§ Order of the Day for the Second Beading, read.
* THE EARL OF CAMPERDOWN, in moving the Second Beading, said, the object of the Bill was to do away, by a slight Amendment, with a doubt as to the construction of the Act of 1876, which provided that when Commissioners proposed to manufacture gas they should give notice to owners, lessees, and occupiers of every dwelling-house within 300 yards of the place, and obtain their consent, or make a Return to the Board of Trade of all lands required for that purpose. It had been doubted whether the alternative Return to the Board of Trade would be sufficient; and this Bill proposed that in future it should only be necessary to bring the matter before the Sheriff, in the event of any owner or occupier refusing or delaying to give the required consent within 10 days, who, after inquiry, would be empowered to find and declare that such consent be dispensed with. The matter had been considered by the Secretary for Scotland and by the Board of Trade, and had been agreed upon.
§ Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2a." —(The Earl of Camperdown.)
§ Motion agreed to; Bill read 2a accordingly, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House To-morrow.