HC Deb 30 June 1851 vol 117 cc1454-8

Order for Third Reading read.

Bill read 3°.

VISCOUNT EBRINGTON

said, notwithstanding what passed the other night, he was of opinion that they ought to leave out the words then introduced into the Bill. Both he and the House were taken by surprise. He was, by finding the House in Committee on the Bill which had been in the notices for months. He objected to the words at the time, and he found that his Friend Lord Ashley, now the Earl of Shaftesbury, concurred in opinion with him I that the introduction would go far towards rendering nugatory the provisions of the Bill, confirming the provisional orders. He therefore proposed the omission of the words "so far as the same are authorised by the Public Health Act." It was notorious that the public was unrepresented in Private Committees; and during the railway mania it appeared that sham oppositions were got up, in order to cause Bills to be referred to Select Committees, in which provisions were introduced inconsistent with the public interests. He feared that the effect of the words would be to cause the perpetration of similar jobs with reference to local inquiries.

Amendment proposed— In Clause 1, line 11, to omit the words, 'so far as the same are authorised by the Public Health Act.'

MR. FREWEN

seconded the Motion.

Question proposed, "That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Bill."

MR. MULLINGS

thought the words in question only made the Bill consistent with the former Act.

LORD SEYMOUR

said, the words were introduced into the Act of last year on the best legal advice he could get in that House, and, acting on the same advice, he had introduced them into this Bill.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

said, that if the words were omitted, the provisions of the Public Health Act might be overturned.

Question put, and agreed to.

MR. FULLER

moved that Hastings be inserted in the Schedule.

SIR WILLIAM VERNER

seconded the Motion.

LORD SEYMOUR

said, he must oppose the proposition. He was quite ready to admit that Hastings was one of the dirtiest towns in England; but the point was, that St. Leonard's, being a clean town, could not be justly laden with the expense of cleansing Hastings.

MR. HOLLOND

said, Hastings was originally included within the operation of the Bill by the Board of Health.

VISCOUNT EBRINGTON

said, if the noble Lord (Lord Seymour) had made himself as well acquainted with the provisions of the Board of Health Act as with the operations of the Woods and Forests department, he would have known that there was a power in that Act to charge special districts for any benefits which might be specially conferred upon them.

MR. PIGOTT

said, the people of Hastings were not unanimously desirous of being included within the operations of the Health of Towns Bill.

Question put, "That 'Hastings' be there inserted."

The House divided:—Ayes 95; Noes 77: Majority 18.

Bill passed.

The House adjourned at One o'clock.