§ MR. BADEN-POWELL (Liverpool, Kirkdale)asked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether he is aware that the Board of Trade Report on the Manchester Ship Canal Bill states that—
The conditions contained in Clause 3 of the present Bill are in accordance with Standing Order 167;and, whether it is intended to extend in 475 future Standing Order 167, which is explicitly confined to Railway, Tramway, and Subway Companies, to other Bills?
§ THE PRESIDENT (Mr. MUNDELLA) (Sheffield, Brightside), in reply, said, he was aware that the Report of the Board of Trade stated, and with perfect accuracy, that the conditions contained in Clause 3 of the Manchester Ship Canal Bill were in accordance with those contained in Standing Order 167. He had no intention of proposing to extend the Standing Order to other Bills.
§ MR. BADEN-POWELL (Liverpool, Kirkdale)asked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether, in consequence of the decision of the House on the Second Reading of the Bill authorising the Manchester Ship Canal Company to pay interest out of capital, he intends to take steps to amend Standing Order No. 167, so that it may apply to Companies other than Railway, Tramway, or Subway Companies; and, if so, whether Standing Order No. 156 will still hold good, or whether he intends to amend the Joint Stock Companies' Acts, so as to abrogate the rule that no dividend shall be payable except out of the profits arising from the business of the Company?
§ THE PRESIDENT (Mr. MUNDELLA) (Sheffield, Brightside), in reply, said, he had already stated that he did not propose to extend Standing Order 167 to other Bills. Standing Order 156 would still hold good, inasmuch as it did not appear to him to have any bearing upon the question. He had no intention of amending the Joint Stock Companies Act, so as to abrogate the rule that no dividends should be payable except out of the profits arising out of the business of the Company.