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Chapter the 17th December, in the Private Bill Office of the House
XXVI.
of Commons, and printed copies of the bills have been
deposited, on or before the same date, in the Parliament
Office of the House of Lords, "The General List of
Petitions for Bills" is prepared. The regulations in
accordance with which this list is made out give every
facility to the promoters of a bill to select for themselves
whatever position may be most convenient. If they secure
an early number on the list, their petition will be heard by
the Examiners shortly after the commencement of their
sittings. If, on the other hand, they desire their case to
be heard at a later period, they may place their petition
lower down in the list.1 Each petition is numbered accord-
ing to its place in the list; and as the examination for
both houses is conducted at the same time, the order in
which the cases are heard for the Lords is determined by this
General List, which is prescribed by the Commons only.

When the time has expired for depositing documents Memorials
complain-
and complying with other preliminary conditions, parties ing of non-
interested are enabled to judge whether the standing orders compliance.
of the two houses have been complied with. If it should
appear to them that the promoters have neglected to com-
ply with any of these orders, parties may prepare memorials,
addressed to the Examiners, complaining of such non-
compliance. These memorials are to be deposited in the
Private Bill Office of the House of Commons, according to
the position of the petition for the bill to which they relate,
in the general list.

"If the same relate to petitions for bills numbered in the general list of petitions;

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Sittings of

ners.

S. O. 69, (70 H. L).

XXVI.

Memorials complaining of non-compliance are prepared Chapter in the same form, and are subject to the same general rules, as petitions to the house (see p. 524), as well as to other special rules, which will be noticed immediately (pp. 700-702).

The public sittings of the Examiners commence on the the Exami- 18th January, being about a fortnight before the usual time for the meeting of Parliament; and the petitions for bills are set down for hearing in the order in which they stand in the General List. One of the Examiners is required to give at least seven days' notice, in the Private Bill Office of the Commons, of the day appointed for the examination of each petition.1

Notice of examination.

Daily lists of cases

before Ex

aminers. Opposed

and un

Daily lists are issued of the cases set down for hearing before each of the Examiners according to their order in the general list of petitions for bills; but to expedite the examination of the unopposed petitions for bills, the cases set down are divided, in this daily list, into "unopposed" for bills and "opposed" petitions, the former being placed first on tinguished. each day. By this arrangement all the cases are appointed

opposed

petitions

dis

Petitions

struck off the list.

S. 0.70 (H. C.).

to be heard according to their order in the General List:
but by precedence being given, on each day, to the un-
opposed petitions, the numerous agents and witnesses are
relieved from attendance during the subsequent hearing of
opposed cases, which often occupy a considerable time.

In case the promoters shall not appear at the time when their petition comes on to be heard, the Examiner is required to strike the petition off the general list of petitions. The petition cannot afterwards be reinserted on the list, except by order of the house; and should the How to be promoters desire to proceed with the bill, it will be S. O. 96, necessary to deposit a petition, praying that the petition 200 (H.C.).

reinserted.

1 Standing order 70 (House of Commons). Practically a longer notice than this is given in the case of those petitions (the second and third hundred on the list) respecting which memorials are deposited on or before the 16th or 23rd January; as on the 10th January—

that is to say, on the day after the
memorials relating to the first hun-
dred petitions have been deposited
-the Examiners, for the
venience of all parties concerned,
intimate when they will take the
remaining petitions.

con

Chapter
XXVI.

for the bill may be reinserted, and explaining the circum-
stances under which it had been struck off. This petition
will stand referred to the standing orders committee, who
will determine, upon the statement of the parties, whether
the promoters have forfeited the right to proceed or not, and
will report to the house accordingly; and if by the order
of the house the petition for the bill should be reinserted
in the general list, the usual notice will be given by the
Examiner, and the case will be heard at the appointed time.

ances on

When the case is called on, the agent soliciting the bill Statement of proofs. appears before the Examiner with a "statement of proofs," showing all the requirements of the standing orders, applicable to the bill, which have been complied with, and the name of every witness, opposite each proof, who is to prove the matters stated therein. If the bill be opposed on standing orders, the agents for the memorialists are required to Appearenter their appearances 2 upon each memorial, at this time, memorials in order to entitle them to be subsequently heard. In the entered. mean time the "formal proofs," as they are termed, proceed Formal proofs. generally in the same manner, both in opposed and unopposed cases. Each witness is examined by the agent, and produces all affidavits and other necessary proofs, in the order in which they are set down in the statement; and in addition to the proofs comprised in the statement, the examiner requires such other explanations as he may think fit, to satisfy him that all the orders of the house have been complied with. Under the standing orders of both houses, the Examiner—

3

affidavit.

S. 0.76

may admit affidavits in proof of the compliance with the standing Proof by orders, or may require further evidence; and such affidavits shall be sworn, if in England or in Ireland, before a justice of the peace, or a commissioner for oaths; and if in Scotland, before any sheriff depute or his substitute, or a justice of the peace."

1 129 C. J. 73.

2 The appearance is a paper, which is previously obtained from the Private Bill Office, certifying that the agent has entered himself at that office as agent for the memorial. This appearance is

given to the clerk to the Examiners
(see also infra, p. 710).

One fair copy of such statement
is required for the Examiner, and
another for the clerk to the Ex-
aminers.

(77 H. L.).

Unopposed

cases.

Opposed

cases.

of wit

nesses.

XXVI.

In an unopposed case, if the standing orders have, or have Chapter not, been complied with, the Examiner can at once give his decision and endorse the petition for the bill accordingly. In an opposed case, when the formal proofs have been completed, the examiner proceeds to hear the memorialists. The agents for the latter ordinarily take no part in the proceedings upon the formal proofs: but if they desire that any of the promoters' witnesses, who have proved the deposit of documents, the service of notices, or other matters, should be detained for further examination, in reference to allegations of error, contained in the memorials, the examiner directs them to be in attendance until their evidence shall be required.

Attendance The attendance of witnesses is ordinarily secured by the parties themselves: but if the examiner should report to the house that the attendance of any necessary witness, or the production of any document, cannot be procured without the intervention of the house, the house will make an order accordingly.1

Memorials complaining of non

Any parties are entitled to appear and to be heard, by themselves, their agents and witnesses, upon a memorial, compliance. addressed to the Examiner and duly deposited, complain(H. C.); 73 ing of non-compliance with the standing orders, provided (H. L.).

S. 0.74

S. 0.75 (H. C.): 74 (H. L.).

that the matter complained of be specifically stated in such
memorial, that the party (if any) who may be specially
affected by the non-compliance with the standing orders
shall have signed such memorial and shall not have with-
drawn his signature thereto, and that such memorial have
been duly deposited. In the case of certain bills which are
referred to the Examiners under the "Wharncliffe " stand-
ing orders (Nos. 62-66) of both houses,2 any proprietor,
shareholder, or member of or in any company, society,
association, or co-partnership, who shall by himself, or
any person authorized to act for him in that behalf, have
dissented at any meeting called in pursuance of these

1 Wandle Water and Sewerage, 1853, 108 C. J. 257; Bristol and North Somerset Railway (Southern

Extension) 1866, 121 ib. 114. 127.
Infra, pp. 724. 842-4.

2

Chapter standing orders, shall be permitted to be heard by the
XXVI. Examiner on the compliance with such standing order,

by himself, his agents and witnesses, upon a memorial,
addressed to the Examiner, and duly deposited.

The dates for depositing memorials complaining of non- S. 0.230
(H. C.).
compliance, in the case of petitions for bills numbered in
the General List, have already been stated; and in the
case of any petitions for bills which may be deposited by
leave of the house after the 17th December, standing
order No. 230 of the House of Commons provides that-

"such memorials shall be deposited three clear days before the day
first appointed for the examination of the petition."

Under standing order No. 231 of the House of Commons- s. o. 231
(H. C.).

"All memorials shall be deposited in the Private Bill Office before six of the clock in the evening of any day on which the house shall sit, and between eleven and one of the clock on any day on which the house shall not sit; and two copies of every such memorial shall be deposited for the use of the Examiners, before twelve of the clock on the following day."

In the Lords, the time within which memorials are to be deposited in the case of bills numbered in the General List is not prescribed by the standing orders of that house: but the Examiners require parties to conform substantially with the orders of the Commons, it being indispensable that memorials should be heard, on behalf of both houses, at the same time. The time for depositing memorials com- S. 0. 232 (H. C.); plaining of non-compliance is prescribed in both houses, 75 (H. L.) however, in the case of petitions for additional provision,2 and in either house in certain other cases.3

statements

Unless the matters complained of be specifically stated in Specific the memorial, the memorialists are not entitled to be heard, of noncompliance. and the utmost care is consequently required in drawing memorials. When a memorial complains of more than one breach of the standing orders, it is divided into distinct

1 Cf. the rules appended to the standing orders of the Lords.

2 Cf. infra, pp. 725 and 841.

3 Viz. in the case of bills referred

to the Examiners after first reading

in the Lords (S. O. (H. L.) 75);
and, in the Commons, in the case of
bills brought from the Lords or
introduced in lieu of others with-
drawn (S. O. (H. C.) 232).

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