§ Private Bills (Petition for additional Provision) (Standing Orders not complied with),—Mr. SPEAKER laid upon the Table Report from one of the Examiners of Petitions for Private Bills, That, in the case of the Petition for additional Provision (No. 2) in the following Bill, the Standing Orders have not been complied with, namely:
§ Ordered, That the Report be referred to the Select Committee on Standing Orders.
§ London County Council (Money) Bill,
§ Pontypool Gas and Water Bill [Lords],
§ Red Cross and Order of St. John Bill [Lords],
§ As amended, considered; to be read the third time.
§ Shropshire, Worcestershire, and Staffordshire Electric Power Bill [Lords],
§ Read a second time, and committed.
2§ Order read for resuming Adjourned Debate on Motion for Second Reading [20th March].
§ The DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN of WAYS and MEANS (Sir Donald Maclean)Although the Report of the Committee has been received, I understand that no decision has yet been come to with regard to these Bills by the Government Department concerned, and, therefore, I beg to move the adjournment of their further consideration until Tuesday, the 25th inst.
§ Mr. ROWLANDSShall we receive a statement from the President of the Board of Trade?
§ Sir F. FLANNERYMay I represent to the House the very grave inconvenience to the promoters of these Bills caused by these continued postponements and delays? I do not intend to oppose this postponement which is now moved, but I do desire to place on record the hope that this will be the last postponement, and that the date named will be the date on which the Bills will be actually dealt with by the House.
§ Sir H. NIELDIn connection with the Brentford Bill, can the right hon. Gentleman 3 give any indication whether the Bill, if it is allowed to proceed with the others, will be in respect of the sliding scale only, and that the Committee will refuse to allow the constructional work, which is creating great dissatisfaction, to be proceeded with this Session?
§ Sir D. MACLEANWith regard to the questions of the hon. Member (Sir F. Flannery), there are some questions on the Paper direct to the President of the Board of Trade on this very matter. No doubt hon. Members will be able to put their queries to him. I am afraid I could not answer them with any satisfaction to the hon. Member. With regard to the question of the hon. and learned Member (Sir H. Nield) as to the Brentford Bill, of course the decision as to whether to proceed with that Bill or not depends entirely on the promoters.
§ Sir H. NIELDThe point was whether or not the Committee would exclude the constructional work, which gives rise to great opposition.
§ Sir D. MACLEANObviously I cannot tell what the Committee will do with regard to this Bill.
§ Adjourned Debate on Second Reading further Adjourned till Tuesday, 25th June.
§ Cannock Gas Bill, Hampton Court Gas Bill, Liverpool Gas Bill, Longwood and Slaithwaite Gas Bill, Yeadon and Guiseley Gas Bill, Cardiff Gas Bill, Commercial Gas Bill, Gas Light and Coke Company Bill, Hastings and St. Leonards Gas Bill, Maidenhead Gas Bill, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Gates-head Gas Bill, Plymouth and Stone-house Gas Bill, Portsea Island Gas Light Bill, Richmond Gas Bill, Southampton Gas Bill, South Metropolitan Gas Bill, South Shields Gas Bill, South Suburban Gas Bill, Swansea Gas Bill, York Gas Bill, Basingstoke Gas Bill, Rhymney and Aber Valleys Gas and Water Bill, Alliance and Dublin Gas Bill (all by Order),
§ Second Reading deferred till Tuesday, 25th June.
§ Land Drainage (Woodwalton) Provisional Order Bill,
§ Read the third time, and passed.
4§ Local Government (Ireland) Provisional Orders (No. 1) Bill,
§ Third Reading deferred till Wednesday.
§ Local Government Provisional Orders (No. 4) Bill,
§ Local Government Provisional Order (No. 5) Bill,
§ Read the third time, and passed.