Gas Bills (Statutory Price)
With reference to the Gas Bills standing on the Order Paper to-day, I propose to set them down for Wednesday next at 8.15 p.m., in the expectation that on that day the President of the Board of Trade will be in a position to state to the House the method in which it is proposed to deal with so much of the Bills as concern the question of statutory price. I do not anticipate that on that day any one of the Bills will be carried to a Second Reading, but I hope that it will be possible to inform the House as to the method in which that part of the Bills is to be dealt with.
May I ask whether that applies only to the part of the Bills with regard to the question of price, and does not deal with the other points in some of the Bills, and some of a very serious character, and of great importance to the localities—are they to go by the board?
Those Bills which contain other proposals will have to be considered separately, and hon. Members who take exception to those Bills will have their opportunity later on.
:Is it intended that a discussion should take place on the Second Reading of the Bills or on Wednesday next?
:If the President of the Board of Trade is in a position to make a statement to the House, of course that can be followed by a discussion if desired. It depends on hon. Members.
With reference to the last of the Bills on the Order Paper, the Alliance and Dublin Gas Bill, would it not be possible to postpone that, seeing that many Members of the Irish party with not be presens?
I do not think they need be in attendance on Wednesday next. After what I have already said, they will see that it is not proposed to take the Second Reading of that Bill on that occasion.
Brentford Gas Bill, Cannock Gas Bill, Hampton Court Gas Bill, Liverpool Gas Bill,. Longwood and Slaithwaite Gas Bill, Yeadon and Guiseley Gas Bill, Cardiff Gas Bill, Commercial Gas Bill, Gas Light and Coke Company Bill, Hastings and St. Leonard's Gas Bill, Maidenhead Gas Bill, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Gateshead Gas Bill, Plymouth and Stonehouse Gas Bill, Portsea Island Gas Light Bill, Richmond Gas Bill, Southampton Gas Bill, South Metropolitan Gas Bill, South Shields Gas Bill, South Suburban Gas Bill, Swansea Gas Bill, York Gas Bill, Basingstoke Gas Bill (all by Order),Rhymney and Aber Valleys Gas and Water Bill,
Alliance and Dublin Gas Bill,
Second Reading deferred till Wednesday next at a Quarter-past Eight of the Clock.
Railway And Canal Traffic Acts, 1854 To 1894
Copy presented of Twenty-ninth Annual Report of the Railway and Canal Commission, with Appendix [by Command]; to lie upon the Table.
Charity Commission (England And Wales)
Copy presented of Sixty-fifth Report of the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales [by Command]; to lie upon the Table.
New Writ
For the Borough of Waterford, in the room of John Edward Redmond, Esquire, deceased.—[ Mr. Scanlan.]
Supreme Court Of Judicature (Ireland)
Accounts ordered "of the Receipts and Payments of the Accountant-General of the Supreme Court of Judicature in
Ireland in respect of the funds of Suitors in the said Court, including therein funds to the credit of Lunacy Accounts, in the year to the 30th day of September, 1917, together with a Statement of liabilities and assets and particulars of securities in Court on the 30th day of September, 191".—[ Mr. Baldwin.]