* THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (The Earl of MORLEY)My Lords, I beg to move the Amendment to Standing Order 133 which stands in my name. Under the present Standing Orders Local Authorities, and Corporations, are absolutely precluded from working tramways constructed within their Municipal areas. The House of Commons have already passed such a Standing Order as I propose your Lordships should pass to-night; and the reason of it is simply this: that where Corporations are extending their tramways beyond the most populous parts of their boroughs, it is found that where they have already tramways existing in the boroughs worked by companies under lease from them they are at the mercy of those companies in respect of the extended tramways; the Tramway Companies practically being able to impose their own terms upon the Corporations. Your Lordships will see that there are in the Standing Order I propose ample provisions to prevent the Municipalities in ordinary cases from working tramways, and I think your Lordships will agree with me that that is quite outside the ordinary business of a Municipality. With these safeguards I ask your Lordships to pass the Standing 526 Order of which I have given notice, and which has already passed the House of Commons.
§ Moved, That Standing Order No. 133 be amended as follows, namely:—