The Sun.
London, England, 1858-07-31 00:00:00

PRIVATE BILLS.

Lord REDESDALE drew attention to the standing
orders relating to private bills, and proposed several new
orders which he believed would economise both time
and money, and facilitate the progress of bona fide
schemes through Parliament, while they would afford
security to the public, and to all persons concerned.
The following are the more important:—

There shall be one or more officers of this house, to be
called, ' The Examiners of Standiog Orders for Private
Bills,' who shall be appointed by the house.
•

" A printed copy of every private la, except estate
bills, name bills, naturalisation and divorce bills, proposed
to be introduced into either House of Parliament, shall be
deposited in the office of the Clerk of the Parliaments on
or before the 23d day of December.
" The examination of the private bills which shall have
been duly deposited in the office of the Clerk of the Par-
liaments shall commence on the 18th day of January.
"Any parties shall be entitled to appear and to be heard,
by themselves, their agents and witnesses, upon a memo-
flat addressed to the examiner, complaining of a non-com-
pliance with the standing orders, provided the matter com-
plained of be specifically stated in such memorial, and the
party (if any) who may be specially affected by the non-
compliance with the standing orders have signed such me-
morial and shall not have withdrawn his signature thereto.
" Theexaminers shall certify whether them tanding orders
have or have not been complied with; and when they have
not been complied with, ho shall certify the facts upon
which his decision is founded, and any special circum-
stances connected with the case, such certificate to be ad-
dresed to and deposited in the office of the Clerk of the
Parliaments. _

"In all cases of petitions for additional provision in
private bills originating in this house, the examiner shall
give at least two clear days' notice in the office of the Clerk
of the Parliaments of the day on which the same will be
examined ; and he shall report to the house whether the
standing orders have, or have not. been complied with,
and, when they have not been complied with the facts upon
which his decision is founded,' an I any special circum-
stances connected with the case.

" In case the examiner shall feel doubts as to the due
construction of any standing order in its application to a
particular case, he shall make a special report of the facts,
without deciding whether the standing order has, or has
not, been complied with ; and in such case he shall sand
such special report' with the certificate.
" That when any certificate of the examiner, in which
he shall certify that the standing orders have not been
complied with, shall have been referred to the Standing
Order Committee, they shall report to the house whether
such standing orders ought, or ought not, to be dis, ensed
with, and whether in their opinion the parties should be
permitted to proceed with their bill, cr any portion
thereof, and under what (if any) conditions,
" That when any special report from the examiners as
to the construction of a standing order shall have baen re-
ferred to the Standing Order Committee, they shall deter-
mine, according to their cen,truction of the standing
order, and on the facts stated in such report, whether the
standing orders have or have not been complied with, and
they shall then either report to the house that the stand-
ing orders have been complied with, or shall proceed to
consider the question of dispensing with the standing
order., as the case may

"That in all cases in which, from the certificate of the
examiners, or from the decision-of the committee upon spe-
cial reports, the question arises whether the standing orders
ought or ought not to be dispensed with, the party praying
for such dispensation may set forth in a written statement
the grounds on which he rests his prayer : and the opposing
party may also set forth in a written statement the grounds
on which he rests his opposition, both parties confining
themselves strictly to the points reported on by the exa-
miners, or determined by the committee on their consi-
deration of any special report of such examiners.
"That when the committee think fit, they shall hear the
parties in explanation of their written statements, but no
party shall be allowed to travel into any matter that is not
referred to in his statement, such statement to be lodged in
the office of the Clerk of the Parliaments not later than 5
o'clock on the day before the day on which the committee
is appointed to meet.
"That in the case of a railway bill a sum not less than
8 per cent. on the amount of the estimate of expense, and
in case of all other bills a sum not less than 1 per cent, on
the amount of such estimate, shall, previously to the 15th
day of January, be deposited with the Court of Chancery
in England if the work is intended to be done in England,
or with the Court of Chancery in England or the Court of
Exchequer in Scotland if such work is intended to be done
in Scotland, and with the Court of Chancery in Ireland if
such work is intended to be done in Ireland.
• " That in cases where the work is to be made out of
money to be raised upon the security of the rates, duties,
• or revenue to be created by or to arise under any bill under
which no private or personal pecuniary profit or advantage
is to be derived, a declaration stating those facts and set-
ting forth the means by which funds are to be obtained for
executing the work, and signed by the party or agent soli-
citing the bill, together with an estimate of the probable
amount of such rates, duties, or revenue, signed by the
person making the same, may be deposited, and in such
case no deposit shall be required."
Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY expressed his ap
probation generally of the proposed orders, which he
believed were in cmformity with the recommendations
of a committee of their lordships' house.
Lord CAMPBELL hoped there was nothing in the
amendments to confirm the doct-ine lately stated by a
noble friend of his in the other house (Lord J. Russell),
- that the House of Commons was the supreme power in
the State because it possessed the power of the purse.
It might as well be said that the Crown was the su-
preme power because it could make war and peace, and
could cede the. Isle of Wight to the Emperorofte
French if it chose ; or that their lordships were, bee
in their judicial capacity they could rule that the second
son, and not the first, was heir to his father. (Hear.)
The motion was then agreed to.