§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ Motion made and Question proposed," That the Bill be now read a second time."
§ Sir F. BANBURYThe hon. Gentleman who has brought in this Bill has given us no explanation of what the Bill is empowered to do. According to the Memorandum on the Bill the Local Government Board are to be enabled to make Orders under the provisions of the Acts which are scheduled, and it is proposed to alter the fundamental principles of this House that whenever a Provisional Order Bill is brought in the House of Commons should be enabled to express an opinion upon it. The Bill proposes that there shall be no discussion unless there is an objection raised by a private person and that objection is not withdrawn. What it really amounts to is that certain local authorities who are always desirous of legislating and do not wish too much publicity turned upon their legislative efforts should have an opportunity by private legislation of bringing a Bill before the House which the House will know nothing whatever about unless some public-spirited person chooses to come forward and. raise an objection to the measure. I 1279 see no reason why that should be done. I have been a good many years in the House, and I am not too much in favour of hasty legislation, from which I have seen a great many evils result. I have seen no evils result from deliberative efforts on the part of this House to discuss proposals brought before it. I find in the Memorandum of the Bill that the definition of land contained in Section 176 of the principal Act, 1875, is extended to include water. What has water to do with it? If we had had the privilege of a speech from the Member who introduced the Bill we should have had an opportunity of knowing on what principle and on what ground he proposes that the definition should be extended so as to include water. I do not know whether that has anything to do with temperance, but there seems to be some hidden meaning which we do not understand, when we have to elucidate the meaning of this particular Bill. Section 303 of the principal Act is also extended to enable the Local Government Board to insert in any Order or Act under the provisions of this Act any new provisions required by any local authorities which have been previously sanctioned by Parliament. This provision says that the powers shall be so extended as to enable the Local Government Board to insert any new provisions previously sanctioned by Parliament. Does that mean that provisions which have been passed in respect of one particular locality may be inserted by the Local Government Board in an Order or Act of another locality without Parliament being asked to adjudicate whether those powers should be applied to that locality1! It might be that provisions which suited Birmingham would be bad for London, or something that suited London would be bad for Dublin, or something that was good for Cardiff might be extremely bad for Glasgow. If this Section means anything, it means that powers which have been given in respect of a particular locality may be extended by the Local Government Board to every local authority in the Kingdom. I am sorry the President of the Local Government Board is not here. Apparently the right hon. Gentleman does not desire to possess these powers. I have had a good many years' acquaintance with the President of the Local Government Board, and I never knew him before not to take any powers offered to him. On the contrary, he always boasts of his being able to manage everything, whether at the Local Government Board or anywhere else.
§ And it being Eleven of the clock, the Debate stood adjourned.
§ Debate to be resumed upon Tuesday, 12th April.