Lords Sitting of 9 June 1899

PRIVATE BILL BUSINESS.
THE LORD CHANCELLORacquainted the House that the Clerk of the Parliaments had laid upon the Table the Certificate from the Examiners that the further Standing Orders applicable to the following Bill have been complied with:—
SOUTH-EASTERN AND LONDON, CHATHAM, AND DOVER RAILWAY COMPANIES (NEW LINES).
And also the Certificate that the Standing orders applicable to the following Bill have been complied with:—
LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 3).
The same were ordered to lie on the Table.
CARDIFF RAILWAY BILL.
Committee to meet on Tuesday next.
FISHGUARD WATER AND GAS BILL.
Report from the Select Committee, That the Committee had not proceeded with the consideration of the Bill, the opposition thereto having been withdrawn; read, and ordered to lie on the Table: The orders made on the 18th of April and Tuesday last discharged; and Bill committed.
BARRY RAILWAY BILL.
Report from the Select Committee, that the Committee had not proceeded with the consideration of the Bill, the opposition thereto having been withdrawn; read, and ordered to lie on the Table; the orders made on 25th April and Tuesday last discharged; and Bill committed.
SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE TRAMWAYS BILL [Lords].
Report from the Committee of Selection, that the Lord Cheylesmore be proposed to the House as a member of the Select Committee on the said Bill in the place of the Earl of Bradford; read, and agreed to.
WOLVERHAMPTON CORPORATION BILL [Lords].
Report front the Committee of Selection, that the Lord Cheylesmore be proposed to the House as a member of the Select Committee on the said Bill in the place of the Earl of Bradford; read, and agreed to.
LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE RAILWAY (VARIOUS POWERS) BILL.
Report front the Committee of Selection, that the Lord Cheylesmore be proposed to the House as a member of the Select Committee on the said Bill in the place of the Earl of Bradford; read, and agreed to.
RHONDDA URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL BILL.
Report from the Committee of Selection, that the Lord Cheylesmore be proposed to the House as a member of the Select Committee on the said Bill in the place of the Earl of Bradford; read, and agreed to.
WETHERBY DISTRICT WATER BILL.
Report from the Committee of Selection, that the Lord Cheylesmore he proposed to the House as a member of the Select Committee on the said Bill in the place of the Earl of Bradford; read, and agreed to.
EDINBURGH CORPORATION BILL.
Report from the Committee of Selection, that the Lord Cheylesmore be proposed to the House as a member of the Select Committee on the said Bill in the place of the Earl of Bradford; read, and agreed to.
SHOTLEY BRIDGE AND CONSETT DISTRICT GAS BILL.
Reported with Amendments.
DUBLIN CORPORATION (MARKETS) BILL.
Read 2a, and committed: The Committee to be proposed by the Committee of Selection.
LONDON, CHATHAM, AND DOVER RAILWAY BILL.
Read 2a, and committed.
LEITH HARBOUR AND DOCKS BILL.
Read 2a, and committed: The Committee to be proposed by the Committee of Selection.
BELFAST WATER BILL.
Read 2a, and committed.
WEST GLOUCESTERSHIRE WATER BILL.
Brought from the Commons; read 1a, and referred to the examiners.
WOKING WATER AND GAS BILL.
Brought from the Commons; read 1a, and referred to the Examiners.
ELECTRIC LIGHTING PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 14) BILL. [Lords.]
Order for Committee read.
GAS AND WATER ORDERS CONFIRMATION BILL. [Lords.]
Order for Committee read.

TRAMWAYS ORDERS CONFIRMATION.(No. 1) BILL. [Lords.]
Order for Committee read.
THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (The EARL of MORLEY): Before the House goes into Committee on the Electric Lighting Provisional Orders Bills I desire to call your Lordships' attention to the enormous number of Electric Lighting Provisional Orders this session. There are 19 Bills dealing with 90 Orders. Each Order consists of 36 pages, of which 30 contain common form clauses, and, from the great bulk which these Bills assume it will be seen how necessary it is that the Electric Lighting Orders (Common Form Clauses) Bill should be pressed forward in the other House. That Bill will obviate the necessity of introducing the common form clauses in all Provisional Orders. The examination of these statutes after they have received the Royal Assent involves great labour, not to speak of the enormous amount of printing which is necessitated. As soon as the Bills have received the Royal Assent every one of the Orders has to be most carefully examined, and I need not point out to your Lordships that the examination of the common form clauses is an absolute waste of time. Not only is the labour excessive, but great public inconvenience is caused, as the process of examining so many clauses delays the issue of the statutes to the public. There have been a good many complaints in
752
recent years that the Statutes are not issued until late in the autumn. I would suggest to the Board of Trade, if they find it impossible to pass the Common Form Clauses Bill through Parliament this session, that in the coming session of Parliament they should group a large number of Orders of the same character in single Bills, and schedule the common form clauses at the end of each Bill.
THE SECRETARY FOR SCOTLAND (Lord BALFOUR OF BURLEIGH): My Lords, as I am temporarily representing the Board of Trade, owing to the absence of the noble Earl the Parliamentary Secretary, I say at once that the Board of Trade are deeply impressed with the strength of the case which the noble Earl the Chairman of Committees has put forward, and are in agreement with him as to the advantage of the course he suggests. I do not think anyone can doubt the desirability of adopting that course when they look at the great bulk which these Bills assume, and the noble Earl has laid them upon the Table of your Lordships' House as a very striking object lesson. I should not like, however, on behalf of the Board of Trade, to come under a definite obligation to press forward the Electric Lighting Orders (Common Form Clauses) Bill, because the more it is thought that the Government are bound to press forward that particular Bill, the more, I am afraid, some malicious persons may wish to place obstacles in its way; but it is the hope of the Board of Trade that the Bill will be passed this session if possible. If it is found impossible to get the Bill through this session, I think the alternative suggested by the noble Earl is one which is well worthy of consideration. I understand he has communicated privately with the Board of Trade in this direction, but in any case I have no hesitation in coming under an obligation to communicate with the officials of the Board of Trade with a view of having one of his suggestions carried into effect.
Bills committed to a Committee of the whole House.

TRAMWAYS ORDER CONFIRMATION (No. 3) BILL. [Lords.]
Committed: The Committee to be proposed by the Committee of Selection.
METROPOLITAN COMMON SCHEME (HARROW WEALD) PROVISIONAL ORDER BILL.
Read 2a (according to order), and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Monday next.
ELECTRIC LIGHTING PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 1.) BILL. [Lords.]
House in Committee (according to order): Bills reported without Amendment: Standing Committee negatived; and Bills to be read 3a on Monday next.
ELECTRIC LIGHTING PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 4) BILL.
House in Committee (according to order): Bills reported without Amendment: Standing Committee negatived; and Bills to be read 3a on Monday next.
ELECTRIC LIGHTING PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 9) BILL. [Lords.]
House in Committee (according to order): Bills reported without Amendment: Standing Committee negatived; and Bills to he read 3a on Monday next.
ELECTHIC LIGHTING PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 10.) BILL. Lords.
House in Committee (according to order): Amendments made: Standing Committee negatived; the Report of Amendments to he received on Monday next.
ELECTRIC LIGHTING PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 11) BILL. [Lords.]
House in Committee (according to order): Bill reported without Amendment: Standing Committee negatived; and Bill to be read 3a Monday next.
RETURNS, REPORTS, ETC.
  WAGES OF DOMESTIC SERVANTS (BOARD OF TRADE, LABOUR DERTMENT).
  Report on the money wages of indoor domestic servants: Presented (by command), and ordered to lie on the Table.
  ARUNDEL PORT.
  Account and Report for 1898–99: Delivered (pursuant to Act), and ordered to lie on the Table.
PETITIONS.
  VACCINATION ACTS.
  Petition for repeal of compulsory clauses in; of Guardians of the Poplar Union; recd, and ordered to lie on the Table.
  VACCINATION ACT, 1898.
  Petition for repeal; of Guardians of the Bridport Union; read, and ordered to lie on the Table.
  PARISH COUNCILLORS (TENURE OF OFFICE) BILL.
  Returned from the Commons with the Amendment agreed to.
  TRAWLERS' CERTIFICATES SUSPENSION BILL. [Lords.]
  Report from the Select Committee (with proceedings of the Committee) made, and to be printed. (No. 109.) Bill reported with Amendments, and committed to a Committee of the whole House on Monday next; and to be printed as amended. (No. 110.)
  SUMMARY JURISDICTION ACT (1879) AMENDMENT BILL.
  To he read 2a on Morality the 26th instant. (The Lard Penrhyn.)
  LINCOLNSHIRE CORONERS BILL. [Lords.]
  Read 3a (according to order), and passed, and sent to the Commons.

  FARNLEY TYAS MARRIAGES BILL.
  Read 3a (according to order), and passed.
  House adjourned at forty minutes after Four o'clock, to Monday next, at forty-five minutes after Ten of the clock.