CLAUSE 1.—(Acquisition of Land compulsorily for the purpose of Street Improvements.) (Hansard, 4 December 1916)

§ Mr. P. WHITE
I beg to move, "That the Chairman do report Progress and ask leave to sit again."
Before the Autumn Adjournment, it will be in the recollection of the House that the right hon. Gentleman the Chief Secretary for Ireland promised to consider this measure with a view to its becoming an agreed Bill, and not sending it upstairs. My object in submitting this Motion is that if he will put it down for the Report stage a number of Gentlemen who are interested but are absent to-night will be present to discuss various questions which will arise, and to state their views. If the right hon. Gentleman will do that I should be perfectly satisfied, and not press the Motion.

§ Mr. DUKE
The hon. Member has made a perfectly reasonable proposal. I am not taking the Committee stage to-night because I want to push it against the will of those who are concerned; all I wish is to make sure that the Bill shall not fail to pass through Parliament for lack of time. There is great risk of there being a lack of time unless the Bill is proceeded with now. As the hon. Member has said, the Report stage could be taken at a time when Members are present, and, for the very reason that I have put down the Committee stage to-night, I should be glad to meet the reasonable demand of the hon. Member in regard to the Report stage.

§ Mr. CLANCY
I would like to have one more assurance from the Chief Secretary. I have in my hand a long Resolution passed by the Dublin Corporation to-day asking that a week's adjournment should be granted in order that various questions 745 might be discussed. The right hon. Gentleman could take part of the Committee stage to-night, and probably questions on the Amendments and the New Clauses, and all these matters could be debated on the Report stage. I think that suggestion is a convenient one, and might be adopted, but I would like an assurance that these questions can be debated on the Report stage.

§ Mr. DUKE
So far as I am concerned, I will do everything in my power to make sure that on the Report stage any Amendment which should have been considered in Committee shall have fair opportunities on Report.

§ Mr. DUKE
I beg to move, in Subsection (1), to leave out the words "or making new streets"["or making new streets in Dublin"].
The corporation moved in this matter in pursuance of their public duty, and saw the owners of property in the neighbourhood. The question arose as to the work of making new streets, and the parties came to an agreement, and this Amendment is to give effect to that agreement, limiting the powers of the corporation to old streets.

§ Mr. CLANCY
Perhaps I may be allowed to say, after consultation with the Dublin Corporation, that I entirely agree with the statement made by the right hon. Gentleman, and for my own part my intention is to stand by every part of the agreement arrived at.

§ Mr. DUKE
I beg to move to leave out the words "by that Board"["Board in accordance with the Schedule to this Act."].
The question in dispute between the corporation and the owners of property was as to what should be the confirmatory authority with respect to certain matters for which extended powers were to be taken. Provisions are made in a subsequent Amendment for a confirmatory authority which is satisfactory on all hands, and this is an Amendment preferable to the intended Amendment which will enable their introduction.

§ Mr. DUKE
I beg to move, at the end of Sub-section (1), to add the words"(2) The powers of the corporation under the Public Health (Ireland) Acts, 1878 to 1907, for the purchase of land by agreement for the purpose aforesaid shall extend to and authorise the purchase by the corporation by agreement of any land which they may think it desirable to purchase in order to provide substituted sites or facilities for any persons whose lands may be required by the corporation for the purpose aforesaid and for any persons whose lands may be required for the purpose of providing any substituted sites or facilities."
The intention there is to give the corporation a power which it would be very beneficial for them to exercise. I believe it accords with the judgment of most people conversant with affairs in Dublin, that there should be a power of this kind, namely, that where there has been destruction of part of the frontage of a street and the question of rebuilding arises in such a way that it would be desirable to widen the street to some moderate extent and for that purpose to set back buildings having frontages on the street, the corporation should be in a position to facilitate that by purchasing premises at the rear of those premises in order that they might shift back the ground plan of the premises.

§ Mr. CLANCY
I only want to say one word. There was a Clause to carry out the proposals of this Amendment in the original plans of the corporation. I congratulate the right hon. Gentleman upon having found a satisfactory settlement.