going to church on Sundays, mong a beach with
a back against it, I am diffident of occupying it;
but, if there was any seat märked with the word
"Free," I should unliesitatingly sit down upon it.

The Colonial Treasurer.-Perhaps some other
distinction than that of marking th of marking the seats might
be adopted. A regulation might be made that
the seats for non-pew-renters and strangers
should be placed in the middle of the church or
chapel, or some other place specified.

The Attorney-General.-Such a plan would, in
great measure be inoperative. Without some
distinctive mark, how could strangers know which
part of the church or chapel was appropriated for
free seats? The plan proposed, of describing
"Free Seats" to be such, is adopted in New
South Wales; and also, so far as my experience
extends, in all the new Churches of England. In
fact I rather think there is an express stipulation
in" the Act for regulating the building of Churches
and Chapels" to that effect.

The Governor There is certainly great weight
in what has been sald. It would, no doubt, be
very gratifying to myself or Honorable Members
present, were we to return to England and enter
any of the new Churches, to observe a seat which
we could at once occupy, without being subjected
to the inconvenience, and discomfort, of waiting
in the aisle until some pew-renter would invite us
to enter.

The Colonial Treasurer.-I am only anxious to
ascertain, whether her this clause, regarding "Free
Seats," may not be construed, by some religious
denominations, to interfere with the discipline of
their churches, as regards pew-rents. Some reli-
gious bodies have no seats in their chapels "free,"
and, as Trustees are to be appointed under the
sanction of Government, they may deem the
regulation of marking any portion of their seats
"Free Seats," objectionable.

The Attorney General-It has ever been ad.
vanced as an argument in favour of the Church of
England, thất that it is "The Poor Man's Church:"
No place of worship, in connexion with the
Church of England-at least in our time has
been built or endowed, without providing due
acconimodation for those who cannot afford to rent
pews. In the Chapels of several denominations
of Christraps, and, I believe, as regards one class
especialy, all but the very paupers are called upon
to pay.

Mr. Earp.-I agree with much that has been
said; but if honorable members are acquainted
with the recent regulations of dissenting congre.
gations in England, so far as regards their places
of worship, it will be found that very rapid strides
have been made for providing Free Seats. This
observation applies, I believe, to all religionists
except the Roman Catholics,

The Goventor Avegarde me The Român Catho
lics I know that they make no such distinction as
is now proposed; every worshipper is at liberty
to take possession of any seat which may be at
liberty.

Mr. Earp.-Then they have no seats at all.

The Governor.-I take a very liberal view of
the course adopted by Roman Catholics in regard
to their places of worship, having seen at Genoa,
and other places in Europe, a chief officer of
government kneeling down by the side of a pau-
per. So far as regards an equality of right by
high and low, it is certainly correct to say that no
person has a seat.

Mr. Earp.-Such may be the case on the con-
tinent of Europe, but certainly a different system
prevails in the Roman Catholic chapels-er at
least in many of them in England and Ireland.

The Governor.-I was asked, a question, by a
deputation from a body of Presbyterians, as to
the appropriation of money granted by the Go-
wernment in aid of religious objects; and when
they were informed that no aid could be granted
unless Trustees were first appointed subject to
the sanction of Government, and that free seats
must be appropriated for the accommodation of
those unable to rent pews, they made no objection
on the ground of its interfering with the discipline
of their Church. I mention this in reply to the
observation of the Colonial Treasurer. As regards
the Roman Catholics, no one, so far as my own
observation and experience extends, can be said
to have an exclusive seat, unless he brings his
own chair. The prince and peasant, when they
enter a place of worship, are placed upon an
equal footing, and this, in my extimation, con-
stitutes one of the points in their religion from
which we might take a useful example.

The Colonial Secretary.-If parties come to
Government to make certain conditions for the
performance of Divine Worship, and obtain an
advantage for themselves, Government has a right
to fix the amount which they are willing to grant
from the funds of the colony for such purposes.
In the 7th clause a blank is left, which must be
filled in with the proportion of the Estimated Re-
venue for one year, which the Council is willing
to grant in aid of religion.

The Attorney-General.-In accordance with
instructions from home, there is a limitation to
such amount.

The Colonial Secretary and the Treasurer,
severally offered an opinion, that no portion of the
fund arising from the sale of lands, could be
applied to this purpose; but that the grants must
be confined to a certain proportion of the Ordin-
ary Revenue only.

The Governor.-To take one seventh from the
Revenue, may seem at first sight to be excessive;
but let us consider to what a very important pur-
pose it is to be applied the most important in
fact of any other; for what can be paramount to
the promotion and advancement of the Christian
Religion, of whatever denomination?

Mr. Earp.-The Revenue will I presume, be
much increased during the ensuing year.

The Colonial Treasurer.-It is now about
£20.000, and it may perhaps anotint in the next
year to £30,000, including customs, excise, licen-
ses, &c,

: The Colonial Secretary then moved, seconded
by the Colonial Treasurer, that the blank in the
seventh clause, be filled up with the words "one
seventh" part of the estimated revenue.

The Governor.-The Colonial Secretary has
already observed, that fault has been found with
the small amount set forth in the Estimated Ex-