§ On the Motion that Standing Order 102 be suspended,
Mr. Entwistlesaid, that the first result of suspending this Standing Order would be to relieve the parties interested in railways from the necessity of presenting their petition with the Bill attached to it until twenty-one days after the Board of Trade had reported on such railway project. That alteration had been approved of by the noble Lord the Member for Sunderland, under the belief that a great expense would thereby be saved to the parties; whereas, upon inquiry, he (Mr. Entwistle) found that the cost of printing a Bill and preparing a petition would not exceed 30l. or thereabouts. With regard to the printing the Bill alone, he had said that the expense would not exceed 30l. or 40l, and if any greater expense were incurred, his answer was, that it was not fair to particular Companies that one company, against which the Board of Trade should have reported, should be allowed to delay drawing up their Bill till the reasons of the Board of Trade should be known, whereas the other company, in favour of which the Board of Trade had reported, wishing to press forward their measure, would have already drawn up their Bill, which Could not be altered; à priori, the line against which the Board of Trade had reported had the worst case would, by the delay, be enabled to draw up their Bill with reference to the reasons given by the Board of Trade against it. Upon that ground, he objected to any postponement which would enable the parties to draw the Bill after the reasons against, it should be submitted to the House. He believed that in most cases the companies who meant to proceed, notwithstanding the adverse decision of the Board, had prepared their Bills, and the whole extra expense would be the printing. Although 221 there was little expense in this House before a petition, there was much in working the line out of the House; the expense began when the company put their case into the hands of the Parliamentary agents, of the solicitors, and of the engineers; the consequence was, that by every day's delay, the company incurred a large amount of extra expense, and this extra expense would be imposed on companies anxious to proceed. He by no means, however, wished to compel the parties to incur the further expense of passing the Standing Orders, which would cause the necessity of bringing up witnesses.
§ Lord G. Somersetsaid, it was understood, if the reasons of the Board of Trade should induce the companies reported against to think it foolish to proceed, they would not force their Bills; but if those reasons should not be satisfactory, he hoped the House would give them leave to proceed with their Bills, notwithstanding the decision of the Board of Trade. The question of what should be done to prevent injury to parties anxious to go on at once would arise when he should submit his Motion, a few days hence, for a Committee to consider to what tribunal all the competing lines should be referred; when that Motion was carried, it would be for the Committee to say how far parties should avail themselves of the present alteration in the Standing Orders. With regard to the question of expense, no injustice ought to be done; but those lines had a great advantage on which the Board of Trade had expressed a favourable opinion; and whilst they must take care that the decisions of the Board of Trade should not absolutely stop the progress of any measure, they must also take care that parties did not prevent or retard the progress of others.
Mr. Hodgson Hindethought it had been clearly made out by the noble Member for Sunderland, that it was necessary to take some step in order to prevent injustice from being done to those companies against whom the Board of Trade had reported. Great injustice would likewise be done if parties in whose favour the Board of Trade had reported, were obliged to delay going into Committee till the adverse Bill was in a state of such forwardness as to be committed also. He therefore hoped that the parties who were promoting an adverse Bill would be obliged to bring their case before the 222 Committee, though they were not in a state of forwardness to have their Bill regularly committed. The promoters of the adverse line might delay for five or six weeks before they stated their determination as to proceeding, and the loss of such a period would be equivalent to the postponement of the road for a season. Thus, successful lines would be induced to pay enormous sums to get rid of competition. And thus the extension of time in favour of unsuccessful lines would be made an instrument of extortion. It was notorious that 25,000l. was spent to expedite, by six months, the completion of works. Now six months at the commencement of the season was equal to six months work in the general run of railroads.
Mr. Entwistlethen withdrew his Amendment, the Motion was agreed to; the Standing Order was suspended, and the following Resolutions were agreed to:—
And on the Motion of Mr. Greene it was—
- "1. Resolved—That this House will not receive any Petition for any Private Bill, other than a Railway Bill, after Friday the twenty-eighth day of this instant February.
- "2. Resolved—That no Private Bill, other than a Railway Bill be read the first time after Friday the fourth day of April next.
- "3. Resolved—That this House will not receive the Report of any Private Bill, other than a Railway Bill, after Friday the thirtieth day of May next.
- "4. Resolved—That this House will not receive any Petition for any Railway Bill, later than the twenty-first day after the day on which the Report from the Railway Department of the Board of Trade, with reference to such Railway, has been laid on the Table of die House.
- "5. Resolved—That no Railway Bill shall be read the first time later that, the twenty-eighth day after the day on which the Report from the Railway Department of the Board of Trade, with reference to such Railway, has been laid on the Table of the House.
- "6. Resolved—That this House will not receive the Report of any Railway Bill later than the eighty-fourth day after the day on which the Report from the Railway Department of the Board of Trade, with reference to such Railway, has been laid on the Table of the House."
Ordered—That on every Petition presented to this House, relating to any Private Bill before the House, the name or short Title 223 by which such Bill is entered in the Votes be written at the beginning thereof.
§ House adjourned at six o'clock.