Lords Sitting of 27 June 1902

PRIVATE BILL BUSINESS.
NORTH METROPOLITAN TRAMWAYS BILL,
YORK CORPORATION BILL,
COLWYN BAY AND COLWYN URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL BILL,
LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY BILL,
NORTH-EASTERN RAILWAY BILL,
LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROVISIONAL OROKRS (No. 2) BILL,
LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 4) BILL.
PIER AND HARBOUR PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 1) BILL,
METROPOLITAN DISTRICT RAILWAY 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.,

D. Wellington,

E. Powis,

E. Rosse (Chairman),

L. Wands worth,

L. Killanin;

agreed to; and the said Lords appointed accordingly: The Committee to meet on Thursday next at eleven 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.

YSTRADFELLTE WATER BILL [H.L.]
The King's consent signified; Bill read 3a, and passed, and sent to the Commons.
CITY OF LONDON (SPITALFIELD MARKET) BILL,
  HALIFAX CORPORATION BILL.
  Read 3a, with the Amendments, and passed, and returned to the Commons.

ELECTRIC LIGHTING PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 1) BILL,
NORTH METROPOLITAN ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY BILL,
NORTH BRITISH RAILWAY (GENERAL POWERS) BILL,
BRYNMAWR AND WESTERN VALLEYS RAILWAY (VESTING) BILL.
CALEDONIAN RAILWAY BILL,
HULL. BARNSLEY, AND WEST RIDING JUNCTION RAILWAY AND DOCK (SOUTH YORKSHIRE EXTENSION LINES) BILL,
ELECTRIC LIGHTING PROVISIONAL ORDERS (NO. 7) BILL [H.L.],
ELECTRIC LIGHTING PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 8) BILL [H.L.],
GAS AND WATER ORDERS CONFIRMATION (No. 2) BILL [H.L.],
LONDON COUNTY COUNCIL (GENERAL POWERS) BILL.
Report from the Committee of Selection. That the Marquess of Bristol be proposed to the House as a member of the Select Committee on the said Bills in the place of the Lord Wandsworth; read and agreed to.

OYSTER AND MUSSEL FISHERY PRO VISIONAL ORDERS BILL.
House in Committee (according to order): Bill reported without Amendment: Standing Committee negatived; and Bill to be read 3a on Monday next.
TRAMWAYS ORDERS CONFIRMATION (No. 1) BILL [H.L.],
  TRAMWAYS ORDERS CONFIRMATION (No. 2) BILL [H.L.]
  Read 3a (according to order), and passed, and sent to the Commons.
GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY (No. 1) BILL.
Returned from the Commons with the Amendments agreed to.
RUSTHALL MANOR BILL [H.L.]
Returned from the Commons agreed to, with Amendments.
BRADFORD CORPORATION BILL [H.L.]
  NORTHUMBERLAND ELECTRIC TRAMAYWAYS BILL [H.L.]
  Returned from the Commons agreed to, with Amendments: the said Amendments considered and agreed to.
RETURN, REPORTS, ETC.
  Fifty-sixth Report of the Commissioners in Lunacy to the Lord Chancellor.
MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS (INCORPORATION OF MORECAMBE).
Charter of the Corporation of the borough of Morecambe, dated 24th June, 1902.

PENAL SERVITUDE ACTS, 1853 TO 1891 (CONDITIONAL LICENCE).
Licence granted by His Majesty to Augusta Villa Robson, a convict under detention in Aylesbury Prison, permitting her to be at large on condition that she enter the London Preventive and Reformatory Institution, Euston Road, N.W.
Laid before the House (pursuant to Act), and ordered to he oil the Table.

POLICE RESERVISTS BILL. [SECOND READING.]
Order of the day for the Second Heading read.
LORD BELPER: My Lords, the object of this Bill is to amend the law with regard to the granting of pensions to police reservists. At present, a policeman who has been called out with the Reserves cannot, on returning to the police force, count the time during which he was on active service in calculating his pension. Nor have the police authorities any power to allow that to be done. This Bill will enable the police authorities, if they think fit—the matter is entirely in their own control—to include time spent on active service in the calculation of the time that would count for superannuation think your Lordships will agree that it is only reasonable that a man in this position, who has served through a long and arduous campaign, should be allowed to count that period in the same way as if he had been serving his country in the police force at home.
Bill read 2a (according to order), and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Tuesday next.

PRISON OFFICERS (PENSIONS) BILL. [SECOND READING.]
Order Of the day for the Second Reading read.
LORD BELPER: My Lords, this is another very small measure, the object of which is to remove a doubt which exists as to the exact amount of pension which may be paid to officers retiring from prison service. It appears that when the Prisons Act was passed, it was laid down that the amount of the pensions should not exceed the Civil Service scale, whereas formerly, under the old system, it was the custom to give two-thirds of the salary. Under the Civil Service scale it is necessary to have served for forty years before being entitled to a pension of two-thirds of the salary. A grievance has consequently arisen. In several cases the local authority has apphe d to be enabled to give the full two-thirds, and the Treasury, in order to avoid any unfairness being done, especially as it was understood when the Prisons Act passed, that the officers should not be put in a worse position than formerly, agreed to sanction this on condition that the extra money should be paid by the local authority. Some of the local government auditors have raised the question whether this can be legally done, and this Bill is for the purpose of legalising these payments, both in the past and in the future. If the Bill passes, the local authorities will he able to give pensions of two-thirds of the salary in those cases where they think proper, on the understanding, of course, that no extra charge is made on the Treasury, and that the extra amount over and above the pension receivable under the Prisons Act is paid by the local authorities.
Bill read 2a (according to order), and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Tuesday next.
House adjourned at twenty minutes before Five o'clock, to Monday next, a quarter before Eleven o'clock.