The Sun.
London, England, 1866-04-25 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIA MENT

HOUSE OF COMMONS—Tnis DAY.
The Deputy Speaker (Mr. DopsoN) took the chair at
12 o'clock.

HANAULT FOREST.

Mr. MILL asked the Secretary of State for the Home
Department whether the Inclosure Commissioners had
finally signed and sealed their award for the inclosure of
the newly created common set out for the ratepayers of
the parish of Chigwell ? If he was aware that the timber
on the fifty acres of recreation ground, granted by Parlia-
ment in 1862 for the use of the Metropolitan public, was
being cut down, thereby destroying the forestal appear-
ance of the spot, which the intention of the Legislature
was to keep unenclosed :and preserved in its :natural wild-
ness. And, if the destruction of the timber had been
sanctioned by the Inclosure Commissioners ?
Sir G. GREY said the award had not been yet finally
sealed and settled, and that of the timber (other than that
which belonged to the manor) was being cut down, it
was without their knowledge and sanction.
FELLOWS OF COLLEGES DECLARATION BILL.
On the motion for the house going into committee on
this bill,
Mr. :BOUVERIE, said, in proceeding with this bill, it
was not his intention to occupy the house for any
length of time, as he had fully declared the object of the
bill, which was to allow those who were not mem-
bers of the Church of England to become fellows
of Cambridge and Oxford. He plainly said his
object was to allow Nonconformists to become fellows of
colleges ; and the great difficulty that he had to contend
with was the position of matters at Cambridge, because
there were some colleges there which, by their statutes,
required that all candidates should be called upon to de-
clare they were members of the Church of England. There
were, however, six colleges in Cambridge which did
not demand such a rigid declaration, and in
that position of matters he had determined to
ask Parliament whether they were willing to repeal the
prohibitory statutes, and to declare that conformity to the
Liturgy of the Church of England was no longer necessary.
He had great hope that, in the event of the house agreeing
to his bill, the measure would receive the sanction of the
other branch of the Legislature.
Mr. WALPOLE moved as an amendment that the
house go into committee that day six months. He objected
to this bill, in the first place, because it disturbed a just and
reasonable arrangement made by the University Act a few
years ago. That act gave to Dissenters a university edu-
cation, but secured to the Church of England the govern-
ment of these colleges. He objected to the bill, secondly,
because it was a permissive measure ; thirdly, because it
introduced a novel principle into what he admitted, in ono
sense, to be national institutions, by giving a voice in their
government to those who would not be bound by the
principles on which they had been founded.
Mr. FAVirCETT maintained that a large number of the
heads and governing bodies of the Universities were in
favour of the bill.

—Mr. B. Hon opposed the bill, and Mr. J. GOLDSMID sup-
ported it.

Mr. SCHREIBER adverted to the non-existence of any
grievance on the part of the Universities, and objected to
the proposed change, as it would inspire a want of confi-
dence in the heads of families, who would be deterred
from sending their sons to the colleges.
Mr. NEATE supported the bill, on the ground that the
changes which had taken place since the passing of the
law, in the time of Charles 11., made it imperatively neces-
sary that some modification should be made.
The house then divided—
For the motion ... ••• 208
For the amendment ••• 186,0
Majority ... • •
This announcement was received with cheers by the
Ministerial side of the house.
The other orders of the day having been disposed of, the
house adjourned.