§ Mr. C. Hopemoved for leave to bring in a Bill for enabling the Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital to grant leases of coal and minerals for forty-two years, and for making a railway or tram- 442 road from Greenwich Colliery to Berwick Bridge. The hon. and learned Gentleman was understood to say that the latter portion of his Notice only, was that with which he intended to persevere, and that though some objection had been threatened to the Bill, he did not think the present a time when it should be entered into.
§ Mr. Humewished to know, if there was any exception in railway matters in favour of public bodies, or whether the rule applicable to Private Bills did not include cases such as the present. He could not understand under what Rules of the House the present Motion was brought forward.
§ The Speakersaid, he considered the proper course to take in the present instance was to apply for leave to bring in the Bill. The Bill was brought in for the improvement of private property, and must necessarily, under the peculiar circumstances, be applied for by Motion, and not by Petition. After the Bill was, however, brought in, and read a first time, it would in all future stages be treated as any other Private Bills.
Mr. Hodgson Hindedid not intend to offer any opposition to one part of the Motion of which the hon. Gentleman had given notice, but, if he understood the right hon. Gentleman rightly, he only intended to press that part of his Motion which referred to the construction of a railway, and to that he entertained the most serious objection. He was perfectly confident that if the Government, or if the hon. Gentleman himself was aware of the real nature of the Bill for which he applied, and of the evils which it was calculated to inflict, it would not be persevered in. He laid a statement before the Board of Trade on the subject; and he trusted the hon. Gentleman, the Secretary of that body, would pay attention to what he now had to observe. It was well known in that House, that the Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital were possessed of considerable property in mines and other estates. On one of these estates in the North of England, an extensive coal field had been let, a number of years ago, to some individuals who had worked the collieries without, he believed, much remuneration to themselves. They now thought that if they could obtain a Bill permitting them to make a railroad between their coal 443 fields and Berwick Harbour they could obtain a better and more convenient harbour for their coals, and then, that which was now a losing speculation, would turn out to be profitable. He had no objection to see those individuals similarly circumstanced as other adventurers who embarked in the working of mines, and he admitted that they had a right to endeavour to obtain access to the best shipping places; but he did say they were not entitled to any favour or privileges that other private individuals would not be shown. The hon. Gentleman by whom the Motion was brought forward was, he should be permitted to say, entirely misinformed, when he stated that the opposition to the Bill would be trifling. As far as he could ascertain, every landowner along the line would oppose it. The Corporation of Berwick, who were the lords of the manor along the line by which it was intended to pass, and the Harbour Commissioners of the same town, were both opposed to the Bill. It was quite true that it was intended to remove a lane to a better position behind some houses in the town, but that was not to be done under the authority of that Bill, but would be effected by virtue of an arrangement with the owners of the property. The compulsory power sought by that Bill would enable the Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital to lay that railway for a considerable distance along by a public road, and he thought much inconvenience would arise from such a power being vested in them. He was perfectly certain the Government would not, when they learned the particular circumstances of the case, press the Bill on the House.
§ Mr. Forsterexpressed his entire concurrence in the observations that had fallen from the hon. Gentleman who had last addressed the House. He was quite sure if the Bill had been investigated previously it would never have been introduced. He would wish to know whether, if referred to a Committee, the Bill would come under the investigation of the General Committee, or under a distinct Committee.
§ The Speakersaid after the Bill should be read a first time, it should be referred to the Committee on Private Bills. If all the Standing Orders were complied with, the Bill would then be proceeded with in the same manner as any other private Bill, and it should afterwards pass through 444 a Committee of the whole House, so that it would be perceived no specific advantage whatever was given to it in allowing the present Motion.
§ Mr. Forsterwas perfectly satisfied that after the House had investigated the matter they would find that all the observations made by his hon. Friend opposite (Mr. Hinde) were perfectly correct. He could not understand why a public body, like the Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital, should interfere to force a compulsory railway through private property. He would feel it to be his duty to oppose the second reading of the Bill, unless, indeed, he heard much stronger reasons advanced in favour of it than any which had been given to them that night.
Mr. Hodgsonsaid he would much prefer seeing the Bill withdrawn at once, as he had no doubt it would be thrown out on the second reading. Two public bodies had been in communication with him on the subject—namely, the Corporation of Berwick and the Harbour Commissioners of the same town, and both expressed themselves decidedly opposed to the Bill.
§ Mr. Brothertonsaid, the opposition to the Bill appeared to him to be the most extraordinary he had ever witnessed. In fact, the nature of the opposition convinced him that the Bill ought to be introduced, as one of the arguments against it was, that certain large coal fields had been worked for a considerable time at a loss, and that the proposed railway would, if completed, enable the parties to bring their coals to a better market.
Mr. Collettcomplained that the original Notice of Motion was for a Bill to enable the lessees to make a railroad; it was now proposed that the Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital should make it. He should like to know which was really intended.
§ Mr. C. Hopereplied. He said he did not state that there would be no opposition to the Bill; but that there would be no material opposition to it up to a certain time. During last year, when it was intended to bring the Bill forward, the Town Council of Berwick did not express any intention of opposing it.
§ Leave given.