The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-02-19 00:00:00

THE SALE OF GLEBE LANDS:

The Government bill that has been introduced by
Viscount Cross for facilitating the sale of glebe lands
was published on Friday.
When an incumbent wishes to sell his glebe, his
first step will be, according to the scheme, to give
notice to the bishop and to the patron. If no objec-
tion is raised by either of them, he can then apply
to the Land Commissioners for their approval. And
some power seems to be given to the Commissioners
even of overriding the objection of the bishop or
the patron. For if the Commissioners are of
opinion that the objection "ought not to pre-
vent the sale," the matter may still proceed. How-
ever, the Commissioners are debarred from giving
their approval in any case, unless they think "the
sale will be for the benefit," not, it is to be noticed,
of the clergyman, but "of the benefice." As to the
mode of sale it may be carried out by the Commis-
sioners or by the incumbent himself—as they may
agree upon. One advantage that the purchaser will
have will be that he will obtain an indefeasible title,
subject merely to any incurnbranoes that are specified
in the assurance. This assurance may at his option
be either a conveyance or a certificate for registration
at the Land Registry.

On the completion of a sale the purchase money
will be paid to the Land Commissioners, who will
defray out of it the prescribed expenses of the sale
and will invest the residue. It will be for the incum-
bent, who will receive the income, to select the invest-
ment with their approval; but his choice is limited to
Government securities or railway debenture stock or
the redemption of land tax, chief or quit rent charged
ou any part of the unsold glebe so that it may merge
in the glebe. The investment will be placed in the
name of the" endowment trustees," who are the incum-
ben`, the bishop, and the patron. If at any time
the incumbent wishes to change the investment he
must obtain the approval of one of his co-trustees and
also of the Commissioners, and the change wilt be
effected at his expense.
_ .

One check on iny eagerness of a clergyman to sell
his glebe will be that he may possibly be called upon
by the Commissioners at the outset to give security for
the payment of costs. In case of a sale the costs are,
as has been said, to be paid out of the purchase money;
but in case no sale results, the incumbent would ap-
parently have himself to bear the cost incurred. Then,
again, where the Commissioners think that the pur-
chase money is, or is likely to be, diminished by
reason of some dilapidationP, which the clergyman is
liable to make good, this diminution is to be recouped
to the benefice either by payment of the sum by the
incumbent, or by the application of some or all of the
income of the purchase money—according as the
Commissioners deem right. Of course, the parsonage
house cannot be sold under the Bill, nor the garden,
outbuildings, &c., nor any other part of the glebe land
necessary for the convenient enjoyment of the house.
The second object of this bifurcated bill is to
"facilitate the acquisition of land by cottagers,
labourers and others." For this purpose the Land
Commissioners are directed to offer the glebe or part
of it for sale either in small parcels or to a sanitary
authority for letting in allotments. This, however,
is to be done only so far as is, in the Commissioners'
judgment, practicable without diminishing the price.
On the other band, the price to be given by a sanitary
authority must only be such that all expenses in-
curred by them in acquiring the land and in reference
to it may reasonably be expected to be recouped out
of the rents to be obtained in respect of the allot-
ments. For the purpose of purchasing, improving,
or t.dapting glebes for allotments, sanitary authorities
are authorised by the bill to borrow money, and the
Public Works Loan Commissioners to lend.

In arranging about the letting of the allotments,
each sanitary authority is to conform to the rules that
are to be made under the bill. But subject to these
certain regulations of the Enclosure Act of 1845 and
the Commons Act of 1876 are to apply. According
to them the allotmeats are in general not to exceed a
quarter of an acre each. But in case the allotment
wardens cannot succeed in so letting them to the poor
inhabituats, the size may be increased to an acre.
And the rent is commonly to be "a fair agricultural
rent."

The shadow of greater efents of the future is cast
before in the provision that "in the case of an elec-
tive council or other authority being established in a
county under any Act passed in the present session of
Parliament, such county authority shall . . . .
have the powers and duties vested by this Act in a
sanitary authority."
For the proper carrying of the measure into effect
rules are directed to be made by the Land Commis-
sioners; but they must receive the approval of the
Lord Chancellor and, where any costs payable wit of
the Exchequer are affected, the consent also of the
Treasury.

A lII:WOMACK of Toulouse met a man who had but
one eye, vary early in the morning. Good morrow,
sir, said the one-eyed man; you have got your load
on your shoulders very early. It is so early, replied
the hunchback, that I sea .you have only got one
window open.