§ "Subject as hereinafter provided, the council of a rural district shall have the like powers of promoting and opposing Bills in Parliament and of prosecuting or defending any legal proceedings necessary for the promotion or protection of the interests of the inhabitants of their district as are conferred on councils of urban districts by the Borough Funds Acts, 1872 and 1903, and accordingly in those Acts, the expressions 'governing body' and 'council' shall include the council of a rural district, and the expression 'chairman' shall include the chairman of such a council:
§ Provided that section one of the Borough Funds Act, 1903, and the other provisions of that Act relating to meetings and polls of electors, shall not apply as respects rural district councils."
§ Mr. SPEAKERI have to draw the attention of the House to the fact that this Amendment raises the question of Privilege.
§ Sir K WOODI beg to move, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."
This Amendment gives the power to rural district councils to promote and oppose Bills in Parliament and to prosecute or defend any legal proceedings necessary in the interests of their districts. It places the rural district councils in the same position as other local authorities in this respect. I think it is only right that the power should be given to these authorities to take proceedings in such matters. We desire to give them the same authority and power as other bodies.
§ Question put, and agreed to.
2016§ Mr. SPEAKERA special entry will be made in the Journals of the House with reference to the question of Privilege.
§ Subsequent Lords Amendments, to page 47, line 28, agreed to.