* LORD BALFOUR OF BURLEIGHMy Lords, these Bills, which are for confirming certain Orders under the Pilotage Act of last year, are the first which have been brought before Parliament under the Act. The circumstances under which I ask for a suspension of the Sessional Order are these. The Bills under which the Orders are made only came into force on the 1st January last year. The Local Authority required some time to consider whether they would apply for the Provisional Order, and when they did so the Board of Trade agreed to give it to them. Every possible expedition has been used to get the Bills ready for your Lordships, but, owing to the provisions of the Act, which make it necessary that a period of six weeks should elapse between certain stages 1861 of the Provisional Orders before they can be presented to Parliament, the time passed away, and the Orders could not come before Parliament sooner than they do. The first Bill refers to the Firth of Clyde, and the pilotage upon the Firth of Clyde, and is absolutely unopposed. It passed through the House of Commons absolutely unopposed. The second Bill refers to the port of Bristol, and that I believe also is now absolutely unopposed. There was opposition before the Committee of the House of Commons, but the Committee unanimously confirmed the Bill, after some two hours' discussion. Under those circumstances, I hope your Lordships will consent to the Standing Order being suspended.
§
Moved—
That the Sessional Order of the 10th of March last, That no Bill brought from the House of Commons confirming any Provisional Order or Provisional Certificate shall be read a second time after Friday, the 27tn day of June next,' be dispensed with, and that the Bills be read 2a."—(Lord Balfour of Burleigh.)
THE EARL OF MORLEYThe noble Lord has certainly justified his Department so far in making out that they have lost no time in bringing these Orders before the House: but I think it would have been, under the circumstances, better if the Orders had been suspended for another year, considering that we have now arrived at the 5th of August, and that the Bills ought to have been presented more than six weeks ago. If the Bills are opposed I think it is very doubtful whether your Lordships should suspend the Standing Order, although if my noble Friend can assure the House there is no opposition to the Bills I should not oppose them.
* LORD BALFOUR OF BURLEIGHI cannot, of course, give an absolute answer that there is no opposition. That can only be decided by lapse of the time for petitioning. I think the time for petitioning with regard to No. 2 Bill will not have expired until 3 o'clock on Thursday. With regard to No. 1 Bill, that is absolutely unopposed, for the time expired at 1 o'clock to-day.
THE EARL OF MORLEYThen would it not be better to postpone the second Bill until Thursday's sitting?
* LORD BALFOUR OF BURLEIGHUnder the circumstances, I will not move the suspension with regard to 1862 No. 2 Bill to-day, but I hope the House will remember that it is not a new application if my name appears again on Thursday as moving for the suspension of the Standing Order. I move that the Order be suspended in regard to Pilotage Bill No. 1, and it be read a second time.
§ Motion withdrawn as applying to the second Bill, and agreed to as the first Bill.
§ Bill No. 1 read 2a, and committed to a Committee of the whole House on Thursday next.