It is a very serious matter in reference to the prebendal estates. The Act of 1840 vested all these estates in the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. The prebendaries anticipated what was coming, and therefore granted leases on the lives of mere infants. The result was lamentable to the parishes. No help from the tithe-rent charges could be given them until the leases lapsed. It is now 1891, _i.e._, fifty-one years after the passing of the Act, and yet sixteen leases of the thirty-seven are still running. And so all the rent-charges of these parishes have for so many years been diverted from these parishes, and so parochial destitution has continued in this diocese. As the leases expire, the Ecclesiastical Commissioners come into possession of the property, and then, _but not till then_, are steps taken to annex to parishes certain portions of this property. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners have often, in a very kind manner, granted to parishes in England and Wales annuities out of the common Fund, in regard to local claims, in anticipation of the lapse of the leases on tithes, lands, mines and house property. TITHE-RENT CHARGE NOW IN POSSESSION OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION IN WALES. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners are in possession (1889) of— In Wales proper £29,169 In Monmouth 4,505 In Salop 207 ------- Total amount _commutation value_ in their possession in the four Welsh dioceses £33,881 Of the £29,169, I shall give the gross amount of tithe-rent charge in each county, and also the amount still outstanding on beneficial leases. £ _s._ _d._ Anglesey 901 0 0 in possession of E. C. Brecon 2,387 14 0 ” and £603 6 8 on lease, St. David’s Diocese. Cardigan 1,117 1 0 ” 450 0 0 ” ” Carmarthen 3,821 4 4 ” 1,123 6 0 ” ” Carnarvon 777 11 8 ” Denbigh 6,714 19 3 ” 581 6 8 ” St. Asaph’s Flint 2,776 6 8 ” Glamorgan 4,705 16 9 ” Merioneth 611 17 9 ” Montgomery 726 18 1 ” Pembroke 2,286 3 10 ” 820 16 0 ” St. David’s Radnor 2,342 12 3 ” 2,192 18 0 ” ” ------- ----------- £29,169 5 8 in poss. £5,772 13 4 on lease in 1891. of E.C. In this statement we get the actual amount which was outstanding on beneficial leases in 1891, viz., in St. David’s Diocese, £5,191 6_s._ 8_d._ on the prebendal tithes only; in St. Asaph’s, £581 6_s._ 8_d._