for the Churches of England and Scotland respectively have been maintained, but that the establishment of the Church of Rome has been increased to Rs. 102,520, the amount which Archbishop Meurin represented to me was the minimum upon which his Church could adequately carry on its duties.
3. It seemed to me to be expedient, in the interests of religious peace, to support the adoption of these figures, although the enlarged grant to the Roman Catholic Church necessitated an increase to the existing Ecclesiastical budget which your Lordship appeared to deprecate "in the absence of any strong reason for increasing the Grants-
in-Aid."
4. I was, however, encouraged by the knowledge that you (paragraph 12) "did not "desire in any way to press any particular scheme upon the Council," and I felt confident that the peaceful settlement of these ecelesiastical difficulties was sufficiently strong reason to justify me in adopting a scheme which, though it added Rs. 15,486 to the establishment, "would prove to be the more acceptable and equally just to the three Churches" (paragraph 13).
5. I therefore laid before my Executive Council on the 18th of April the resolutions of which I enclose a copy, and which were unanimously adopted.
6. On the 6th of May the Council of Government resolved itself into Committee of the Whole Council to examine the question, and, at their first meeting, adopted in principle the resolutions of the Executive Council,-sub-committees being appointed to consider the manner of the redistribution.
7. In paragraph 15 of the despatch of February 25 your Lordship expressed a wish that it should be considered "whether the mode of applying the Ecclesiastical Grants
16
" which was proposed by Lord Kimberley in 1872, viz., the assignment of the aggregate grant for each church to a Church body, or in the case of the Church of Rome to the Bishop, would not be preferable to the existing system of placing the individual clergy on the Establishment of the Colony."
66
04
8. This question received careful consideration, but it was not viewed with favour in the sub-committee. In fact, the only alteration of importance in the report which was made in Council referred to the merging of two separate sums of Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 4,820 into one lump sum of Rs. 9,820, to be spent for ecclesiastical requirements which were specified "at the discretion of the Roman Catholic Archbishop."
your
9. I would ask that, should you assent to the scheme now recommended for approval, you will be so good as to telegraph to me in reply, so as to enable the Estimates for next year to embody these figures, and the new Ordinance to be passed this session.
10. I enclose a printed copy of the Colonial Secretary's speech,* on_moving the adoption of the report of the 31st July, and will forward by next mail the debates which took place in Council on the 5th and 12th instant, when the report was finally adopted.
I have, &c.
The Right Hon. Lord Knutsford, G.C.M.G.,
(Signed)
2. The difference between the amounts now provided and the proposed increased grants to be made up by :--
(a.) Appropriating the sum of Rs. 18,000 now voted yearly for the construction of churches and in aid of ministers' stipends under Ordinance No. 54 of 1844, and the Moralization Grant of Rs. 10,000, and
(b.) By providing yearly in the estimates a further sum of Rs 15,486.
3. That Ordinance No. 54 of 1844 be repealed.
The Council further advise that the Committee be specially invited to consider and report upon the suggestion made by the Secretary of State with regard to the sign- ment of the aggregate grant for each church to a body representing the Church, or, in the case of the Church of Rome, to the Bishop.
His Excellency the Governor concurs and orders accordingly.
Enclosure 2 in No. 4.
REPORT of the Committee of the Whole Council of Government to his Excellency the
Governor.
1. THE Committee recommend— (a.) That the sums of Rs. 102,520, of Rs. 34,533, and of Rs. 6,583 be granted yearly cal Grant to the Roman Catholic Church and to the Churches of England and Scotland tively, provided that no pension rights beyond the existing oues shall accrue from the mone
respec. increased grants :
Ecclesiasti-
the Churches
(b.) That the difference between the amounts now provided and the proposed increased grants be made up by:
Appropriating the sum of Rs. 18,000 now voted yearly for the construction of churches, and in aid of ministers' stipends, under Ordinance No. 54 of 1844, and the Moralization Grant of Rs. 10,000, and by providing yearly in the Estimates a further sum of Rs. 15,486.
(c.) And that Ordinances Nos. 54 of 1844 and 6 of 1881 be repealed.
2. The amount of the annual grant for the several Churches and its distribution should be settled by an Ordinance.
Distribution
of Rome, of
of Bootland, in Mauritiu
England, and
3. The Committee further recommend that` in the matter of the manner in which the aniounts proposed to be granted to the several Churches shall be appropriated, the Vide following resolution be adopted, viz. :-
&c.
&c.
&c.
Enclosure 1 in No. 4.
C. C. LEES,
Minutes of Committen
Governor.
4. In regard to the Church of Scotland that the sum of Rs. 5,389.90 be applied towards of May 14, the maintenance of the existing fixed Establishment of that Church, and that the balance, 100 Rs. 1,193.10, be paid to the Presbyterial Committee of the Church of Scotland in trust to be applied towards the payment of clergymen and catechists not on the Establishment, such payment not to carry with it any title or right to pension or retiring allowance; the President or Chairman of the Presbyterial Committee transmitting before the 1st April to the Honourable the Receiver-General a detailed statement of the expenditure of the funds received from Government during the previous year, that statement to be laid upon the table of the Council of Government.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 882
5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
EXTRACT from the Minutes of Proceedings of a Meeting of the Executive Council held at Government House, Port Louis, on the 18th April 1890.
THE Council advise that the despatch of the Secretary of State, No. 72, of the 25th February 1890, and other papers connected therewith, be laid before the Council of Government, and referred to a Committee of the Whole Council for consideration of the questions raised in paragraph 15 of the despatch.
The Council further advise that before the Committee resolutions be moved by the Colonial Secretary, embodying the following principles :--
1. The sums of Rs. 102,520, of Ra. 34,583, and of Rs. 6,583, to be granted yearly to the Roman Catholic Church and to the Churches of England and Scotland respectively, provided that no additional pension rights beyond the existing ones shall accrue from the increased grants.
• Not printed.
Vida Report of Sub-com-
5. In respect to the Church of England, that out of the sum of Rs. 34,533, Rs. 31,200 miltes of. be appropriated to maintain the existing fixed Establishment with facilities for internal Juse 16, arrangements on vacancies, and that the balance of Rs. 3,333 be paid to the Bishop and 100, Commissioners of the Church of England in trust to be applied by them towards the payment of ministers and catechists not on the fixed Establishment, such payment not to carry with it any title or right to pension or retiring allowance; and the Bishop trans- mitting before the 1st April a detailed statement of the expenditure of the funds received by them from Government during the previous year, such statement to be laid upon the table of the Council of Government.
6. In regard to the Roman Catholic Church: (a) that the existing system of placing mittee of on the Establishment of the Colony the salaries of the Bishop and of the present number June 18, of Roman Catholic clergymen, amounting together to Rs. 65,700, be maintained, and
A 8
Vide Report of Sub-com-
1890,
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