TURNPIKE ROADS (SCOTLAND) ACT AMENDMENT BILL. (Hansard, 16 May 1845)

§ The Duke of Richmond,
in moving the Second Reading of this Bill, said, that his object was to assi- 431 milate the law of Scotland to the law of England, with regard to the keepers of turnpike tolls. In Scotland, the keepers of tolls were allowed to sell spirituous liquors; and this had been allowed for the purpose of increasing the amount of tolls. This he thought a very objectionable system; and he called upon their Lordships to affirm the principle which this Bill supported.

Lord Campbell
had recently been to Scotland, and he found a very general outcry against the system the prevention of which was the object of the noble Duke's measure. He warmly supported the principle, but he thought that the Bill would require some alteration to render it effectual in securing the object proposed.

The Duke of Montrose
said, the argument by which the Bill was supported, that the present practice was demoralizing the people, would go much further than this measure; it would apply to the whole system of licensing in Scotland, than which nothing could be more objectionable. At the same time, great inconvenience might be occasioned if no exceptions were made with respect to licensing toll-houses in remote localities. In some instances, also, if the practice were abolished, the trustees would have to levy higher tolls to maintain the roads.

§ Lord Rosebery
agreed with the main principle of the Bill. A very great nuisance existed under the present system, by the obstruction of the public roads; but he could not agree with the noble Duke in supporting so general and sweeping a measure, and in depriving many remote districts of a very great benefit.

The Earl of Dalhousie
thought the measure a good one. From his own knowledge of his own district, and from the information he had received from other parts of Scotland, he could state that the evils caused by granting these licenses to toll-houses were innumerable. The whole present system of licensing might be bad, but that was no reason why they should not endeavour to introduce this partial improvement. He should support the measure.