HL Deb 23 July 1878 vol 242 cc3-4

Amendments reported (according to Order).

THE EARL OF ROSEBERY

said, he had two or three small Amendments to propose to Clause 36, in order to remove certain ambiguities which had been allowed to remain in the clause after the adoption by the Government in the House of Commons of an Amendment to the effect he desired. He wished to strike out such words as "proprietors," applied to the ownership of bridges; because a person could not be considered the absolute proprietor of a bridge of which the public had the use. The clause would then read thus— The trustees of any county or counties and the local authority of any burgh or burghs shall, as soon as may he after the commencement of this Act, in such county or in any of such counties, adjust and settle with the persons or trustees having the management of any bridge or bridges forming part of or connecting any highways, whether situated wholly in one county or burgh or not, at which pontages are legally leviable by any person or trustees or the magistrates and town council of any burgh, &c.

THE DUKE OF RICHMOND AND GORDON

said, he had looked into the Amendments with the Bill, and he agreed with the noble Earl that there was some ambiguity in the clause as it had stood, and that the Amendments which loft the clause as quoted above would render it much clearer than formerly; and he was, therefore, very happy to accept the Amendments.

Amendments agreed to.

Further Amendments made; and Bill to be read 3a on Monday next.

THE EARL OF REDESDALE

drew the attention of the House to the fact that the clauses in the Act of 1 & 2 Will. IV. incorporated in the Schedule were numbered by Roman numerals, instead of common figures, as was the practice before the passing of the Reform Bill. Having inquired at that time what was the reason for the change, he was informed that some Members of the Re-formed House of Commons did not understand Roman numerals, and that the change was made for their convenience. Since that time there had been further changes in the constitution of that House, and their Lordships might probably be of opinion that it was desirable to order that the Roman numerals in that part of the Bill to which he referred should be altered to common figures.