Lords Sitting of 14 June 1901

The Lord Bowes (E. Strathmore and Kinghorne) 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:

Glasgow and South-Western Railway.

Shannon Water and Electric Power.

Kingston-upon-Hull Corporation.

Torrington and Okehampton Railway.

And also the Certificate that the further Standing Orders applicable to the following Bill have not been complied with:
Dorking Gas.
The same were ordered to lie on the Table.

PRIVATE BILL BUSINESS
  DORKING GAS BILL.
  Examiner's Certificate of non-compliance with the Standing Orders referred to the Standing Orders Committee on Tuesday next.
  BRISTOL CORPORATION (DOCKS AND RAILWAYS, ETC.) BILL [H.L.]
  The King's consent signified; and Bill reported from the Select Committee with Amendments.
  CARDIFF CORPORATION BILL.
  The King's consent signified; and Bill reported with Amendments.
  THAMES DEEP WATER DOCK BILL.
  Reported without amendment.

  WORCESTER TRAMWAYS BILL [H.L.]
  FRESHWATER, YARMOUTH, AND NEWPORT RAILWAY BILL [H.L.].
  NEWPORT (ISLE OF WIGHT) GAS BILL [H.L.].
  LEATHERHEAD GAS BILL.
  Reported with Amendments.

  NEATH HARBOUR BILL.
  Reported without amendment.

  NEWRY PORT AND HARBOUR TRUST BILL.
  MANSFIELD CORPORATION BILL.
  Read 2a, and committed.

  BINGLEY URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL BILL.
  Read 2a, and committed; the Committee to be proposed by the Committee of Selection.
  BRITISH GAS LIGHT COMPANY BILL.
  Read 2a, and committed.

  BURTON-UPON-TRENT CORPORATION BILL.
  DERBYSHIRE AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE ELECTRIC POWER BILL.
  DUBLIN (EQUALISATION OF RATES) BILL.
  Read 2a, and committed; the Committees to be proposed by the Committee of Selection.

  IRISH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BILL.
  Read 2a, and committed for Thursday next.
  LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE RAILWAY (DEARNE VALLEY JUNCTION RAILWAYS) BILL.
  Read 2a, and committed; the Committee to be proposed by the Committee of Selection.
  LONDON COUNTY COUNCIL (MONEY) BILL.
  Read 2a, and committed.

  METROPOLITAN WATER COMPANIES (AMENDMENT OF ACTS) BILL.
  PEMBROKE URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL (COUNTY OF DUBLIN) BILL.
  Read 2a, and committed; the Committees to be proposed by the Committee of Selection.

  SWANAGE GAS AND WATER BILL.
  Read 2a, and committed.
  TOTTENHAM AND HAMPSTEAD JUNCTION RAILWAY BILL.
  Read 2a, and committed; the Committee to be proposed by the Committee of Selection.

  PURCHASE OF LAND (IRELAND) BILL.
  ARDROSSAN GAS AND WATER ORDER CONFIRMATION BILL.
  Brought from the Commons.

  CROMER WATER BILL.
  HUMBER COMMERCIAL RAILWAY AND DOCK BILL.
  LONDON AND INDIA DOCKS (NEW WORKS) BILL.
  SOUTHAMPTON AND WINCHESTER GREAT WESTERN JUNCTION RAILWAY BILL.
  Brought from the Commons; read 1a; and referred to the Examiners.

  FINCHLEY AND HENDON TRAMWAYS BILL [H.L.]
  Message from the Commons giving leave to James Bigwood, Esquire (a member), to attend the Select Committee (pursuant to Message of yesterday).

  WATER ORDERS CONFIRMATION (No. 1) BILL [H.L.]
  EDUCATION BOARD PROVISIONAL ORDER CONFIRMATION (LONDON) BILL [H.L.].
  EDUCATION BOARD PROVISIONAL ORDERS CONFIRMATION (BARNES, ETC.) BILL [H.L.].
  (MANCHESTER AND BARNES ORDERS OPPOSED.)

  TRAMWAYS ORDERS CONFIRMATION (No. 2) BILL [H.L.]
  (LEAMINGTON AND BIRKDALE ORDERS OPPOSED.)

  TEES VALLEY WATER BOARD BILL.
  BURGESS HILL WATER BILL.
  GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY BILL.
  LONDON COUNTY COUNCIL (SPITAL-FIELDS MARKET) BILL.
  METROPOLITAN POLICE PROVISIONAL ORDER 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. Ilchester.

  E. Yarborough,

  L. Erskine,

  L. Harris (chairman),

  L. Ludlow;

  agreed to; and the said Lords appointed accordingly: The Committee to meet on Wednesday next, at eleven o'clock;
  380
  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.

  METROPOLITAN COMMON SCHEME (HAM) PROVISIONAL ORDER BILL.
  House in Committee (according to Order); Bill reported without amendment; Standing Committee negatived; and Bill to be read 3a on Tuesday next.

  ELECTRIC LIGHTING PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 6) BILL [H.L.]
  GAS ORDERS CONFIRMATION BILL [H.L.].
  Read 3a (according to Order), and passed, and sent to the Commons.

  PIER AND HARBOUR PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 2) BILL [H.L.]
  Amendments reported (according to Order), and Bill to be read 3a on Monday next.
  MILITARY LANDS PROVISIONAL ORDERS BILL.
  House in Committee (according to Order); Bill reported without amendment; Standing Committee negatived; and Bill to be read 3a on Monday next.
  LOCAL GOVERNMENT (IRELAND) PROVISIONAL ORDER (No. 1) BILL.
  Read 2a (according to Order), and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Tuesday next.
  ARDROSSAN GAS AND WATER ORDER CONFIRMATION BILL.
  Read 1a; to be printed; and, pursuant to the Private Legislation Procedure (Scotland) Act, 1899, Section (9), deemed to have been read 2a, and reported from the Committee. (No. 114.)
RETURNS, REPORTS, ETC.

  EDUCATION (SCOTLAND).
  I. General Reports by the Chief Inspectors of the Northern and Southern Divisions of Scotland, for the year 1900.
  II. Minute of the Committee of Council on Education in Scotland, dated 14th June, 1901, providing for the distribution of the sum available for secondary or technical (including agricultural) education

  381
  under Section 2, Sub-section 4, of the Local Taxation Account (Scotland) Act, 1898.

  LIGHT RAILWAYS ACT, 1896.
  Orders made by the Light Railway Commissioners and modified and confirmed by the Board of Trade.

  I. Authorising the construction of—

  1. A light railway in the rural district of Pately Bridge, in the West Riding of the county York, from Pately Bridge to Loft-house.

  2. Light railways from Ravens-thorpe to Cleckheaton in the West Riding of the county of York.

  3. Light railways in the borough of Dewsbury, the urban districts of Cleckheaton, Liversedge, Heck-mondwike, Gomersal, Birkenshaw, Hunsworth, and Thorn-hill, and (under certain conditions) in the city of Bradford and the borough of Batley, in the West Riding of the county of York.

  4. A light railway in the county of Warwick, in the urban district of Nuneaton and Chilvers Coton, and the rural district of Atherstone.

  5. Light railways in the county of Nottingham, in the borough of Mansfield, and the urban districts of Mansfield, Woodhouse, Sutton-in-Ashfield, and Hucknall-under-Huthwaite.

  6. Light railways in the West Riding of the county of York, from Rothwell to Hunslet, and the working of the East and West Yorkshire Union Railways as light railways.

  II. Amending—

  1. The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway Order, 1900.

  2. The Isle of Thanet Light Railways Order, 1898.

  Forty-fourth Annual Report of the Trustees of the National Portrait Gallery, 1900–1901.

  ELECTRIC LIGHTING ACTS, 1882 AND 1888.
  Special Report by the Board of Trade under Section 1 of the Electric Lighting Act, 1888: Penge Electric Lighting Order.
  Presented (by command), and ordered to lie on the Table.

  INTERMEDIATE EDUCATION (IRELAND).
  Accounts of the receipts and expenditure of the Intermediate Education Board for Ireland, for the year ended 31st December, 1900; together with the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon.
  FINES, ETC. (IRELAND).
  Abstract of the Accounts of Fines accounted for by the Registrar of Petty Sessions Clerks, for the year 1899.

  DOGS REGULATION (IRELAND) ACT, 1865.
  Accounts of receipts and expenditure under the Act, for the year 1900.
  Laid before the House (pursuant to Act), and ordered to lie on the Table.

PETITIONS.
  SHOPS (EARLY CLOSING) BILL [H.L.]
  Petition in favour of; of the Corporation of Dundee; read, and ordered to lie upon the Table.
  DRUNKARDS BILL [H.L.]
  Petition in favour of; of the Corporation of Glasgow; read, and ordered to lie on the Table.
  PUBLIC ACCOUNTS.
  Message from the Commons for leave for the Clerk of the Parliaments to attend to be examined as a witness before the Select Committee of that House: Leave given accordingly, and a message ordered to be sent to the Commons to acquaint them therewith.
THE PRESENCE OF THE SOVEREIGN IN PARLIAMENT.
Report from the Joint Committee (with the proceedings of the Committee and an Appendix) made, and to be printed. [No. 111.]
THE PRESENCE OF THE SOVEREIGN IN PARLIAMENT.
  COUNTY COURTS (IRELAND) BILL [H.L.]
  Amendments reported (according to Order); further Amendments made. Bill to be read 3a on Tuesday next; and Bill to be printed as amended. [No. 112.]
  LUNACY (IRELAND) BILL [H.L.]
  Read 3a (according to Order); Amendments made. Bill passed, and sent to the Commons.

  DRUNKARDS BILL [H.L.]
  LICENSING BILL [H.L.].
  Amendments reported (according to Order), and Bills to be read 3a on Thursday next.

  SLIGO COUNTY COUNCIL'S PRINTING CONTRACT.
  LORD MUSKERRY: My Lords, I beg to ask the question standing in my name, namely, whether the attention of the Lord Chancellor of Ireland has been called to the proceedings of the Sligo County Council on the 25th of May last, in connection with the printing contracts, and, if so, whether he can indicate any means by which the ratepayers can protect themselves against such reckless expenditure.
  THE EARL OF DENBIGH: In the absence of the noble and learned Lord the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, I have to inform the noble Lord that the attention of the Local Government Board has been called to the proceedings of the Sligo County Council of the 25th of May last, when a tender to execute the printing of the Council for £250 a year was accepted, notwithstanding that there were two other tenders for £175 10s. and £122 10s. respectively. The Board have no power to intervene in the matter, but it is open to any ratepayer who feels aggrieved to appear before the Local Government Board Auditor and question the additional expenditure involved by the acceptance of the highest tender. In the event of the auditor not making a surcharge, it would be competent for the ratepayer to bring the matter before the courts, with the view of obtaining an authoritative judicial decision on the question.

  QUEEN ANNE'S BOUNTY BOARD.
  Commons' Message considered (according to Order).
  THE PRIME MINISTER AND LORD PRIVY SEAL (The Marquess of SALISBURY): The only observation which I shall make in moving the motion standing in my name is that the name of the Lord Bishop of London has been omitted, and that of the Lord Bishop of Winchester inserted in the number of Peers who are to be contributed to the Committee by this House. That, apparently, was wished by those who had the care of the matter; and the Bishop of Winchester, I fancy, has had a good deal more experience of Queen Anne's Bounty Board than the Bishop of London, who acceded to the see at a comparatively recent period.
  Moved, that a Committee of five Lords be appointed to join with a Committee of the House of Commons, as mentioned in the said Message, and that the Lords following be named of the Committee, namely:—

  V. Gordon (E. Aberdeen),

  V. Cross,

  L. Bp. of Winchester,

  L. Barnard,

  L. Ashcombe.

  —(The Lord Privy Seed (M. Salisbury)); agreed to.
  Ordered, That such Committee have power to agree with the Committee of the House of Commons in the appointment of a Chairman.

  PURCHASE OF LAND (IRELAND) BILL.
  Read 1a; to be printed; and to be read 2a on Tuesday next.—(The Earl of Denbigh.) [No. 113.]
  House adjourned at a quarter before Five of the clock, to Monday next, a quarter before Eleven of the clock.