1589.
SIB,
•
No. 396.
(NEW ZEALAND.)
LAW OFFICERS to COLONIAL OFFICE.
Lincoln's Inn, February 13, 1866. We are honoured with your commands, signified in Sir Frederic Rogers' letter of the 31st of January ultimo, in which he stated that, in our joint report, dated the 10th of January and relating to a memorial from the bishops of New Zealand on the status of colonial bishops, it was recommended that the draft settled by us last session in relation to the colonial episcopate should be so enlarged as to remove certain legal impediments to the consecration of bishops for voluntary episcopal churches in the Colonies, to exclude any special jurisdiction in respect of such churches, and to enable Her Majesty to accept the surrender by colonial bishops of their existing Letters Patent. That these recommendations are embodied in the accompanying draft.
That the suggestion made by the Archbishop of Canterbury in his letter of the 8th of November (of which a copy was enclosed in Sir Frederic Rogers' reference of the 22nd of December) of repealing existing Acts of Parliament which relate to the colonial church has been to a certain extent adopted.
That is to say, the existing laws which regulate the position in England of clergy ordained by colonial or by any other bishops, not being bishops of English or Irish dioceses, are repealed, and so much of them as it seems advisable to retain is consoli- dated, with a certain amount of modification.
That the effect of the whole is to extend to all bishops, other than English and Irish diocesans, the provisions made last session with respect to the Scottish episcopal church, subject to such modifications as will enable such bishops to perform episcopal functions ministerially under commission from English or Irish diocesans.
Sir Frederic Rogers was also pleased to request that we would favour you, Sir, with our opinion whether, and with what modifications, the enclosed Draft Bill may be sub- nitted to Parliament; and further, that, as you were desirous of laying the Bill before Parliament without delay, you would be glad to receive our opinion upon it at our earliest convenience.
Sir Frederic Rogers, in a subsequent letter, dated the 2nd instant, enclosed the draft of a Colonial Bishops Bill, which he begged might be substituted for the draft enclosed in his letter of the 31st of January,
In compliance with the request contained in Sir Frederic Rogers' letter we have
taken this matter into consideration, and have the honour to
Report
That, with the slight alterations which we have made, we think this Bill proper to
be introduced into Parliament.
The Right Hon. Edward Cardwell, M.P.
&c.
&c.
We have, &c. (Signed)
&o.
* No. 379.
ROUNDELL PALMER, R. P. COLLIER. R. J. PHILLIMORE.
O 14978,751, 25.---5/86,
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
CO. 885
11 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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