§
Motion made, and Question proposed,
That the Special Order made by the Electricity Commissioners under the Electricity (Supply) Acts, 1882 to 1922, and confirmed by the Minister of Transport under the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919, in respect of the urban district of Burley-in-Wharfedale and the parishes of Menston, Arthington, Pool, and Bramhope, in the rural district of Wharfedale, all in the West
1494
Riding of the county of York, which was presented on the 15th day of January, 1924, be approved."—[Mr. Gosling.]
§ Mr. JAMES HOPEHow many of these Orders is it proposed to take to-night? I understand, and to the best of my recollection it is so, that it has been the custom to take only six or eight at most. It is an unprecedented strain on the digestion of the House to take 31 or 32, as I think there are. As it is contentious business, and each one is debatable, perhaps the hon. Gentleman would be content to take an instalment to-night, which, I think, the House would be glad to give.
§ The MINISTER of TRANSPORT (Mr. Gosling)I shall be glad to get them all Through.
§ Mr. HOPEIn the first Session of a now Parliament the House really requires some explanation as to the nature and scope of these Orders. May I ask the Minister of Transport to give some explanation?
An HON. MEMBERHave not some of these schemes been held up while the change of Government has taken place?
§ Mr. GOSLINGI think the reason for the large number is because a great many of them are in arrears because of the delay for the last month or more, but I do not want unfairly to press the matter. I am in the hands of the Speaker, so far as I know, and if he tells me to stop, I shall do so.
§
Motion made, and Question proposed,
That the Special Order made by the Electricity Commissioners under the Electricity (Supply) Acts, 1882 to 1922, and confirmed by the Minister of Transport under the Electricity (Supply) Act. 1919, in respect of the urban district of Raunds, the parish of Stanwick and part of the parish of Chelveston-cum-Caldecott, in the rural district of Thrapston, the parishes of Newton Bromswotd, Higham Park, and part of the parish of I rchester, in the rural district of Wellingborough, all in the county of Northampton, and the parishes of Wymington, Podington, Harrold, Odell, Souldrop, Sharnbrook, Bletsoe, Riseley, Knotting, Melchbourne, and Yeldon, in the rural district of Bedford, all in the county of Bedford, which was presented on the lath day of January, 1924, he approved."—[Mr. Gosling.]
§ Viscount WOLMERWill the Minister tell the House the reason for these Orders and the circumstances which have made them necessary? I should particularly like to know if there is any opposition in any quarter to the Order, or whether it is a practically agreed Order. If so, when the Motion for the Order was made, why it is necessary to take it now and why it cannot be postponed so that Members can have the opportunity of hearing from their constituents or anyone interested in the Order? So far as I am aware, this has been down on the Order Paper for a very short time. I do not know that it was on the Order Paper last week but at any rate it has not been on the Order Paper for more than a very few days. Therefore, I do not think that the House ought to pass these Orders without some explanation from the Minister responsible as to why they are necessary and the steps which have led up to them.
§ Mr. GOSLINGThere is no opposition that I know of to any of them. If any hon. Member wishes to obstruct them, he must do so.
§ Mr. G. BALFOURI think it is quite unfair that the House should be asked at this moment to pass 31 of these Orders. 1496 I have every sympathy, personally, with seeing these Orders put through with the greatest possible speed, as I am interested in Ord rs of this kind. On the other hand, we must have regard to the decencies of procedure rather than merely the personal convenience of people who may be interested in the Order, and if the hon. Gentleman can fall in with the suggestion which has been made from the Front Bench, and the hon. Gentleman will be content to take some reasonable number, and we can feel there is no desire on the part of the right hon. Gentleman to force an undue number of these Orders on the attention of the House at this late hour. I have no doubt he would be able to get that number of Orders through without, interruption. Short of that, I think it is the duty of hon. Members on this side of the House to force this point of view—that we should have some regard to the number of Orders which are put through on one occasion.
§ Mr. GOSLINGWe have got into arrears. That is not my fault. I would remind hon. Members that we should have been half way through now if they had not obstructed. In the circumstances I am quite content to take ten or a dozen Orders now.
§ Mr. BALFOURCan you say, Mr. Speaker, what number of Orders you propose to take in view of the suggestion of the Minister of Transport?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member has suggested that we should confirm 10 or 12 Orders to-night. I take it that hon. Members would be prepared to confirm to Orders.
§
Resolved,
That the Special Order made by the Electricity Commissioners under the Electricity (Supply) Acts, 1882 to 1922, and confirmed by the Minister of Transport under the Electricity (Supply) Act,, 1919, in respect of the urban district of Newmill, in the West Riding of the county of York, which was presented on the 15th day of January, 1924, be approved.
§
Resolved,
That the Special Order made by the Electricity Commissioners under the Electricity (Supply) Acts, 1882 to 1922, and confirmed by the Minister of Transport under the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919, in
1497
respect of the urban districts of Gildersome, Hunsworth, Birkenshaw, and Drighlington, in the West Riding of the county of York, which was presented on the 15th day of January, 1924, be approved.
§
Resolved,
That the Special Order made by the Electricity Commissioners under the Electricity (Supply) Acts, 1882 to 1922, and confirmed by the Minister of Transport under the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919, in respect of parts of the parishes of Paisley, Eastwood, and Neilston, in the county of Renfrew, which was presented on the 15th day of January, 1924, be approved.
§
Resolved,
That the Special Order made by the Electricity Commissioners under the Electricity (Supply) Acts, 1882 to 1922, and confirmed by the Minister of Transport under the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919, in respect of the urban district of Heysham and parts of the parishes or townships of Slyne-with-Hest and Heaton-with-Oxcliffe, in the rural district of Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster, and for the amendment of the Morecambe Electric Lighting Order, 1897, which was presented on the 15th day of January, 1924, be approved.
§
Resolved,
That the Special Order made by the Electricity Commissioners under the Electricity (Supply) Acts, 1882 to 1922, and confirmed by the Minister of Transport under the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919, in respect of parts of the parishes of Dalziel, Cambusnethan, and Carluke, in the county of Lanark, which was presented on the 15th day of January, be approved.
§
Resolved,
That the Special Order made by the Electricity Commissioners under the Electricity (Supply) Acts, 1882 to 1922, and confirmed by the Minister of Transport under the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919, in respect of parts of the parishes of Bothwell, Old Monkland, New Monkland, and Shotts, in the county of Lanark, which was presented on the 15th day of January, 1924, be approved.
§
Resolved,
That the Special Order made by the Electricity Commissioners under the Electricity (Supply) Acts, 1882 to 1922, and confirmed by the Minister of Transport under the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919, in respect of the borough of Port Talbot, in the county of Glamorgan, which was presented on the 15th day of January. 1924, be approved.
§
Resolved,
That the Special Order made by the Electricity Commissioners under the Electricity (Supply) Acts, 1882 to 1922, and confirmed by the Minister of Transport under the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919, in respect of the urban district of Finedon, part of the urban district of lithlinghorough, and the parishes of Orlingbury, Little Harrowden, Great Harrowden. Hardwick Wilby, Great Doddington, Wollaston, Strixton, Grendon, Easton Maudit, Bozeat, and part of the parish of Irchester, in the rural district of Wellingborough, all in the county of Northampton, which was presented on the 15th day of January, 1924, be approved."—[Mr. Gosling]
§ Captain WEDGWOOD BENNMay I ask the Minister of Transport what work has been stopped and how much unemployment will be caused by the obstruction of the Opposition?
§ Mr. GOSLINGI cannot say what amount of work will have been stopped, but certainly none has been helped on.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThere is no Question before the House.
§ The remaining Orders were read, and postponed.