§ 3.16 p.m.
THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (LORD MERTHYR)My Lords, by this Bill the Mexborough and Swinton Traction Company seek powers to discontinue a service of trolley buses which were formerly tramways, and to substitute for it a service of public service vehicles. My reason for drawing the attention of the House to this Bill is that in a debate in the last Session on the South Wales Transport Bill, which contained somewhat similar proposals, a good deal of interest was shown and several noble Lords made speeches.
This Bill is the subject of two Petitions which have been set down against it. Both raise issues which, although doubtless important to the parties concerned, are not in my judgment matters upon which the whole House would wish to be immediately concerned. I understand that at least two noble Lords wish to speak in the debate on the Second Reading of this Bill, and possibly to oppose the Bill on its merits. That being so, I have asked the Promoters of the Bill to invite another Member of your Lordships' House to move the Second Reading. I also understand that, for the convenience of the House, it has been agreed between the mover of the Motion and the other noble Lords who wish to speak, possibly at some inconvenience to themselves, that the debate should take place to-morrow and not to-day. But that, perhaps, is more for them to say than for me.
LORD GIFFORDMy Lords, may I say that, in order to meet the convenience of the House, I am quite willing to agree to postpone the Second Reading of this Bill until to-morrow.