Lords Sitting of 15 June 1899

PRIVATE BILL BUSINESS.
THELORD 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:
LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY (NEW RAILWAYS).
Also the Certificate that no further Standing Orders are applicable to the following Bill:
WEST GLOUCESTER WATER.
And also the Certificate that the further Standing Orders applicable to the following Bill have not been complied with:
LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY (ADDITIONAL POWERS).
The same were ordered to lie on the Table.
WOLVERHAMPTON TRAMWAYS BILL. [Lords.]
Committee to meet To-morrow.
SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE TRAMWAYS BILL. [Lords.]
Reported from the Select Committee with Amendments.

SOUTH-EASTERN RAILWAY BILL.
Report from the Select Committee, That the Committee had not proceeded
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with the consideration of the Bill, the opposition thereto having been withdrawn; read, and ordered to lie upon the Table: The orders made on the 1st and 8th instant discharged; and Bill committed.

BAKER STREET AND WATERLOO RAILWAY BILL.
Read 2a, and committed: The Committees to be proposed by the Committee of Selection.
BELFAST AND NORTHERN COUNTIES RAILWAY BILL.
Read 2a, and committed.
BOOTLE CORPORATION BILL.
Read 2a, and committed: The Committee to be proposed by the Committee of Selection.
NORTH PEMBROKESHIRE AND FISHGUARD RAILWAY BILL.
Read 3a, and passed.
SHOTLEY BREDGE AND CONSETT DISTRICT GAS BILL.
Read 3a, with the Amendments, and passed, and returned to the Commons.
BROMPTON AND PICCADILLY CIRCUS RAILWAY BILL.
Brought from the Commons; read 1a; and referred to the Examiners.
STOCKTON AND MIDDLESBROUGH WATER BILL. [Lords.]
Returned from the Commons agreed to.
ILFORD GAS BILL.
Returned from the Commons with the Amendments agreed to.
TRAMWAYS ORDERS CONFIRMATION (No. 1) BILL. [Lords.]
House to be in Committee To-morrow.
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT PROVISIONAL ORDER CONFIRMATION (LONDON) BILL. [Lords.]
Reported from the Select Committee with Amendments, and committed to a Committee of the whole House.
PIER AND HARBOUR PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 1) BILL (No. 126).
Brought from the Commons; Read 1a; to be printed; and referred to the Examiners.
GAS AND WATER ORDERS CONFIRMATION BILL. [Lords.]
Amendments reported (according to order), and Bills to be read 3a Tomorrow.
ELECTRIC LIGHTING PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No 14.) BILL. [LORDS.]
Read 3a (according to order), and passed and sent to the Commons.
ELECTRIC LIGHTING PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 15) BILL. [Lords.]
Committee of the whole House (which stands appointed for this day put off till To-morrow.
ELECTRIC LIGHTING PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 2) BILL.
Read 2a (according to order), and committed to a Committee of the whole House To-morrow.
CHURCH OF ENGLAND (CONFESSIONAL BOXES).
Return respecting: Laid before the House pursuant to Address of the 3rd of March last, and to be printed. (No. 121.)
FISHERY BOARD FOR SCOTLAND.
Reports on the state of the markets for Scottish herrings on the Continent and in the United States of America.

ARMY (SPECIAL PENSIONS).
Return for the year ended 31st March, 1899, of Pensions specially granted under Articles 730, and 1207 of the Army Pay Warrant.
Trade Reports—
1. Annual Series:
No. 2287.—Chile (Valparaiso and District);
No. 2288.—Brazil (Pernambuco and District);
No. 2289.—Trade of Malaga and District.
II. Miscellaneous Series:
No. 504.—Commercial Education in the United States.
No. 505.—Agricultural Education in France.

WELSH INTERMEDIATE EDUCATION ACT, 1889.
Report of the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales.
Presented (by Command), and ordered to lie on the Table.

RAILWAYS COMPANIES' POWERS ACT, 1864.
Report by the Board of Trade on applications made during the year 1898 under the Railways Companies' Powers Act, 1864, and of the proceedings of the Board of Trade with respect thereto.

MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS (INCORPORATION OF SMETHWICK).
Charter of Incorporation of the borough of Smethwick, dated 12th June, 1899.
Laid before the House (pursuant to Act), and ordered to lie on the Table.

BOARD OF EDUCATION BILL. [Lords.]
Petition in favour of: of the Clerical and Lay Members of the Synod of the Diocese of Salisbury; read, and ordered to lie on the Table.
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION (DEFECTIVE AND EPILEPTIC CHILDREN) BILL. [Lords.]
A Bill to make better provision for the elementary education of defective and epileptic children in England and Wales; was presented by the Earl Waldegrave (for the Lord President, D. Devonshire); read 1a; and to be printed. (No. 120.)
LONDON GOVERNMENT BILL (No. 124).
Brought from the Commons; read 1a; and to be printed.
FINANCE BILL.
Brought from the Commons:—Read 1a; to be printed; and to be read 2a Tomorrow: (The Lord Privy Seal, V. Cross), and Standing Order No. 39 to be considered in order to its being dispensed with. (No. 122.)
QUESTIONS.

  MALTESE NOBILITY.
  VISCOUNT SIDMOUTH: My Lords, I beg to ask Her Majesty's Government if all correspondence referring to a memorial from Mr. G. Apap Testaferrata, between August, 1888, and the present time, can be laid on the Table of the House. I do not wish to enter into a discussion upon this subject, but as I have had the honour of being appointed hon. president of the Maltese Council of Nobility, I desire to ask whether the Papers relating to this case and the correspondence which has taken place can be laid upon the Table.
  THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (The Earl of SELBORNE): My Lords, the claim of Mr. G. Apap Testaferrata to be recognised as one of the Maltese nobility, to which the noble Lord refers, was twice rejected by the Committee of Privileges of the Maltese Nobility. On a third occasion, in 1892, the Committee advised the allowance of the claim, but no fresh reasons were given for the change of view, which was not accepted by the Secretary of State. It does not appear to the Secretary of State that the matter is one of sufficient general interest to justify the publication of the correspondence on the subject.

  LONDON GOVERNMENT BILL.
  THE EARL OF KIMBERLEY: Before the House adjourns, I should like to know whether any noble Lord opposite can tell the House when the Second Reading of the London Government Bill will be taken.
  THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (Viscount CROSS): I think I must ask the noble Earl to repeat the Question to-morrow, as I have had no opportunity of consulting my colleagues on that point.
  House adjourned at twenty-five minutes before Five of the clock, till To-morrow, half-past Ten of the clock.