THIRD READING. (Hansard, 4 June 1877)

§ MR. STEVENSON
asked that the third reading should be adjourned, so as to enable the House to criticize the action of the Public Works Loans Commissioners.

§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER
regretted that the Report of the Commissioners was not in the hands of the Government. It was necessary, however, to proceed with the Bill, so as to put the Commissioners in possession of the requisite funds. To postpone it would cause considerable public inconvenience.

§ MR. HUSSEY VIVIAN
said, the Report was considered at the last meeting of the Commissioners, and was ready for presentation, but he thought it desirable that any discussion on the subject should be deferred to another year, when the Commissioners would be ready to meet any objections that might be urged to their proceedings.

§ MR. DODDS
thought the complaint of his hon. Friend the Member for Glamorganshire was uncalled for under the special circumstances of the case. The discussion as to the proceedings of Public Works Loan Commissioners on Friday last had risen incidentally in the course of the debate, and was entirely and naturally an offshoot from that discussion. He thought, however, that seeing the Chancellor of the Exchequer had recognized the promise made on the passing of the Public Works Loans Act of 1875 the Commissioners had no reason to complain if, in the absence of their Report, Members availed themselves of any legitimate opportunity of remarking upon their course of procedure, and suggesting alterations therein, as well as in the powers conferred upon those gentlemen by Act of Parliament. The Bill now under consideration had stood upon the Paper for some time, and he thought the Report ought to have been presented earlier so as to admit of its being discussed. After the statement of the Chancellor of the Exchequer he trusted the hon. Member for South Shields would allow the present Bill to pass, because the money was not merely required by the Public Works Loan Commissioners but by Harbour Authorities and others to whom eventually the money would have to be paid. He hoped, at the same time, that some assurance would be given that in future Sessions the Report of the Commissioners would be pre- 1292 sented and in the hands of hon. Members in time to admit of its being discussed during the passage of the annual Appropriation Bill through the House. He appealed to the hon. Member (Mr. Stevenson) to withdraw his objections.