STROUD DISTRICT WATER BOARD &c. BILL. [H.L.] (Hansard, 28 February 1939)

THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (THE EARL OF ONSLOW)

had given Notice that he would move, That notwithstanding that the Stroud Urban District Council, joint promoters of the Bill with the Stroud Rural District Council, have withdrawn from the promotion of the Bill, leave be given to the Stroud Rural District Council to proceed with the promotion, and that the Bill be now read 2^a; and further, that the time for depositing petitions praying to be heard against the said Bill be extended to Wednesday, the 15th day of March next.

The noble Earl said: My Lords, I beg to move the Motion which stands in my name, and perhaps I ought to say just 957 one word in explanation. It is to enable the Stroud Rural District Council to proceed with the Bill without the collaboration of the Urban District Council. The two councils together decided to promote a joint Bill, but the ratepayers of the urban district rejected the proposal on a poll, and the urban district therefore fell out as promoters. There are precedents in analogous circumstances authorising one set of promoters to continue the promotion of a Bill when the others have withdrawn, and these circumstances have usually arisen at a later stage owing to Amendments which have been inserted in Committee. I do not think there is any reason why the same procedure should not be followed on Second Reading, as I venture to ask your Lordships to do in this case. The purpose of extending the petitioning time, which is also in the Motion, until March 15, is to enable the urban district who have withdrawn to petition against the Bill if they desire to do so. I beg to move.