The Express.
London, England, 1861-02-16 00:00:00

HAY, Isc, CONTRACT&

Mr. TURNER moved an address for copies of all con-
tracts entered into by the government with Alexander
Duskier Freeland fur hay, clover, beans, and oats from the
let day of September, 1864, to the 31st day of December,
1858; the quantities of hay, clover, beans, and oats deli-
vered ; the sums of money paid in respect thereof, and the
dates of payment. The bon. member said that the object
of his motion pointed Loa piece of extravagance which bad
been committed by the government. The contracts to
which be referred went so far back aa the period when we
were carrying ou the Crimean war. At that time it was
mosesary to contract for • variety of agricultural pro-
ducts, and, strange to say, the government ap-
peared to have thought Manchester not only •
great manufacturing, but also • ,great
(Heal district, for they sent gentlemen down to Man-
eitastar, who entered into an agricultural cecina with Mr.
Alexander Bankier Freeland, and it was made at meh an
aztramegaat price, that out of contracts amounting to
300,001 X., Mr. Freeland bad managed to make, hy his own
tonfesien, •• groat of something like 75,0001. mat pa.

tleman, it seemed, W,Ol connected with his brothers in the
transaction in lu,stiuu, and they subsequently entered into
ao extensive shipping trade, and afterwards became bank-
rupts. Having confewed, on their examination by the
BankruPtt7 Court, that they had made this linen of
75,000 f. out of the government contract., it was right end
necessary the house should have a return of those contrechb
the pnces paid for agricultural productions, and
the manner in which the coutracts were executed.
He had been given to understood that the go.
vernnient bad no objection to funikh the return with all
particulars, but he was told it would take a very consider-
able time to obtain all the necessary information. He nail
not understand why that should be.
Mr. T. G. BARING said that, as the hoe. member had
just stated, there would be no hesitation on the part of the
government to produce this return. The only hesitation he
had felt was, that in the tint instance lie understood from
the hon. gentleman that the information was required net
altogether for public purposes. He must beg the house,
however, to reserve its opinion with respect to those con-
tracts until it saw the papers and judged for itself as to all
the fade of the ease. With respect to the time it would
take to produce the return, lie could only inform the hon.
gentleman that he bad made every inqtury with regard to
that point, and had been informed by the Commissary.
Geneml•in-Chief that the contracts extended over the whole
of the time of the Crimean war, that the deliveries were
numerous and extensive, mid the' return could not
be furnished without a very considerable expenditure of
labour. He had also been informed that the supplies cif
bay by this contra.nor were very good and satisfactory.
LOCOMOTIVES ON TURNPIKE ROADS.
Mr. GARNETT obtained leave to introduce a bill for re-
gulating the use of locomotives on turnpike and other
roads, and the tells to be teTheltet such locomotives, end on
the waggons and carriages thaws or propelled by the same.