HL Deb 10 July 1885 vol 299 cc244-6
LORD BALFOUR,

in moving— That Standing Order No. 93, be considered in order to its being dispensed with in respect of a Petition of the Metropolitan Railway Company praying to be heard by counsel against the Bill, said, that his Motion might be said to arise out of the decision at which their Lordships arrived on Tuesday last. He did not desire to go behind that decision, but only that the inquiry before the Select Committee should be a full and fair one. The House on Tuesday allowed the Bill to pass a second reading, containing clauses which were against one of the Standing Orders of the House. In 1882 the Company procured an Act authorizing the raising of a capital of £10,500.000. Since that time nothing had been done, and the object of the present Bill was to authorize £660,000 to be raised in order to pay interest on the £10,500,000 of capital during the construction of the railway. If his Motion were not agreed to, the promoters of the Bill and their witnesses would not even be cross-examined on their financial proposals. There was no doubt that the Metropolitan Railway Company, which was a rival undertaking, and was also affected as a landowner, had a locus standi in the matter; and they had not petitioned because they relied on their Lordships not reversing the decision of 1882, when they refused to allow the payment of interest out of capital. If the Metropolitan Company were not allowed to be heard against the Bill, a dangerous precedent would be created, as Companies would promote two Bills—one directed to the execution of the work, and the other to the financial proposals — and this separation might exclude those who would otherwise have a right to oppose one or the other of the Bills. The noble Lord concluded with his Motion.

Moved, "That Standing Order No. 93. be considered in order to its being dispensed with in respect of a Petition of the Metropolitan Bail-way Company praying to be heard by counsel against the Bill."—(The Lord Balfour.)

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (The Duke of RICHMOND and GORDON)

said, ho would not oppose the Motion, if he received the assurance that it was not intended to go into the merits of the case.

LORD BALFOUR

assured their Lordships that the inquiry would be confined to the question of finance.

Motion agreed to.

Leave given to present the said Petition.