The Henson Journals

[168]

Tuesday, November 18th, 1930.

I spent the day at the Assembly, where the Cathedrals Measure pursued its wearisome course through the Committee. [That fearful bore] Douglas, whose ferret–like ability would make the fortune of an Old Bailey attorney, was incessantly on the platform. After lunch we reached the clause which transfers the management of capitular estates to the Ecclesiastical Commission. Lillingston moved, and Rawlinson seconded an amendment exempting Durham Cathedral from the operation of this clause. Both spoke well, and were well received. Canon Robinson followed: and then I spoke in support of the amendment. It was not as particularly good speech, but it was not ill received. Its effect, however, was dissipated by a speech [marginal note – But v. p167f] by Sir Lewis Dibden, who 'turned the tables' on me by alleging that when I was Dean, I had myself tried to induce the E.C. to purchase a large part of the capitular estates. I have no recollection whatever of [169] [symbol] any such transaction, nor had Lillingston who was canon at the time, nor Hobhouse one of the Commissioners. However, I have such distrust of my memory, that I suffered the statement to pass uncontradicted, and it did its work. The amendment was lost.

At 4 p.m. I had an interview with Mr. Donald Munro, a poor–looking youth of 22, who desires to be accepted as a candidate for Ordination. He is the son of an Irish clergyman, has never been to a university, has been teaching for short periods in third–rate schools, and is now teaching in Dr Barnardo's Orphanage. I told him to pass the London Matriculation, and then, if his purpose to become a parson still hold, to write to me again.

I had speech with George Macmillan in the Club: and with Mrs Mills in Dean's Yard. The weather which had been cold & dry degenerated as the day advanced: and at 6.20 p.m. when I left the Athenaeum for Park Lane was warm and wet.

[166] [sic]

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I dined in Park Lane. Lord (Ronaldsay) ^Zetland^ and Mrs Lindsay were the only other guests. We had a most interesting discussion of India, on which Lord R. spoke with authority. He is not very sanguine about the outcome of the Indian Conference, of which he is a member: but he thinks that we are pledged to go forward on the path which leads to Dominion status. Federation is the only hope. I catechized him closely on the actual working of the policy of "Indianization", which we have now pursued for some years, & I was much impressed by his answers. On the whole, he is disposed to be optimistic. He agreed with Bishop Westcott's opinion that "we must either satisfy Indian nationalism, or reconquer India." He confessed to astonishment at the progress of feminism in India. There are two Indian women in the Conference who have been nominated by the Viceroy to represent the Women of India. He thought there was a public demand in India which their presence satisfied.

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