HC Deb 05 February 1913 vol 47 cc2382-6

1. Subject to the provisions of this Schedule the Board of Trade may make rules in relation to applications for Pilotage Orders, and to the payments to be made in respect thereof, and to the publication of notices and advertisements, and the manner in which and the time within which representations or objections with reference to any application are to be made, and as to the publication of Pilotage Orders.

2. Notice of an application for an Order shall be published once at least in each of two successive weeks in the month immediately succeeding the date of the application in such manner as may be prescribed by the rules made by the Board of Trade.

3. The notice shall state the object which it is proposed to effect by the Order.

4. The Board of Trade on receiving any application for an Order shall refer the application to the pilotage authority of the district, if the authority are not themselves the applicants, and shall consider any objections which may be made to the proposed Order whether by the pilotage authority or by other persons appearing to the Board of Trade to be interested, and for that purpose shall allow at least six weeks to elapse between the date on which the application is referred to the authority and that, on which the Order is made.

5. The Board of Trade may submit to Parliament for confirmation any Order which requires confirmation by Parliament.

6. If and when a Bill confirming any such Order is pending in either House of Parliament, a petition is presented against any Order comprised therein, the Bill, so far as it relates to that Order, may be referred to a Select Committee, or if the two Houses of Parliament think fit so to order, to a Joint Committee of those Houses, and the petitioner shall be allowed to appear and oppose as in the case of private Bills.

7. Any Act confirming an Order under this Act may be repealed, altered, or amended by any subsequent Order made under this Act.

8. The Board of Trade may revoke, either wholly or partially, any Order made by them before the Order is confirmed by Parliament, but such revocation shall not be made whilst the Bill confirming the Order is pending in either House of Parliament.

9. The making of an Order shall be primâ facie evidence that all the require- ments of this Act in respect of proceedings required to be taken previously to the making of the Order have been complied with.

Mr. LESLIE SCOTT

I beg to move, in paragraph 1, to leave out the words "and to the payments to be made in respect thereof." This is a very wide power to give. It is giving carte blanche to send in any Bills.

Mr. BUXTON

My impression is that in the first instance this charge will not be thrown on these bodies, but I must not be held as expressing that opinion definitely. At all events, the cost to them will be very small, and I am inclined to think, in the first instance, the payments will not be enforced. In any case they will not be great, and, so far as I am able to say off-hand, I can give the hon. Gentleman the assurance I understand he desires.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

SECOND SCHEDULE.
ENACTMENTS REPEALED.
Session and Chapter. Short Title. Extent of Repeal.
57 & 58 Vict. c. 60. The Merchant Shipping Act, 1894. Sections five hundred and seventy-two to six hundred and thirty-two inclusive.
60 & 61 Vict. c. 61. The Merchant Shipping (Exemption from Pilotage) Act, 1897. The whole Act.
6 Edw. 7, c. 48. The Merchant Shipping Act, 1906. Section seventy-three.
Mr. DUNDAS WHITE

I beg to move, after the word "inclusive" ["six hundred and thirty-two inclusive"], to insert the words "and the twenty-first schedule."

This is dependent on one of the Sections to be repealed, and, of course, after the repeal of the Section, the twenty-first schedule would become of no effect, and would be virtually repealed. This is really formal.

Mr. BOOTH

I believe this is the last Amendment, and it is a manuscript Amendment. I just wish to give my candid opinion about this kind of legislation. I do not think it is treating the House fairly to keep putting Amendments, in manuscript form, which we have not had the chance of studying, particularly where we are repealing Acts of Parliament. I venture, with all respect, to make a protest against our going on with Bills in this fashion.

Amendment agreed to.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read the third time."

Mr. BOOTH

I do not think any intimation was given that this Bill was to be read a third time to-night. I know there is a desire to pass the Bill and get rid of it; everybody is sick and tired of this way of legislating. I do not disguise from the House that I do not believe in this Bill. After what has taken place to-night, I am almost certain that an amending Bill will be needed in the next twelve months, as was the case in the Shops Bill, and with other legislation. I will not pursue my objection to this Bill; it is well known, but I am surprised at the whole Conservative party taking it so easily, but it affords an opportunity for the appointment of new officials, and no doubt they are hoping that the majority of them will be Conservatives. I venture again to renew my protest against the Bill being brought forward so late in the Session.

The Orders for remaining Government business were read and postponed.

Whereupon Mr. DEPUTY-SPEAKER, pursuant to the Order of the House of 14th. October, proposed the Question, "That this House do now adjourn."

Adjourned accordingly at Two minutes after One o'clock.