Lords Sitting of 3 March 1863

MINUTES.
PUBLIC BILLS —Second Reading.— Bills of Exchange and Notes (Metropolis) (No. 26).
Committee. — Naval Coast Volunteers Act Amendment (No. 19).
Report.—Naval Coast Volunteers Act Amendment (No. 19).
Third Reading.—Prince and Princess of Wales' Annuities (No. 24); Bills of Exchange and Notes (Metropolis) (No. 26), and passed.

METROPOLITAN RAILWAYS AND THE DWELLINGS OF THE POOR.
THE EARL OF SHAFTESBUBY presented a Petition from certain persons, parishioners of St. Luke's, Chelsea, against the London Railway (Victoria Section) Bill. The petitioners stated that this project of railway extension would materially interfere with St. Simon's
1020
Church and its parsonage, which had been erected at the expense of two benevolent gentlemen; and it also proposed to lay violent hands upon Sloane Square, which was the only open space in the neighbourhood, and to construct in it a large station. He fully sympathized with the petitioners, and would urge upon their Lordships' to take such measures as they thought best to prevent these new metropolitan projects from interfering with the few open spaces left for the health and recreation of the inhabitants. If this scheme were sanctioned, there would in a few years be in this neighbourhood a population as dense as that in Clare Market, without a single breathing space. More than this, it would lead to the destruction of not less than 1,000 houses occupied by the labouring classes, for whose accommodation the railway company proposed to make no provision, "because no inconvenience is apprehended" No notice had been given to these persons that their houses would be required, and probably they would know nothing certain about the matter until ten days before their dwellings were pulled down. It was, he thought, incumbent upon Parliament to see that the pressure put upon the masses of the population, owing to the powers granted to railway companies in the metropolis, should be obviated as far as possible, and that they should be compelled to give to the occupiers of small tenements the same notice I which was now given to proprietors. In conclusion, he should move that the petition be referred to the Committee sitting upon the Bill.
Motion agreed to.

PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES' ANNUITIES BILL — [No. 24.]—THIRD READING.
Order of the Day for the Third Reading and the Lords Summoned, read: Moved, That the Bill be now read 3a; agreed to: Bill read 3a accordingly, and passed.
BILLS OF EXCHANGE AND NOTES (METROPOLIS) BILL [No. 26.]

  SECOND AND THIRD READING.
  Bill read 2a (according to Order); Committee negatived; Standing Orders Nos. 37 and 38 considered (according to Order), and dispensed with on the said Bill: Bill read 3a, and passed.
  House adjourned at a quarter past Five o'clock, to Thursday next, half past Ten o'clock.