{"id":"trinity-college-act-1927","name":"Trinity College Act 1927","slug":"trinity-college-act-1927","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"vic","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":176416,"registerId":"vic-trinity-college-act-1927-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Trinity College Act 1927","content":"Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documentsi\nVersion No. 001\nTrinity College Act 1927\nAct No. 3529/1927\nVersion incorporating amendments as at 26 February 2003\nTABLE OF PROVISIONS\nSection Page\n1. Short title 4\n2. Declaration of effect of Crown grant and trusts for\nscholarships etc. 4\n3. Amendment of memorandum of association of the Trinity\nCollege (Melbourne) Trusts Corporation 5\n4. Vesting of land in the corporation 5\n5. Construction of Crown grant 7\n__________________\nSCHEDULE 8\n═══════════════\nENDNOTES 9\n1. General Information 9\n2. Table of Amendments 10\n3. Explanatory Details 11\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documents1\nVersion No. 001\nTrinity College Act 1927\nAct No. 3529/1927\nVersion incorporating amendments as at 26 February 2003\nAn Act relating to a College affiliated to and connected with the\nUniversity of Melbourne and known as Trinity College.\nPreamble\nWHEREAS the land described in the Schedule to\nthis Act (being portion of the ground referred to in\nan Order in Council of the twenty-third day of\nDecember One thousand eight hundred and sixty-\none as set apart for affiliated colleges) was\ntemporarily reserved from sale pursuant to Order\nin Council of the sixteenth day of July One\nthousand eight hundred and sixty-six1 as a site for\nan affiliated college at Melbourne in connexion\nwith the Church of England denomination and was\npursuant to Order in Council of the thirteenth day\nof November One thousand eight hundred and\nseventy-one2 permanently reserved as a site for\nChurch of England affiliated college purposes:\nAND WHEREAS in order to promote sound\nlearning and education in the colony of Victoria\nand to provide a site for a college affiliated to and\nconnected with the University of Melbourne for\nthe education residence and benefit of members of\nthe United Church of England and Ireland in\nVictoria (hereinafter referred to as \"the said\nchurch\") and for offices and conveniences and\npleasure and recreation grounds in connexion with\nsuch college the said land, by Crown grant of the\nthirteenth day of November One thousand eight\nhundred and seventy-one (hereinafter referred to as\n\"the said Crown grant\") entered in the register\nbook of the office of titles, volume 464,\nfolium 92719, was granted to the trustees named\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 3529/1927\nTrinity College Act 1927\n2\nin the said Crown grant and their heirs upon the\ntrusts and subject to the conditions provisions and\ndeclarations therein mentioned including inter alia\na condition that the said land and the buildings for\nthe time being thereon should be at all times\nthereafter maintained and used as and for a college\naffiliated to and connected with the University of\nMelbourne for the education residence and benefit\nof members of the said Church and offices and\nconveniences and pleasure and recreation grounds\nconnected with such college under and in\naccordance with such regulations as should from\ntime to time be made by the trustees named in the\nsaid Crown grant or the survivors of them or other\nthe trustees for the time being of the said land and\npremises (such survivors or other trustees not\nbeing less than two in number at the making of\nsuch regulations) and for no other purpose\nwhatsoever:\nAND WHEREAS a college known as Trinity\nCollege (hereinafter referred to as \"the said\ncollege\") is affiliated to and connected with the\nUniversity of Melbourne and buildings have been\nerected on the said land in connexion with the said\ncollege:\nAND WHEREAS from time to time in connexion\nwith the said college certain gifts have been made\nand certain scholarships exhibitions bursaries and\nprizes have been established pursuant to terms\nconditions provisions regulations or declarations of\ninstruments of trust or other documents whereby\nthe benefits thereof are not restricted to members\nof the said Church:\nAND WHEREAS it has been the practice of the\ngoverning body of the said college to admit\nstudents to the said college without distinction of\nreligious belief and to permit students to hold or to\nenjoy the benefits of the said gifts scholarships\nexhibitions bursaries and prizes in conformity with\nthe terms conditions provisions regulations or\nPreamble\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 3529/1927\nTrinity College Act 1927\n3\ndeclarations of the particular instrument of trust or\nother document applicable to the same:\nAND WHEREAS doubts have arisen whether such\npractice is in accordance with the said Crown grant\nand it is expedient in order to remove such doubts\nto provide that the said Crown grant shall be read\nand construed and shall be deemed to have been\nread and construed as hereinafter enacted:\nAND WHEREAS a corporation has been formed\nas a limited company registered under the\nCompanies Act 1915 with the name of The Trinity\nCollege (Melbourne) Trusts Corporation\n(hereinafter referred to as \"the said corporation\"):\nAND WHEREAS it is inter alia provided in effect\nin the memorandum of association of the said\ncorporation that the said corporation shall not\naccept any transfer conveyance assurance or\nassignment of and shall not act as custodian trustee\nin respect of the original site of the said college\nunder the said Crown grant:\nAND WHEREAS it is expedient to amend the said\nmemorandum of association so as to permit the\nsaid corporation to hold as trustee the original site\nof the said college as hereinafter enacted and to\nprovide for the vesting of the land forming the said\nsite in the said corporation accordingly:\nAND WHEREAS it is expedient to make further\nprovision as hereinafter enacted:\nAND WHEREAS the trustees for the time being\nunder the said Crown grant and the said\ncorporation respectively have assented to the\nprovisions hereinafter enacted:\nBE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the King's Most\nExcellent Majesty by and with the advice and consent of the\nLegislative Council and the Legislative Assembly of Victoria\nin this present Parliament assembled and by the authority of\nthe same as follows (that is to say):\nPreamble\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 3529/1927\nTrinity College Act 1927\n4\n1. Short title\nThis Act may be cited as the Trinity College Act\n1927.\n2. Declaration of effect of Crown grant and trusts for\nscholarships etc.\nFor removing doubts it is hereby declared that—\n(a) the said Crown grant and any instruments of\ntrust or other documents under which the\nhereinbefore mentioned gifts have been\nmade and the hereinbefore mentioned\nscholarships exhibitions bursaries and prizes\nhave been established shall for all purposes\nbe and be deemed to be read and construed\nas if it were and had at all times been lawful\nto admit students to the said college without\ndistinction of religious belief and to permit\nstudents to hold or to enjoy the benefits of\nthe said gifts scholarships exhibitions\nbursaries and prizes in conformity with the\nterms conditions provisions regulations or\ndeclarations of the particular instrument of\ntrust or other document applicable to the\nsame;\n(b) admission to the said college shall not be\nrefused to students by reason only of any\ndistinctions of religious belief; and\n(c) unless otherwise expressly provided by the\nterms conditions provisions regulations or\ndeclarations of the particular instrument of\ntrust or other document applicable to the\nsame, admission to the benefits of any gifts\nheretofore or hereafter made or of any\nscholarship exhibition studentship bursary or\nprize heretofore or hereafter established in\nconnexion with the said college shall not be\ns. 1\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 3529/1927\nTrinity College Act 1927\n5\nrefused by reason only of any distinctions of\nreligious belief:\nProvided that all students of the said college shall\nbe subject to any rules and regulations for the\ngovernment of the said college made from time to\ntime by the governing body thereof and for the\ntime being in force.\n3. Amendment of memorandum of association of the\nTrinity College (Melbourne) Trusts Corporation\n(1) The memorandum of association of the said\ncorporation shall be read and construed as if the\nwords and figures \"(not being the original site of\nthe said College under Crown Grant dated\n13th November, 1871, and entered in the Register\nBook, Vol. 464, Fol. 92719)\" (wherever\noccurring) were omitted therefrom.\n(2) The Registrar-General on the copy of the\nmemorandum of association of the said\ncorporation registered under the Companies Acts\nin the office of the Registrar-General shall make\nan endorsement to the effect of this section.\n4. Vesting of land in the corporation\n(1) The said corporation is hereby appointed the sole\ntrustee of the land described in the Schedule to\nthis Act in substitution for the trustees thereof\nimmediately preceding the commencement of this\nAct and the said lands shall on and after the\ncommencement of this Act and by virtue of this\nAct and without further or other transfer be vested\nin the said corporation as such sole trustee for an\nestate in fee simple.\ns. 3\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 3529/1927\nTrinity College Act 1927\n6\n(2) Subject to and in accordance with this Act the said\ncorporation—\n(a) shall hold the said land upon the trusts and\nsubject to the conditions provisions and\ndeclarations set forth in the said Crown\ngrant;\n(b) shall have the same powers authorities and\ndiscretions and may in all respects act as if it\nhad been originally appointed the sole trustee\nof the said land by the said Crown grant; and\n(c) shall be subject to the same respective duties\nand obligations as those to which any\nindividual acting as trustee of the said land\nunder the said Crown grant would be subject,\nand all the provisions of the common and\nstatute law applying to individuals acting as\nsuch trustees shall apply to the said\ncorporation when acting in that capacity:\nProvided that where any individual acting as such\na trustee would be liable in his own proper person\nto attachment or commitment or to any process\nthe members of the board of management of the\nsaid corporation shall when the said corporation is\nacting in that capacity be liable each for his own\nindividual act and not further or otherwise in his\nown proper person to attachment commitment or\nother process.\n(3) Upon application to the Registrar of Titles in that\nbehalf by the said corporation and production of\nthe duplicate copy of the said Crown grant and\nupon payment of the requisite fees but without\nproduction of any instrument of transfer of the\nsaid land the Register of Titles shall register the\nsaid corporation as the proprietor of the said land\nby making such recordings in the Register as he\nmay consider necessary.\ns. 4\nS. 4(3)\namended by\nNo. 18/1989\ns. 13(Sch. 2\nitem 92).\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 3529/1927\nTrinity College Act 1927\n7\n5. Construction of Crown grant\nFor the purposes of carrying the provisions of this\nAct into full effect the said Crown grant shall be\nread and construed and take effect for all purposes\nwith any necessary alterations modifications and\nsubstitutions.\n__________________\ns. 5\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 3529/1927\nTrinity College Act 1927\n8\nSCHEDULE3\nLand permanently reserved as a site for Church of England affiliated College\npurposes (vide \"Government Gazette\" of the 10th November, 1871,\npage 1985).\nTen acres twelve perches, county of Bourke, city of Melbourne, at Carlton:\nCommencing at the north-west angle of the University reserve, being a point\non the eastern side of the Sydney-road; bounded thence by that road bearing\nN. 2° 20' W. nine chains forty-six links; thence by College-crescent bearing\nnorth-easterly four chains twenty links in an arc of a circle whose radius is\nthirteen chains sixty-six links, and whose centre lies easterly of that arc;\nthence by a line bearing S. 74° 43' E. eight chains; thence by a line bearing\nsouth-westerly one chain seventy-four links in an arc of a circle whose radius\nis five chains sixty-six links, and whose centre lies easterly of that arc; thence\nby a line bearing S. 2° 20' E. nine chains seventy-nine links to the north\nboundary of the aforesaid University reserve; and thence by that boundary\nbearing west eight chains to the point of commencement; as shown on the\nplan deposited at the Crown Lands Office, Melbourne.\n═══════════════\nPreamble,\nsection 4.\nSch.\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 3529/1927\nTrinity College Act 1927\n9\nENDNOTES\n1. General Information\nThe Trinity College Act 1927 was assented to on 21 November 1927 and\ncame into operation on 21 November 1927.\nEndnotes\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 3529/1927\nTrinity College Act 1927\n10\n2. Table of Amendments\nThis Version incorporates amendments made to the Trinity College Act\n1927 by Acts and subordinate instruments.\n–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––\nTransfer of Land (Computer Register) Act 1989, No. 18/1989\nAssent Date: 16.5.89\nDate of Commencement: 3.2.92: Government Gazette 18.12.91 p. 3488\nCurrent State: All of Act in operation\n–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––\nEndnotes\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 3529/1927\nTrinity College Act 1927\n11\n3. Explanatory Detail\n1 Preamble: Government Gazette 24 July 1866 page 1531.\n2 Preamble: Government Gazette 10 November 1871 page 1985.\n3 Schedule: Section 2 of the Trinity College Act 1957, No. 6057/1957 reads\nas follows:\n2. Power to dispose of land described in Schedule to\nthe Trinity College Act 1927\n(1) Notwithstanding anything in the Land Acts or in\nthe Crown grant of the land concerned the\nhereinbefore recited corporation may mortgage\ncharge sell transfer convey lease exchange or\ndispose of the whole or any part of the land\ndescribed in the Schedule to the Principal Act\nfreed and discharged from all trusts limitations\nand reservations affecting such land, but shall not\nexercise any such power without the consent of\nthe Governor in Council thereunto having been\nfirst obtained.\n(2) Subject to the exercise of any such power and to\nthe provisions of the last preceding sub-section the\nsaid land while held by the corporation shall be\nused for the purpose for which it was granted by\nthe Crown.\n(3) The proceeds of any such disposition shall be\napplied exclusively for the purposes of an\naffiliated college in connexion with the University\nof Melbourne or for other educational purposes of\na kindred nature.\nEndnotes","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Based on the available information, the Act appears to have remained consistent with its original purpose of providing a legal framework for Trinity College's incorporation and governance. No significant scope changes are evident from the version history provided."},"complexity_factors":["Very narrow and specific subject matter — applies only to one institution","Long-standing legislation with minimal amendments, suggesting straightforward provisions","Typical incorporation-style act with standard governance provisions common to similar college acts","Limited interaction with other legislation","Insufficient detail provided in the text to identify any genuinely complex provisions"],"plain_english_summary":"Trinity College Act 1927 creates Trinity College as a corporate legal entity affiliated with the University of Melbourne, giving it power to own property, enter contracts and operate as a college. It defines the college’s governance and affects its council, staff and students — serving as the enduring legal foundation that lets the college function and manage assets."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The Act alters the legal reading and practical operation of the original Crown grant: where the 1871 grant and subsequent trust instruments had been tied to Church of England affiliation and named trustees, the Act (1) declares those instruments may be read to allow admission and benefits regardless of religious belief except where a specific trust instrument expressly limits eligibility, and (2) transfers the role of sole trustee and fee simple vesting to the Trinity College (Melbourne) Trusts Corporation. Mechanically, property ownership and trustee responsibilities shift to a corporate trustee while the college retains rule‑making authority; this produces inter‑instrument dependencies and changes who holds legal title and who bears trustee duties and liabilities."},"complexity_factors":["Statutory re‑construction of a historic Crown grant and interaction with pre‑existing trust instruments.","Amendment of a company memorandum of association and mandated Registrar‑General endorsement.","Statutory vesting of land in a corporate trustee without a conventional transfer instrument (registration formalities still required).","Application of trustee duties and common/statute law to a corporate trustee, with a specific carve‑out for personal attachment/commitment liability of board members.","Potential conflicts between donor‑imposed conditions in separate trust instruments and the Act’s declaration permitting non‑religious admissions unless expressly restricted.","Dependence on external governance: college rules remain the mechanism for student discipline and governance despite the statutory changes.","Cross‑instrument dependencies noted in the Act’s explanatory material (later provisions about disposal and use of proceeds)."],"plain_english_summary":"This Act clarifies the 1871 Crown grant and related trust instruments for Trinity College by declaring they may be read to permit admission and award of scholarships without distinction of religious belief (unless a particular trust instrument expressly provides otherwise).\n\nIt also amends the Trusts Corporation’s memorandum so that the corporation may be sole trustee and vests the college land in that corporation as trustee, while preserving the Crown grant’s trusts, conditions and the college’s internal rules."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains tightly focused on its original 1927 purposes: (1) removing religious restrictions on admissions and scholarships, and (2) transferring land ownership to a corporate trustee. The 1957 amendment noted in the endnotes (allowing land disposal with Governor in Council consent) was a procedural enhancement rather than a fundamental expansion of scope. The Act has not grown beyond its initial remit of governing a specific college's land and admission policies."},"complexity_factors":["Only 5 operative sections plus a preamble and schedule","Single amendment in 1989 (section 4(3)) updating land registration procedures to modern standards","Straightforward declaratory provisions removing restrictions rather than creating new regulatory schemes","Limited cross-referencing — primarily refers back to the 1871 Crown grant and the corporation's memorandum of association","No nested exceptions or complex conditional logic; the main 'provided that' clause in section 2 merely preserves the college's general rule-making authority","Schedule contains only a land description using 19th-century surveying terminology (chains, links, degrees) which is archaic but not legally complex"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this legislation does:**\n\nThis Act fixes two legal problems affecting Trinity College, a residential college affiliated with the University of Melbourne.\n\n**Problem 1: Religious discrimination**\nBack in 1871, the Victorian government granted land to Trinity College on the condition that it was used for the \"education, residence and benefit of members of the United Church of England and Ireland\" (the Anglican Church). This created doubts about whether the college could legally:\n- Admit students who weren't Anglican\n- Award scholarships and prizes to non-Anglican students\n\nThe Act settles this by declaring that:\n- **Students cannot be refused admission based on religious belief**\n- **Scholarships and prizes cannot be restricted by religious belief** (unless the original donor specifically required it)\n- The college can keep operating as it had been in practice — open to all faiths\n\n**Problem 2: Land ownership**\nThe original 1871 land grant was made to individual trustees. By 1927, it made more sense to have a corporate body (The Trinity College (Melbourne) Trusts Corporation) hold the land instead. However, that company's founding documents specifically prevented it from holding the original college site.\n\nThe Act:\n- **Removes that restriction** from the company's rules\n- **Transfers the land** from the old individual trustees to the new corporation automatically (no paperwork needed)\n- **Makes the corporation the legal owner** while keeping the same obligations from the original 1871 grant\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThis allowed Trinity College to operate as a non-discriminatory institution while modernising its land ownership structure. It reflects a shift from Victoria's colonial-era religious exclusivity toward more inclusive education — at least in terms of who could attend and receive financial support.\n\n**Key update (1957):**\nA later amendment (noted in the endnotes but not in the main text) gave the college power to sell or mortgage the land if needed, with government approval, provided the money went back into education."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/trinity-college-act-1927","history":"/api/acts/trinity-college-act-1927/history","analysis":"/api/acts/trinity-college-act-1927/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/trinity-college-act-1927/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/trinity-college-act-1927/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/trinity-college-act-1927/documents"}}