Lords Sitting of 30 April 1901

Preamble
An Asterisk (v) at the commencement of a Speech indicates revision by the Member.
LORD FARNHAM.
Petition of Arthur Kenlis, Baron Farnham of Farnham, in the County of Cavan, in the Peerage of Ireland, claiming a right to vote at the elections of Representative Peers for Ireland; read, and referred to the Lord Chancellor to consider and report thereupon to the House.
EARL OF DONOUGHMORE.
Petition of Richard Walter John, Earl of Donoughmore, in the Peerage of Ireland, claiming a right to vote at the elections of Representative Peers for Ireland; read, and referred to the Lord Chancellor to consider and report thereupon to the House.
Several Lords took the Oath.

PRIVATE BILL BUSINESS.
The LORD CHANCELLOR acquainted the House that the Clerk of the Parliaments had laid upon the Table the Certificates from the Examiners that the further Standing Orders applicable to the following Bills have been complied with:—

Petersfield and Selsey Gas.

Leatherhead Gas.

Midland Railway.

Taff vale Railway.

The same were ordered to lie on the Table.

PRIVATE BILL BUSINESS.
  ELLAND GAS BILL.
  Examiner's certificate of non-compliance with the Standing Orders referred to the Standing Orders Committee on Monday next.
  MERSEY DOCKS AND HARBOUR BOARD (CANADA DOCK WORKS, ETC.) BILL [H.L.]
  King's consent signified; and Bill reported with Amendments.

  CITY AND SOUTH LONDON RAILWAY BILL [H.L.]
  SOUTH EASTERN AND LONDON, CHATHAM, AND DOvER RAILWAY BILL [H.L.].
  Reported with Amendments.

  WEST AND SOUTH LONDON JUNCTION RAILWAY BILL [H.L.]
  CITY AND NORTHEAST SUBURBAN ELECTRIC RAILWAY BILL [H.L.]
  Committed:—The Committees to be proposed by the Committee of Selection.

  NEATH HARBOUR BILL.
  Read 2a, and committed.
  WOLVERHAMPTON AND CANNOCK CHASE RAILWAY BILL.
  Read 2a, and committed:—The Committee to be proposed by the Committee of Selection.
  CENTRAL LONDON RAILWAY (No. 2) BILL [H.L.]
  Moved that Standing Order No. 92 be dispensed with; and that the time for depositing petitions praying to be heard against the Bill be extended to Tuesday next (The Chairman of Committees); agreed to.

  ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S HOSPITAL BILL [H.L.]
  SOUTHPORT WATER (TRANSFER) BILL [H.L.].
  BARROW-IN-FURNESS CORPORATION BILL [H L.].
  BOLTON CORPORATION BILL [H.L.].
  BROADSTAIRS AND ST. PETER'S WATER AND IMPROVEMENT BILL [H.L.].
  CHESTERFIELD IMPROVEMENT BILL [H.L.].
  DOVER HARBOUR BILL [H.L.].
  BRISTOL CORPORATION CEMETERY BILL [H.L.].
  BRISTOL CORPORATION (DOCKS AND RAILWAYS, ETC.) BILL.
  Report from the Committee of Selection, That the following Lords be proposed to the House to form the Select Committee for the consideration of the said Bills; (viz.):—

  E. Jersey (chairman),

  E. Lathom,

  v. Halifax,

  L. Aberdare,

  L. Farrer;

  agreed to; and the said Lords appointed accordingly: The Committee to meet on

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  Monday next, at Twelve o'clock; and all petitions referred to the Committee, with leave to the petitioners praying to be heard by counsel against the Bills to be heard as desired, as also counsel for the Bills.

  GREAT EASTERN RAILWAY BILL.
  Brought from the Commons; read 1a; and referred to the Examiners.
  HENRY DIAPER AND COMPANY (DELIVERY WARRANTS) BILL [H.L.]
  Returned from the Commons agreed to.
  PAISLEY GAS PROvISIONAL ORDER BILL.
  House in Committee (according to order): Bill reported without amendment: Standing Committee negatived; and Bill to be read 3a on Thursday next.
  LONDON UNDERGROUND RAILWAYS.
  Message from the Commons that they have ordered that the Committee appointed by them to join with the Committee of this House to consider the subject of the London Underground Railways do meet the Lords' Committee in Committee Room B on Thursday next at Two o'clock, as proposed by their Lordships.
  WIDOWS AND ORPHANS OF SOLDIERS AND SAILORS.
  Message from the Commons that they have ordered that the Committee appointed by them to join with the Committee of this House to consider the various charitable agencies now in operation, and the funds available for relieving widows and orphans of soldiers and sailors, with a view to insuring that the funds subscribed by local and private benevolence are applied to the best advantage in supplementing a scheme of Government Pensions for widows and orphans of soldiers and sailors who have lost their lives in war, do meet the Lords' Committee in Committee Room A on Thursday next, at Three o'clock, as proposed by their Lordships.

  PRESENCE OF THE SOVEREIGN IN PARLIAMENT.
  A Message ordered to be sent to the House of Commons to propose that the
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  Joint Committee do meet in Committee Room A on Friday next, at Three o'clock.

RETURNS, REPORTS, ETC.
  GOLD COAST.
  Laws and Regulations affecting lands and mines and the labour of Natives, 1901.
  COLONIES: ANNUAL.
  No. 319. Christmas Island: Report for 1900; No. 320. British Solomon Islands: Report for 1899–1900.
  BOARD OF AGRICULTURE.
  Agricultural returns for Great Britain, showing the acreage and produce of crops, prices of corn, and number of live stock, with agricultural statistics for the United Kingdom, British Possessions, and Foreign Countries for 1900; presented (by command), and ordered to lie on the Table.
  METROPOLITAN POLICE (ACCOUNTS).
  Accounts showing the sums received and expended for the purposes of the Metropolitan Police, and Police Pension Funds, during the year ended 31st March, 1901.
  PENAL SERVITUDE ACTS, 1853 to 1891 (CONDITIONAL LICENCE).
  Licence granted by His Majesty to Lucy Jane Simons, a convict under detention in Aylesbury Prison, permitting the said Lucy Jane Simons to be at large on condition that she enter the St. John the Baptist's Home, London.
  GOVERNMENT INSURANCES AND ANNUITIES.
  Account of all moneys received on account of contracts for the grant of deferred life annuities, and for payments on death, under the provisions of the Acts 27th and 28th victoria, chap. 43, 45th and 46th victoria, chap. 51, and 50th and 51st victoria, chap. 40, and of the disposal thereof, and of the contracts made, for the year ended 31st December, 1900; laid before the House (pursuant to Act), and ordered to lie on the Table.
PETITIONS.
  TRAMWAYS (CONSENT OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES).
  Petition against the amendment of Standing Order No. 22; of the Corporations of Hammersmith and Holborn; read, and ordered to lie on the Table.
  LICENSING SESSIONS BILL [H.L.]
  Petition in favour of, of British Temperance League; read, and ordered to lie on the Table.
  HABITUAL DRUNKARDS BILL [H.L.]
  Petition in favour of, of British Temperance League; read, and ordered to lie on the Table.
  PUBLIC LIBRARIES BILL [H.L.]
  Reported from the Standing Committee with further Amendments. The Report of the Amendments made in Committee of the Whole House and by the Standing Committee to be received on Monday next; and Bill to be printed as amended. (No. 45.)

  POLLING ARRANGEMENTS (PARLIAMENTARY BOROUGHS) BILL [H.L.]
  POLLING DISTRICTS (COUNTY COUNCILS) BILL [H.L.].
  Reported from the Standing Committee without amendment, and to be read 3 on Thursday next.

  SOLICITORS' BILL [H.L.]
  [SECOND READING.]
  Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
  LORD ALVERSTONE: My Lords, I have introduced this Bill at the request of my learned friend the Master of the Rolls. A difficulty has arisen as to the granting or renewing of certificates to solicitors who are undischarged bankrupts. The law at present is not only unsatisfactory, but doubtful. The object of the Bill is to remove these doubts, and it is proposed that the registrar of solicitors—the Incorporated Law Society—shall have the right of refusing the renewal of a certificate to an undischarged
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  bankrupt; but there will be a right of appeal to the Master of the Rolls, who may make such order as he thinks fit. This is a necessary amendment of law, and I trust your Lordships will give the Bill a Second Reading.
  Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2a."—(Lord Alverstone.)
  On Question, agreed to; Bill read 2a accordingly, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Tuesday next.
  House adjourned at twenty-five minutes before Five of the clock, to Thursday next, half-past Ten of the clock.