The Marquess of Salisbury, seeing a noble Earl who had taken charge of the Steam Carriages Tolls Bill, the Report of which stood for the present evening, in his place, suggested the propriety of referring the Bill to a Select Committee, for the purpose of examining witnesses with reference to the interests of certain persons, which were likely to be affected by the measure. He should be sorry to be compelled to give the measure a decided negative, which he should be obliged to do, if an opportunity were not afforded to those parties to state their case; and, therefore, he hoped that the noble Earl would accede to his proposition.
The Earl of Radnorsaid, if it were the wish of the House that such a course should be taken, he would not oppose it; but he did not know how it could be regularly adopted. The Bill had gone through a Committee of the whole House, and the Report was ordered to be received this day. After that proceeding had taken place, he did not see how the Bill could be recommitted. The facts stood thus:—Mr. Gurney, a gentleman of considerable talent, had devoted all his attention to the construction of steam-carriages applicable to the road. He had given up a lucrative business, and applied himself wholly to that point. He had brought his invention to a state of great perfection; when, all at once, a Bill was introduced, not directly affecting his invention, but, by a side-wind, entirely obstructing it, and laying such a tax on steam-carriages, as would completely defeat his object. His invention had been used without any accident whatever occuring; and this Bill was intended merely to take off that burden which indirectly 249 would operate greatly to the prejudice of Mr. Gurney. The only objection he had heard stated against the measure was, that it would interfere with the claim of another individual.
The Marquess of Salisburywas of opinion that the subject ought to be further investigated, in order to secure the public against the occurrence of accident.
The Earl of Radnorsaid, no ground whatever had been laid for delaying the progress of the Bill. The public were secured from accident by the peculiar construction of the boiler.
§ Lord Lyndhurstsaid, it was originally proposed to consider, in a Select Committee, that clause which enacted, that no steam-carriage plying on the road, should have a boiler of more than certain dimensions. Now, it was understood that a steam-carriage plying in the neighbourhood of London, had a boiler of larger dimensions than those pointed out by the Bill; and on that point he had presented a petition from a patentee of locomotive carriages, praying to be heard by counsel against the present Bill.
The Earl of Radnorsaid, the individual clause to which the noble and learned Lord alluded, had been struck out of the Bill, so that there was no necessity to hear counsel on that point.
§ Lord Lyndhurstwas not aware that the clause referred to had been struck out. Still he was of opinion, that it would be right to send the Bill to a Select Committee, to see that due security was provided against accident.
The Earl of Radnoronly hoped, that those noble Lords who were so anxious to send the Bill to a Committee, would take care and attend that Committee. He wished to know, how long they were likely to detain the Bill in Committee, and whether the noble Marquess could state the names of the witnesses whom it was proposed to call?
The Marquess of Salisburysaid these were questions which no noble Lord could be expected to answer, and which he believed very few noble Lords would ask.
§ Bill referred to a Select Committee.