LORD BELPER said he had not a copy of the Amendment, as it was not printed, but he would come to the most rev. Primate's Amendment in a moment. The proposal showed the great difficulty of making any exceptions, because if one exception was made others had to follow. What really was the case with regard to this street trading?

*EARL SPENCER pointed out that the right rev. Prelate had given up his Amendment, and accepted that of the most rev. Primate.

THE LORD BISHOP OF ROCHESTER explained that just as the noble Lord rose he stated that he would accept the Amendment of the most rev. Primate in place of his own.

LORD BELPER said in that case he need not make any further remarks on that point. The reason the Government could not accept a proposal involving absolute prohibition of all street trading was this there were girls occupied in street trading, as Lord Meath had pointed out, many of whom came from the poorest and worst educated class, and were entirely unsuited for other occupations; they would be unable to get places as domestic servants or in factories or workshops, and if they were deprived of this means of getting a livelihood there was great danger that their families would starve or suffer, or that they would be driven into making a living in the streets in a less desirable way. It had to be borne in mind that any general prohibition would apply also to girls helping their mothers to sell flowers or farm produce-cases in which the girls were under the control of their mothers and exposed to no danger whatever. Such a provision would in many cases inflict a great injustice, and therefore it seemed to the Government-and he had heard no arguments to cause them to change their view-to be safer not to enact any general statutory prohibition, but to leave it to each local authority to act according to the circumstances of their own particular case.

As to Sub-section 2, the history of that part of the Bill in the other House was that, in Standing Committee, in spite of the protest of the Government, an absolute prohibition was put in, but when it came down to the House after a very full dis

some

cussion, although not without difference of opinion, the prohibition was struck out, and the Government con sented, as a concession, to put in Sub-section 2. That sub-section had been alluded to as being a feeble provision and merely a pious opinion, but he thought it really went further than that. The object of the sub-section was to strengthen the hands of the local authority if they desired to prohibit any form of street trading which they thought undesirable. The most rev. Primate's Amendment, as he understood it, would prohibit street trading in every case, unless the local authority made a by-law permitting it. He had not had an opportunity of submitting the Amendment for proper consideration, but the argument which he fancied would hold good against it was that, instead of leaving the local authority to do absolutely as they thought best under the circumstances, it would practically be saying that Parliament thought there should be a general prohibition of all street trading. That would throw upon the local authority the responsibility of making exceptions, which in many cases they would be unwilling to make if they thought Parliament had laid down a direct statutory indication in the opposite direction. That was his impression with regard to the Amendment, but he could not give a decisive answer, as the matter had not been considered by the authorities at the Home Office. If the right rev. Prelate would put the Amendment on the Paper for the Report stage he would take care that it was duly considered by the proper authorities, but at the present stage he could not accept it.

THE LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY asked whether it was understood that the passage of this clause now would not preclude the consideration of the Amendment on its merits at the Report stage.

LORD BELPER said the Amendment could be moved at a later stage in any form. Nothing done at the present stage would preclude the Amendment being brought forward subsequently.

THE LORD BISHOP OF ROCHESTER said that after what had fallen from the noble Lord he would not press the Amendment now.

Amendment, by leave of the Committee, preventing the employment of children in withdrawn.

Clause 2 agreed to.

Clauses 3 and 4 agreed to.

Clause 5.

THE DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND, who had an Amendment on the Paper, said he understood his proposal was covered by the Amendment standing in the name of Lord Newton, and therefore he did not propose to move it.

to.

Clause 5 agreed to.

the streets. That was not the case. The Bill was not for the prevention, but for the regulation, of street trading-except so far as age was concerned; it was simply for the regulation, after a certain age, and unless better reasons were given for the exemption of this employment, he hoped the Amendment would be negatived.

LORD BELPER said the carrying of luggage and messages was an employment which, after some consideration, had been put into the definition clause as street trading. The fear had been expressed that if anybody desired his luggage carried to or from a station by a small boy, such service would be prevented, and on the

Clauses 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 agreed whole, seeing that the local authorities

Clause 13.

*THE DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND, on behalf of Lord Newton, moved to omit the words from "profit " to "shoeblacking." The only effect of the Amendment would be to exclude from the category of prohibited street trading the carrying of luggage and messages. It was sometimes forgotten that children, by being excluded from all kinds of street trading, were not necessarily relegated to a better or more suitable occupation. He was not at all sure that carrying messages and luggage, provided the latter was not of such a character as to do the children any injury-and that was safeguarded against by another clause in the Bill-was not a more healthy occupation for gutter children than either playing in the gutter or being knocked about at home by a drunken father or mother. He begged to move.

Amendment moved―

'In page 6, line 16, to leave out from the word profit' to the word 'shoe-blacking.' (The Duke of Northumberland.)

had full power to make regulations concerning all these matters, the Government were prepared to accept the Amendment. The only effect of it would be that this employment was excluded from the definition of street trading, but the local authority would be able to regulate it if they thought it desirable to do so.

THE LORD BISHOP OF ROCHESTER: That means that this class of work will be excepted from the operation of Clause 3.

LORD BELPER: It means that it does not come under the definition of street trading.

THE LORD BISHOP OF ROCHESTER said he could not help feeling that the Amendment weakened the Bill.

In Question, Amendment agreed to.
Clause 13, as amended, agreed to.

Clauses 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 agreed to.

Standing Committee negatived: The Report of the Amendment to be received

to-morrow.

IRELAND DEVELOPMENT GRANT
BILL.

Read 3 (according to order), and passed

THE EARL OF MEATH hoped the Government would not agree to the Amendment. If there was one employment which ought to be regulated, it was that which the noble Duke proposed to omit. He failed to see why the carrying of messages and luggage should not be as much regulated as other work. The noble Duke had spoken as though the Bill was a measure for entirely ing read.

COUNTY COURTS JURISDICTION
EXTENSION BILL.
[THIRD READING],
Order of the Day for the Third Read-

4

LORD JAMES OF HEREFORD had ways Bill; Seaforth and Sefton Junction given notice of the following Amendment Railway Bill. Lords Amendments con. sidered, and agreed to.

"After Clause 5 to insert as a new clause: Subject to rules of Court service of an ordinary summons shall be effected by delivering the same to the defendant personally; provided that in any case where it appears that for sufficient cause personal service cannot be effected, leave may be given to serve the summons in such other way and by such persons as may be prescribed.'

Bangor Corporation Bill [Lords]. Read the third time, and passed, with Amendments.

Hastings Harbour District Railway Bill [Lords] (King's Consent signified). Bill read the third time, and passed with Amendments.

Mid-Yorkshire Tramways Bill [Lords]: Read the third time, and passed, with Amendments.

THE LORD CHANCELLOR stated that he had been in communication with Lord James as to his Amendments on the subject of personal service. The Government had determined to appoint a Committee to inquire and advise as to any amendment of the law and procedure relating to personal service of County Court process, so as, on the one hand, to North Western Electricity and Powerput an end to the charges of injustice and Gas Bill [Lords] (by Order). Read the oppression which were alleged to arise, third time, and passed, with Amendand, on the other hand, to prevent un-ments. reasonable expense. An amending Act would be necessary next session in order to make provision, without which the present Bill would be unworkable, and the subject of Lord James's Amendment would be brought before Parliament for discussion in that way.

Bill read 3a (according to order), with the Amendments: Further Amendment (Privilege) made: Bill passed and returned to the Commons.

MERCHANT SHIPPING BILL [H.L.] A Bill to amend the Merchant Shipping Acts, 1894 to 1900, was presented by the Lord Wolverton; read 1a; and to be printed. (No. 210.)

House adjourned at half-past
Eleven o'clock, till To-morrow,
Two o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Monday, 10th August, 1903.

The House met at Two of the Clock.

UNOPPOSED PRIVATE BILL
BUSINESS.

Dover Corporation Bill; Hainault Forest Bili; Kingston-upon-Hull Corporation Bill; Coventry Electric Tram

Auchterarder Town Council Order Confirmation.-Bill to confirm a Provisional Order under the Private

Legislation Procedure (Scotland) Act, 1899, relating to the Burgh of Auchterarder, ordered to be brought in by The Lord Advocate and Mr. Solicitor-General for Scotland.

Auchterarder Town Council Order Confirmation Bill. "To confirm a Provisional Order under the Private Legislation Procedure (Scotland) Act, 1899, relating to the Burgh of Auchterarder," presented accordingly; and ordered to be considered to-morrow.

PETITIONS.

HOUSING OF THE WORKING CLASSES (No. 2) BILL.

Petition from Kensington, in favour; to lie upon the Table.

MOTOR-CARS BILL [LORDS.] Petition from Chiswick, for alteration; to lie upon the Table.

PREVENTION OF CORRUPTION BILL.
Petitions in favour; from Kettering,
and Enfield Highway; to lie upon the
Table.

Copy presented, of Statistical Tables TRADE REPORTS (ANNUAL SERIES). relating to the Colonial and other PosCopies presented, of Diplomatic and sessions of the United Kingdom. Part | Consular Reports, Annual Series, Nos. XX VI. for the year 1901 [by Command]; | 3056 and 3057 [by Command]; to lie to lie upon the Table.

Servitude Bill."(Mr. Secretary Akers considerably below, the fees on rateDouglas.) secured loans. I am informed