§ On the motion of the Earl of Lichfield the Post-office management Bill was read a third time.
§ Lord Lyndhurst, moved the additional clause to the effect that the legal rights of all parties who now had claims on the Post-office should be reserved.
The Earl of Lichfieldsaid, that the claims of the parties alluded to by the noble and learned Lord were not more precluded by the present Bill than by the law as it at present stood. The claims of the individuals alluded to by the noble and learned Lord, were disputed by the post-office but the present Bill did not preclude the parties from urging them.
§ Lord Lyndhurstsaid, it did go to preclude those parties from prosecuting their claims. He was sure that the other House had not meant, in passing the Bill, to infringe on the rights of individuals; but if it could be shown that the Bill had that effect, he was sure their lordships would not consent to it. The case was this. Certain parties had a right to the tolls on Chatteris-ferry. That right had been recognised by more than one act of the Legislature, which mentioned it as a road adjoining a turnpike-road, thus making it distinct from the turnpike-road. The mails paid toll on this road or ferry until last year, when the post-office disputed the right; but this Bill went to decide the whole question. The bill abolished all tolls except those reserved by act of Parliament; but this particular toll was not so reserved. It was, therefore, unjust to the individuals concerned; and under these circumstances he trusted that their lordships would not sanction the measure unless a reservation was made of the rights of individuals. He would therefore persevere in his amendment to except any other legal title as well as those excepted by act of Parliament.
§ Amendment agreed to. Bill passed.