HC Deb 16 June 1911 vol 26 cc1800-1

"To confirm a Provisional Order made by the Board of Trade under the Port of London Act, 1908, relating to the definition of dues for the purposes of the First Election of Members of the Port of London Authority under that Act," presented by Mr. TENNANT; supported by Mr. Sydney Buxton.

The DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN (Mr. Whitley)

I beg to move, "That, in the case of the Port of London (First Election of Members) Provisional Order Bill, Standing Order]93A be suspended, and that the Bill be read the first time." This Motion is required because this Bill ought to have been presented the last day before the Whitsuntide adjournment, but unfortunately my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary was not well at that time and was unable to approve the provisions of the Bill. He missed by one day the proper time for presenting it and this Motion is in order to enable it to be taken beyond the time for First Reading, and to have Standing Order 193A suspended for that purpose.

Mr. BOOTH

May I ask if the Bill now gets exactly the same place and has suffered no injury or loss?

The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Tennant)

Yes, Sir, I think that is so.

Mr. BOOTH

That being so, I do not know whether the Parliamentary Secretary is ready to indicate in a general way what the meaning of this Bill is. I am very keenly interested in this authority. Many years ago I was elected one of the first members of the Port Sanitary Authority of Manchester, and was interested when this project of the Port of London came before the House. It does seem to me that this is peculiarly one of those Bills which might have been introduced under what is commonly known as the Ten Minutes' Rule—that is to say, that this is peculiarly a case where the hon. Member introducing the Bill might, without treating it as a controversial matter, have offered a few words of explanation in the way a private Member is sometimes asked to do by favour of the Speaker.

Attention called to the fact that forty Members were not present. House counted, and forty Members being found present,

Question put, and agreed to. Bill read the first time.

Bill accordingly read the first time; to be referred to the Examiners of Petitions for Private Bills, and to be printed.