The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-02 00:00:00

NE.

,BER.

NICATION BILL.

Mr. SHERIDAN moved the second reading of this bill,
the object of which is to make railway companies provide a
means of communication between passeugers and guarda
in charge of railway trains. The kind of c,omtuunication was
left for the decision of the railway company, but the niard
of Trade would have to set• whether the means pro ridod
were sufli,:ient. 11, had heard the objection—ties there
any necessity for such a'cunJmuuteatiou which would place
it iu the power of any timid lady to stop the train ?
Ms answer was that the train would not necessarily be
stopped, for the coannutticatioa w is with the `u•trd, not
the diver. As to the point of necessity, the member
referred b several accAents caused by wheels breaking
down, or carriages taking tire by fri:tion, and stated that
if a commuuieAtiou with the guard were provided, the dan-
ger in such cases would be greatly lessened.
Mr. CAVE said he would offer no objection to the bill at
the present stage, but he considered it would bo unadvis-
able that it should p►ss in its present state. No efficient
scheme had been decided on, experiments were being
made, and if an imperfect plan was rendered compulsory
a great evil would be done. At the same time outrages
had occurred which justified the adoption of such a com-
munication. There were two ways by which a com-
munication might be obtained. One way was by signals
and the other by an alteration in the construction.
of the carriages. With regard to the American car-
riages they were too wide for our gauge and too long for
our curves. Perhaps one of the best systems was signa.l-
ing by electric telegraph, but the cost was very great—
namely, £lO per mile of railway and 10 per cent. upon the
outlay for maintenance. The report of the Royal Com-
mission on Railways would shortly be issued, and if the
kon. member found his bill to be consistent with that re-
port, he did not see why it should not pass through the
other stages; but he (Mr. Cave) reserved his opinion till
the report was issued.
The bill was then read a second time.
-• TURNPIKE TRUSTS BILL.

On the motion for the.second reading of this bill,
Mr. WALPOLE suggested that this bill should be re-
ferred to a select committee. If this were agreed to, he
would offer no opposition to the second reading. Referring
to part four of the bill, which was an attempt to remedy
what had always been a difficulty in endeavouring to
abolish tolls, namely, to extend the area of rating, he
thought some rules shOuld have been laid down for the
guidance of the justices.

Mr. WHALLEY stated that ho would agree to the sug—
gestion of the Home Secretary.
Mr. KNIGHT protested against the whole charge for
cleariag off debts being put upon the parishes which the
roads passed through, and thought a part, if not the whole,
should be defrayed out of the Consolidated Fund.
Lord HENLEY adverted to the injustice which would
be done by the bill to parishes which were not in highway
districts, but which had a turnpike road going through.
them.

Mr. HENLEY said there could be no doubt that the
turnpike routs were better kept than the parish roads. In
its present shape the bill was very objectionable, but he
very much doubted whether any general measure could be
produced that would deal with this complicated question,
where the interests were so diverse, without doing gross
injustice to some parties.

Mr. GOLDNEY supported the bill.
Mr. BEACH thought if tolls were abolished, the debts

should b 3 charged on the Consolidated Fund. No doubt
inconvenience was caused by the present system, but still
there was the broad principle that those who used the
roads paid for them. Within the last 30 years the debt,
had been reduced from seven to four million*, and-there.
fore they might reasonably entertain the hope that a fur-
ther reduction would take place. He objected to the
abrupt change which would be caused by the bill.
Mr. CLIVE said the question shoula be left to the
select committee.
Sir M. BEACH thought a general rate should be levied
for the maintenance of roads throughout the country, but
how that could be best done he could not say. He objected
to the way in which the lion. member proposed to deal
with the debt. The proposal was that certain trusts were
to pay off their debts, and ceasi, to exist in 1868, while the
remainder should do so in 10 years. The practical result
would be that the public would be driven to those roads on
which the tolls were abolished.

After some observations from Colonel French, Lord
G. Cavendish, and Mr. Knatchbull-liagessen, the bill
was read a second time, and referred to a select com-

mi t tee.

PUBLIC HOUSES, &c., REGULATION BILL.

Mr. GRAVES, in ris►ng to move that the order for the
second reading of this bill be discharged, stated the reason
which had induced him to adopt this course. Within the
past fe►v days au intimation had been made to him that
the Government would oppose the bill, as it interfered with
a large portion of thetrevenue. Under these circumstances,
the promoters of the bill felt they had no other-course but
to wirtideaw it. Trrieidiqs no 'doubt that some change of
the law was necessary, but the experience he had gained
showed Lim that iu -any measure dealing with so large a
portion of the revenue of the country ought not to be
taken up and dealt with by a private member, but by the
Government, and he was glad to be able to state that the
Home Secretary had adopted that view, for he had given
him an assurance that ho would prepare a bill on the sub-
ject next year..

Mr. J. A. SMITH thought the hon. member (Mr.
Graves) having received such au assurance from the Go-
vernment had adopted the proper course.
Mr. W.. FOSTER, expressed his satisfaction that the
Government was to deal with the subject, but thought
they should have a statement to that effect from the
Treasury bench.

Mr. S. CAVE said that Mr. Walpole had been obliged to
leave the house, but he had authorised him (Mr. (lave)
to state that the Government would introduce a bill.
Mr. HADFIELD and Mr. lionsvALL made a few remarks,
and the bill was then withdrawn.