Lords Sitting of 12 March 1906

AIRTH PEERAGE
Petition of Robert Barclay-Allardice Barclay-Allardice for leave to refer in his printed case to the documents put in and other evidence adduced in the proceedings on the Petitioner's grandfather's and mother's claims respectively, and to found upon the same before their Lordships and their Committee for privileges as evidence in support of the claim of the Petitioner in so far as their Lordships may think fit to accept the same; read, and ordered as prayed.
Several Lords took the Oath

PRIVATE BILL BUSINESS.
The LORD CHANCELLOR The LORD CHANCELLOR acquainted the House that the Clerk of the Parliaments had laid upon the Table the Certificate from the Examiners that the Standing Orders applicable to the following Bill have been complied with:—Scottish Union and National Insurance Company—(Substituted Bill.)
And also I he Certificate that the further Standing Orders applicable to the following Bill have been complied with:—North Sussex Gas and Water [H. L.]
The same were ordered to lie on the Table.
Alexander (Newport and South Wales) Docks and Railway Bill [H.L.]; Channel Ferry Railway and Quay (Dover) Bill [H.L.]; West Yorkshire Tramways Bill [H.L.]; Folkestone, Sandgate, and Hythe Tramways (No. 1) Bill [H.L.]
Folkestone, Sandgate and Hythe Tramways (No. 2.) Bill [H.L.]. Heacham Water Bill; London County Council (Tramways and Improvements) Bill; London United Tramways Bill; Middlesex County Council (Tramways) Bill; Romford and District Tramways Bill. Examiners' Certificates of non-compliance with the Standing Orders referred to the Standing Orders Committee on Monday next.
Folkestone, Sandgate, and Hythe Tramways (No. 1.) Bill [H.L.]. Presented, read la; and referred to the Examiners.
Folkestone Sandgate, and Hythe Tramways (No. 2.) Bill [H.L.], Presented, and read l.a
County of Durham Electric Power Supply Bill [H.L.]; Newcastle-upon-Tyne Electric Supply Bill [H.L.]. Read 2a, and committed. The Committees to be proposed by the Committee of Selection.
Knott End Railway (Extension of Time) Bill [H.L.]. Read 2a, and committed.
Railway Clearing System (Superannuation Fund) Bill [H.L.]. Read 2a, and committed. The Committee to be proposed by the Committee of Selection.
Havana United Railways and Regla Warehouses Bill [H L.]; Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (Superannuation Fund) Bill [H.L.]. Read 2a, and committed.
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Bill [H.L.]; Crediton Lighting and Power Bill [H.L.]; Cardiff Railway Bill [H.L.]; Great Western and Rhymney Railway Companies Bill [H.L]; Southport and Lytham Tramroad (Extension of Time) Bill [H.L.]; Buenos Ayres Grand National Tramways Bill [H.L.]; Great Northern (Ireland) and Midland Railways Bill [H.L.]; Portsmouth Water Bill [H.L.]; Truro Gas Bill [H.L.]; Read 2a, and committed. The Committee to be proposed by the Committee of Selection.
Cambrian Railways Bill [H.L.]; Barry Railway Bill [H.L.]; Read 2a, and committed. The Committees to be proposed by the Committee of Selection.
North Sussex Gas and Water Bill [H.L.]; Read 2a, and committed.
Vauclain's Patent Bill [H.L.]; Read 2a (according to order), and committed.
Thames Harbour Bill [H.L.]; The Chairman of Committees informed the House that the Promoters do not intend to proceed further with the Bill; Order

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for the Second Reading on Thursday next discharged; Ordered that the Bill be not further proceeded with.
Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Tramways Bill [H.L.] The Chairman of Committees informed the House that the opposition to the Bill was withdrawn. The Orders made on Thursday last discharged, and Bill committed.

RETURNS REPORTS ETC.
  SCOTCH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.
  Code of Regulations for Day Schools, 1906; with Appendices.

  TRADE REPORTS.—(ANNUAL SERIES).
  No. 3535. Netherlands (Trade and Navigation of the Port of Amsterdam).
  No. 3536. United States (Finances of the United States for the year ended 30th June, 1905).

  AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS (IRELAND), 1905 (MIGRATORY LABOURERS)
  Report and tables relating to Irish migratory, agricultural, and other labourers for the year 1905.
  Presented (by command), and ordered to lie on the Table.

  POLLING DISTRICTS (COUNTY COUNCILS) BILL. [H.L.]
  [SECOND READING.]
  Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
  LORD MONKSWELL: My Lord, this Bill proposes to remedy an obvious defect in the law. As the law now stands, in the case of county council elections there is only a power to settle polling districts once for all, while in the case of Parliamentary elections there is power to settle the districts from time to time according to convenience and the conditions of the particular neighbourhood. It is very necessary that the alteration in the law proposed by this Bill should take place. Many inconveniences result from there being no power to alter the polling districts in the case of county councils. This Bill gives that power and I cannot imagine that there will be any opposition to it. I beg to move the Second Reading.
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  Moved, that the Bill be now read 2a.(Lord Monkswell.)
  THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES (Earl CARRINGTON): My Lords, I have been asked by my right hon. friend the President of the Local Government Board to inform the noble Lord that there is no opposition whatever to his Bill. His Majesty's Government entirely approve of it, and are very glad to give it their support.
  THE MARQUESS OF LONDONDERRY: I should like to ask my noble friend whether there is any difference between this Bill and the one which passed through all its stages in your Lordships' House last session.
  LORD MONKSWELL: No; this is the same Bill. It has passed your Lordships' House four times.
  On Question, Bill read 2a.
  Committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow.

  POLLING ARRANGEMENTS (PARLIAMENTARY BOROUGHS) BILL [H.L.]
  [SECOND READING.]
  Order of the day for the Second Reading read.
  LORD MONKSWELL: My Lords, this: is a Bill to abolish an inconvenient anomaly in the law. By the Local Government Act of 1888, the jurisdiction of the justices in quarter sessions to settle polling districts for counties was thrown on county councils, but at the same time, the jurisdiction of the justices in petty sessions for the same purpose was retained. The effect of that is, that in all the county districts the county council is the authority; but with regard to Parliamentary boroughs the county council is not always the authority. Where a Parliamentary borough is solely within one petty sessional district, the power still resides with the justices. The justices do not in the least wish to keep up their jurisdiction, and it is eminently desirable that there should be as few authorities as possible to settle this matter. This Bill, like the one your Lordships have just read a Second time,

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  has passed this House on no fewer than four occasions, but it has never made progress in the House of Commons. I believe the reason for that is that they are non-contentious measures. It is extremely difficult to get the House of Commons to take the slightest interest in any measure that is not acutely contentious. In the other House what everybody wants nobody wants. It requires a great deal of driving power to get Bills of this description passed, and I earnestly hope that His Majesty's Government will take them up and endeavour to get them through the House of Commons.
  Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2a."—(Lord Monkswell.)
  EARL BEAUCHAMP: My Lords, I have to say, on behalf of the Home Office, that there is no opposition to this Bill.
  On Question, Bill read 2a.
  Committed to a Committee of the whole House to-morrow.

  OFFICE OF THE GENTLEMAN USHER OF THE BLACK ROD.
  THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (The Earl of ONSLOW): My Lords, I beg to move the addition of the Earl of Camperdown to the Select Committee on the office of the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod.
  Moved, "That the Earl of Camper-down be added to the Select Committee."—(The Earl of Onslow.)
  THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (The Marquess of RIPON): My Lords, I entirely concur in the noble Earl's Motion. Lord Camperdown has taken much interest in this subject, and I am very glad that it is proposed to add his name to the Committee.
  On Question, Motion agreed to.
  The Earl of Camperdown added to the Select Committee.
  House adjourned at Twenty-five minutes before Five o'clock, till To-morrow, half-past Ten o'clock.