§ The company shall in respect of all lands and buildings acquired by them under the powers of this Act within the parish of Islington be liable to and pay all the rates and contributions leviable in respect of such lands and buildings, as if the company were assessed in respect of such lands and buildings in the valuation list in force 502 for the parish or place within which such lands and buildings are situate, at the time the company acquire such lands and buildings whether such lands and buildings be occupied or vacant, and shall continue liable to and pay all such rates and contributions until the undertaking shall be completed and assessed, or liable to be assessed to the before-mentioned rates and contributions, or until such of the said lands and buildings as may not be required for the purposes of the undertaking shall have been otherwise duly assessed or liable to be assessed, and become liable to the before-mentioned rates and contributions.
§ He said he begged to move the insertion of the clause which appeared upon the Paper in his name, and he did so on behalf of the local authority of the constituency which he had the honour of representing. He thought that he might say that Parliament had always shown great respect for the wishes of local authorities where those authorities were actuated only by a desire for the public interest, which was the case in the present instance. The object of the clause was to require the payment by the railway company of the rates in respect of the property which they had taken for the purposes of their line during the time occupied in the construction of the railway. That was all that the clause proposed; because, of course, after the line was finished, it would be rateable in the ordinary way. He admitted that this was a somewhat late stage of the Bill at which to make this proposal, but the necessity for making it now was imperative.
§ MR. SPEAKERsaid that as the clause proposed to put a greater tax upon the railway company, it was out of order on the Report stage.
§ SIR ALBERT ROLLITsaid that, of course, he accepted the ruling of the Speaker at once; but he wished to know whether he was not at liberty to move that the Bill be recommitted for the purpose of the clause being inserted.
§ MR. SPEAKERsaid that such a Motion would be in order, but that, if it were objected to, it would have to stand over until a future day.
§ SIR ALBERT ROLLITsaid that he would alter his Motion, and would move that the Bill be recommitted.
§ MR. C. T. MURDOCH(Reading) objected.
§ SIR ALBERT ROLLITgave notice that he would make the Motion on Monday next.