CO885-(2-3) — Page 51

VICTORIA.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

LLLLIC.O. 885

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

Page

January August

S, 1855

17.

Despatch from Sir C. Hotham, enclosing Victoria Church Act Opinion of Law Advisers thereon

1

2

Victoria Church Act

4

No. 1.

March

31.

April

26,

Despatch from Sir E. Head, inclosing Address from Canadian Houses.

Ditto, enclosing letters from Canadian Bishops, &c.

9

10

:

January 20,

M

Bishop of Toronto to Secretary for the Colonies

}[

-

May

4.

..

Despatch from Lord J. Russell, acknowledging Sir E. Head's of

March 31

13

May

19.

Ditto, acknowledging despatch of April 26

May

3.

H

Ditto, acknowledging Bishop of Toronto's letter

May September 24,

4.

Ditto, enclosing Bishop of Toronto's letter

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14

(No. 8.) SIR,

14

14

Despatch from Sir W. Molesworth, euclosing an opinion of Law

Advisers on Canadian Address

15

April

27.

Despatch from Lord J. Russell to Sir Gaspard le Marchant, on pro-

posal for Church Convocation in Nova Scotia.

19

May

.24,

From Sir Gaspard le Marchant, acknowledging the same

21

June

11.

From Lord J. Russell, in answer

22

"

December 7.

5

Minute of Mr. Labouchere on Victoria and Canada questions

23

August

31,

Minute of Sir W. Moleaworth on ditto ..

27

COPY of a DESPATCH from Lieutenant-Governor Sir Charles HothAM to Secretary Sir GEORGE GREY.

Toorac, near Melbourne, January 8, 1855.

(Received March 17, 1855.)

I HAVE the honour to transmit a Bill which passed the Legislative Council of this Colony on the 29th November last, but which I have thought proper to reserve for the signification of Her Majesty's pleasure thereon.

This Bill was concerted before I assumed charge of this Government, and I therefore forbear expressing any opinion thereon, but simply content myself with transmitting it for the serious and attentive consideration of Her Majesty's Government, and enclose an explanation of the proposed measure furnished by the Law Officers of the Crown.

I have, &c.

No. 1.

December 8,

Minute of Mr. Merivale on ditto

29

December 12,

Letter from the Bishop of Melbourne to Mr. Labouchere, urging con- "

firmation of Victoria Act, with Memorial enclosed.

(Signed)

CHAS. HOTHAM.

39

The Right Hon. Sir George Grey, Bart.,

&c.

&c.

&c.

December

26,

י

Minute of Mr. Labouchere, enclosing the dropped Bill, to relieve the

Colonial Clergy, of 1854.

December 26, "1 December 26, January 4, 1856 January 15,

February 28, February 15,

Minute by the Archbishop of Canterbury, with sketch of Bill of 1853 . Letter from Mr. Lowe to Mr. Labouchere

"

Ditto from the Bishop of Melbourne

..

11

..

Minute of Mr. Merivale, with brief compendium of Colonial legislation

na Church questions

+

Second opinion of the Law Advisers on the Victoria Church Act

19

Despatch from Mr. Labouchere to Sir F. Head, on the subject of the

Canadian Address

གླ གྲུ་ གནཝཾ

47

49

53

67

Enclosure in No. 1.

Enel. in No. 1.

59

67

68

June

20.

31

Despatch from Sir E. Head, enclosing "An Act to enable the Members of the United Church of England and Ireland in Canada to meet in Synod"

73

July

14,

Archbishop of Canterbury to Mr. Labouchere on the subject of this

Act

July

9,

Mr. Cameron to Mr. Labouchere on the same

July

18,

29

Archbishop of Canterbury to Mr Labouchere

August 5, August September 16,

7,

Law Advisers to Mr. Labouchere on the Canada Church Bill

Memorandum of Mr. Merivale

KRRRR

74

75

75

77

78

17

"

Despatch from Mr. Labouchere to Sir E. Head, acknowledging the

Canada Church Bill

81

Draft DB to enable Her Majesty to assent to the Church Canada Bill ́. 83

OPINION OF LAW OFFICERS.

A BILL to enable the Bishops, Clergy, and Laity of the United Church of England and Ireland in Victoria, to provide for the regulation of the affairs of the said Church, has necessarily been reserved for the signification of Her Majesty's pleasure thereon.

The objects of this measure are: firstly, to relieve the clergy and laity resident in the Colony from any disability as to their holding meetings; and, secondly, to confer on the assembly of bishops, clergy, and laity, according to a certain constitution, the power pos- sessed by all other Christian denominations, of managing the affairs of their own Church.

An Act to regulate the affairs of that Church had been passed by the Legislature of New South Wales, and continued in force since its erection into a separate Colony, Under the provisions of that enactment, clergymen were practically dependent upon the will of the bishop for their continuance in office-an arrangement obviously opposed to the disci- pline of the Church of England, and of a temporary and provisional character. The present measure, without taking away from the bishop the powers vested in him, gives to the Church herself the means of altering those powers, subject to Her Majesty's approval.

It is alleged, and justly, as it would seem, that the proposed law will merely place the Church in the same position as other communions unconnected with the State in Great Britain; the latter simply transplanting to the Colonies a system of government already framed and adopted by them in their fatherland, and still appropriate to their unaltered position here.

But, in addition to being relieved from the disability alluded to, the Church of England in Victoria required some means of establishing courts similar to those provided for he government and discipline in Great Britain.

The present measure enables her so to do. It follows. as closely as possible the Bill introduced by his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, and passed by the House of Lords.

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