CHARITY COMMISSIONERS FOR ENGLAND AND WALES. Between the years 1818 and 1850 prolonged investigations were made into the condition of British charities by a Parliamentary Commission of Enquiry (1818-37), by a select Committee of the House of Commons (1835), and a Royal Commission appointed in 1849. The reports made by these bodies recommended the appointment of a permanent board to which should be entrusted wide powers to improve the administration of all charities, to safeguard their funds and secure their proper investment, and to give ready and effectual expression of the doctrine of cy pres, as administered by Courts of Equity, by framing schemes for adapting the administration of charities to the altered circumstances, whether of the charity property, of the locality, or of society generally.
By the Charitable Trusts acts, 1853-1925, the Charity Co1n mission was set up to carry out these important duties. In addi tion to their powers under the Charitable Trusts acts, the Charity Commissioners exercise jurisdiction in relation to charities under numerous acts of Parliament, including the Local Government act, 1894, the Mortmain and Charitable Uses acts, 1888-92, the Commons act, 1899, the War Charities act, 1916, and the Blind Persons act, 1920. The jurisdiction of the Commissioners (sub ject to certain exemptions) extends to all endowed Charities in England and Wales, other than Educational Charities (which are subject to the jurisdiction of the Board of Education).
The exemptions from the jurisdiction of the Commissioners are universities, cathedrals, registered places of worship, Queen Anne's Bounty, the British Museum, friendly societies and sav ings banks, religious or charitable institutions maintained by voluntary contributions, and mixed charities (i.e., charities partly voluntary and partly endowed) so far as regards the income which is derived from voluntary contributions.
The Charitable Trusts acts make provision for safeguarding charitable endowments by the constitution of : (a) The Official Trustee of Charity Lands. A Corporation Sole for taking and holding Charity Lands which may be vested in him by any Court of competent jurisdiction or by an order of the Charity Commissioners.
(b) The Official Trustees of Charitable Funds, incorporated for holding stocks, shares, securities and monies.
These are bare trustees only, and have no power to interfere in the administration of the lands or securities vested in them, or in the management of any charity.
The greater part of charity land is now vested in the Official Trustee of Charity Lands, whilst the total sum of stocks and investments held by the Official Trustees of Charitable Funds amounts to nearly £ 70,000,000 and is increasing annually.