§ Lords Amendment (in lieu of Lords Amendments disagreed to by this House) considered.
§ Lords Amendment: In Clause 90 (Electrical Fittings): Leave out Sub-section (2), and insert instead thereof—"(2) The Corporation may enter into contracts for the execution of any of the powers of this Section, including the wiring of private property. The Corporation shall not under the powers of this Section sell any such electrical fittings (other than electric lines, fuses, switches, ceiling roses, and such other electrical fittings as are used in connection with the wiring of private property from the distribution main as far as the ceiling, wall, or floor outlet only), except through a contractor carrying on his business independently of the Corporation."
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."—[Mr. Maclean.]
Mr. POINTERBefore the House is called upon to come to a decision in regard to the Lords Amendment I want to make a personal statement as to why I do not propose to move to disagree with the Amendment. Since the matter was last before this House there have been the usual negotiations, and ultimately, driven by the force of time, the Corporation agreed to the Clause as it has been read. I do not know whether hon. Members have been able to justly appreciate what it means. It means that while it appears on the surface that the Corporation have agreed to the compromise, in reality they have given everything away. That will quite easily 454 be seen. Let any hon. Member of the House judge what he would do in the circumstances. If he were going to have electric light installed in his house and had the idea of employing the Corporation to do the work, the Corporation can only carry the wires so far as the ceilings and walls, and then he will have to call in a private trader to finish the task. Every one of us would be inclined to give the order to the man or party who could complete the transaction right through. Therefore, while on the face of it it looks like a compromise, in fact the Corporation have undoubtedly given all the work to private traders. That may be one of those things which so far as some hon. Members opposite are concerned are to be met with acclamation rather than, from my standpoint, with regret. Because of the fact that we are driven right to the tail end of the Session and that if we were to disagree with the Lords Amendment, and the Bill went back again to the Lords, it would be lost, and the Corporation would sacrifice improvements to the value of over £100,000, it would be a great responsibility if I were to take upon myself the task of opposing the Bill or offering advice to the House to do so. Because of the exigencies of time, I propose, after making this personal statement, to offer no opposition to the Amendment.
Question put, and agreed to.