BRITISH TRANSPORT BILL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17229, 4 August 1919, Page 5

BRITISH TRANSPORT BILL.

OPPOSITION IN THE LORDS.' . j WRECKING MOTION DEFEATED A. and H.Z. LONDON. July 30 (delayed). There was considerable interest in the House of Lords' debate on the Committee stage of the Transport Bill, when notice was given of 'a long series of amendments confining the scope of the Bill to railways, and inland, waterways. \ Lord Salisbury led pie opposition to the measure, and moved the wrecking motion empowering the House to divide the Bill into two parts, the first dealing with railways, and the second dealing with tramways, roads, and bridges, and vehicular traffic thereon, harbours, docks, and piers, the House to report on each Bill separately. # He said Sir Eric Geddes's administration of the transport system in connection with communications in France, however justifiable in wartime, would ruin the country if followed in peace time. Lord Lytton, in reply, said Lord Salisbury's motion was without precedent. The Government in the circumstances would accept the responsibility of carrying into law part of ■ the Bill instead of the whole. The > motion, if insisted upon, might pre- > cipitate a constitutional crisis of the [ first magnitude. ' 1 Lord Salisbury's motion was reI jected by 110 votes to 59. I