HC Deb 01 August 1853 vol 129 cc1135-7

This Bill was brought up to be considered as amended.

MR. LOWE

brought up a clause, which, he said, he believed to have been framed at the request of the cab proprietors themselves, and which would undoubtedly benefit the public. The object of the clause was, that where a cab was hired by time, after the first hour the cabman could demand for every quarter of an hour 6d., instead of 2s. for the whole hour.

Clause agreed to.

MR. F. SCULLY

brought up a clause which was intended to prevent the cab proprietors again suddenly withdrawing their cabs from the streets, by giving power to the Commissioners of Police to withdraw or suspend the licences for cabs in the event of their being withdrawn two consecutive days, without a notice of ten days having been given by the proprietors, or to the magistrates to inflict a fine not exceeding 20s. for each carriage withdrawn each day.

MR. LOWE

begged to state that the clause met with the approval of his hon. Friend (Mr. Fitzroy).

LORD DUDLEY STUART

said, he objected to the clause, because it left everything to the decision of a magistrate. He should, on the third reading of the Bill, move a clause, giving the power of appeal from the decision of the magistrate or Police Commissioner in every case fall- ing under the Act. It had been his intention on a previous occasion to give notice of the clause which he proposed to move; but at that time the proprietors of cabs had withdrawn them from the streets, and under those circumstances he felt that it would not have been in accordance with his duty to give any notice on the subject.

MR. ROUNDELL PALMER

said, he considered the clause to be a specimen of inconsiderate legislation, and he should feel it his duty to oppose it.

MR. I. BUTT

thought that the hon. Member for Tipperary (Mr. F. Scully) was out of order in proposing a clause at the present stage of the Bill of which he had given notice for the third reading. He should wish to hear Mr. Speaker's opinion on that point.

MR. SPEAKER

said, he was of opinion that, as the hon. Member had given notice of his intention to move the clause on the third reading, it was not competent for him to move it at the present stage of the measure.

Clause withdrawn.

MR. FREWEN

said, he objected to the radius of four miles from Charing-cross. The House ought to know that this was called a West-end clause and a House of Commons clause. If the clause stood as at present, it would include Wandsworth-common and the end of Streatham, where there was very little chance of a back fare, and would exclude the populous districts about Mile-end. He would propose as an Amendment, that the outside boundaries of the metropolitan boroughs should be adopted as the limit beyond which the increased charge should commence.

Amendment proposed, in page 6, line 4, to leave out the words "circumference of a circle, the radius of which shall be four miles from."

SIR WILLIAM CLAY

said, he had received many representations from the inhabitants of the east end of the metropolis protesting against Charing-cross being selected as the centre of the four mile circle. The four miles would just go beyond Whitechapel, and would exclude the hundreds of thousands who lived at Mil-end, Limehouse, and parts adjacent, while it would include Chelsea, Lambeth, and the country districts beyond them. He would propose St. Paul's, which was adopted as the central point of the metropolis in some recent Acts of Parliament.

MR. LOWE

said, he had been requested by his hon. Friend (Mr. Fitzroy) to propose Temple-bar as the best point from which to measure the four mile circle. The General Post Office had been thought of, but that would omit Chelsea, while the Amendment of the hon. Member (Mr. Frewen) would extend to some country districts. He understood, for example, that the borough of Marylebone went up nearly to Hampstead.

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

The House divided:—Ayes 88; Noes 14: Majority 74.

MR. LOWE

then moved the substitution of the words "Temple-bar" for "Charing-cross" as the centre of the circle from which to calculate the four miles.

MR. FREWEN

said, that whatever point the circle were taken from, it would be unfair to certain districts. The further end of Eaton-square, and probably part of Hackney, would be beyond the circle now proposed.

Motion agreed to.

The House adjourned at a quarter after Three o'clock.