Sitting of 12 July 1921

Preamble
The House met at a quarter past four of the clock, the LORD CHANCELLOR on the Woolsack.

TRIBUTES TO THE LATE LORD BALFOUR OF BURLEIGH.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (The MARQUESS CURZON OF KEDLESTON): My Lords, I had intended on Thursday last to say a few words, at the commencement of business, on the deplorably sudden death of Lord Balfour of Burleigh, which had occurred on the evening before. Unfortunately, in the brief interval that elapsed between my leaving the House after taking my seat and returning to this bench, I found that public business had begun, and that another noble Lord was already addressing your Lordships. I hope, however, that it is not too late to say a word or two about the noble Lord who, for the best part of half a century, was one of our most powerful and influential members, and who was highly esteemed in every quarter of this House.
If ever there was a man framed by nature and shaped by practice and experience to exercise an influence upon public and administrative affairs, it was the late Lord Balfour of Burleigh. Possessed of a dignified and imposing appearance, a courteous and conciliatory manner, an eminently judicial mind and inexhaustible patience and industry, he seemed to be one of those men designed by Providence to regulate and adjudicate the affairs of their fellow men. I suppose that the noble Lord, in the course of his public life, presided over more Committees and Commissions than any man of his time. If ever there was an industrial or a commercial or a financial dispute that seemed difficult of solution, he was pointed out as the man to solve it. He was, in fact, a born arbitrator, a predestined umpire, and, had the chances of life taken him into the legal profession, I conceive that. he would have made a very eminent Judge. More especially was he concerned in questions that related to differences between employers and employed, and in these cases, where he gave his services, as he was always ready to do, gratuitously, he regarded it as

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part of his obligation to the State. At the same time, Lord Balfour was possessed of a singularly independent mind, and showed himself ready on more than one occasion in his career to make no small sacrifice in pursuance of the convictions which he so sincerely held.
He had, indeed, all the best qualities of the famous and formidable race from which he sprung; shrewd perception, long vision, tenacity of purpose. It would not be unfair to describe him as a great Scotsman, and I believe that during the time he occupied the post of Secretary for Scotland, he was one of the best incumbents of that office that have been known. Lord Balfour showed how a man without any conspicuous advantages, except those with which nature and training had endowed him, without any theatrical display—for he was an essentially unostentatious man—and without aspiring to the highest office, could yet, by the exercise of sound judgment and by a high sense of public duty, become one of the most useful public men of the day.
In this House We recall Lord Balfour's constant attendance, and his frequent and fruitful participation in our debates. We have often seen him in the Chairman's seat there, discharging his duties to the acceptance of all; and there is not one of us who does not look with almost a pang of sorrow upon the corner seat of the bench opposite, where he so constantly sat, watchful and ready at any moment to guide and advise his fellow Peers—altogether a very admirable man. I feel that the country has lost one of its most useful public servants, and that this House has lost one of its most esteemed and honoured members; and in offering this inadequate tribute to his memory, I ask you, my Lords, to permit me to tender our united and sincere condolences to his widow and family.
LORD BUCKMASTER: My Lords, I greatly regret that the unavoidable absence of the noble Marquess, Lord Crewe, prevents you from hearing, in phrases the felicity of which I cannot rival, an expression of how deeply and sincerely we upon these benches, who did not always agree with the political opinions of the noble Lord, Lord Balfour of Burleigh, feel and share in the sentiments to which the noble Marquess, the Leader of the House, has just given such effective and such impressive utterance. It was impossible for any one
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to come into the slightest and most casual contact with Lord Balfour without being impressed by his sagacity, his courage, his devotion to duty, and his reverent observation of truth; but I think it may be that there were many who had only felt the influence of his dominating presence and of his vigorous voice, who would not realise so quickly the kindliness, patience and gentleness which were just as marked characteristics of the man. Nor do I think that even the shortest tribute to his memory would be complete unless some reference were made to his touching and undeviating devotion to his native country. There was no Scotsman, however poor, and no Scottish institution, however obscure, but was certain of the zealous advocacy of Lord Balfour, if once they could satisfy him that the shadow of injustice had crossed their path. To me it often seemed as though he retained some of the qualities of the mould in which he had been shaped, and that in Lord Balfour you could realise some feeling of the steadfastness of the Scottish hills and the invigoration of the moorland wind.
His memory will remain with each and all of us as long as memory is retained, and I think that whenever we do recall him we shall unconsciously being back to our minds words which have been familiar to us from boyhood, and which none the less, as they seem to me to be the exact epitome of the man, your Lordships will perhaps permit me to repeat
Justum et tenacenm propositi viram
Non civium ardor pram jubentium,
Non vultus instantis tyranni
Mente quatit solida
Si fractus inlabatur orbis,
Impavidum ferient ruina.
These are qualities of which this nation at this hour stands in peculiar need, and it is therefore not only with the sense of personal loss, which each of us feels, not only with the sense of the loss to this Assembly, which is very great, but also with the sense of the great loss which this nation has suffered, that I desire to associate myself with what has been said by the noble Lord.
THE LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY: My Lords, I feel that it is almost intrusive On my part to add a word to what has been said with remarkable force, lucidity, eloquence and pathos by

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the two noble Lords who have addressed you, but on the basis of a friendship of fifty-three years, and of a quarter of a century of fellowship in public work with Lord Balfour of Burleigh, I ask to be allowed simply to add a single word to the testimony which has been already borne. During the twenty-five years in which I have been allowed to participate in public affairs, I have never failed, I think, in any question of moral, social and educational well-being in which I have felt bound to bear my part, to look to him to for some word of counsel, it may be of warning, or it may be of stimulus, and I have never looked to him in vain. He was not a member of the Church of England, but in everything that affected the welfare of the Church in which I hold a responsible position I found him an unfailing adviser and friend; and with regard to the Church in which he was perhaps the foremost ornament of our time, in the General Assembly and elsewhere, I look with grateful recollection to the thought that he reciprocated that relationship, and that I, not once or twice, or even twenty times, but constantly, had the privilege of attempting to be his counsellor as well as his friend.
The testimony which has been borne to him to-night, and the status which in the eyes of all men he had attained in this country, constitute, I think, an example of the position which can be reached by a man of absolute probity, of untiring public spirit., and of quite remarkable straightforwardness and simplicity in his handling of affairs, all based upon an unfailing and, when need called for it, outspoken expression of the religious basis upon which his life was lived. I feel that we have indeed suffered a loss which it is difficult to express in words, and which is suffered with peculiar pathos at the hour when one of the very efforts to which he devoted more than twenty years of steady work was, so far as this House is concerned, about to reach its consummation and fulfilment. That the House, in all its parts, will concur in the testimony which has been borne to a great man I have no doubt whatever, and I should like to join in that testimony with these few words.
VISCOUNT FINLAY: My Lords, I desire to add a very few words to what has been so well said with regard to Lord Balfour of Burleigh. We all deplore his loss. The one dominant characteristic of
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his life was his strong sense of public duty. No man ever earned more profound respect; no one ever achieved more implicit trust; and I think I may say that few have ever inspired greater affection than Lord Balfour of Burleigh. What has been said with regard to Lord Balfour might be said by all the members of the House, from whatever part of the United Kingdom they come, but it has a special force for those who, like myself, come from his own country of Scotland. I may say with truth that on his death every Scotsman had a feeling of personal loss. He had so identified himself with the country, and he had so worthily represented it, that we all feel that his death is indeed a catastrophe.
To one aspect of his end special allusion has been made. It was the fortune of Lord Balfour of Burleigh, like other leaders, to bring his followers within sight of the promised land, but not to enter it. A measure is coming up to your Lordships' House in which Lord Balfour took the profoundest interest. It is one that affects the country he loved so well, and it is one which affects that country in those matters which were nearest to Lord Balfour's heart. He has fallen within sight of the full achievement of what he purposed; he has left behind him a memory that Scotland will not willingly let die.
LORD SHAW: My Lords, were it not that I have, during the past two years, been in very intimate association with my dead friend, I should leave to those eloquent voices which your Lordships have just heard the expression of the sorrow of this House. Probably the last letter that Lord Balfour wrote was to myself. He asked my co-operation and consultation with him on a matter seriously affecting the higher learning of Scotland. I was about to put pen to paper to reply when I learned of his serious illness, and on the following morning came the sad announcement of his death.
Reference has been made by the noble Marquess the Leader of the House to the association of Lord Balfour with the Scottish Office. It is for that reason that I venture to interpose these few words of homage. It was my fortune to be for four or five years inside that Office. I assure your Lordships that, having had much experience of the inside of administrative offices, I have never known a record so pure, a record of administrative service

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so effective and of such high value for the Department, as the record which Lord Balfour of Burleigh has imprinted upon the history of that Office. I wish, in presence of your Lordships, to give this testimony with all the greater candour because, as Lord Balfour and I both recognised, we had been fighting each other nearly half of our lives.
There are two things which Scotland loves in her public men. She loves men of principle, and she loves men of patriotism. Lord Balfour of Burleigh—and in this I associate myself with the most rev. Primate—was, in the deepest sense; a man of principle, and those deeper springs of conduct were in him perennial; and I do not know, even while I differed from him most, any occasion in all his life which I could attribute to anything but this: that he saw the truth from a different point of view from my own, but both of us were in search of the truth. The late noble Lord was a friend of all good causes, because he loved the good. He was a friend and servant of his country, because he loved his country. From Solway to the Shetlands to-day Scotland mourns, and it mourns because it has lost a typical Scotsman, with the best characteristics of his race, and the best record of a life spent for his country.

JURIES (EMERGENCY PROVISIONS) (RENEWAL) BILL. [H.L.]
THE LORD CHANCELLOR (VISCOUNT BIRKENHEAD): My Lords, I ask leave to introduce a Bill to renew Section 2 of the Juries (Emergency Provisions) Act, 1920, and to move that it be read a first time.
Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Bill read 1ª, and to be printed.

TRUSTS (SCOTLAND) BILL. [H.L.]
THE LORD CHANCELLOR: My Lords, I ask have to introduce a Bill to consolidate and amend the law relating to trusts in Scotland, and to move that it be read a first time.
Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Bill read 1ª, and to be printed.

CRIMINAL. PROCEDURE (SCOTLAND) BILL. [H.L.]
THE LORD CHANCELLOR: I ask leave to introduce a Bill to make provision
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for the examination and putting in evidence in trials on indictment in Scotland of witnesses, and to move that it be read a first time.
Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Bill read 1ª, and to be printed.

SLOUGH TRADING COMPANY, LIMITED (CANAL) BILL. [H.L.]
Read 3ª, and passed, and sent to the Commons.
OVERSEAS TRADE (CREDITS AND INSURANCE) AMENDMENT BILL.
  CHURCH OF' SCOTLAND BILL.
    MERCHANT SHIP PING BILL.
    Brought from the Commons; read lª and to be printed.

PIER AND HARBOUR PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 2) BILL.
THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (THE EARL OF LYTTON):My Lords, I beg to make the Motion standing in my name.
Moved, That the order made on the 13th day of April last, "That no Provisional Order Confirmation Bill brought from the House of Commons shall be read a second time after Thursday the 16th day of June next," be dispensed with.—(The Earl of Lytton.)
On Question, Motion agreed to, and ordered accordingly.
THE EARL OF LYTTON: My Lords, the Provisional Orders scheduled in this Bill relate to Bridport harbour, Brighton marine palace and pier, Fowey harbour, and Llanelly harbour. They are in the usual form, and have encountered no opposition. I beg to move that the Bill be now read a second time.
Moved, That the Bill be now read 2ª.—(The Earl of Lytton.)
On Question, Bill read 2ª.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 4) BILL.
House in Committee (according to Order): Bill reported without amendment
MINISTRY OF HEALTH PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 5) BILL.
House in Committee (according to Order): Bill reported without amendment.
MARRIAGES PROVISIONAL ORDER BILL.
House in Committee (according to Order): Bill reported without amendment.
PILOTAGE PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 4) BILL.
House in Committee (according to Order): Bill reported without amendment.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT (IRELAND) PRO VISIONAL ORDERS BILL.
House in Committee (according to Order): Bill reported without amendment.
MINISTRY OF HEALTH PROVISIONAL ORDERS (WATER) BILL.
House in Committee (according to Order): Amendment proposed by the Select Committee agreed to.

DECEASED BROTHER'S WIDOW'S MARRIAGE BILL.
Order of the Day for the Third Reading read.
LORD MUIR MACKENZIE: My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Newton, who-has had charge of this Bill up to to-day, asked me if I would undertake to move the Third Reading if he should be detained, and I presume he has been detained, at a meeting of the Inter-Departmental Committee on Smoke Abatement, of which he is Chairman. He thought it would be more convenient and more respectful to the House that the Bill should be dealt with to-day than that he should ask the House to postpone it.
I must ask your Lordships to be indulgent to me, as I am not so familiar with the matter as is Lord Newton. If he had been here he would have expressed, very earnestly, his hopes that a discussion would not be raised again on the merits of the words which were introduced into the Bill upon the last occasion. The matter was very fully debated then, and the noble Lord felt that he could not do otherwise than accept what was proposed by the
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noble and learned Viscount, Lord Haldane, supported by the noble and learned Viscount on the Woolsack. He thinks that any advantage that might result from that Amendment, however, is outweighed by the advantage which would be gained if the Bill were allowed to proceed safe and sound in the form in which it came from the other House, so that it would not have again to run the gauntlet in another place.
All that the promoters put in their Bill was already obtained before any Amendment was put down, and, therefore, as far as they are concerned, they would rather that the Bill remained as it was when first put down for Committee. I feel sure the noble Lord would not wish to do anything that could be considered discourteous to or even in disagreement with the noble and learned Viscount opposite or the noble and learned Viscount on the Woolsack, but he desires to appeal to the noble and learned Viscount, Lord Haldane, not to disagree with the Amendment which now appears on the Paper but to allow the Bill to proceed in the form in which it came to the House.
In regard to the Amendment which stands on the Paper in my name, supposing the House consented to what I propose, it would not have been in a position to go on with the matter unless there was an Amendment on the Paper. Therefore, that Amendment had to be put down. I trust that the course I have taken will be approved by the House, particularly by those of your Lordships who take a different view from others on this point. I hope also that the noble and learned Lord who has an Amendment on the Paper in the, same sense as mine will not disapprove of the course which I suggest.
Moved, That the Bill be now read 3ª.—(Lord Muir Mackenzie.)
VISCOUNT HALDANE: My Lords, my noble friend who is, for the present, in charge of this Bill, has made an appeal to me. He does not make that appeal in vain. The Bill is his, or Lord Newton's, and they are the persons who are entitled to shape it. Stimulated by the investigations of the right rev. Prelate the Bishop of Norwich, I thought I had found a flaw in the Deceased Wife's Sister's Marriage Act which I was desirous of amending. I still think so. At the same time, it is a flaw to which this Bill was not primarily directed, and I am quite willing to take

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the view, if those who are responsible for the Bill think that its progress would be facilitated by our not putting in any further Amendment, of assenting to the deletion of the words which I moved during the Committee stage of the Bill. Therefore, I am quite willing, if my noble friend who is in charge of the Bill moves to strike out these words, to assent to the proposal, and I will offer no opposition to it.
LORD PARMOOR: My Lords, perhaps I may say a word at this stage; it will probably prevent the necessity of my saying anything upon the Amendment which stands in my name to be moved after Third Reading. I have a letter from Lord Newton, to which he wishes me to refer if it is in order to do so, and I think it is so far in order. He says: "I hope you will carry your Amendment." That means that the Bill should he left in the shape in which it was when it was introduced into this House. Perhaps I may call your Lordships' attention to this point. Unless the Amendment which was brought forward by the noble and learned Viscount is omitted, as I shall propose it should be, the title of the Bill must necessarily be amended, and the Bill, in its amended form, might receive a very different reception in the other House from that which it received in its original form.
The title of the Bill is "An Act to amend the Law relating to marriage with a deceased brother's widow." If the Amendment which was carried is left in the Bill the Bill becomes not only "an Act to amend the law relating to marriage with a deceased brother's widow," but also "with a deceased wife's sister." Your Lordships will recollect that when the Bill was introduced into the House by the noble Lord, Lord Newton, he said that his only desire was to amend the existing law by bringing in the deceased brother's widow, and placing her in the same position as the deceased wife's sister. I do not desire to revert to the discussions which arose at an earlier stage when the Amendment was introduced, but I hope your Lordships will assent to the proposal made by the noble Lord opposite, and allow the words to be deleted.
VISCOUNT HALDANE: I do not agree on the technical part of the noble Lord's contention.
THE LORD CHANCELLOR: My Lords, as I took some part in the discussion on this matter, and your Lordships accepted the advice which I ventured to give, that the Amendment of the noble and learned Viscount should be adopted perhaps I may be allowed to say a word or two. The noble and learned Viscount and myself were impelled towards the course we adopted from a. desire to assist the right rev. Prelate in relation to an Amendment which he had put down. That was the beginning and the end of my association with the matter. In spite of that fact, I acquiesce in the course which your Lordships are now asked to adopt. The matter can be put in a nutshell. We were in a position to effect a slight improvement in the Deceased Wife's Sister Act by filling up an omission. The Amendment which was proposed produced that result.
On the other side two things are said. First, Lord Parmoor says that the title would require Amendment. I think he is right there. But it could very easily be amended. It is a technical point. It is said, in the second place, that that Bill has survived its career in the House of Commons—a circumstance astonishing to its critics—and having so survived, it is asked: Is it wise at this stage of the session to send it back once again, and expose this frail vessel to Parliamentary storms in another place and possibly jeopardise its fortunes? I suspect that the doubt of Lord Newton, who seems to have been establishing negotiations in the tenderest manner with both camps, is to be explained by his solicitous care for the fortunes of his Parliamentary bantling, and is not due to any reasoned and final conclusions entertained by the noble Lord as a result of the particular discussion. Where there is so much harmony, I am indisposed to introduce a jarring note. I am only concerned that your Lordships should be well aware that in my opinion the Amendment which was accepted by the House was an improvement, but I am bound to admit that its absence from the Deceased Wife's Sister Act has produced no practical mischief during the fourteen years that Act has been law, and I am informed, on a statistical basis, that the number of males who may be expected to avail themselves of the privileges of this Bill will be incomparably smaller than the number of persons affected by the earlier Bill.
On Question, Bill read 3ª.
Clause 1:
Marriage with a deceased brother's widow not to be void as a civil contract except in certain cases.
1.—(1) Section one of the Deceased Wife's Sister's Marriage Act., 1901, shall be read and construed as if after the words "deceased wife's sister," where they occur in such section there were inserted "or between a man and his deceased brother's widow," and as if the words "or to do any act in relation thereto" were added at the end of the proviso in the second paragraph of that section.
LORD PARMOOR: I now move the Amendment standing in my name.
Amendment moved —
Clause 1, page 1, lines 10 to 13, leave out (" and as if the words or to do any act in relation thereto were added at the end of the proviso in the second paragraph of that section "). (Lord Parmoor.)
On Question, Amendment agreed to.
LORD MUIR MACKENZIE: I beg to move that this Bill be now passed.
Moved, That the Bill be now passed.—(Lord Muir Mackenzie.)
On Question, Bill passed.

NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE BILL.
Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY OF THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH (THE EARL OF ONSLOW): My Lords, the object of this Bill is to meet the situation which has arisen owing to the increased cost of administration falling upon the approved societies. It increases the contribution of those societies towards the cost of insurance committees from 4d. to 6d. per person. The proposals in the Bill will produce a direct saving of £300,000 a year to the Treasury, but will' make no change in the normal contributions of insured persons or the normal benefits which those persons receive. As regards the cost of administration, I may say that the societies, up to the end of 1919, received 3s. 5d. per member per annum. Before the war the cost was only about: 3s. 1d., and they therefore saved 4d. per member per annum, and had accumulated a reserve by the end of 1910 of £1,000,000. But after that date, owing to the increase in cost, the savings were gradually eaten
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up, and in 1920 the cost of administration that was allowed was raised by is. That is to say, the societies were allowed to charge 4s. 5d. instead of 3s. 5d. This was found to be insufficient at the end of last year, and in January a Committee was appointed which went into the whole question exhaustively. This Committee fixed a fair charge at 4s. 10 d., and that is the sum which it is sought to legalise in Clause I of this Bill. The result will be to leave a larger amount in the benefit fund and not to carry so much to reserve.
Coming to the manner in which the saving is effected by the Treasury, and as to how the 2d. is found to enable the societies to increase their contribution to the insurance committees from 4d. to 6d., I would point out that the charge upon those insurance committees is 7d. per insured person per annum. At present, this is made up by the contribution of 4d. from the societies and 3d. from the Treasury. The Treasury contribution amounts to £375,000 a year, and we propose to relieve the Treasury of £250,000 and place it on the societies. The 5d. which we propose to add to the cost of the administration of approved societies and the 2d. to the insurance committees, will he made up as follows: The weekly sums contributed by employed and employer pay a deduction of 2⅓d. per week in order to form a sinking and contingency fund. The contingency fund contributes one-eighth per annum of its total to a fund which is called the Central Fund. This Central Fund was instituted as a sort of reserve in order to make grants to societies who were unable to meet their deficiencies after they had exhausted all their reserves, and would have been liable to a levy or a reduction in the normal rates of benefit.
This Central Fund is in a very flourishing condition and has a credit balance of £2,000,000. It is not expected that the calls upon this sum will necessitate any further increase in this capital amount for many years to come, and it is proposed, by Regulation, to suspend the contribution of one-eighth per annum from the contingency fund contributed by the various societies. When the contingency fund has been augmented it will be possible to hand back a sum sufficient to pay seven-ninths of the extra 7d. required for the purposes of administration. By Section 3 of the original Act two-ninths of the cost of

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benefits automatically come out of the Exchequer. There is a further saving to the Treasury when the one-eighth contribution to the contingency fund ceases, as the Treasury will be relieved of the necessity of paying £150,000 per year towards the Central Fund and, therefore, the Treasury will save a gross sum of £400,000 a year.
They, however, will only save £300,000 of this amount because they will be called upon to pay two-ninths of the increased cost of administration, which will amount to £100,000. The Treasury will still have to pay one penny of the contribution to the insurance committees, but it is hoped that even this will be reduced by administrative action. Clause 3 of the Bill carries this out. The insurance committees which are in existence consist of not less than forty members. It is proposed to reduce the size of the committees and to save considerable sums in travelling and subsistence allowances. It will mean an immediate reduction of between £5,000 and £10,000 a year, and eventually more.
Moved, That the Bill be now read 2ª—(The Earl of Onslow.)
On Question, Bill read 2ª, and committee to a Committee of the Whole House.

POLICE PENSIONS BILL.
Amendments reported (according to Order).
THE EARL OF ONSLOW: All the Amendments on the Paper in my name are drafting.
THE LORD CHANCELLOR: As all the Amendments are drafting, unless any noble Lord desires to raise any particular point, it may be more convenient that they should be put en bloc.
Clause 5 (Scales of pensions, allowances, and gratuities):
Amendment moved—
Clause 5, page 4, line 36, after (" the ") insert (" general ").—(The Earl of Onslow.)
On Question, Amendment agreed to.
Clause 7 (Service to be reckoned for pension):
Amendment moved—
Clause 7, page 5, line 30, leave out (" suspended") and insert (" absent ").—(The Earl of Onslow.)
On Question, Amendment agreed to.
Clause 8 (Continuous service in two or more forces):
Amendments moved—
Clause 8, page 6, line 22, after (" his ") insert (" death or ")
Clause 8, line 38, leave out (" subsection ") and insert (" section ")—(The Earl of Onslow.)
On Question, Amendments agreed to.
Clause 9 (Discontinuous service in one or more forces):
Amendments moved—
Clause 9, page 7, line 8, after (" force ") insert (" who ")
Clause 9, line 9, leave out (" and ")—(The Earl of Onslow.)
On Question, Amendments agreed to.
Clause 12 (Proof of incapacity for duty, liability to serve again, and revision of pension):
Amendments moved—
Clause 12, page 9, line 29, leave out (" less ") and insert (" lower ")
Clause 12, lines 34 and 35, leave out (" in the case of pensions for non-accidental injuries ") and insert (" where the pension was granted in respect of a non-accidental injury ").
Clause 12, page 10, lines 14 and 15, leave out (" that he is not disabled ") and insert (" as to whether he is incapacitated for the performance of duty ").—(The Earl of Onslow.)
On Question, Amendments agreed to.
Clause 14:
Assignment of pensions and regulations as to payment of pensions, etc.
14. The following provisions shall have effect with respect to every pension, allowance, and gratuity (in this section referred to as a grant) payable by the police authority to any person (in this section referred to as the pensioner):—
(6) On the death of a pensioner to whom a sum not exceeding one hundred pounds is due on account of a grant, then, if the police authority so direct, probate or other proof of the title of the personal representative of the deceased may be dispensed with, and the sum may be paid or distributed to or among the persons appearing to the police authority to be beneficially entitled to the personal estate of the deceased pensioner or to or among any one or more of those persons, or in the case of the illegitimacy of the deceased pensioner, to or among such persons as the police

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authority may think fit, and the police authority, and any officer of the police authority making the payment, shall be discharged from all liability in respect of any such payment or distribution:
THE EARL OF ONSLOW THE EARL OF ONSLOW moved, at the end of subsection (6), to insert the following new subsection:
(7) Every grant which is a pension or allowance shall be paid, after the first instalment, in advance, except in the case of refusal to quit police quarters or any premises owned or rented by or on behalf of the police authority or the Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District, or to give up any equipment., or to make any payments due to the police authority or the Receiver, but where a person dies whilst in receipt of a grant paid in advance no return shall be required of any payments which have been made in respect of any period after his death.
Amendment moved—
Clause 14, page 12, line 14, at end insert the said new subsection.—(The Earl of Onslow.)
On Question, Amendment agreed to.
Clause 19:
Rateable Deductions.
Rateable deduction from pay.
19. The police authority of every police force shall deduct from the pay of every member of the force—

(a) sums at the rate of two and a half per cent. per annum on his pay (in this Act referred to as rateable deductions); and

(b) such stoppages during sickness, and such fines for misconduct., as may be provided by any regulations affecting the force.

THE EARL OF ONSLOW THE EARL OF ONSLOW moved to omit paragraph (b).
Amendment moved—
Clause 19, page 15, lines 6 to 9, leave out from (" deductions ") to the end of the clause. —(The Earl of Onslow.)
On Question. Amendment agreed to.
Clause 22 (Payment of pensions out of police fund):
Amendment moved—
Clause 22, page 17, line 11, leave out (" force ") and insert (" authority ").—(The Earl of Onslow.)
On Question, Amendment agreed to.
Clause 23 (Power for police authorities to make regulations).
Amendments moved—
Clause 23, page 17, lines 31 and 32, leave out paragraph (b).
Clause 23, page 17, line 39 to line 8 on page 18, leave out subsection (2).—(The Earl of Onslow.)
On Question, Amendments agreed to.
Clause 27:
Application to first police reservists
27. Where a member of the first class of the police reserve is called up for active service with a police force, or where an ex-member of a police force, whether a pensioner or not, joins a force for service in emergency—

(a) If he is incapacitated for the performance of his duty by infirmity of mind or body occasioned by an injury received in the execution of his duty without his own default, or dies as the result of such injury, the same special pension to himself or his widow and allowances to his children shall be payable as arc payable under this Act in the case of other members of a police force in similar circumstances, hut based on his current rate of pay and Ids service with the force since he was last called to or joined the force as aforesaid;

(b) A special pension shall in such case be payable in addition to his ordinary pension (if any), but no increase shall be made in such ordinary pension in respect of service to which this section relates;

(c)If the service to which this section relates is with a police force other than that in which he previously served, then, if he becomes entitled to a special pension, the whole of such pension shall be payable by the police authority of the force in which he was serving when injured, and if a special pension becomes payable to his widow or allowances to his children, the amount of an ordinary widow's pension shall be payable by the police authority of the force in which he previously served, and the balance of the special pension to the widow and any allowances to the children shall be paid by the police authority of the force in which he was serving when he was injured.

Amendments moved—
Clause 27, page 20, line 3, after (" or ") insert (" pension to "), and after (" allowances ") insert (" or gratuities ")
Clause 27, page 20, line 4, after (" children ") insert (" or dependants ")
Clause 27, page 20, line 10, at end insert (" to a member of a police force ").—(The Earl of Onslow.)
On Question, Amendments agreed to.
THE EARL OF ONSLOW THE EARL OF ONSLOW moved, in paragraph (c), before "previously served," to insert "last," and to omit all words after previously served, then "in order to insert:" if a pension becomes payable to his widow, the amount of a widow's ordinary pension shall, so long as the pension continues, be payable by the police authority of the force in which he previously served to the police authority of the force in which he was serving when injured, but any other pension, allowance or gratuity payable in respect of service in the force in which he, was serving when injured shall be paid wholly by the police authority of that force."
Amendment moved—
Clause 27, line 17, after the first. (" he ") insert (" last "), and leave out from (" then ") to the end of the clause and insert the said words. —(The Earl of Onslow.)
On Question, Amendment agreed to.
Clause 28 (Application to police women):
Amendments moved—
Clause 28, page 20, line 43, leave out (" is ") and insert (" are ")
Clause 28, page 21, lines 6 and 7, leave out (" since the commencement of her ") and insert ("during such ")—.(The Earl of Onslow.)
On Question, Amendments agreed to.
Clause 29 (Application to existing members of police forces and existing pensions):
Amendments moved—
Clause 29, page 21, line 18, leave out (" passing ") and insert (" commencement ")
Clause 29, line 3, after (" shall ") insert (" as from the commencement of this Act be treated ")
Clause 29, page.21 line 5, leave out (" be treated ")
Clause 29, page 22, line 9, leave out (" eleven to seventeen ") and insert ('' twelve to eighteen ")
Clause 29, line 10, leave out (" twenty-one and twenty-two ") and insert (" twenty-two and twenty-three ")— (The Earl of Onslow.)
On Question, Amendments agreed to.
Clause 34 (Application to Scotland and Ireland).:
Amendments moved—
Clause 34, page 25, line 12, leave out (" &c.") and insert (" gratuity or allowance ")
Clause 34, line 37, leave out (" passing ") and insert (" commencement ").— (The Earl of Onslow.)
On Question, Amendments agreed to.
First Schedule (Pension Sale)
Amendments moved—
First, Schedule, page 99, line 7, beginning insert (" Scale ")
First, Schedule, page 99, line 15, at beginning insert ("Scale")
First, Schedule, page 99, line 31, leave out the first (" his ") and insert (" her husband's ")
First, Schedule, page 99, line 38, leave out (" had ") and insert (" have ")
page 30, line 30, leave out (" an amount ") and insert (" of such amount as the police authority 'nay deternine ")
page 30, line 32, after (" service ") insert (" of the member of the force or pensioner ")
First, Schedule, page 30, line 38, leave out (" one half of ")
page 31, line 4, after (" pension ") insert (" or allowance ")
page 31, line 21, at the beginning insert (" subject to the provisions of section twenty-seven of this Act. ")
page 31, line 23, leave out (" left the police force ") and insert (" retired on pension ").—(The Earl of Onslow.)
On Question, Amendments agreed to.

EDUCATION (CONSOLIDATION) BILL. [H.L.]
Order of the Day read for the House to be put into Committee on recommitment of the Bill.
Moved, That the House do now resolve itself into Committee.—(Viscount Peel.)
On Question, Motion agreed to.
House in Committee accordingly.
[The EARL OF DONOEOHMORE in the Chair.]
THE CHANCELLOR OF THE DUCHY. OF LANCASTER (VISCOUNT PEEL)THE CHANCELLOR OF THE DUCHY. OF LANCASTER (VISCOUNT PEEL) moved that the Amendments proposed by Select Committee be agreed to. The noble Viscount said: This Bill has been very carefully considered by the Committee of which Lord Muir Mackenzie is Chairman, assisted by a number of eminent lawyers. They have gone through the provisions of the measure and are prepared to certify that the Bill does represent precisely the existing law. In those circumstances I suppose lay members of your Lordships' House will show a certain modesty in their criticisms. I should like to add how much we are indebted to Lord Muir Mackenzie and his

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Committee for the labour and ability they have expended on the measure. Certain purely formal Amendments have been made by the Committee, and they have been printed in the Bill.
Moved, That the Amendments proposed by the Joint Committee be agreed to.— (Viscount Peel.)
VISCOUNT HALDANE: I think we should be very ungrateful on this side of the House if we did not add our tribute to the work of Lord Muir Mackenzie and his Committee. The Report is a monument of care; the Bill is a monument of care. I have not gone through it, and Heaven forbid that I should discuss its details, but
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Parliament is under a great debt to this Committee which goes through Bills like this, warrants that they make no change in the law, presents the law in a very convenient form, and gives us a Report affording the reasons for what has been done. That has been carried out with conspicuous success in this case, and we are very much indebted to the noble Lord and the Committee.
On Question, Motion agreed to, and Amendments made accordingly.
Clauses and Schedules agreed to.
House adjourned at ten minutes past five o'clock

HAMILTON'S DIVORCE BILL. [H.L.]
Second Reading (which stands appointed for Tuesday next) put off to Thursday the 21st instant.
MINISTRY OF HEALTH PROVISIONAL ORDER (TAUNTON EXTENSION) BILL.
  MINISTRY OF HEALTH PROVISIONAL ORDER (NEWARK EXTENSION) BILL.
  Brought from the Commons; read 1ª; to be printed; and referred to the Examiners.
MINISTRY OF HEALTH PROVISIONAL ORDER (DOVER EXTENSION) BILL. [H.L.]
Returned from the Commons, agreed to.
PROTECTION OF ANIMALS (SCOTLAND) ACT, 1912, AMENDMENT BILL.
Returned from the Commons, with the Amendment, agreed to.
PUBLIC HEALTH (OFFICERS) (No. 2) BILL.
Returned from the Commons, with the Amendments, agreed to.
CARDIFF GAS BILL.
  CROYDON CORPORATION WATER BILL.

    MIDDLESEX COUNTY COUNCIL (GENERAL POWERS) BILL.
    Returned from the Commons, with the Amendments, agreed
    to.

CONYNGHAMS DIVORCE BILL. [H.L.]
Message from the Commons for copy of the Minutes of Evidence taken before this House, together with the proceedings and the documents deposited in the ease: Ordered to be communicated with a request that they may be returned.

SOUTHAMPTON CORPORATION WATER BILL.
LANCASHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL (DRAINAGE) BILL.
BURNLEY CORPORATION BILL.
ROTHERHAM CORPORATION BILL.
BATLEY CORPORATION BILL.
Report from the Committee of Selection, That the following Lords be proposed to the House to form the Select Committee for the consideration of the said Bills; (viz.),

M. Bath (Chairman),

L. St. John of Bletso,

1054

L. Teynham,

L. Lawrence,

L. St. Audries;

agreed to; and the said Lords appointed accordingly: The Committee to meet on Tuesday next, at Eleven o'clock; and all Petitions referred to the Committee, with leave to the Petitioners, praying to be heard by Counsel against the Bills to be heard as desired as also Counsel for the Bills.
THE LORD CHANCELLOR acquainted the House, That the Clerk of the Parliaments had laid upon the Table the Certificates from the Examiners that the further Standing Orders applicable to the following Bills have been complied with:
Coventry Corporation.
Metropolitan Water Board (Various Powers).
The same were ordered to lie on the Table.

LEE CONSERVANCY BILL.
Report from the Joint Committee that the Bill ought to be allowed to proceed.
METROPOLITAN WATER BOARD (CHARGES) BILL.
  THAMES CONSERVANCY BILL.
    LEE CONSERVANCY BILL.
    Report from the Joint Committee (with the proceedings of the Committee) made, and to be printed.
LONDON AND NORTH WESTERN RAIL WAY (HOLYHEAD HARBOUR LEASING) BILL. [H.L.]
Committed: The Committee to meet forthwith.
GLASGOW DEAF AND DUMB INSTITU- TION ORDER CONFIRMATION BILL.
To be read 3ª on Thursday next.
SWANSEA GAS BILL.
  LONDON AND NORTH WESTERN RAIL- WAY (HOLYHEAD HARBOUR LEASING) BILL. [H.L.]
  Reported, with Amendments.
PIER AND HARBOUR PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 2) BILL.
Committed for Tuesday next.
CORONERS (REMUNERATION) BILL.
Second Reading (which stands appointed for Thursday next) put off to Tues, day next.