CITY OF LONDON (VARIOUS POWERS) BILL. (Hansard, 18 May 1911)

§ Mr. T. E. HARVEY

Along with my hon. Friend the Member for Stepney I am one of the Members who gave notice of their intention to oppose the Second Reading of this Bill in order to call the attention of the House to the difficulty which has been created by the delay on the part of the City Corporation in not completing the purchase of Spitalfields Market. This has involved considerable loss to the borough of Stepney and great inconvenience and loss to Metropolitan traffic. I am glad to say that we have been able to meet in conference representatives of the City Corporation, and that we are assured steps will be taken to prolong the right of option of purchase which the Act of 1902 gave to Stepney Borough Council. The City Corporation will be advised to see that this is clone at the expense of the Corporation, and we are also assured that the Corporation will take steps to complete the purchase without unnecessary delay. We are, therefore, very glad to withdraw our opposition to the Second Reading of the Bill.

§ Dr. ADDISON

As one of those who put down Motions for blocking the Bill, wish to take this opportunity of placing on record that the authorities of the City have met our objections in a very reasonable way. Under certain Clauses of this Bill, and particularly Clause 22, relating to man carrying on trade in. the streets, such as costers, it would have been possible to have got rid of all these men, or at any rate of a large number of them, had the authorities been so minded. I do not say that they would have been so minded, but still there was the possibility under the Bill. While that possibility remained we felt it our duty to object. They have withdrawn Sub-section (8) and they have made Sub-section (6) only operative during three years. We wish to get these concessions on the records of the House. For that reason we withdraw our opposition.