Lords Sitting of 12 August 1884

MINUTES.
PUBLIC BILLS—First Reading—Consolidated Fund (Appropriation). *
Second Reading—Committee negatived—Corrupt Practices (Suspension of Elections) * (252).
Second Reading—Committee negatived—Third Reading—Public Health (Members and Officers) now Public Health (Officers) * (253), and passed.
Third Reading—Disused Burial Grounds * (249); Cholera, &c. Protection * (247), and passed.

PARLIAMENT—JUDICIAL BUSINESS— APPEALS—NEW STANDING ORDER.
Moved, That Standing Order No. VIII., applicable to Appeals, be vacated, and that the following Order be made a Standing Order in lieu thereof:
(Abatement or defect.)
"Ordered, that in the event of abatement by death or defect through bankruptcy, an appeal shall not stand dismissed for default under Standing Orders Nos. III., IV., V., provided that notice of such abatement or defect be given by letter addressed to the Clerk of the Parliaments and lodged in the Judicial Office prior to the expiration of the period limited by the Standing Order under which the appeal would otherwise have stood dismissed.
(Revivor, &c.)
"Ordered, that all appeals marked on the Cause List of the House as abated or defective shall stand dismissed unless within three months from the date of the notice to the Clerk of the Parliaments of abatement or defect, if the House be then sitting, or, if not, then not later than the third sitting day of the next ensuing sittings of the House, a petition shall be presented to the House for reviving the appeal or for rendering the same effective.
(Supplemental cases to be delivered in where appeals are revived or parties added.)
"Ordered, that where any party or parties to an appeal shall die pending the same, subsequently to the printed cases having been lodged, and the appeal shall be revived against his or her representative or representatives as the person or persons standing in the place of the person or persons so dying as aforesaid, a supplemental case shall be lodged by the party or parties so reviving the same respectively, stating the Order or Orders respectively made by the House in such case.
"The like rule shall be observed by the Appellant and Respondent respectively, where any person or persons shall, by leave of the House, upon petition or otherwise, be added as a party or parties to the said appeal after the printed cases in such appeal shall have been lodged."—(The Lord Chancellor.)
Motion agreed to.

PERSIA—RAILWAY CONCESSION TO A RUSSIAN COMPANY.

  QUESTION. OBSERVATIONS.
  LORD LAMINGTONasked Her Majesty's Government, Whether any official information had been received of a concession having been granted to a Russian Company to make a railway from the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf? The noble Lord said, that if a concession had been granted, he must point out what a very important matter it was, not so much as regarded the safety of India,

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  but as regarded the right to make a railway down to the head of the Persian Gulf. There had been a question in reference to making the Euphrates Valley Railway, and as to the British Government advancing £8,000,000 of money for the purpose of widening the Suez Canal; and he wished to point out that the sum of £8,000,000 would be sufficient to make the whole of the railway which had been begun by an Ottoman Company through that Valley. This was certainly a most important matter; and he would like to know whether the Government had taken into consideration the idea of supporting the Euphrates Valley Railway?
  THE EARL OF KIMBERLEYsaid, he could not answer the noble Lord's Question as to the Euphrates Valley Railway; but he could answer that part of the Question of the noble Lord of which he had given Notice, and which had reference to the supposed concession to Russia. Her Majesty's Government had received no information of any such concession having been granted.
  LORD LAMINGTONsaid, it was scarcely creditable that Her Majesty's Government should have no information on this point. He had also to ask if Her Majesty's Government were not prepared to consider the importance of constructing the Euphrates Valley line?
  THE EARL OF KIMBERLEYsaid, that on the hypothesis of something which, so far as the Government knew, did not exist, the Government could not be called upon to say what they would do in some possible contingency which might occur.

PUBLIC OFFICES SITE ACT.

  OBSERVATIONS.
  LORD STRATHEDEN AND CAMPBELL, who had given Notice of the following Question:—To ask Her Majesty's Government, Whether they can pledge themselves to take no further steps in carrying out the Public Offices Site Act until Parliament has re-assembled for the Autumn Session, said: I have put this Question on the Paper only with a view to urge the Government to delay still further the application of the Public Offices Site Act. Let me remind the House that the Act—which I have to-day looked over—is entirely permissive. The Government are empowered to appropriate a site by
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  valuation and by purchase; but are not bound to take any steps of demolition or construction. As to construction, they are engaged, by what passed in 1882, to take no steps until a plan has gained the sanction of the Legislature. No plan has gained the sanction of the Legislature; and it is doubtful whether any of those exhibited at 18 Spring Gardens can obtain it. As there is no legal obligation to do anything, as the whole question is sub judice, at least, of the Executive, who have discretionary power, it is useful to recall, in a few words, the consequences of the measure if persisted in. It would be most disturbing and injurious to the residents on the eastern part of Carlton House Terrace, who hold, their leases of the Crown, and are entitled to protection from it. It would invade the Admiralty, which has great associations. The plan favoured, which I have inspected in its drawing, would overshadow the Horse Guards, one of the few edifices in which architecture has been fortunate. Without the slightest reason, it would destroy Spring Gardens, a space available for new official residences, and really wanted for that purpose. The Act renounces the advantages of the site connected with Great George Street, which the noble Earl the Chairman of Committees (the Earl of Redesdale) has so frequently insisted on, and which the Protest signed among your Lordships thoroughly explained. It was resisted by the Institute of Architects. It is opposed both to inquiry and to evidence. On the other hand, it emanated from a Board to which we owe the anarchy of Hyde Park Corner—now so often likened to a railway junction—together with the mutilation and departure of the statue which belonged to it, against the recorded judgment of the House, and still more against the outraged feelings of society. Now, there is but one pretext for the measure. It is true the War Office are badly lodged at present. I readily admit their inconveniences. But if this scheme is carried out, they will be badly lodged for the next decade. Their wants admit of far more prompt and easy satisfaction than will be found in an extravagant and tawdry block of speculative architecture. My Lords, the conclusion is that the Treasury ought not to give their sanction to the measure. There is a special ground to justify such conduct, besides

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  the drain upon finance which foreign policy occasions at this moment. By accident the sense of this House was never taken on the Bill; and it is impossible to say that it would not otherwise have been defeated. Beyond the Government it had no clear support, and there is little reason to suppose that they were all united in its favour. What I ask to-day, in point of fact, is no more than the Government conceded, when they declared that the Act should not go on, until some one of the designs had gained the approbation of your Lordships.
  LORD MONSONsaid, he had to inform their Lordships that the Government did not intend to take any further steps as to erection of the new War and Admiralty Offices until after the reassembling of Parliament.
  House adjourned during pleasure; and resumed by The Lord MONSON.

  CONSOLIDATED FUND (APPROPRIATION) BILL.
  Brought from the Commons; read 1a; and to be read 2a To-morrow; and Standing Order No. XXXV. to be considered in order to its being dispensed with (The Earl Granville).
  House adjourned at Seven o'clock, till To-morrow, Three o'clock.