Chapter XXVII. In case a bill should not be proceeded with in the Lords, in consequence of amendments having been made which infringe the privileges of the Commons, the same proceedings are adopted as in the case of a public bill, and the bill is laid aside.1 A committee is appointed to search the Lords' Journals, of which previous notice is to be given by the agent, in the Committee Clerks' Office; and on the report of the committee, another bill (No. 2) will be ordered, including the amendments made by the Lords. to pass one stage S. O. 223. Every stage of a private bill in the Commons has now No bill been described, with the several standing orders and pro- through ceedings applicable to each. In conclusion, it may be more than added: 1. "That no private bill may pass through two in a day. stages on one and the same day, without the special leave of the house;" and 2. "That, except in cases of urgent Motions to dispense and pressing necessity, no motion may be made to dis- with standpense with any sessional or standing order of the house, ing orders. without due notice thereof." S. O. 224. orders In the case of some bills-more especially those that Standing are brought from the other house at a late period of the suspended. session-it has been found necessary to suspend the standing orders and to permit them to proceed without the usual intervals and notices. pended, and another Where a dissolution of Parliament is anticipated before Bills susthe private business of the session has been disposed of, proceeded it has been customary for both houses to make orders with in enabling the promoters of private bills to suspend further session. proceedings, and to afford facilities for their proceeding further with the same bills in the next session.2 In a similar manner orders have also been made, late 1 Cf. the Provident Life Assurance Company Bill, and the Imperial Fire Assurance Company Bill, 1889 (which, as brought from the Lords, contained clauses dealing with the stamp duty), 144 C. J. 304. 316. See also supra, pp. 307. 574– 5, and p. 576, note. 2 1859, 91 L. J. 176. 207 (8th and 14th April), and 114 C. J. 165 (11th XXVII. in a session, in order that particular bills might be sus- Chapter pended and proceeded with in the next session of the same Parliament.1 1 Tramways (Metropolis) Bills, 1871; General Power Distributing Company Bill, 1898; Brompton and Piccadilly Circus Railway, and other London Underground Rail- Chapter XXVIII. Table of Contents, see Intro duction. CHAPTER XXVIII. COURSE OF PROCEEDINGS IN THE LORDS UPON PRIVATE (LOCAL) BILLS. bills in as "Local" ALL private bills, during their progress in the Commons, Private Formerly, the only private bills which could originate sonal." bills: the two classes. In the present chapter it is proposed to follow the pro- Local S 0.1. Deposit of petition for bill not required certain cases. XXVIII. A local bill is presented to the House of Lords without Chapter the preliminary petition which is required for the introduction of a private bill in the House of Commons; except except in when the promoters of a bill have failed to make the necessary deposits within the time limited by the standing S. O. 86. orders. In this case a petition, with a copy of the bill annexed thereto, is presented to the house, and they are together referred to the Examiner, who reports to the house that the standing orders have not been complied with, and the standing orders committee, to whom the report is referred, decide whether the circumstances of the case are such that the standing orders may be dispensed with and leave be given to introduce the bill.1 Deposit of bill. S. 0.32. Proceedings before S. O. 70. 74.77. 78. A printed copy of every local bill, proposed to be introduced into either house, is required to be deposited in the Office of the Clerk of the Parliaments, on or before the 17th December. The examination of the bills so deposited is to commence the on the 18th January. Any parties may appear before the Examiners. Examiners and be heard, by themselves, their agents and witnesses, upon a memorial addressed to the Examiner, under precisely the same conditions as in the Commons.2 S. 0.76. The Examiner certifies whether the standing orders have or have not been complied with; and when they have not been complied with, he certifies the facts upon which his decision is founded, and any special circumstances connected with the case; and his certificate is deposited in the Office of the Clerk of the Parliaments. If the Examiner feels doubts as to the due construction of any standing order, he may make a special report, which will accompany his certificate. By these arrangements the proofs of all the requirements of the standing orders which are to be complied with, prior to the introduction of the bill into either House of Parliament, are taken before the bill is brought into the House of Lords. 1 Darien Gold Mining Company's Bill, 1905, 137 L. J. 46. 52. 55. 60. 62. Cf. also Richardson and Co. (Warrants) Bill, 1890; Worm's and Bale's Patent Bill, 1891; Portsea XXVIII. Chapter Every local bill brought from the Commons, is referred, S. o. 70A. after the first reading, to the Examiners, before whom compliance with such standing orders as have not been previously inquired into is proved. Petitions for addi- s. 0.71. tional provision, in private bills originating in the House of Lords,1 are referred to the Examiner, and he is to report to the house in respect of all standing orders which would have been applicable in the case of a bill. The Examiner gives two clear days' notice of his ex- S. O. 72. amination, either of a bill or of a petition for additional provision; and memorials in respect of any bill referred to the Examiners after first reading, or of any petition for additional provision,2 are to be deposited, with two copies, in the Clerk of the Parliaments' Office, before twelve o'clock on the preceding day. 75. All certificates of the Examiners, after being deposited S. 0.79. (p. 840), are laid upon the table of the house the first day on which the house next sits. orders 82. The standing orders committee is appointed at the com- Standing mencement of every session, and consists of forty lords, committee. besides the chairman of committees of the House of Lords, S. 0. 80who is always chairman of the standing orders committee. Three lords, including the chairman, are a quorum; and three clear days' notice is to be given of the meeting of the committee. 84. Every certificate from the Examiners, stating that the S. O. 83– standing orders have not been complied with, or any special report made by them, is referred to this committee, who report whether the standing orders ought to be dispensed with, and upon what terms and conditions, if any. But, unlike the corresponding committee in the Commons,3 s. o. 85. this committee in the Lords are specially empowered by standing order (No. 85) to hear the parties affected by any standing order referred to in the Examiner's certificate or 1 Cf. infra, p. 846. Where the provisions sought to be inserted were comprised in the original notices, but were not contained in the bill as introduced into Parlia ment, the original notices are not |