§ [SECOND READING.]
§ Order of the day for the Second Reading read.
LORD WOLVERTONMy Lords, I need not trouble your Lordships at any length in moving the Second Reading of this Bill. It is the same measure which was read a second time and which passed through the Committee stage in your Lordships' House last session. Its object is to continue and amend the Light Railways Act, 1896, and to give the Board of Trade power to submit Orders to Parliament.
§ Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2a."—(Lord Wolverton.)
§ THE ACTING CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (Lord BALFOUR OF BURLEIGH)My Lords, before the Second Reading of this Bill is agreed to I should like, as I shall have no chance in all probability of doing it in Committee, to suggest to the noble Lord who represents the Board of Trade that he should look carefully at the phraseology of Clause 2, which deals with the question of remitting an Order, if appealed against, to a Joint Committee of both Houses. I am not quite sure that that is the usual form. I believe each House claims to be complete master of its own procedure, and the practice is to provide that if any Member of either House chooses to move, it may be referred to a Joint Committee, or something to that effect. I only desire now to call attention to the matter, in order that the Board o Trade may carefully consider it befor they take the Committee stage of the Bil.
LORD WOLVEETONI may say, on behalf of the Board of Trade, that we shall be most happy to fall in with any suggestion that may be made by the Lord Chairman and we hope our draftsman will be able to produce a clause which will meet his views.
§ On Question, Bill read 2a, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Tuesday next.