Lords Sitting of 16 June 1896

Preamble
In the absence of the LORD CHANCELLOR, the EARL of MORLEY (Chairman of Committees) sat Speaker at Half-past Five o'clock.
The Earl De la Warr sat First in Parliament after the death of his father.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
  CHELSEA WATER BILL.
  Read 2a, and committed.
  LAMBETH WATER BILL.
  Read 2a, and committed.
  LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY BILL.
  Read 2a, and committed; the Committee to be proposed by the Committee of Selection.
  WATERFORD CORPORATION BILL.
  Read 2a, and committed.
  PARLIAMENTARY COSTS BILL [H.L.]
  Message from the Commons that they concur in the Resolution of this House communicated to them yesterday: That it is expedient that the Parliamentary Costs Bill be referred to a Joint Committee of both Houses of Parliament; and that it is expedient that the said Committee be the Joint Committee on Statute Law Revision Bills and Consolidation Bills.
  PUBLIC HEALTH BILL.
  Reported from the Standing Committee without Amendment.
  LOCOMOTIVES ON HIGHWAYS BILL [H.L.]
  Read 3a (according to Order); passed, and sent to the Commons.

  FLOODS PREVENTION BILL [H.L.]
  LORD THRING,in moving the Second Reading of this Bill, said that it was a very simple Measure. It was not intended to deal with great calamities, but was intended to provide the local authorities with moderate powers for preventing floods in cases where no such power could be exercised at present. It was a permissive Bill, and proposed that where there were no drainage areas the County Council might have power to remove obstructions, repair works, facilitate the passage of water, cleanse watercourses, etc. There was no compulsory power of rating. The County Council might, if it thought that it would be for the benefit of the county, pay the expenses out of the county rate, or, if the local authorities were willing to consent and desired to be assisted, the charges might be made partly on the locality and partly on the county.
  THE PRIME MINISTER (the MARQUESS of SALISBURY)thought the noble Lord was too modest in representing this as a very simple Bill. Some of its provisions might be very necessary, and he did not wish to oppose the Second Reading, but it seemed to cover a very large area of operation, and he saw in it no saving of the powers of the Thames Conservancy.
  LORD THRINGsaid that he should in Committee move to insert a clause saving all the conservancy boards and all elected drainage boards, and it was not intended to interfere with the existing drainage areas.
  THE PRIME MINISTERsaid he did not suppose such an idea would cross their minds, but if the County Council were disposed to make a new bid for the River Thames, it would be in their power to do so under this Bill. He had no cause to think that any County Council would go so far mad, but still the powers were very extensive, and rather in excess of the modest language used by the noble Lord.
  Read 2a (according to Order), and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Tuesday next.

  POST OFFICE CONSOLIDATION BILL [H.L.]
  Amendments reported (according to Order); and Bill to be read 3a on Thursday next.
  House adjourned at a quarter before Six o'clock, to Thursday next, a quarter past Ten o'clock.