey's despatch as that which he had now given. (Cries of " order, order.") Sir J. P.akington observed that, after the answer which he had given to his honorable friend's question, he could not be expected to give any other. Sir It. Inglis said he would certainly bring the question before the house if he had a seat in the next parliament.