§ House in Committee (according to Order).
THE MARQUESS OF NORMANBYsaid, he had not opposed the second reading of this Bill, but on that occasion he thought it necessary to say a few words on the special injustice with which he thought the town of Whitby was treated. These dues had been levied there for a century and a half, and by an Act of Parliament passed in 1827 they were made perpetual. By the present Bill these dues were abolished without any compensation whatever. He objected to this as a peculiar hardship on the town of Whitby. It had been stated that the harbour of Whitby was useless, but that statement was not consistent with the fact. Not doubt that owing to the increased size in the tonnage of ships, some of the harbours referred to in the Act no longer fulfilled the purpose for which they were adapted when the tolls were granted; but as regards Whitby he was enabled to state that within the last six years upwards of 3,000 colliers had taken refuge in that harbour during storms. He did not seek for any special indulgence for Whitby, but he felt it to be his duty towards his neighbours to correct the misrepresentations that had been made.
§ LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEYsaid, the people of Whitby could not complain of being taken by surprise by the Bill as the subject had been before Parliament for several years. Their Lordships should bear in mind that it was ships passing the harbour that paid these tolls, and not those entering the harbour. In the case of Whitby the levying of these tolls was far more objectionable than in any of the other three harbours referred to in the Bill; for its harbour was dry at low water, and had only twelve feet of water over the bar in ordinary tides, with sixteen or seventeen in spring tides. Whitby was now no longer noted for blubber boiling, but had become a fashionable watering-place, for which purpose it was better adapted than a harbour. He did not think the town had been harshly treated, as sufficient tolls would remain to keep the harbour in repair.
§ Amendments made; the Report thereof to be received on Monday next, and Bill to be printed as amended. [No. 187.]