themselves, agents, and witnesses, provided that the matter so complained of be specifically stated in the petition, and that such petition be presented on or before the second day after the introduction of the bill into this House. (H. L. 219, sec. 5.)

All persons applying to any Lord to present any petition in favour of, or against any railway or other bill, must indorse on the back of such petition the name or short title of the bill to which such petition relates. (This is requisite in pursuance of a resolution of the House of Lords, agreed to 12th June, 1845.)

Some surprise was felt upon the first meeting this session of their Lordships' Standing Order Committee, when it was announced that the committee would not be open, the ground of such decision being stated to be the want of sufficient accommodation in the room at present devoted to such purposes. This, therefore, is a temporary preventive of the publicity of the committee's proceedings; and, consequently, it cannot be regarded as likely to be the rule, when the alleged cause of the exclusion of strangers shall have ceased to exist, by sufficient and ample space being afforded in the new Parliamentary buildings.

Any proprietor of a company already constituted by Act of Parliament applying for power to execute any work other than that for which it was originally established, and who dissented at the meeting of proprietors to whom the draft of

the proposed bill was submitted, may, on petitioning the House, be heard by himself, his counsel, or agents and witnesses, before this committee, or the committee on the bill. (H. L. 234, sec. 2.) [At the same time great latitude is granted to all persons having an interest in the premises to appear, although not within this rule.]

This committee has to report whether the Standing Orders have been complied with. If it appear to the committee that they have not been duly attended to, they have to state the facts upon which their decision is founded, and any special circumstances connected with the case, together with their opinion as to the propriety of dispensing in that instance with any of the Standing Orders that have not been complied with. (H. L. 219, sec. 6.)

Three clear days' notice must be given of the first meeting of such committee. (H. L. 219, sec. 7.)

What must be proved before this Committee.

In all bills for railways included in the second class (and in any other bill included in any of the three classes that may be opposed), proof must be given before the Lords' Standing Order Committee (and before the committee on the bill in other instances, of unopposed bills) that,-1st, Notices have been given of the intended applica

tion for a bill; and that (2nd), Such notices have been published in three successive weeks in October and November, or either of them, immediately preceding the session in which the application is to be made, in the London, Edinburgh, or Dublin Gazette, as the case may be; and in some one and the same newspaper of the county in which the city, town, or lands to which such bill relates shall be situate, or, if there be no newspaper published therein, then in the newspaper of some county adjoining or near thereto. (In case there are no lands required for the object, and no local position, the House has relaxed this order. Proofs could be adduced; but they do not appear necessary.)-3. That the notices have stated the intention of the parties to apply for powers for the compulsory purchase of lands or houses, or to levy tolls, rates, or duties, or to confer, vary, or extinguish any exemptions from payment of tolls, rates, or duties.-4. That on or before the 31st December immediately preceding the application to Parliament, application in writing (in the form as near as may be set forth in the Appendix. marked A*) has been made to the owners, or reputed owners, lessees or reputed lessees, and occupiers, either by delivering the same personally, or leaving the same at their usual place of abode, or in their absence from the United Kingdom,

* See Appendix, p. 96.

with their agents respectively, of which application the production of a written acknowledgment by the party applied to shall, in the absence of other proof, be sufficient evidence; and that separate lists have been made of such owners, lessees, and occupiers, distinguishing which of them have assented, dissented, or are neuter in respect thereto. (A distinction should be observed here with regard to trustees who have no power to act. The cestui que trust not being called on, consequently the Standing Order is in such instances inoperative, and the return "Neuter" is generally given.)-5. That, in the case of a bill to empower any company already constituted by Acts of Parliament to execute any work other than that for which it was originally established, such bill shall not be allowed unless the committee on Standing Orders, when such bill shall be referred to that committee, or unless the committee on the bill, when the compliance with the Standing Orders is to be proved before such committee, shall have specially reported,

1. That a draft of the proposed bill was submitted to a specially summoned meeting of the proprietors of the company.-2. That such meeting was called by advertisement, inserted for four consecutive weeks in the newspapers of the county or counties, wherein such new works were proposed to be executed, or of the nearest county in which a newspaper is published.-3. That such

meeting was held not earlier than seven days after the last advertisement; and, 4, That at such meeting the draft of the bill was submitted to the proprietors, and approved by at least threefifths of them. (H. L. 220.)

By Standing Order 223 it has to be proved before the Standing Order Committee:

1. That all the notices contain the names of parishes, townships, townlands, and extraparochial places, from, in, through, or into which the work is intended to be made, &c., and state the time and place of the deposit of plans, &c., with clerks of peace, &c., as the case may be.

2. That all the notices have been affixed on the doors of sessions-house of every county, riding, or division, in or through which the work is to be made, &c., at the Michaelmas or Epiphany General Quarter Session of the Peace preceding the session in which application is intended to be made. [In the case of bills relating to Scotland, however, the notices must be proved to have been placed on the churchdoors of the parish or parishes, in or through which the work is to be made, &c.]

3. That a plan and duplicate (on a scale of not less than four inches to a mile) have been deposited for public inspection, at the office of the clerk of the peace of every county, &c., in England, or Ireland, or of the principal sheriffclerk of every county in Scotland, in or through