uilding of railways or
tramways, the construction of harbors or piers, the draining of
swamps, the supplying of water, gas, or electricity, and the embarking
upon a wide variety of other enterprises which in the United States
would be regulated chiefly by state legislatures and city councils--at
their own risk and, in part at least, for their own profit. All
private bills originate in petitions, which must be submitted in
advance of the opening of the session during which they are to be
considered. Their presentation and the various stages of their
progress are governed by very detailed and stringent regulations, and
fees are required from both promoters and opponents, so that the
enactment of a private bill of importance becomes for the parties
directly concerned an expensive process, and for the Exchequer a
source of no inconsiderable amount of revenue.

After having been scrutinized and approved by parliamentary officials
known as Examiners of Petitions for Private Bills, a private bill is
introduced in one of the two houses.[202] Its introduction is
equivalent to its first reading. At its second reading debate may take
place upon the principle of the measure, after which the bill, if
opposed, is referred to a Private Bill Committee consisting of four
members and a disinterested referee. If the bill be not opposed, i.e.,
if no adverse petition has been filed by property owners,
corporations, or other interests, the committee of reference, under a
standing order of 1903, consists of the Chairman and Deputy Chairman
of Ways and Means, two other members of the House, appointed by (p. 138)
the Committee of Selection, and the Counsel to Mr. Speaker. The
committee stage of a contested bill assumes an essentially judicial
aspect. Promoters and opponents are represented by counsel, witnesses
are examined, and expert testimony is taken. After being reported by
committee, the measure goes its way under the same regulations as
those controlling the progress of public bills.

[Footnote 202: To facilitate their consideration,
such measures are distributed approximately equally
between the two houses. This is done through
conference of the Chairmen of Committees of the two
houses, or their counsel, prior to the assembling
of Parliament.]

*145. Provisional Orders.*--Two things are, however, to be noted. The
firs