Lords Sitting of 26 June 1906

WORCESTER ELECTION.
Message from the Commons that they have agreed to the following Address to be presented to His Majesty, to which they desire the concurrence of this House—
"Worcester Election.
"Most Gracious Sovereign,
"We, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, in Parliament assembled, beg leave humbly to represent to Your Majesty that Sir John Compton Lawrence, knight, one of the Justices of the High Court of Justice, and Sir Joseph Walton, knight, one of the Justices of the High Court of Justice, being two of the Judges appointed for the trial of Election Petitions, pursuant to the Parliamentary Elections Act, 1868, and the Parliamentary Elections and Corrupt Practices Act, 1879, have reported to the House of Commons that there was reason to believe extensive corrupt practices had taken place at the last election for the city of Worcester.
"We therefore humbly pray your Majesty that your Majesty will be graciously pleased to cause inquiry to be made pursuant to the powers of the Act of Parliament passed in the sixteenth year of the reign of her late Majesty Queen Victoria, intituled "An Act to provide for more effectual inquiry into the existence of Corrupt Practices at elections for Members to serve in Parliament," by the appointing of Edward Tindal Atkinson, esquire, one of your Majesty's Counsel, Attorney-General for your Majesty's county Palatine of Durham, and Recorder of Leeds; Horace Edmund Avory, esquire, also one of your Majesty's Counsel and Recorder of Kingston-upon-Thames; and Charles Willie Matthews, esquire, Barrister-at-Law and Recorder of Salisbury, as Commissioners for the purpose of making inquiry into the existence of such corrupt practices.

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: Poole Corporation Water.
Also the Certificate that no further standing Orders are applicable to the following Bill: London County Council (Money).
The same were ordered to lie on the Table.
Buckhaven, Methil, and Innerleven Burgh Extension Bill [H.L.]. Read 2a.
Dowlais Gas Bill; Merthyr Tydfil Gas Bill. Read 3a, with the Amendments, and passed, and returned to the Commons.
St. John's (Westminster) Improvement Bill. Brought from the Commons; Read 1a; and referred to the Examiners.
Crellin's Patents Bill [H.L.]; Rugby Lower School Bill [H.L.]. Returned from the Commons agreed to.
Haslingden Corporation Bill [H.L.]. Returned from the Commons agreed to, with Amendments; The said Amendments considered, and agreed to.
Glasgow and South Western Railway Order Confirmation Bill [H.L.]. A Bill to confirm a Provisional Order relating to the Glasgow and South Western Railway—Was presented by the Lord Hamilton of Dalzell (pursuant to the Private Legislation Procedure (Scotland) Act, 1899, sections 8 and 9); Read 1a; and to be printed. (No. 141.)
Electric Lighting Provisional Orders (No. 5) Bill; Electric Lighting Provisional Orders (No. 6) Bill. Moved, That the order made on March 26th last, "That no Provisional Order Confirmation Bill brought from the House of Commons shall be read a second time after the 19th day of June next," be dispensed with, and that the Bills be now read 2agreed to; Bills read 2aaccordingly, and committed to a Committee of the whole House on Thursday next.
Gas and Water Orders Confirmation Bill [H.L.]; Gas Orders Confirmation (No. 1) Bill [H.L.]; Gas Orders Confirmation (No. 2) Bill [H.L,]; Water Orders Confirmation Bill [H.L.]; Electric Lighting Provisional Orders (No. 3) Bill [H.L.]. Amendments reported (according to order); and Bills to be read 3a on Thursday next.

RETURNS, REPORTS, ETC.
  MALTA.
  Correspondence between the Governor and the Archbishop-Bishop of Malta in regard to the holding of Protestant Mission Services at the Theatre Royal, Malta.
  FISHERIES (SCOTLAND).
  Twenty-fourth Annual Report of the Fishery Board for Scotland, being for the year 1905. Part II. Salmon Fisheries.

  LONDON BUILDING ACTS (AMENDMENT) ACT, 1905.
  Précis of the evidence given before the Select Committees of both Houses of Parliament.
  Presented (by Command), and ordered to lie on the Table.

  BOARD OF EDUCATION.
  Draft Order in Council containing certain provisions in the Order in Council of March 6th, 1902; Laid before the House (pursuant to Act), and ordered to lie on the Table.
  OFFICE OF THE GENTLEMAN USHER OF THE BLACK ROD.
  Report from the Select Committee (with the Proceedings of the Committee and an appendix) made, and to be printed. (No. 140.)
  JUVENILE SMOKING BILL [H.L.]
  The evidence taken from time to time before the Select Committee to be printed for the use of Members of this House; but no copies thereof to be delivered, except to the Members of the Committee, and to such other persons as the Committee think fit until further order. (No. 142.)
  JUSTICES OF THE PEACE (No. 2) BILL.
  Reported from the Standing Committee with further Amendments. The Report of the Amendments made in Committee, of the Whole House and by the Standing Committee to be received on Thursday next; and Bill to be printed as amended. (No. 143.)
  MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS BILL.
  Reported from the Standing Committee with an Amendment. The Report thereof to be received on Thursday next and Bill to be printed as amended. (No.114.)

  INDIAN RAILWAYS ACT AMENDMENT BILL; EDUCATION OF DEFECTIVE CHILDREN (SCOTLAND) BILL.
  Reported from the Standing Committee without Amendment; and to be read 3a on Thursday next.
  House adjourned at twenty-five minutes before Five o'clock, to Thursday next, half-past Ten o'clock.