§ LORD TWEEDMOUTH,in moving the Second Reading of the Orkney and Shetland Small Piers and Harbours Bill, explained that its object was the adaptation of the Western Highlands and Islands Works Act to the special circumstances of these islands. There were no places where piers and harbours were more needed than on the rugged coasts of Orkney and Shetland, but mainly for two reasons it had hitherto been found impossible to take advantage of the Act of 1891. In the first place, the County Council had not seen its way to impose rates or become responsible for expenditure which, after all, was 1575 going to benefit only comparatively small districts; and secondly, there had always been difficulty in finding the local contribution necessary before the Act of 1891 could be brought into operation. By this Bill it was proposed to get over these difficulties by establishing special pier and harbour districts, and to limit to these particular districts money to be raised by rates or on the security of the rates for this particular purpose. Then it was proposed to use the sum raised in the locality in this manner to supply the quota necessary under the Act of 1891. It was not thought that any addition to the rates would be required, because the dues from the piers and harbours would do a great deal to meet the interest on the money required to construct them. Further, no new rate would be imposed, because it was proposed that one-half of the present Public Health Bate should be allocated for the purpose of constructing these piers and harbours. In Orkney at present there was only 1d. rate imposed for public health purposes, and in Shetland there was nothing at all. The duty of carrying on the provisions of the Bill was imposed on the District Committees instead of the County Council, the District Committees being more able to deal with these local subjects than the Council as a whole. These proposals had been fully discussed in Orkney and Shetland, and had met with very general support throughout the islands. The Bill bad already passed the House of Commons with the consent of the Government, and he hoped it would have their Lordships' assent.
LORD BALFOURsaid the Government agreed to the Second Reading, and hoped the Bill would be passed. He was not quite certain whether it would be so largely put in force as the noble Lord seemed to think, because the rates in some of the parishes concerned were extremely heavy.
§ Bill read a Second time.