§ On the Order for the consideration of the Commons' Amendments to this Bill,
§ THE EARL OF WINCHILSEAasked how the maximum speed of 14 miles an hour for these vehicles had been arrived at. A much greater speed had been contemplated.
LORD HARRISsaid that while the Bill was under discussion, several noble Lords expressed the fear that the absence of any speed limit would be dangerous. In the House of Commons the same fears obtained, and the limit of 14 miles an hour, which was considered fair, was inserted.
§ Motion agreed to.
§ LORD GLENESKsaid that he had put down a Motion "That the House do disagree with the Commons," in connection with the Commons' Amendment imposing a tax upon these light locomotives. The Bill was introduced because it was believed that these vehicles would be a great public benefit and an assistance to farmers, traders, and others interested in the conveyance of goods. But a desire to check this new enterprise was manifested in the Amendments moved in the House of Commons; and 301 the most serious of these Amendments was that which imposed a deterrent tax, amounting in all to £1 or £5 a year. But as there was a doubt as to whether an Amendment dealing with a question of taxation could be moved in the House of Lords, and as he did not wish, in the interests of the Bill, to raise a question between the two Houses, he should withdraw his Amendment.
§ THE EARL OF WINCHILSEAsaid that he wished to add his emphatic protest against this tax on a nascent industry. In country districts these new vehicles were looked to as a great source of relief, and he believed that they would be more important to agriculture even than light railways. They would take the place of the farmers waggon and horses, on which he was required to pay no tax. This was, moreover, an unsuitable moment to impose new burdens on an industry which everyone was endeavouring to relieve. These vehicles were to be used for the collection of agricultural produce in rural districts; a process which, in the interests of the community, it was desirable to make more easy; and he should certainly have voted against the tax if the Amendment had been pressed to a Division.
LORD HARRISsaid that the hardship was not so great as the noble Earl made out. The noble Earl would wish all these locomotives, whether used for agricultural or private purposes, to be exempt from taxation; but at the present moment all carriages, except farmers' waggons, were taxed two guineas a year under the Customs and Inland Revenue Act; and all locomotives, for whatever purpose used, had to pay a licence to the county. The maximum charge for the licence was £10, and the county authority generally exacted the maximum. It was unquestionable that these locomotives would take more wear and tear out of the roads than the ordinary horse-drawn carriage, and the Bill merely proposed to secure the county authority from being bereft of the locomotive licence altogether, as well as to require the payment of the Customs Duty. Out of the £4 or £5 payable, the County Council would get £2 or £3 instead of the £10 which they received for a heavy locomotive.
§ THE EARL OF WINCHILSEAmoved at the end of the new clause imposing the tax to insert the following words:—
Provided that this clause shall not apply to any locomotive which is used exclusively for common agricultural purposes.
LORD HARRISsaid that, as the clause dealt with taxation, it was doubtful whether the Amendment was in order. The opinion of the officers of the House of Commons, whose opinion he had taken, was that the Amendment would not be in order; and the opinion of the officers of the House of Lords was that, whilst technically the Amendment could be moved, it was highly improbable that it would be accepted in the House of Commons.
THE EARL OF WINC HILSEAsaid that he would press the Amendment, as their Lordships ought to take the advice of the officers of their own House, and not that of the officers of the House of Commons.
§ Amendment negatived.
LORD HARRISmoved that the Commons' Amendments to Clauses 4, 5, and 6, and now Clauses D, E, and F, and the Schedules of the Bill be agreed to.
§ Motion agreed to.