having been placed in the hands of each member of the Council, it remains for the Council to consider the provisions of the measure, which have been prepared, for the most part in accordance with the scheme introduced by the Charity Commissioners.

J. W. KEENLYSIDE, Chairman."

The following is a copy of the bill as prepared by the Schools and Charities Committee:

A Bill providing for the Management, Improvement, and better Government, and for extending the Objects and regulating the Appropriation of the Income of the Hospital of Saint Mary Magdalene, in the Town and County of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

[The words printed in italics are proposed to be inserted in committee.]

Whereas there was formerly in the town and county of Newcastle-uponTyne an Hospital or Almshouse called the Hospital or Almshouse of Saint Mary Magdalene, founded it is believed as an Hospital for Lepers, and also a Chapel dedicated to Saint Thomas the Martyr, called the Chapel of the Bridge of Tyne.

And whereas by a Royal Charter granted by his late Majesty King James the First, dated the twelfth day of June, in the ninth year of his reign, after reciting, amongst other things, that in the town and county of Newcastle-upon-Tyne an Hospital or Almshouse had long existed, called the Hospital or Almshouse of Saint Mary Magdalene, and also a Chapel standing on the bridge of the same town, called the Chapel of the Bridge of Tyne, of the founder of which nothing certain was known, which hospital consisted of a Master and three poor Brethren, holding divers lands and tenements for the support of the same poor in frankalmoign, and reciting that other lands and tenements were appurtenant to the chapel, and that the charters and grants concerning the foundation and endowment of the aforesaid hospital and chapel had been lost or become decayed, his said Majesty declared (amongst other things) that the Hospital of Saint Mary Magdalene should be an hospital to consist of a Master and three poor single or unmarried Brethren in the same hospital to be supported, the Master to be at least a Master of Arts, and the Brethren to be advanced in years and free burgesses of Newcastle-upon-Tyne; and by the same charter the Mayor and burgesses of the town of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and their successors for the time being were declared to be the patrons of the same hospital, and were to have the presentatation, nomination, and appointment of the Master thereof, and were from time to time to revise, examine, expunge, amend, alter, or extend the several statutes and ordinances, and also to make new statutes and ordinances as well concerning the performance of divine service to be celebrated from day to day as concerning the government and direction of the said Master and Brethren; and his said Majesty by his said charter also granted to the said Master and Brethern and their successors for ever, the said hospital and chapel and the messuage lands, tenements, and hereditaments belonging to the said hospital and chapel, or either of them, and declared that the Master of the said hospital for the time being should have and enjoy one-third part of the rents, revenues, and profits of the lands and hereditaments thereby granted, and the said Brethren for the time being should have and enjoy for their use and maintenance the remaining two-third parts of the same rents, revenues, and profits.

And whereas the ancient chapel on Tyne Bridge continued to be used for divine service until the year 1827, when the site thereof was contracted to be sold to the Corporation of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (hereinafter

called the Corporation), in pursuance of certain powers contained in an Act passed in the twenty-sixth year of the reign of His late Majesty King George the Third for improving the town of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

And whereas by an Act passed in the session holden in the seventh and eight years of His late Majesty King George the Fourth, the said Master and Brethren of the said hospital and their successors were required to expend the money produced by the sale of the said ancient chapel, together with other monies, in erecting another chapel in substitution for the ancient chapel upon lands lying in the parochial chapelry of Saint Andrew in the town and county of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, to be maintained in repair at the costs and charges of the said Master and Brethren and their successors, and a hundred free sittings in the said chapel to be appropriated for the use of the poor in the said town and county; and the said Act provides amongst other things for the performance of divine service in the said chapel so to be erected either by the Master for the time being of the said hospital or by a sufficient chaplain to be appointed by him, and also for payment to the Master out of the annual income of the hospital such stipend or remuneration, not exceeding three hundred pounds per annum and not less than one hundred pounds per annum, as the Corporation should by any statute law, ordinance, or constitution, in writing, at any time, and from time to time, ordain and direct; and in the said Act are also contained powers for the Master and Brethren and their successors to grant, building, improving, and repairing leases of the lands and hereditaments vested in them for any term, of years not exceeding ninety-nine years, and subject to the restriction and reservations in the said Act mentioned, and to renew such leases from time to time.

And whereas the ancient chapel on Tyne Bridge aforesaid which was of small dimensions, was pulled down shortly after the passing of the lastmentioned Act, and the existing chapel situate near the Barras Bridge, in the said parochial chapelry of St. Andrew was erected in lieu thereof.

And whereas in pursuance of the power for that purpose vested in the Corporation by the said last-mentioned Act, the Common Council of the said town by an order in writing made in pursuance of a resolution of the Council passed at a meeting held on the 30th day of September, 1830, ordered and directed the payment to the Master of the hospital as a stipend or remuneration for the performance of divine service in the chapel, then newly erected near the Barras Bridge aforesaid, either personally or by a chaplain appointed by him of the yearly sum of three hundred pounds out of the funds of the said hospital.

And whereas the charitable and religious objects of the charity as regulated by the hereinbefore recited Charter and Act of Parliament have been complied with in all respects.

And whereas on the death, on the 8th day of October, 1856, of the Rev. Richard Clayton, the late Master of the said hospital, a desire was expressed by the inhabitants of the said town of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and concurred in by the Corporation, that the benefit of the charity should be extended, the nett annual income whereof then exceeded one thousand five hundred pounds.

And whereas on the 28th day of October, 1856, the Rev. Clement Moody, Vicar of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, was apppointed Master of the hospital, upon the terms contained in a written application made by him to the Corporation as such patrons of the said hospital as aforesaid previously to such appointment, in which application he expressed his readiness to assent to such alteration in the constitution of the hospital, and in the emoluments of the Master and Brethren, as might be adopted with a view of rendering the hospital more generally useful to the said town, and if he ceased to be resident in the said town to resign the Mastership.

And whereas since the appointment of the said Clement Moody as such Master as aforesaid, all the Brethren of the hospital who were alive at the time of such appointment have departed this life, and those appointed after that time have severally given an undertaking in writing that they will hold the situation subject to such alteration in the constitution of the hospital, and in the rights and emoluments of the said Master and Brethren, as may from time to time be adopted.

And whereas the free burgesses or freemen of Newcastle-upon-Tyne have consented and agreed that the annual payment out of the income of the charity for the benefit of the Brethren shall be restricted to the sum of five hundred pounds, on the condition that the number of such Brethren should be increased.

And whereas there is not at present, nor has there been for a very long period, any hospital, almshouse, or other building used or occupied by the Master and Brethren as a place of residence.

And whereas in or about the year 1848 the then Master and Brethren of the said hospital, assisted by the congregation who attended divine service in the said chapel, established by voluntary subscription schools for the education of children and adults or children only of the poorer classes of the inhabitants of the said town, which schools are under the management, and control of a committee, consisting of the Master of the hospital for the time being and of other persons elected annually on the first Monday in the month of March by the subscribers to the schools of not less than one guinea per annum.

And whereas the aforesaid schools have been erected on part of the lands belonging to the charity demised under the power of the said Act of Parliament of the seventh and eighth years of His late Majesty King George the Fourth for the term of ninety-nine years to trustees, the trusts whereof are declared by a deed dated the 2nd day of August, 1848, in which deed the method of instruction in the said schools is prescribed.

And whereas the sum of twenty guineas per annum is contributed to the support of the schools out of the annual income of the said charity.

And whereas it is expedient to alter the mode in which the annual income of the charity is applied, to define the payments to be made to the Master and Brethren out of the said annual income, to increase the number of the Brethren, to provide for the establishment and maintenance of a building adapted for the purposes of an hospital, to provide for contributing out of the income of the charity to the support of the said schools, and to apply the surplus or residue of the annual income in aid of local medical charities or schools.

And whereas the various objects aforesaid cannot be effected without the authority of Parliament:

MAY IT THEREFORE PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY

That it may be enacted and be it enacted by the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty by and with the advice and consent of the Lords spiritual and temporal and Commons in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same as follows:

1.-In this Act unless the contrary is expressed or is to be implied from the context:

"The Corporation" means the Mayor, Aldermen, and the Burgesses of the borough of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

"The Council means the Mayor, Aldermen, and Councillors for the time being of the borough of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

"The Master" means the Master of the Hospital of St. Mary Magdalene, in the borough of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

1867.]

"The Brethren" means the Brethren of the Hospital of St. Mary Magdalene, in the borough of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

2.-On and after the first day of September, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, the said hospital shall consist of a Master who shall be at least a Master of Arts, and of not more than sixteen Brethren, who shall be free burgesses or freemen of the borough of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and of the age of fifty years at least, to be appointed in manner hereinafter provided. 3.-From and after the same first day of September, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, the management of the charity and of all possessions thereof, and the patronage and right of nomination and appointment appurtenant thereto, with the power of making laws, statutes, or ordinances, and all other powers and privileges whatsoever (including the aforesaid power of granting, building, repairing, and improving leases and of renewing the same), granted by the said Charter, dated the 12th day of June in the ninth year of the reign of King James the First, and by the said Act of Parliament passed in the seventh and eighth years of the reign of King George the Fourth, shall be vested in the Corporation in like manner as the same are now held or enjoyed by the Master or Master and Brethren, or any other person or persons, and shall be exercised by the Corporation through or by means of the Council, save that in the case of the fourth and every succeeding fourth vacancy in the office of a brother of the said hospital the appointment shall be made by the present Master so long as he retains his office.

4. From and after the same first day of September, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven all the real estates of the said hospital and all the personal estate, and the right to recover the same respectively, shall be vested in the Corporation for all such estates or interests therein as the same are respectively held or enjoyed by the Master and Brethern.

5.-The income of the charity which shall accrue due down to the said first day of September, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven exclusive shall subject to the liabilities chargeable thereon belong to the present Master and Brethren in like manner as heretofore, but in case of the death of the present Master or any of the present Brethren before the said first day of September, one thousand eight hundred and sixty seven, the respective shares of the Master or Brethren so dying with the income accruing after their respective deaths shall be applicable to the purposes of this Act and dealt with accordingly.

6.-The yard in which the chapel stands and the open ground about the same belonging to the said charity shall not be built upon, except for the purpose of making additions to the chapel or the vestry connected therewith.

7.-In lieu of the sum of three hundred pounds a year which the Corporation in pursuance of the powers conferred on them by the said Act of the seventh and eighth years of the reign of King George the Fourth, determined should be paid as the ecclesiastical portion of the charity, there shall be paid to the Master the yearly sum of five hundred pounds by equal half-yearly portions to be computed from the said first day of September, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven; and upon any avoidance of the office in the interval between two half-yearly days of payment there shall be paid to him a proportionate part of the aforesaid stipend from the last payment down to the time of his ceasing to be Master, provided always that the present Master shall, so long as he shall continue to hold his office be allowed a further remueration after the rate of one hundred pounds per annum.

8. For the purpose of superintending and managing the said chapel, there shall be appointed three chapel wardens to be elected annually, one by the Master, and two by the votes of all or a majority of the renters of seats

in the chapel, assembled therein at the hour of one in the afternoon of the Wednesday in Easter week in every year, and the chapel wardens so elected shall continue in office until the election of their successors; the said chapel wardens shall appoint and employ, and have the power to remove the several officers (except the Master) and other persons required for the proper conduct of the services or for the care and management of the chapel, anp shall also, subject only to the control of the Council if they shall think fit to intervene, have authority to select the free sittings and fix the scale at which the seats in the chapel shall from time to time be let, and to let the same accordingly for any yearly or shorter period, and the rents of the seats in the chapel shall be due and payable in advance, and shall be recoverable by the chapel wardens, if occasion shall be, by suit of them or any two o them in the county court.

9.-If any of the said chapel wardens shall die or decline or become unfit or incapable to act as such during the tenure of his office, it shall be lawful for the master, if the chapel warden so dying or becomimg unfit or incapable to act shall have been appointed by him, to appoint some other person to act in his place, and if such chapel warden shall have been appointed by the renters of seats in the chapel, then it shall be lawful for them or a majority of them to fill up the vacancy at a meeting specially convened by them or any of them in pursuance of a notice affixed to the door of the chapel of not less than twenty-one days.

10.-The rents received for seats in the chapel shall be applied primarily in defraying the costs of the repairs of the fabric of the chapel and its fittings and furniture, and the fencing and care of the aforesaid open ground about and attached thereto, and in paying the salaries and wages of the several officers, servants, and other persons, (except the Master or Chaplain) who shall be engaged in the conduct of the service of the chapel or employed in or about the management thereof, and also in paying the current expenses of properly cleansing, lighting, warming, and managing the chapel, and insuring the same against loss or damage by fire to such an amount as shall from time to time be directed by the Council, and the surplus of such rents after satisfying the aforesaid charges, shall, if such rents shall not amount to fifty pounds, or if they shall exceed that amount, then the sum of twentyfive pounds, part of such surplus shall, in the first instance be applied to the constitution and maintenance of a permanent fund for the repair of the said chapel to be called the repair fund.

11.-The capital of the repair fund shall be added to from time to time by the accumulation and investment of the interest and dividend thereof until the annual income shall amount to at least one hundred pounds per annum, and if such income shall at any time be reduced below that sum, the same shall from time to time be raised to that amount by the further application of the surplus income of the seat rents of the chapel, and the interest or dividend of the repair fund, and the capital of the repair fund shall be applied exclusively to discharging the cost of any extraordinary repairs or improvement of the chapel, subject to the payments and deductions herein before directed to be made, the clear residue of the seat rents together with the income arising from the repair fund shall be paid to the Master for his own use.

12. Every Master hereafter to be elected, who shall at the time of his election hold any ecclesiastical benefice having a cure of souls annexed thereto, shall effectually relinquish the same within six months next after his election, and shall not during his Mastership accept any such benefice, and the office of every Master who shall accept or retain any ecclesiastical benefice contrary to this provision shall become ipso facto void.

13. The present and every future Master shall reside during his tenure