Lords Sitting of 17 June 1886

MINUTES.
PUBLIC BILLS—First Reading—Losses by Riot (Compensation)* (156); Terms of Removal (Scotland)* (157); Poor Law Loans and Relief (Scotland)* (158); Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries* (159); Medical Acts Amendment* (155); Coal Mines * (160); Turnpike Roads (South Wales)* (161); Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officers) Act (1875) Amendment* (162); Conveyancing (Scotland) Acts Amendment (163); Married Women (Maintenance in Case of Desertion)* (164); Land Tax Commissioners' Names* (165); Peterhead Harbour of Refuge* (166).

Third Reading—Labourers (Ireland) Acts Amendment (120); Patents
Amendment* (133), and passed.
PROVISIONAL ORDER BILLS—First Reading—Local Government (County Divisions) * (167); Local Government (Highways)* (168); Local Government (Poor Law) (No. 7)* (169); Local Government (No. 3)* (170); Local Government (No. 4)* (171); Local Government (No. 5)* (172).

LABOURERS (IRELAND) ACTS AMENDMENT BILL.
(The Lord FitzGerald.)

(NO. 120.) THIRD READING.
Bill read 3a (according to order).
On the Motion of The Lord CLONCURRY, the following new clause (A) inserted after Clause 2:—
"The sixth section of the Labourers (Ireland) Act, 1883, shall be amended, and shall be read as if the words following were added at the end of the said section, 'And, save by agreement with the owner and occupier, such lands only shall be selected as immediately adjoin, and are accessible from, a then existing public road.'"
New Clause agreed to.
Moved, in Clause 13, at end add—
"And the Local Government Board may refuse to confirm a scheme or part of a scheme where a petition against the scheme shall be signed and lodged by ratepayers whose holdings, or the aggregate of whose holdings, are
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valued under the Acts relating to the valuation of rateable property in Ireland at three-fourths of the whole annual value of any electoral division or townland included in the scheme and defined in the petition against the scheme."—(The Lord Cloncurry.)
LORD FITZGERALDsaid, he was willing to accept the Amendment.
Amendment agreed to.
Moved, to insert the following new Clause:—
"No appointment made under this Act or under the said Acts shall be valid until it has received the sanction of the Local Government Board for Ireland."—(The Lord Viscount Midleton.)
LORD FITZGERALDsaid, he was unable to accept the new clause, but was prepared to adopt one enabling the Local Government Board for Ireland to remove any officer appointed under the Act if necessary.
VISCOUNT MIDLETONsaid, he was quite willing to withdraw his clause in favour of the proposal of the noble and learned Lord.
New Clause (by leave of the House) withdrawn.
On the Motion of The Lord FITZGERALD, the following Amendment made:—
(Power to remove officers.)
"(C.) Any officer or person appointed to any office or place under the Act, or under the said Acts, may be removed from such office or place by the Local Government Board for Ireland."
(Repeal of 48 & 49 Vict. c. 77, s. 6.)
"(D.) The sixth section of the Labourers (Ireland) Act, 1885, shall be, and is hereby repealed."
Bill passed, and sent to the Commons.

CONVEYANCING (SCOTLAND) ACTS AMENDMENT BILL.
(The Earl of Dalhousie.)

(NO. 163.) FIRST READING.
Bill read 1a (according to order).
THE DUKE OF ARGYLLsaid, this was a Bill which had just been read a first time, and which, as he understood, affected to a very large extent, and in an injurious manner, the property of many of the Royal Burghs of Scotland, as well as that of many individual proprietors in that country. He understood that it was a Bill which had passed through the other House with hardly a word of explanation or comment, and even without any debate. Many of those persons whose property

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was most injuriously affected by the Bill were not aware that it had been introduced. He therefore wished to ask his noble Friend below him (Earl Spencer) when he proposed to move the second reading of the Bill? It was one which, in his (the Duke of Argyll's) opinion, ought not to be passed into law during the present Session, because he thought that Parliament had not had time to consider it properly.
THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Earl SPENCER)said, he wished he could deal with the Bill, but unfortunately it was not in his charge. The Secretary for Scotland, who had charge of it, was obliged to be absent from his place that evening; but he should have proposed that the Bill be read a second time to-morrow, as the time for winding up the Business of Parliament was rather short.
THE DUKE OF RICHMOND AND GORDONhoped that the noble Earl would not press the second reading of the Bill to-morrow. The Bill was not yet printed, and it was doubtful whether it would be circulated to-morrow. The Bill contained a number of intricate provisions which affected in a very serious manner an enormous amount of property all over Scotland.
EARL SPENCEEsaid, he was quite willing to defer the second reading until Monday.
THE DUKE OF ARGYLLgave Notice that he would move that the Bill be read a second time that day three months. He had seen the Bill, and he knew that it was very seriously objected to by many of the burghs in Scotland. It was particularly objected to by the capital of Scotland. That morning he had received a telegram and letter pointing out the grave nature of the Bill. He did not think it ought to be proceeded with this Session.
LORD WATSONsaid, the Royal burghs of Scotland were indebted to the noble Duke for the notice he had given of opposition to the Bill. The Bill had been pressed on in a somewhat rapid manner. It was not known to many of the persons interested in it, and it had not been submitted to all of the learned bodies in Scotland for their revision or approval.
Bill to be printed; and to be read 2a on Monday next.

ISLANDS OF THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC— THE NEW HEBRIDES—ACTION OF THE FRENCH.

  NOTICE OF QUESTION.
  THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY: My Lords, as the noble Earl the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs is not present, I beg to give Notice that to-morrow I shall ask him whether he has any information to give to the House with respect to the reported and the unexpected action of the French Government in the New Hebrides?
  House adjourned at Five o'clock, till To-morrow, a quarter past Four o'clock.