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247
not successful, inasmuch as the Charity Commissioners considered
that they had not the power to sanction such gift
We referred the question to our Clerk to report thereon
He reported that the Charity Commissioners had no powei
to assent to such a gift, but that Sir John Lubbock had introduced
into Parliament a Bill to amend the Public Libraries
Act, the objects of the Bill were more particularly in
reference to voting, but he thought it a good opportunity
to extend its operations, and that an application should be
made to insert a clause to facilitate the grant of land for
the erection of Public Libraries, and he had therefore prepared
a clause with that object. The Chairman and Clerk
met Mr. Caine, M.P. (who was instrumental in obtaining the
insertion of the clause relating to the Joint Committee for
Lambeth and Camberwell), and conferred with him on
the matter, and he fully approved of it, and offered to
take charge of the clause, and endeavour to obtain its
insertion.
The following is a copy of the Clause referred to :—
"Whereas it is expedient that greater facilities should
"be given to grant the site of land for the purpose of erec"tion
of Public Libraries.
" Be it therefore enacted that any person Corporation
"Governors of any Estates or Governing Body of any
"Foundation or Endowment Trustees of any Estate seized
"of the fee simple of any Manor or Lands of Freehold
"Copyhold or customary tenure and holding the same for
"ecclesiastical parochial eleemosynary educational charitable
"or other purposes or objects may with the sanction of the
"Charity Commissioners grant or enfranchise by way of