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larger building grant than $6,000 for St. Joseph's College, because, if he accept a building grant at all, the edifice must be put under Trust,
and he could no longer sell the site or mortgage either site or building. It is hardly an uncharitable imputation of motives to say that the present application is evidently an endeavour to obtain the $6,000 free of conditions or to trust.
It is not desirable that the grant should be so obtained. The value of Conceded property is rapidly increasing in this Colony, and questions are sure to arise as to the right of religious and other bodies, to whom ground has been given, to sell it and carry on their operations in a cheaper locality, releasing the difference in the value of the ground. The Roman Catholic Church is just now promoting a private Bill to enable it first to Mortgage, then to sell, the large and valuable piece of ground given to it for a new Cathedral many years ago, being built on a less valuable plot. In this particular case no great objection, except of principle, presents itself, as the site for the new Cathedral is fairly suitable. But it is very undesirable that religious bodies should look forward to speculating in lands or buildings which are wholly or partly acquired at the expense of the Colony. The Trustees ...