INSTRUCTION TO COMMITTEE. (Hansard, 1 June 1893)

§ MR. EDWARDS (Radnorshire)
said, he had on the Paper a Motion affecting this Water Order, which was included in a Provisional Order dealing with two other Water Bills. His objection to the Provisional Order passing in its present 1724 form was that if the opposition to one of the Water Bills happened to be successful it would involve the loss of all three Bills. It was, therefore, desired that the Llandrindod Bill should be put into a separate Order. The promoters of the Bill had issued a statement against that course being taken; but that statement went into the merits of the Bill itself, which he did not propose to deal with that day, preferring to leave that for a subsequent opportunity, which would arise if his proposal were agreed to.

§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH (Bristol, W.)
expressed his surprise at the absence of the President of the Board of Trade, there being no one present, consequently, to inform the House what course the Department advised should be taken on this proposal.

§ MR. EDWARDS
I ought, perhaps, to have said that the Board of Trade offer no objection to it.

§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH
said, he was anxious to know the exact position of the Board of Trade in refer-once to it. This Provisional Order contained three Bills. On the Second Reading the hon. Member for Radnorshire (Mr. Edwards) objected to one of the Bills. He was perfectly within his right in doing so; but the President of the Board of Trade very naturally told him that that was not the proper time to object, and that the place to discuss local matters of that kind was before the Select Committee. The Second Reading was passed after a Division by a considerable malority, and the Provisional Order had now been referred to a Select Committee. He did not quite understand what was the object of his hon. Friend in making this Motion. If the Government thought it well that the Provisional Order should be separated, and the Llandrindod Bill dealt with by a Select Committee, he could quite understand that that would be a legitimate course to take. But he understood that what the hon. Member wanted to do was to get the Provisional Order 1725 separated, so that on the Third Reading he might maintain his objection to the Llandrindod Bill. That, he submitted, was not a fair, nor was it the customary, way of dealing with these local matters. The hon. Member and his friends ought to have petitioned against the Bill, in order that their objections might be dealt with by the Select Committee. But they had not done so. Now, he wanted a clear understanding as to what the Department responsible for the Bill desired to have done; and, in order to secure that, he would formally move the Adjournment of the Debate.

§ *THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (Mr. MELLOR,) York, W. R., Sowerby
said, he thought he could satisfy the right hon. Gentleman. He could quite understand the desire that the Llandrindod Order should be dealt with separately; and if the Motion, which he believed under the circumstances to be a reasonable one, were adopted, he proposed, under the Standing Order, to move that the Bill should be sent to a Select Committee as an opposed Bill, in order that the objections might be there investigated. He should not allow it to be taken as an ordinary unopposed Bill, as that would probably be unfair to the persons concerned.

§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. H. H. FOWLER,) Wolverhampton, E.
explained that the President of the Board of Trade was detained on Public Business: but he was authorised to state that the Government concurred in the course which had been indicated by the Chairman of Ways and Means. Their intention was that the Bill should be duly investigated upstairs, and they would deprecate any such course being followed as the right hon. Baronet seemed to think possible under the Resolution. As one or two hon. Members felt strongly about this Bill, it was desirable that it should go before a Select Committee, which would have power to take evidence upon it.

§ SIR M. HICKS-BEACH
If that can be done I will ask leave to withdraw my Motion. I understand, however, that no Petitions have been presented against the Bill; and I will ask you, Mr. 1726 Speaker, if under those circumstances the Bill could, as suggested, be sent to a Select Committee?

§ *MR. SPEAKER
I have no doubt that the course indicated by the Chairman of Ways and Means is one which can be adopted.

§ MR. H. H. FOWLER
If the right hon. Baronet has any doubt, I am quite prepared to consent to the Motion for Adjournment in order that he may be satisfied.

§ SIR M. HICKS-BEACH
I have no wish to delay the Bill. I am quite content with what has been said, and I beg to ask leave to withdraw my Motion.