Lords Sitting of 27 May 1913

LORD LATYMER.
The House being informed that his Lordship was attending with his writ of summons, the Lord Chancellor explained to the House his Lordship's descent: Then his Lordship was called in and took the Oath and then took his place on the Baron's Bench next below the Lord Camoys.
The LORD GORELL—Sat first in Parliament after the death of his father.
The LORD CHANCELLOR acquainted the House, That the Clerk of the Parliaments had laid upon the Table the Certificates from the examiners that the Standing Order applicable to the following Bills has been complied with:

Gas and Water Orders Confirmation (No. 1). [H.L.]

Gas Orders Confirmation. [H.L.]

Education Board Provisional Order

Confirmation (London No. 1). (H.L.] Education Board Provisional Order

Confirmation (London No. 2). [ILL] Education Board Provisional Order

Confirmation (London No. 3). [H.L.]

Education Board Provisional Order

Confirmation (London No. 4). [H.L.]

Edectric Lighting Provisional Orders

(No. 2). [H.L.]

Electric Lighting Provisional Orders (No. 3). [H.L.]

Electric Lighting Provisional Orders (No. 4). [H.L.]

Also the Certificates that the further Standing Orders applicable to the following Bills have been complied with:

Manchester Ship Canal. [H.L.]

Southgate Urban District Council.

Cleveland and Durham County Electric

Power Company.

Manchester Royal Exchange.

Mynyddislwyn Urban District Council.

And also the Certificate that the Standing Orders applicable to the Petition for a Bill by the

Kent Electric Power Company have not been complied with:

The same were ordered to lie on the Table.

LOTHIAN RAILWAYS BILL. [H.L.]
Witnesses ordered to attend the Select Committee.
KENT ELECTRIC POWER.
(Petition for Bill.)

NORTHERN JUNCTION RAILWAY BILL.
(Petition for additional provision.)
Examiner's Certificates of non-compliance with the Standing Orders referred to the Standing Orders Committee on Tuesday next.

ELECTRIC LIGHTING PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 1) BILL. [H.L.]
Committed: The Committee to be pro posed by the Committee of Selection in regard to the Beckenham (Extension) Order.
ARUNDELL ESTATE (CLOSING OF ARUN DELL STREET AND PANTON SQUARE) BILL. [H.L.]
The LORD CHANCELLOR acquainted the House that in pursuance of Standing Orders Nos. 148 and 163 a, relating to Private Bills, he had, on the requisition of the Chairman of Committees, appointed His Honour Judge Edward Harington as guardian or protector of the infants Ralph Stuart Arundell Donnithorne, Aeddan Mary Arun-dell Seccombe-Hett and Geoffrey Arundell Seccombe-Heft, named in the Bill, to represent such infants before the Committee on the Bill.
MANCHESTER SHIP CANAL BILL. [H.L.]
Read 2a(according to Order).

HERNE BAY GAS AND ELECTRICITY BILL.
SWANAGE URBAN DISTRICT WATER BILL.
Read 2a, and committed.

TITCHFIELD DISTRICT GAS BILL.
Read 2a, and committed: The Committee to be proposed by the Committee of Selection.
HOVE CURPORATION BILL. [H.L.]
Read 3a, and passed, and sent to the Commons.

CROWBOROUGH DISTRICT GAS AND ELECTRICITY BILL.
HARROW AND STANMORE GAS BILL.
Read 3a, and passed.

WATNEY, COMBE, REID AND COMPANY
Moved, That the Order made on the 22nd day of April last "That this House will not receive any Petition for a Private Bill later than Tuesday the 29th instant" be dispensed with in respect of a Petition of Watney, Combe, Reid and Company; agreed to, the said Petition praying for leave to bring in a Bill to empower Watney, Combe, Reid and Company, Limited, to redeem a portion of its existing capital and for other purposes; presented accordingly; together with a copy of the proposed Bill annexed thereto, and read and referred to the Examiners.

LAND DRAINAGE PROVISIONAL ORDER BILL.
Brought from the Commons; read 1a; to be printed, and referred to the Examiners. (No. 47.)
BELFAST CORPORATION BILL.
NORTHERN COUNTIES ELECTRICITY SUPPLY BILL.
PONTYPRIDD AND RHONDDA JOINT WATER BOARD BILL.
Brought from the Commons; read 1a; and referred to the Examiners.

FEE FUND OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS.
The LORD CHANCELLOR acquainted the House that the Clerk of the Parliaments had laid on the Table the Annual Account of the Fee Fund of the House of Lords: The same was ordered to lie on the Table, and to be referred to the Select Committee on the House of Lords Offices.

NATIONAL INSURANCE ACT, 1911.
1. Regulations made by the Scottish Insurance Commissioners established under the Act as to Inspectors' Certificates of Appointment, dated 9th May 1913;
2. Provisional Regulations of the Welsh Insurance Commissioners as to the Election of Representatives of Insured Persons to serve upon Insurance Committees;
3. Regulations made by the Irish Insurance Commissioners as to Claims for Exemption by Married Women being Voluntary Contributors;
4. Regulation made by the Irish Insurance Commissioners as to the Election of Representatives of Insured Persons to serve upon Insurance Committees;
5. Provisional Regulations of the Welsh Insurance Commissioners as to the Election of Medical Representatives to serve upon Insurance Committees;
6. Regulations of the Welsh Insurance Commissioners as to Notices to be given by Employers under Section 47 of the Act;
7. Regulations of the Welsh Insurance Commissioners as to Notices to be given by Insured Persons transferring from the Voluntary to the Employed Rate;
Laid before the House (pursuant to Act) and to be printed. (No. 48.)

UNDERGROUND WORKROOMS BILL. [H.L.]
A Bill to make better provision for the protection of the health of persons employed in underground workrooms—Was presented by the Marquess of Salisbury; read 1a; and to be printed. (No. 49.)
THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY: I propose to put this Bill down for Second Reading provisionally for to-morrow, but I am in communication with Lord Strachie as to the most convenient day for taking the Second Reading and will name the actual day to-morrow.
Bill to be read 2aTo-morrow.

THE LATE LORD ASHBOURNE.
*THE LORD PRIVY SEAL AND SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (THE MARQUESS OF CREWE): My Lords, I feel sure that your Lordships would not desire that we should proceed to the business of the day without my calling attention to the loss which the House has sustained during the last few days in the death of Lord Ashbourne. It is not merely a question of the disappearance from the Front Bench opposite of a familiar and a popular figure, but we cannot forget that during a period of no less than eighteen out of the last eight-and-twenty years Lord Ashbourne filled one of the highest offices under the Crown, and filled it with distinction. Of Lord Ashbourne's position as a lawyer and as a Judge I am not competent to give any opinion. We remember him here as the foremost figure in a number of Irish debates, and his name will always be associated in history with the beginning of that new land policy in Ireland which by a process of evolution has since changed the tenure of the greater part of the land in that country. Speaking from this side of the House, I feel bound to say that, though we always found Lord Ashbourne a strenuous opponent, yet we found him a fair and even a generous one. Those of us in particular who had been, or were, associated with the government of Ireland felt that, however much he might denounce our actual methods, and however much he might hate our ultimate aims, he was always willing to give us the credit of doing our best on behalf of the country of which he was so faithful and so characteristic a son. It would be, of course, affectation to pretend—and no one would have pretended it less than Lord Ashbourne himself—that be was one of the most outstanding figures of the later Victorian era, but he will long be remembered as a most skilful Parliamentarian, a ready and formidable debater, a man of no small political culture, and one who gave the best years of his life to the service of his country.
*THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNE: My Lords, the tribute which the noble Marquess who leads the House has paid to the many sterling qualities of the late Lord Ashbourne will, I feel sure, please and touch his many friends both in this country and in Ireland. I will not attempt to add at any rate many touches to the picture, lest I should spoil it. As the noble Marquess has reminded us, although Lord Ashbourne had a long
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career in this House, the most active years of his life were probably those which he spent upon the Front Unionist Bench in the House of Commons. During those years he took part in all the important Irish legislation of that period—legislation of the highest importance—and in the many historical Irish debates which then took place. Notably he took a distinguished part in all measures affecting land legislation, and, as the noble Marquess has told us, his name is in particular associated with what, I think, may be fairly described as the first successful attempt to deal with the problem of land purchase. Lord Ashbourne in those days was a host in himself upon the Unionist Front Bench. In this House he invariably showed an intimate knowledge of, and a great interest in, all questions affecting the country to which he belonged. He was a ready, a resourceful, and a well-informed contributor to our debates. Of his judicial work in this House, like the noble Marquess opposite, I do not feel competent to speak. We shall, however, all of us remember Lord Ashbourne on account of the great kindliness of his disposition, on account of his fine temper, and the imperturbable good humour with which he addressed himself to any work which it fell to his lot to discharge. We take leave of him with unfeigned regret, and we offer our cordial sympathy to all those who are now mourning him.
GAS AND WATER ORDERS CONFIRMATION (No. 1) BILL. [H.L.]
GAS ORDERS CONFIRMATION BILL. [H.L.]
EDUCATION BOARD PROVISIONAL ORDER CONFIRMATION (LONDON No. 1) BILL. [H.L.]
EDUCATION BOARD PROVISIONAL OR DER CONFIRMATION (LONDON No. 2) BILL. [H.L.]
EDUCATION BOARD PROVISIONAL ORDER CONFIRMATION (LONDON No. 3) BILL.
EDUCATION BOARD PROVISIONAL ORDER CONFIRMATION (LONDON No. 4) BILL. [H.L.]
EDUCATION BOARD PROVISIONAL ORDERS CONFIRMATION (CARDIGAN, &o.) BILL. [H.L.]
ELECTRIC LIGHTING PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 2) BILL. [H.L.]
ELECTRIC LIGHTING PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 3) BILL. [H.L.]
ELECTRIC LIGHTING PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 4) BILL. [H.L.]
Read 2a (according to Order).

MACCOLL'S DIVORCE BILL. [H.L.]
Order of the Day for the House to be put into Committee, read.
Moved, That the House do now resolve itself into Committee.—(The Lord Chancellor.)
On Question, Motion agreed to.
House in Committee accordingly.
[The EARL OF DONOUGHMORE in the Chair.]
Clauses 1 to 5 agreed to.
Clause 6:
Proviso that Mary MacColl not to marry Eric T. Smith or Trevor Hedberg.
6. Provided always and be it further enacted that it shall not be lawful for the said Mary MaeColl at any time hereafter to contract matrimony with the said Erie T. Smith or Trevor Hedberg but that such matrimony shall be and is hereby declared to be illegal and void to all intents and purposes whatsoever and the child or children born therein shall be illegitimate and subject to all the disabilities privations and restrictions to which any child or children born out of lawful wedlock is or may be subject by the laws and customs of the United Kingdom or any part thereof.
THE LORD CHANCELLOR (VISCOUNT HALDANE): My Lords, in accordance with your Lordships' practice I move that this clause be omitted.
Amendment moved—
To leave out Clause6.—(The Lord Chancellor.)
On Question, Amendment agreed to.
The Report of Amendment to be received To-morrow.

SOLICITORS BILL. [H.L.]
Read 3a (according to Order), and passed, and sent to the Commons.
House adjourned at a quarter before Five o'clock, till To-morrow, a quarter past Four o'clock.