Lords Sitting of 1 March 1875

MINUTES.
PUBLIC BILLS—First Reading—Registry of Deeds Office (Ireland) * (25).
Committee—Elementary Education Provisional Orders Confirmation (Caister, &c.)* (14).

SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE ACT (1873) AMENDMENT BILL.
  THE APPELLATE JURISDICTION OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS.

    NOTICE OF AMENDMENT.
    LORD REDESDALEsaid, that as their Lordships were anxious to know what course was proposed to be pursued, he had been requested by the Duke of Buccleugh to give Notice of his intention, on the House going into Committee on the Supreme Court of Judicature Act (1873) Amendment Bill, to move the following clause, in order to take the sense of the House upon the question of retaining their appellate jurisdiction:—
    "That so much of Section 20 of the Supreme. Court of Judicature Act, 1873, as provides that no error or appeal shall he brought from any judgment or order of the High Court of Justice or the Court of Appeal to the House of Lords is hereby repealed, and there shall be such an appeal to the House of Lords as is hereinafter provided."
    LORD PENZANCE: My Lords, in the event of the clause of which Notice has just been given being agreed to, I beg to give Notice that I shall move that the House resume, in order that I may propose the following Resolutions:—
    1. "That this House shall henceforth adopt its ancient usage in appointing such Lords as it considers most able to discharge its judicial functions 'triers' of the causes referred to it for adjudication."
    2. "That legislative sanction be obtained for the hearing of causes by such 'triers' during any prorogation or dissolution of Parliament."
    3. "That provision be made whereby the House may obtain such assistance from the Judges of the Supreme Court of Judicature as may maintain its present and secure its permanent efficiency as the Court of Ultimate Appeal for the United Kingdom."

METROPOLIS WATER SUPPLY.

  QUESTION.
  EARL CADOGANasked, Whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to take any steps or introduce any measure during the present Session with a view to obtaining a better and purer supply of water for the Metropolis? The noble Earl said, it was admitted that the water supply of the capital was not what it should be, and it would not be so till the water was obtained from other sources. The principal offender in respect to the quality of water supplied to the metropolis was the Chelsea Water Works Company, The quality of that
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  Company's supply had been condemned in several official reports which had been brought under the notice of the Local Government Board. The Company had a Bill at present before Parliament for the purpose of enabling them to effect certain improvements in their works which would enable them, to some extent, to remedy the evils complained of; but he submitted that it was the duty of the Government to introduce a measure calculated to prevent the recurrence of such a state of things as now existed.
  LORD BELPERsaid, that as one of the unfortunate persons supplied by the Chelsea Company he could endorse the statement that the water supplied by that Company was unfit for consumption; and he thought that pressure should be brought to bear upon them to improve the supply.
  THE DUKE OF RICHMONDreplied that the question involved in the noble Earl's inquiry was a very large one, for it amounted to an inquiry whether it was the intention of the Government to take over from the Companies the water supply of the metropolis. In answer to that part of the Question he could say that it was not the intention of the Government to introduce any measure for the purpose. With regard to the Chelsea Water Works Company, the state of the water supplied by it had been for some time the subject of consideration by the Local Government Board, and the result of the communications which they had addressed to the Company was, that the Company had brought a Bill before Parliament to enable them to take their water from a higher, and therefore purer, part of the river and to construct a new reservoir, and thereby to improve both the quantity and quality of the water they supplied. Until the fate of that measure was ascertained, it would be premature for the Government to propose any compulsory powers with regard to the Company. He might remind their Lordships that the Bill introduced by this Company two years ago with a similar purpose was thrown out by their Lordships on the second reading. Residing in the same district, and being supplied with the same water as the noble Lord (Lord Belper), he could assure his noble Friend that he was quite as desirous for the improvement of the Company's water as his noble Friend himself could be.

COUNTY AND BURGHS CONSTABULARY (SCOTLAND)—QUESTION.
THE EARL OF MINTOasked Her Majesty's Government, Whether they propose to introduce any Bill for the purpose of providing pensions and superannuation allowances for the county and burgh constabulary of Scotland? That was a question which frequently—almost annually since 1867—he put to the Government of the day; but to which he had hitherto always failed in getting anything like a distinct answer. When he first asked the Question, the noble Lord who then represented the Government in that House told him that it was a subject of great interest, and should be considered; and the next year he asked the Question again, when he was told that it had been carefully considered, or was in the course of careful consideration. A year or two afterwards, when he asked the same Question, the noble Earl (the Earl of Morley) who then answered for the Home Office, said, that the subject was under the favourable consideration of the Government. That, he believed, was in 1872; when in the following year he repeated the Question, his noble Friend stated that the question was one connected with the great question of local taxation, and that they were under the necessity of postponing the subject. Now, he fully believed the late Government were in favour of doing something in this direction, yet he could not help being under the impression that they had somewhat temporized on this question. He would remind his noble Friend (the Duke of Richmond) that all the late Inspectors of the Police and Customs, and a very large number of the present Inspectors, had reported in favour of granting these pensions and superannuation allowances.
THE DUKE OF RICHMONDsaid, he quite admitted the importance of the question, but he was afraid he could not go as far as the Earl of Morley had been able to do, and say it was under favourable consideration; all he could say was, it should be taken into careful consideration. He must remind his noble Friend that superannuation really meant adding to the rates. He knew very well that his noble Friend was a great advocate for granting these pensions; but he must bear in mind that it was an addi-
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tion to the money taken out of the pockets of the ratepayers.

ESTABLISHED CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.

  QUESTION.
  THE EARL OF MINTOhaving given Notice of his intention to ask Her Majesty's Government, Whether they intend to introduce a Bill, or to propose the appointment of a Commission or Committee of Inquiry, or to adopt any other means for ascertaining, adjusting, and fixing with greater precision than the existing law admits of, the pecuniary liability of the lands in the various parishes of Scotland for the maintenance of the Established Church—
  THE DUKE OF RICHMONDsaid, that in the absence of the Lord Advocate from illness, he must ask his noble Friend to postpone his Question. It was one still more complicated than the last, and he would give an answer after due consideration.
  THE EARL OF MINTOanswered that, in consequence of this request, he would be glad to postpone his Question.
  House adjourned at half-past Five o'clock, 'till To-morrow, half-past Ten o'clock.