§ MR. WOODSasked the President of the Board of Trade, seeing that it is proposed to refer certain Railway Bills now before Parliament to a Joint Committee of both Houses, If he will take measures to secure to intending Petitioners the same opportunities of being heard before the Joint Committee that 1487 they would have had before the other House of Parliament, had no change of procedure been made during this Session in the mode of conducting the Private Business affecting those Bills?
§ MR. CHICHESTER FORTESCUE,in reply, said, that under the Resolutions adopted by both Houses of Parliament all Petitions against Railway Bills from any parties would be referred to the Joint Committee, and the time for petitioning, under these exceptional circumstances, would be very much longer than in ordinary years. The inquiry was to be a single one, and would be made and concluded by the Joint Committee, that being the essence of the recommendation of the Committee of last year with regard to all Bills involving the policy of amalgamation.
§ MR. RATHBONEasked, whether it is proposed to give a locus stendi to local bodies?
§ MR. CHICHESTER FORTESCUEsaid, that under the Resolutions all Petitions, no matter from what quarter they might proceed, would be referred to the Committee irrespective of the Rules regarding locus standi.