On Tuesday, the affairs of the London County Council were
before both Houses of Parliament. In the Lords, Lord Onslow carried by 19 (55 to 36) a resolution declaring in effect that the betterment scheme incorporated with the London Improvements Bill ought not to be embodied in a private Bill, '" but, if found just and equitable, should be based on general principles laid down by Parliament." In the Commons, the House considered the Lords' amendments to the London County Council (General Powers) Bill, ultimately disagreed with them all, and appointed the usual Committee to draw up reasons to assign to the Lords for disagreeing with their amendments. The tenour of the debate was not, how- ever, of a kind to frighten the Lords into acquiescence. Some of the strongest support to the view taken by the Lords in regard to the Thames Conservancy (the County Council want representation on the Board, and the Lords refused it them), came from a Radical Member representing a constituency outside the Metropolitan area. For example, Mr. Grove (West Ham) said he was bound to support the House of Lords, because it had drifted into an exceptionally just conclusion.
Previous page
