§ Considered in Committee.
§ (In the Committee.)
§ [Mr. J. W. LOWTHER (Cumberland, Penrith) in the Chair.]
§ Clause 1.
§ MR. LOUGH (Islington, W.)said he understood the noble Lord had no objection to the first sub-section ending at the word "Postmaster-General." It was much better that licences should be obtainable from the Postmaster-General, without reference to the other three Departments, and he moved according.
§ THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Lord STANLEY, Lancashire, Westhoughton)did not think there was any great objection to the alteration. He would make inquiries, and, if possible, omit the words on Report.
§ MR. WILLIAM RUTHERFORD (Liverpool, West Derby)moved to add the following proviso—"Provided that nothing it this Act shall prevent any person from making or using electrical apparatus for actuating machinery or for any purpose other than the transmission of messages." He pointed out that unless such words were added, the Bill might interfere with enterprise and scientific exploration.
§
Amendment proposed—
In page 1, line 10, at end, to add the words 'Provided that nothing in this Act shall
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prevent any person from making or using electrical apparatus for actuating machinery or for any purpose other than the transmission of messages.'"—(Mr William Rutherford.)
§ Question proposed, "That those words be there added."
§ LORD STANLEYI agree.
§ Clause 1, as amended, agreed to.
§ Clause 2.
§ LORD STANLEYsaid he desired to make it as easy as possible for people to conduct experiments and he therefore moved to add in line 33 the words "but shall not be subject to any rent or royalty."
§
Amendment proposed—
In page 2, line 33, at end, to add the words. 'Where an applicant for a licence satisfies the Postmaster-General that a wireless telegraph station is to be used solely for the transmission of telegrams which are within the first or second exception from the exclusive privilege of transmitting telegrams conferred upon the Postmaster General by the Telegraph Act, 1869, a licence for that purpose, if granted, shall not be subject to any rent or royalty.'"—(Lord Stanley.)
§ Amendment agreed to.
§
Amendment proposed—
After the last inserted words to add the words, It shall be lawful for the Postmaster-General, due regard being had to the maintenance and exercise of effective control over wireless telegraphy, to grant special licences at reduced terms for the establishment and working of wireless telegraph stations to be used exclusively for the transmission within the United Kingdom of news to public registered newspapers. A schedule of all reduced rents or royalties imposed by any special licences shall he laid before both Houses of Parliament within fourteen days of the commencement of the session next succeeding the grant of any such licences.'"—(Sir Walter Plummer.)
§ Amendment agreed to.
§ Clause 2, as amended, agreed to.
§ Clause 3.
§
Amendment proposed—
In page 2, line 36, at end, to add the words, '(3.) His Majesty in Council may order that this
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Act shall, subject to any conditions, exceptions, and qualifications contained in the order, apply during the continuance of the order to British ships whilst on the high seas. (4) A person shall not work any apparatus for wireless telegraphy installed on a foreign ship whilst that ship is in territorial waters otherwise than in accordance with regulations made in that behalf by the Postmaster-General, and the Postmaster-General may by any such regulations impose penalties recoverable summarily for the breach of any such regulations not exceeding ten pounds for each offence and may provide for the forfeiture on any such breach of any apparatus for wireless telegraphy installed or worked on such ship. Save as aforesaid nothing in this Act shall apply to the working of apparatus for wireless telegraphy installed on any foreign ship.'"—(Mr. Lough.)
§ Amendment agreed to.
§
Amendment proposed—
In page 2, line 38, to leave out the words, 'whilst on the high seas or.'"—(Mr. Lough.)
§ Amendment agreed to.
§
Amendment proposed—
In page 2, after the last inserted words to add, 'In the application of this Act to Scotland the expression of misdeameanour means crime or offence." (Mr. A. Graham Murray.)
§ Amendment agreed to.
§ Clause 3, as amended, agreed to.
§
New clause [Application of Acts to Channel Islands and Isle of Man.]
In page 2, after Clause 3, to insert the following clause 'In the application of this Act to the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man—(1) The lieutenant-governor of the Island of Jersey or the Island of Guernsey, and the governor, lieutenant-governor or deputy-governor of the Isle of Man, as the case may require, shall (except with respect to the grant of licences), be substituted for the Board of Trade; (2) Offences may be prosecuted, fines recovered, proceedings taken, and search warrants issued in such Courts and in such manner as may for the time being be provided in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man by law, or, if no express provision is made, then in and before the Courts and in the manner in which the like offences, fines, proceedings, and warrants may be prosecuted, recovered, taken or issued therein by law, or as near thereto as circumstances admit, and the bailiff or his lieutenant, or any jurat of the Royal Court in the Island of Jersey or the Island of Guernsey, and the Judge or any jurat of the Court of Alderney, and the high bailiff or two justices of the peace in the Isle of Man, shall respectively be substituted for a justice of the peace.'"—(Lord Stanley.)
§ Brought up, and read the first and second time, and added to the Bill.
§
New clause [Duration of Act].
After the clause last inserted, to insert the following clause. 'This Act shall continue in force until the thirty-first day of September, nineteen hundred and six, and no longer, unless Parliament otherwise determines.'"—(Lord Stanley.)
§ Brought up, and read the first time.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the clause be read a second time."
§ MR. WILLIAM McARTHUR (Cornwall, St. Austell)moved to substitute July for September, in order that when the Act came up for reconsideration it should be brought forward at a period of the session when its principle could be properly discussed.
§
Amendment proposed, to the proposed clause—
In line 1, to leave out the word 'September,' and insert the word 'July.'"—(Mr. William McArthur.
§ Amendment agreed to.
§ Clause, as amended, added to the Bill.
§ Bill reported, as amended, to be considered to morrow, and to be printed. [Bill 303.]