§ Purchase of tramways by local authorities.
§ 16. The provisions of Section 43 of the Tramways Act, 1870, shall apply to the intended tramways Provided that in the application of those provisions the period of forty-two years shall be substituted for the period of twenty-one years therein mentioned.
§ LORD BALFOUR OF BURLEIGH moved to leave out paragraph 16. The noble Lord said: My Lords, the small Amendment which I have to move to this Bill is really a formal Amendment, but in view 871 of the fact that it appears in the form of the deletion of a paragraph in the Order a word of explanation is desirable. This is a case where the Glasgow Corporation is getting powers to construct and work tramways extending beyond its own district, and in such cases the Commissioners under the Private Legislation Procedure (Scotland) Act are bound to insert a clause giving power to the local authority into whose area the tramways are carried, to purchase these tramways after the expiration of a period of years. The Commissioners have accordingly inserted such a provision and it is paragraph 16 of the Order. At the same time, the Commissioners report that, in view of prior legislation which gives the Glasgow Corporation power to own and work tramways extending beyond their area, and in view of the fact that the tramways for which power is sought under this Order, so far as the portions extending into other areas are concerned will be by themselves entirely valueless, it is desirable to delete this clause at the proper stage. The Secretary for Scotland concurs in the recommendation. I therefore beg to move the Amendment which stands in my name.
§
Amendment moved—
Page 17, lines 11 to 15, leave out paragraph 16.—(Lord Balfour of Burleigh.)
§ EARL BEAUCHAMPMy Lords, it is a question whether this ought not to be one of the matters referred to the new Committee which was wisely set up by the noble Marquess the Leader of the House. I have a little suspicion of Amendments which are made without Notice. No Notice has been given that an Amendment would be made to the Bill, and to move it without our seeing the Amendment is, I think, a little unusual.
LORD BALFOUR OF BURLEIGHI have to express regret to the noble Earl if Notice has not been given, but I understood from the Scottish Office that Notice had been given in due course. In order to satisfy the noble Earl, however, I should be very pleased to put it off and take it to-morrow.
§ EARL BEAUCHAMPVery good.
§ Debate adjourned till to-morrow.