The Sun.
London, England, 1845-08-05 00:00:00

COUNTY RATES BILL. ;.

The County Rates Bill was then read a third time.
PORTSMOUTH ATMOSPHERIC RAILWAY.
The Duke of RICHMOND moved the re-committal of

he Portsmouth Atmospheric line of railway. •
The Marquis of NORTHAMPTON opposed the

motion.

The Earl of DEVON supported the amendment.
Lord LOVELACE opposed it. Ile did not think that

after this Bill had beeti two Inonths before the other

llouse of Parliament—after an enormous sum of money
had been expended in bringing it torward=he did not
think it right at this time to come forward with the
amendment of the noble Duke's, and to re2ommit the

Bill, which would have exactly the effect of throwing it

back to another session.

The Earl of WICKLOW said that he regretted as
much as the Noble Lord opposite that em her notice had
not been taken of this Bill, but when errors had been

committed by Members of that House when sitting on
Committees, be thought that the House was bound to
...

rectify them. Nov the question was, was any error
committed by the Committee upon the Portsmouth Bill?
He thought that there had been. He thought they had
not taken into consideration the competing lines; and
why had they not done so? Because, as they stated
themselves, a portion of the line seemed to be common

to both companies, and they must necessarily have
amalgamated before such a state of things could possibly
be. They therefore went on the supposition that the
parties must have been received. lie (Lord Wicklow)
maintained that the fact that for a portion of the line
the ono party was identical ith the other did not nega-
tive the right of entering as a competing line. He con-
tended therefore that the Bill should be recommitted,

inasmuch as the Committee had contravened the printed
instructions which ought to have guided them.
The Earl of HARD WICKE, as chaiiman of the Com-

mittee appointed on the Bill, said that, to the best of
their abliity, they had examined into the merits of the
Bills laid before them on the table. He would venture
to call their Lordships' attention to some of the clauses
in the Bill, with the view of showing the opposing parties
had, to a certain degree at least, amalgamated. He had
no doubt that, finding that the decision of the Committee
was adverse to the claims set up, the adverse party had,
by the advise of counsel, adopted this method with the
view of overturning that decision. He should first direct
their Lordships' attention to the 38th clause in the Bill,
which recognised the expediency of a junction at G odal-
ming. If the opposing party objected, why did they not
refuse this joint station?
The Earl of DEVON—What paper is that you re-
fer to ?

The Earl of HARDWICKE—He was looking at the
Bill itself. Then, if their Lordships would examine the
37th clause, they would find an arrangement for the
fares of passengers. Why did they not take their stand
on these fares, which would have been a fair and tangible
opposition? Then, in the 36th and 28th clauses, it was

tfie same, but he had proved enough. Their Lordships
would thus see that certain clauses in the Bill justified
the Committee in their decision. But if their Lordships
were of opinion that they had gone into error, he hoped
that, for the guidance of future Committees, they would
take care that the standing orders be sufficiently expla-
natory.
Lord BEAUMONT said, that though there had been
originally two competing lines, yet one of these had been
evidently withdrawn, and, therefore, if they adopted the
motion of the Noble Duke (the Duke of Richmond),
they would be, instead of confirming the standing
orders, establishing a gross absurdity, by allowing parties
to appear both in the character of promoters and oppo-
sers of the same measures. He wished to say one other
word. If they did not pass this Bill, he thought the
House was bound to take measures to facilitate its passing
at some later period this session.
Lord REDESDALE said, that as the person who had
moved that the evidence on this Bill be printed, he felt
it necessary to call their Lordships' attention to what
had passed on the last occasion, when the Noble Duke
had moved the recommittal of this Bill. The motion at

that period seemed to convey a slur upon the Committee,
and it was with the wish that they might have that on
which to found a decision, that ho had moved that the
evidence be printed. He thought that while the House
should repose confidence in thei r Comnaitiees, they should,
at the same time, take especial care that the rights of in-
dividuals did not suffer by their decisions. He would
support the motion of the Noble Duke.

The Marquis of NORTHAMPTON explained.
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said that the Bill
should be suspended until the allegations contained in it
should be examined into.

Thu Earl of HADDINGTON wished to know
whether the petitioning parties had made any compro-
mise or nut ?

The Duke of RICHMOND denied that any compro-
mise whatever had been made.

The Duke of 91BAFTON defended the course taken
by the Committee, and said he thought that the opposi-
tion now made by the Noble Duke should have been
made on the first or second reading of the Bill.
The Duke of RICHMOND replied, and the House
divided, when there appeared—
For the amendment l3

Against it ll
Majority
The amendment was carried.
The Duke of RICHMOND moved that a Committee
be named by their Lordships.
The Marquis of NORTHAMPTON reminded the
Noble Duke that one most material party in the ques-
tion was out of the country.
After some desultory conversation, in which Lord
Redesdale, the Marquis of Northampton, and Lord Mont•
eagle took part. the motion was withdrawn.