Lords Sitting of 7 March 1904

PRIVATE BILL BUSINESS.
The LORD CHANCELLOR acquainted 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:—Southend Water. The same was ordered to lie on the Table.
Ipswich Dock Commission Bill [H.L.] The Lord Balfour informed the House that the opposition to the Bill was with-drawn. The orders made on the 22nd and the 25th of February last, discharged, and Bill committed.
Withnell Gas Bill [H.L.]. The Lord Balfour informed the House that the Promoters do not intend to proceed further with the Bill. The orders made on the 19th and 25th of February last discharged. Ordered, That the Bill be not further proceeded with.
Isle of Thanet Light Railways Bill [H.L.]. The Lord Balfour informed the House that the Promoters do not intend to proceed further with the Bill. The orders made on the 22nd and 25th of February last discharged. Ordered, That the Bill be not further proceeded with.
Southport and Lytham Tramroad (Extension of Time) Bill [H.L.]. The order made on the 25th of February last appointing certain Lords the Select Committee to consider the Bill, discharged.
Southport and Lytham Tramroad (Extension of Time) Bill [H.L.]. Report from the Committee of Selection, That the Five Lords appointed a Select Committee on the Nuneaton and Chilvers Coton Urban District Council Bill [H.L.], and other Bills, do form the Select Committee for the consideration of the South-port and Lytham Tramroad (Extension of Time) Bill [H.L.]; read, and agreed to. All petitions referred to the Committee, with leave to the petitioners praying to be heard by counsel against the Bill to be heard as desired, as also counsel for the Bill.
Metropolitan District Railway Bill [H.L.]. Report by the Board of Trade on the above Bill. Laid before the House pursuant to Standing Order No. 90.

RETURNS, REPORTS, ETC.
  TRADE REPORTS (ANNUAL SERIES).
  No. 3124. Chile (Coquimbo, &c).
  TREATY SERIES, No. 4 (1904).
  Agreement between the United Kingdom and Spain providing for the settlement by arbitration of certain classes of questions which may arise between the two Governments; signed at London, 27th February, 1904.
  PRIMARY EDUCATION (IRELAND).
  Report of Mr. F. H. Dale, His Majesty's Inspector of Schools, Board of Education, Whitehall, London.
  FACTORY AND WORKSHOP.
  Supplement to the annual report of the chief inspector of factories and workshops, for the year 1902: Return of persons employed in factories, workshops, and laundries (textile factories, laundries).

  EDUCATION (SCOTLAND).
  Report and Papers relating to the training of teachers for the year 1902–1903.
  Presented (by Command), and ordered to lie on the Table.

NEW BILLS.
  PRIZE COURTS BILL [H.L.] (No. 21).
  A Bill for amending the law relating to the administration of oaths for the purpose of proceedings in Prize Courts: and

  NAVAL PRIZE BILL [H.L.] (No. 22).
  A Bill to consolidate, with amendments, the enactments relating to Naval Prize of War.
  Were presented by the Lord Chancellor; read 1a; and to be printed.

  THE DEATH OF LORD SHAND.
  THE LORD CHANCELLOR (The Earl of HALSBURY): My Lords, I cannot forbear from saying on the present occasion a word or two on the subject of the loss which your Lordships' House has sustained in the death of my noble and learned friend Lord Shand. He was sitting with us in the performance of his judicial duties a very short time ago, and I think it is only due to his memory to say that, after a long and a distinguished career as a Judge in Scotland, he, while being under no sort of obligation to attend our sittings and without any remuneration or reward of any kind, was for more than eleven years aiding and assisting, both in this House and on the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, in the discharge of judicial business. We have derived great advantage from his assistance, which was always most cheerfully rendered in either of these tribunals; and without his assistance sometimes it would not have been easy to have had both Courts going at the same time, and the concentration of both into one would have resulted in serious delays to the judicial business of the House. It would be very ungrateful if we did not recognise the most generous and disinterested services which for so long a time Lord Shand rendered with such great advantage to the public.
  House adjourned at half-past Four o'clock, till To-morrow, half-past Ten o'clock.