§ On the Order for the consideration of the Commons' Amendments to the Drogheda Corporation Bill,
* THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (The EARL of MORLEY)said the Bill originated in their Lordships' House, and its object was to extend the limits of the borough of Drogheda. When the Rill came before the House of Commons that House passed a mandatory Instruction to the Committee to which the Bid was referred ordering them to lower the municipal franchise of the borough. The Bill came back to the House of Lords containing the new clause. It was referred to the Standing Orders Committee on the ground that the new clause was not covered by the notices of the Bill, and, therefore, it had not complied with Standing Orders. The Standing Orders Committee did not, however, deem it its duty to refuse to allow the Bill to proceed, as no opposition was raised before it, but if there had been any opposition to the Bill it was probable that the Standing Orders Committee would have taken quite another view of their duty. But he took the opportunity of calling the attention of the House to this undesirable practice of introducing into local private Bills affecting local interests, clauses dealing with the franchise, which properly belonged to public legislation. ["Hear, hear!"]
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (LORD HALSBURY)said that, if the system to which his noble Friend had referred was allowed to be pursued, reforms in municipal law and government would be introduced here and there through the 1418 country through the medium of private Bills. He only regretted that the Standing Order's Committee had not refused to allow the Bill to proceed.
THE EARL OF BELMORE, as a member of the Standing Orders Committee, said that if there had been the slightest indication of opposition to the Bill he should not have given his vote to allow the Bill to proceed. Probably the reason why there was no opposition was that the political party now in a majority in the Corporation of Drogheda would continue to be in a majority under the extension of the franchise.
Report of the Standing Orders Committee upon the Amendments made by the Commons considered (according to Order), and agreed to; Commons' Amendments also considered (according to Order), and agreed to.