the right hon. Gentleman for having | EXPIRING LAWS CONTINUANCE BILL. Read the third time, and passed. pressed the Bill forward, and especially for the extension of the period of repay ment of loans from sixty to eighty years. That was a material advance in solving a great social problem, for which those interested in municipal action must be grateful. But land ought, as he recorded in Committee, to have been treated as a permanent asset or the terms of repayment made, in respect of land, 100 years. This would have enabled rents to be reduced, and so the classes contemplated by Parliament to be served by better houses, which ought to be done. MR. CLAUDE HAY (Shoreditch, Hoxton) also desired to tender his thanks to the right hon. Gentleman for having brought forward this Bill so promptly and removed so many difficulties. *MR. THORNTON (Clapham): As the representative of a large working class constituency joined in the expression of thanks for a measure which would help to get rid of the slums of London. This Bill provided just the requisite link between previous enactments which gave local authorities clear out to power insanitary areas. Hesitating Borough Councils confronted with such evils would now be obliged to act. He looked forward to a brighter future for our poorest population. Bill read the third time, and passed. [THIRD READING.] Order for Third Reading read. MR. BUCHANAN (Perthshire, E.): entered a further protest against the action, taken for the first time this year, in this and the Naval and Military Works Bills of dating the period for the repayment of borrowed money from the time the money was actually lent instead of from the date of the commencement of the works. He hoped that system would not be extended. THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EX. CHEQUER (Mr. RITCHIE, Croydon) replied that the plan seemed to be a most reasonable one. Bill read the third time, and passed. Sir Albert Rollit. REVENUE BILL. (Considered in Committee.) (In the Committee.) Clause 1 agreed to. Clause 2. MR. CALDWELL (Lanarkshire, Mid.) suggested to the Chancellor of the Exchequer that, considering the late period of the session, and the fact that this clause had not been considered by the home manufacturers, the Committee should not proceed with it. to MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.) asked for an explanation of the clause. The Government which was so divided on the question of free trade versus protection by this Bill, proposing were, give the importer of foreign goods advantage over home manuan facturers. The German would set up a little distillery and manufacture cheap spirit at an enormous profit, because he was not hampered by the restrictions that the Government placed upon the man at home. This clause was needlessly in favour of the German spirit manufacturers as against the home distiller. It simply said, "pity the sorrows of the poor importer," and it put him on the same level as the man who was living on the home soil, paying the country's taxes and was bound by all the restrictions. The English did not make very much spirit, but that was not the case with the Irish or Scotch, and having regard to the rapid develop ment of the motor-car assassination industry, they were looking forward to making a much larger quantity of cheap He went into this question in spirit. Committee upstairs some years ago, and his experierce told him that the man who was connected with the Customs some extent а patriot and was in favour of his own country as against the foreigner, but the exciseman, who had only to do with the Excise Department, was a parochialminded man who cared for nothing but getting in the revenue. He strongly opposed the acceptance of this clause. Department was to *THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. RITCHIE, Croydon) said he was not surprised that the hon. and learned Gentleman failed to understand the practical meaning of the clause. If there was any real objection to the clause he could not press it, but it was really brought forward in the interest of home manufacturers of xylonite and other articles, because an old law practically imposed on articles imported in which spirit was used, duty to the extent of 11s. 6d. a gallon. As a matter of fact, this duty had collected because of its highly protective character while the home manufacturers paid only 6d. a gallon. It was in the interest of the home manufacturers that the Government was induced to bring forward this clause. MR. T. M. HEALY: Split the Cabinet and resign on it. *MR. RITCHIE said the intention of the clause was to make the foreign importer pay duty on the articles imported and thus establish an equality. If the hon. Gentleman thought this clause ought not to be proceeded with, he would not press it. MAJOR JAMESON (Clare, W.) said he agreed with the hon. and learned Gentleman that nothing could be more detrimental to the home manufacturers than to encourage the importation of xylonite and other articles in the production of which cheap foreign spirit was used. If the Chancellor of the Exchequer wanted these articles made, why did he not give the people of this country an opportunity of making them. The spirit employed could be distilled here and would be no worse than the stuff that came from Germany and was drunk by the English people as Irish and Scotch whisky. He could quite understand a split in the Cabinet taking place on the subject of xylonite, and he hoped the difference would increase until something was done to help the home manufacturers. He begged to move the rejection of the clause. PREVENTION OF CORRUPTION BILL [LORDS]. Order for consideration, as amended (by the Standing Committee), read, and discharged. Bill withdrawn. LONDON SCHOOL BOARD (HILLDROP ROAD SITE) BILL. LORD HUGH CECIL said he was in fact moving the rejection of the Bill, which ought to be postponed until another session. It was made to depend upon the Crown whether it would work, and the Crown could not be satis fied that it would work unless another Bill was passed. This Bill might be Order for Second Reading read, and hung up, in a condition of suspended discharged. Bill withdrawn. METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENTS (FUNDS) BILL. animation, because the Crown was not satisfied that it would work. There ought not to be any attempt to prejudge the action of Parliament in a Order for Second Reading read, and future session, when the matter would discharged. Bill withdrawn. BILLS OF EXCHANGE ACT (1882) AMENDMENT BILL [LORDS!. have to be dealt with in a proper way on the initiative of the Ministry, and with a proper provision out of public funds. He hoped the House would accept his Order for Second Reading read, and Motion to postpone the consideration of the Lords Amendments for three discharged. Bill withdrawn. months. MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.) *SIR ALBERT ROLLIT said the noble said they were now considering the Lord was under some misapprehension. Lords Amendments. He wished to The clause merely provided that a cause ask why the phrase, "concurrence might be transferred from one Court to of the Treasury" should be introanother for the purposes of trial. It did duced in this clause. That was not not interfere at all with the jurisdiction one of the Lords Amendments, and he of each Court; that would be full, com- suggested that it could not be moved now. plete, and permanent under the Bill. Unless the Lords Amendment was first But the Lords had inserted an agreed to he contended that this AmendAmendment that before that transfer ment could not be moved. took place His Majesty should be satisfied that the Court to which the transfer was to be made was able to perform the duty without being overcrowded with work. The clause was subsidiary; it only touched transfers, and it did not deal with the primary jurisdiction conferred by the Bill. On this, as on all other points he had criticised, the noble Lord was entirely misinformed and in error, e.g., the jury question and also the remuneration of registrars. Question put, and agreed to. Main Question put, and agreed to. Lords Amendments considered. Lords Amendment to the Amendment "In page 2, to leave out Sub-section 2.” VOL. CXXVII. [FOURTH SERIES.] *MR. SPEAKER: Is it relevant to the Lords Amendments? You can always amend the Lords Amendments by some. thing which is relevant to the subject matter. MR. T. M. HEALY said he understood that the Lords had no power to deal with what was underlined. They had no power to insert the underlined matter. THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. ELLIOT, Durham) contended that they had a right to amend the Lords Amendments in the way he had proposed. *MR. SPEAKER: I think the second sub-section is relevant to the first. It is quite common for one House to amend 2 K MR. T. M. HEALY submitted that Sub-section 2 was entirely divorced from Sub-section 1. It was a financial proposition, and the Lords had no power to put in a financial proposal. He thought they must first agree to the Lords Amendment before they could amend it. They had not yet agreed to the Amendment, and the proposal now was that it should be amended first and then agreed to. *MR. SPEAKER : I think this proposal is quite in order. The Question is "that those words be there added." MR. T. M. HEALY again respectfully submitted that no such Question could be put. He submitted that the first Question to be put was "that this House do agree with the Lords in the said Amendment." The Question now being put was "that those words be there added." He submitted that they should first agree with the Lords Amendment, and then put the Question that they agree with the Lords Amendment as amended. *MR. SPEAKER: The Amendment is quite in order. The Question has been already put that the House do agree. When the Amendment has been made the House will be asked to agree with the Lords Amendment as amended. LIGHT RAILWAYS BILL [LORDS]. Order for Second Reading read, and discharged.-Bill withdrawn. PRIVATE LEGISLATION PROCEDURE (SCOTLAND) ACT, 1899. Return ordered, "of all the Draft Provisional Orders under the Private Legislation Procedure (Scotland) Act, 1899, which in the session of 1903 have been reported on by the Commissioners; together with the names of the Commissioners; the first and also the last day of the sittings in each group; the number of days on which each body of Commissioners sat; the number of days on which each Commissioner has served; the number of days occupied by each Draft Provisional Order before Commissioners; the Draft Provisional Orders, the Preambles of which were reported to have been proved; and the Draft Provisional Orders, the Preambles of which were reported to have been not proved." (The Lord Advocate). Whereupon, in pursuance of the Order of the House of the 28th day of July, Mr. Speaker adjourned the House without Question put. Adjourned at twenty minutes after Twelve o'clock. |