HC Deb 15 April 1864 vol 174 cc1075-6
MR. AYRTON

moved— That it be an Instruction to the Committee on Group 1 of Railway Bills, if they think fit, to allow the promoters of the London Main Trunk Underground Railway Bill [ordered by the House not to be proceeded with in the present Session] to be heard upon Petition against the following Bills, with which such Bill would, if proceeded with, have been in competition—namely, Metropolitan Railway (Trinity Square Extension), East London Railway, Great Eastern Railway (Metropolitan Station and Railways), Metropolitan District Railways (No. 2), Metropolitan Grand Union Railway (No. 2); Provided that such Petition shall have been deposited within the time prescribed by the Standing Orders for depositing Petitions against Private Bills.

COLONEL WILSON PATTEN

said, he should oppose the Motion. He wished to call attention to the recommendation of the Joint Committee of both Houses, that certain Bills should not be proceeded with during the present Session. The object of that recommendation would be frustrated if every Bill rejected by it were allowed to come into competition with others.

MR. MASSEY

said, he would remind the House that the Joint Committee only recommended the postponement of the Bill referred to, and not that the schemes involved in them were to be superseded by others which were recommended to be heard. If the promoters of these Bills were not to be heard before the Committees appointed to consider the more favoured schemes, they would be effectually superseded, and it would be useless for them to avail themselves of the privilege to proceed with their schemes at a future time. They did not ask for their schemes to be sanctioned now, but only to be heard against other schemes.

LORD JOHN MANNERS

said, he hoped the applicants would be allowed to appear before the Committee, as their object was purely destructive and not constructive. He further hoped other parties might be emboldened to follow their example.

COLONEL WILSON PATTEN

said, that after the observations of the hon. Member for Salford he should not press his objections.

Motion agreed to.

Ordered, That it be an Instruction to the Committee on Group 1 of Railway Bills, if they think fit, to allow the Promoters of the London Main Trunk Underground Railway Bill [ordered by the House not to be proceeded with in the present Session] to be heard upon Petition against the following Bills, with which such Bill would, if proceeded with, have been in competition—namely, Metropolitan Railway (Trinity Square Extension), East London Railway, Great Eastern Railway (Metropolitan Station and Railways), Metropolitan District Railways (No. 2), Metropolitan Grand Union Railway (No. 2); Provided that such Petition shall have been deposited within the time prescribed by the Standing Orders for depositing Petitions against Private Bills.—(Mr. Ayrton.)