HC Deb 15 March 1853 vol 125 cc197-8

Order for Second Reading read.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."

MR. VANSITTART

said, he should move that the Bill be read a Second Time that day six months. It was wholly promoted by strangers, being unsupported by any save a very inconsiderable minority of the inhabitants of the island, and was opposed by the landowners through whose property it passed.

Amendment proposed, to leave out the word "now," and at the end of the Question to add the words "upon this day six months."

MR. LAING

said, that the allegations made to induce the House to reject the Bill were of such a nature that their truth could be ascertained much better in a Select Committee than in the House. The Bill was supported by several pe- titions from the inhabitants of the Isle of Wight; public meetings in Cowes, Newport, and other places, had expressed a decided opinion in its favour. He thought nothing had been stated to induce the House to depart in this instance from its usual course with respect to private Bills.

COLONEL HARCOURT

said, that a considerable number of the inhabitants of the island certainly desired a railway, but, on the other hand, a large portion of the proprietors of land in the island, and especially those whose property would be most affected, were strongly opposed to this Bill, which also failed to obtain the concurrence of a large number of the respectable tradesmen in the four towns it was intended to benefit.

MR. COMPTON

said, that all the landed proprietors in the island were opposed to this railway, for which there was not the slightest necessity, as there was water carriage to all the towns which it proposed to benefit.

SIR ROBERT H. INGLIS

said, that a glance at the map was sufficient to justify the opposition to a proposition for carrying a railway through the Isle of Wight. When they heard that the majority of the inhabitants of the island and of the landowners were hostile to it, he thought they should not put its opponents to the expense of a contest before a Select Committee—a contest which would be carried on at the cost of private persons on the one hand, and of a great public company on the other.

Question put, "That the word 'now' stand part of the Question."

The House divided:—Ayes 92; Noes 133: Majority 41.

Words added.

Main Question, as amended, put, and agreed to.

Second Reading put off for six months.

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