HC Deb 08 May 1891 vol 353 cc425-6

Considered in Committee.

(In the Committee.)

Clause 3.

Amendment proposed, In page 1, line 9, after the word "company," to insert the words "or upon the application of any director of such company elected at presentment sessions, or upon the application of the grand jury of any county which has made a presentment charging any part of that county with the payment of dividends on any part of the share capital of such company."—(Mr. Knox.)

Question proposed, "That those words be there inserted."

SIR E. HARLAND (Belfast, N.)

I should like to know if the learned Attorney General for Ireland intends to accept the Amendment upon the Paper.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. MADDEN,) Dublin University

I think the Amendments are objectionable inasmuch as they deal with companies under the Act of 1883. The present Bill does not provide for increasing the capital of such Tramway Companies. Those companies which were constituted under the Act of 1883 are under a very special code of law, and it appears to me to be extremely undesirable to clog the present Bill with this Amendment. There is another serious objection to the second proposal; any increase of capital under the Act of 1887 carries with it a Government guarantee out of funds made available under the Act of 1883. If these Amendments are persisted in I fear we cannot hope to make progress with the Bill to-night.

MR. KNOX (Cavan, W.)

May I call the attention of the right hon. and learned Gentleman to the fact that the definition of the Tramways Act under this Bill is the Tramways Act as amended by the Act of 1883. I am not convinced by the right hon. and learned Gentleman's arguments that it is impossible by Amendments in this Bill to give relief to cess-payers unduly burdened by the Act of 1883. In order that the matter may be considered, I beg to move to report Progress.

THE CHAIRMAN

I ought to point out that if the introduction of this Amendment involves a further charge on the Treasury it cannot be done with this Bill.

Committee report Progress; to sit again upon Monday next.