Commons Sitting of 17 May 1899

PRIVATE BILL BUSINESS
  LINCOLN AND EAST COAST RAILWAY AND DOCK BELL
  As amended, considered; to be read the third time.
  UXBRIDGE AND RICKMANSWORTH RAILWAY BILL.
  As amended, considered; to be read the third time.
  FRIENDS' PROVIDENT INSTITUTION BILL [Lords].
  Read a second time, and committed.
  HASTINGS AND ST. LEONARDS GAS BILL [Lords].
  Read a second time, and committed.
  INFANT ORPHAN ASYLUM BILL [Lords].
  Read a second time, and committed.
  RENFREW BURGH AND HARBOUR EXTENSION BILL [Lords].
  Read a second time, and committed.
  ELECTRIC LIGHTING PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 3) BILL.
  Read the third time, and passed.
  LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 12).
  Bill to confirm certain Provisional Orders of the Local Government Board relating to Bournemouth, Bradford (Yorks.), and Coventry (two), ordered to be brought in by Mr. T. W. Russell and Mr. Chaplin.
  LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROVISIONAL ORDER (No. 13).
  Bill to confirm a Provisional Order of the Local Government Board relating to the counties of Warwick and Worcester, ordered to be brought in by Mr. T. W. Russell and Mr. Chaplin.

  LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 12) BILL.
  "To confirm certain Provisional Orders of the Local Government Board relating to Bournemouth, Bradford (Yorks.), and
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  Coventry (two)," presented, and read the first time; to be referred to the Examiners of Petitions for Private Bills, and to be printed. [Bill 211.]

  LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 13) BILL.
  "To confirm certain Provisional Orders of the Local Government Board relating to the counties of Warwick and Worcester," presented, and read the first time; to be referred to the Examiners of Petitions for Private Bills, and to be printed. [Bill 212.]
PETITIONS.
  BOROUGH FUNDS ACT, 1872.
  Petitions for alteration of Law;—From Ealing;—Sunderland; and, Leadgate; to lie upon the Table.
  GROUND RENTS (TAXATION BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES).
  Petitions in favour;—From Darwen;—and, Swansea; to lie upon the Table.
  LIQUOR TRAFFIC LOCAL VETO (SCOTLAND) BILL.
  Petition from Lochee, in favour; to lie upon the Table.
  LOCAL AUTHORITIES SERVANTS' SUPERANNUATION BILL.
  Petition from Ealing, in favour; to lie upon the Table.
  MINES (EIGHT HOURS) BILL.
  Petitions in favour, from Wallaton;—Newmarket Silkstone;—Nunnery No. 1;—Whitehaven;—Cambuslang;—Bamfur-long;—and, Cadeby Main Collieries; to lie upon the Table.
  RATING OF MACHINERY BILL.
  Petition from Benfieldside, against; to lie upon the Table.
  SALE OF FOOD AND DRUGS BILL.
  Petition from Halifax, in favour; to lie upon the Table.
  SALE OF INTOXICATING LIQUORS ON SUNDAY BILL.
  Petitions in favour;—from Chelston;—Kirby Stephen;—Torquay;—Kingsherswell;—Manchester;—Frenchay; Great Yarmouth;—and, Aylesbury; to lie upon the Table.
  TOWN COUNCILS (SCOTLAND) BILL.
  Petition from Castle Douglas, in favour; to lie upon the table.
RETURNS, REPORTS, &c.
  PATENTS, DESIGNS, AND TRADE MARKS.
  Paper [presented 16th May] to be printed. [No. 202.]
  PUBLIC REVENUE (AGGREGATE RECEIPTS).
  Return presented,—relative thereto [ordered 28th April; Mr. Gibson Bowles]; to lie upon the Table.
RATING OF MACHINERY BILL.

  SECOND READING.
  Order for Second Reading read.
  SIR WILLIAM HOULDSWORTHsaid he regretted that his honourable friend the Member for South Somerset, who had intended to move the Second Reading of this Bill, was unable to be present owing to illness, and under these circumstances he had been requested to move the Second Reading. As this Bill had not been before the present Parliament, although it had been introduced and passed Second Reading in many Sessions of other Parliaments, it might be convenient, and he thought it was rather important, that he should give a short account of the history of the Bill. It had been introduced no less than ten times in the House of Commons, and it had passed a Second Reading no less than seven times, with very large majorities. He held in his hand a list of those majorities. Since
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  1887, which was the first year the measure was introduced, there had been majorities in favour of the principle of the Bill varying from 152 to about 100. Although those majorities had decreased in the last year or two he thought he could show that this was not due to any increased strength of the opposition to the Bill, but rather to the fact that the supporters of the Bill regarded its Second Reading as a foregone conclusion, and did not think it necessary to come down to the House to vote. But more than that, this Bill had not only passed a Second Reading with considerable majorities, but it had also gone through the ordeal, in 1887, of a Select Committee of the House of Commons, and in 1895, which was the last session of the late Parliament, the measure was not only read a second time, but was also referred to the Grand Committee on Trade, and although it was received with a certain amount of opposition by some members of that Committee, the Bill was reported unamended to the House. He firmly believed that in that year the measure would have passed a third reading had it not been for the fact that the Government found themselves obliged to take up the whole time of the House. He was sorry to say that they had never had the assistance of the Government either from one party or the other with regard to this Bill.
  Notice being taken at half past twelve that 40 Members were not present, the House was told by Mr. Speaker, and, 24 Members only being present, Mr. Speaker retired from the Chair until Four of the clock, when the House was again told by Mr. Speaker, and, 34 Members only being present, the House was adjourned by Mr. Speaker without question first put till to-morrow.
  Adjourned at Four of the cloc'..