HC Deb 05 June 1861 vol 163 cc604-5

Order for Committee read.

House in Committee.

(In the Committee.)

Clauses 3 to 6 were agreed to.

Clause 7 struck out.

Clause 8 agreed to.

Clause 9 (Bond may be substituted for Deposit),

COLONEL DUNNE

moved to leave out the words "Order in Council," and insert "presentment." He strongly objected to the system of centralization proposed by this measure.

MR. BUTT

said, that his hon. and gallant Friend's proposition would involve a recasting of the whole scheme of the Bill; He appealed to his hon. and gallant Friend to withdraw his Amendment.

Clause struck out.

Clause 10 agreed to.

MR. BEAMISH

moved the following proviso:— Provided always that it shall not be compe* tent to make application for a tramway or tramways under the provisions of this or the said recited Act, to unite places between which a railway or railways directly connecting the same, shall have been constructed under the authority of Parliament, or between which statutory powers for the same purpose shall have been granted, and be in force.

MR. VINCENT SCULLY

objected is the proviso. It would give an unfair monopoly to railways, and would impose an undue restriction on the construction of tramways. The proviso amounted to a proposition to refer the legislation in regard to tramways to persons who were interested in maintaining railways and suppressing tramways.

MR. CARDWELL

said, that the proviso was to be found, with a slight alteration, in the Act of last year. The main object of these tramways was to connect railway stations, and they were confined to horse-power. The proviso was not thought of at first; but afterwards an appeal was made by the railway interest to the promoters of the Bill, pointing out that it might possibly be in the power of the constructors of tramways to unite places by these means to the injury of the railway interest, without having recourse to an Act of Parliament. The present proviso, if he understood right, was intended only as a slight extension and explanation of the clause to the same effect which was passed last Session.

LORD NAAS

said, he had not been aware until that moment that a clause resembling the one then under the consideration of the Committee had been passed last Session. He could not approve of the clause in the former Bill, and he was still more strongly opposed to the present clause, which would be one of a still more restrictive character.

Proviso, by leave, withdrawn.

MR. BUTT

then moved the insertion of a clause, giving any person entitled to appear on the inquiry before the grand jury, in the event of their approval of the undertaking, the right to traverse that approval.

Clause agreed to.

House resumed.

Bill reported, as amended, to be considered on Monday next, and to be printed. [Bill 160.]