§ [SECOND READING.]
§ Order of the day for the Second Reading read.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES (Earl CARRINGTON)My Lords, I need not detain your Lordships for more than a minute or two in asking you to be good enough to accord a Second Reading to this Bill, the object of which is to consolidate and amend the Alkali, etc., Works Regulation Acts, 1881 and 1892. 1320 There is only one clause to which I think I ought to draw the attention of the House—namely, Clause 8. By this clause it is proposed to place smelting works in the same position as cement works and to render them liable to inspection by an inspector of the Local Government Board. Smelting works will not, however, come under the Schedules. If any noble Lord desires to put a question to me with regard to this Bill I shall be very glad to answer it to the best of my ability. I beg to move the Second Reading.
§ Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2a."—(Earl Carrington.)
§ LORD BELPERMy Lords, I do not rise for the purpose of opposing the Second Reading of this Bill, but I have just received a communication from a gentleman who is very much interested in smelting works, and ho informs me that the proposal to include smelting works has been agreed to without any consultation with the manufacturers concerned. He asserts that this provision will be a most serious one for smelting works in this country. It will, he says, have a very deleterious effect upon them, and be likely to necessitate smelting being done abroad instead of in this country. I have had no time to examine the Bill, but I hope my correspondent is taking an exaggerated view of this provision. In the circumstances I trust that if the noble Earl presses the Second Reading to-day he will, before taking the Committee stage, allow ample time for communication with those interested in smelting works, so that they may have an opportunity, which they appear not to have had in the House of Commons, of stating their views.
§ EARL CARRINGTONMy Lords, I should like to state that the Bill as introduced this year did not refer to smelting works, but in Committee in the other House the Hon. Arthur Stanley moved their inclusion, and, so far as I know, no objection was raised. It will be observed that the clause in question does not schedule smelting works and thus make them subject to the restrictions imposed on works which are scheduled; it merely authorises inspection. I shall be only too pleased to meet the wishes of the noble 1321 Lord with regard to the date at which the Committee stage is taken. In the circumstances perhaps your Lordship's will allow the Bill to be read a second time as it stands. Clause 8 could then be taken on its merits in Committee.
§ LORD BELPERI have no objection to the Second Reading if ample time is allowed before the Committee stage is taken.
§ On Question, Bill read 2a (according to order), and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.