The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-27 00:00:00

THE SUN. LONDON. TUESDAY E'rENING, JANUARY 27, 1846.

e ime and money. The instant that Committees we reto be placed on it. They ought, to propose a plan to be in-
formed, counsel were employed. anti the same kind of quired into by a Select Committee. The question was too
speeches ah re snide by counsel that had so often bt en great to be placed before a Committee composed of a very
told before other Committees of the House. The time small number of the Members of that House. With regard
to the advance of monies to foreign powers for the construe-
of the Membees of the Committees was thus wasted, end tien of works on the Continent—Parliament had not inter-
great expense entailed on the promoters of the Bills. fared, but had allowed the loans to be granted. It might,
That done, counsel went to another Committee just, however, be necessary for the interests of the country, that
formed, and wasted its time in the same manner he had some interference should be made with regard to these loans.
done on the previous one in which he had been engaged. He really thought that the case ought to be placed before the
This great waste of time, and these lung speeches of House. If the Right Hon. Gentleman thought it was neces-
counsel, had led hire to support the institution of a per- sary that there should be a Select Committee on this question,
manent body to sit and examine into,railway Bills—a ihe would probably state his plan to them. The Comhnmeittbee
body that would exert an infiaence 'so as to put an would then make a report to the House, which
would t
end to this waste of time and money. In that better able to form an opinion with respect to this very ime
case he would be bound there would be no triffi err poirltiarntauestion
HIND. F.. said he looked upon the business of the
with time. There was another topic which he would Committee as simply to receive and collect information, and
mention. He had heard it said that considt ring that all report it to the House. He should not have addressed the
these inquiries involved large considerations of capital, House had it not been for the speech of the Right Hon. Baronet
and that the Members of that House were largely in- at the head of the Government. He confessed, that if that
terested iii the amount of property disposed of, they speech was understood out of doors by the public as he (Mr.
should do away with all sus eicion by having H. Hinde) understood it, it would create great alarm. He
to be done with the view of cars -
an independent tribunal. He had merely men- understoodyf
nardtany
t nothing
of
the wrailwayas Bills till the views of that Corny
tioned this, and would net say more on the e
mitteeinor had been given. They were to give an opinion that' one.
topic. The plan that he proposed would obviate
class of railways was entitled to receive the favour of the House,
this difficulty. The House wouid recollect that last ses
while another class of railways ought not to receive that favour-
a
shun these inquiries were to some extent in the hands of able consideration. Now, if the Right Hon. Gentleman had
the Board of Trede, and every one objected to proposed any thing of this kind at the end of the last session of
the decisions of that Board, but the reason of Parliament, the objection he ( Mr. H. Hinde) had to it would
that in his opinion was that that Board had not not have been so great. The projectors of Railways would
sefficient power. They had only the power of report- then have had notice of the intentions of Government, and would
lag on a third or a fourth part of the question, have acted already. But now, when these projectors had corn-
net upon the whole. They only collected engineering plied with the standing orders imposed upon them last session,
evidence, and reported on it to the House, but they did had made their surveys, had gone to great expense in engine. r-
not examine evidence affecting individuals. They left ing matters, and had paid up their deposits, he thought it was
out three-fourths of the evidence, which it was necessary not treating them as they ought to be treated by being sub-
jected to the course recommended by the Right Honourable
orders been with,
to hear properly to make a rep. irt to the House, and Those standing havingcomplied
took only one-fourth. The fault was not that they gave Parliament ought to be prepared support
the to hear evidence in
the Board of Trade too much power, but because they
of each scheme—they ought not to be disposed of without each
gave it too little.—(Hear, hear.) This was his individual project having had the case submitted to a compe-
great objection to that Board, merely giving it tent trilsunal.—( Hear, hear.) He conceived it would occasion
power to report upon one portion of the case. great inconvenience if railway Bills were to be treated in the
He thought that the plan now followed was the very manner recommended. But, in objecting to this course, he
worst that could possibly have been devised, and though would say that in submitting these schemes to Parliamen-
he could not in any way impugn the honesty of the tary Committees, they, the Members of such Com-
mods es of those by whom the duties of those Comrnitties mittees, should evince the greatest strictness in the
have been discharged, yet lie felt that the-mode in which receptionwitneasea
showing
evidence—notl to be merely satisfied with
amalolunrt oefetatr:ffierce, butthat
submitted a
itteadrge in
this business was managed was a disgrace to Parlia- the schemeru
nient and the empire. He did conceive, therefore, and desirable. In dealing in detail LT so large a number necessary
of
that by the appointment of such a body of men schemes he confessed there was great difficulty ; still, if the
as he had just suggested, there would be a large amount standing order of Committees manifested sufficient strictness,
of expense saved, and the system would work ha- and the Parliamentary Committees were careful and rigid in
finitely better than any private Committee of that their reception of evidence, the business in the ordinary way,
House could possibly do. If the consideration of as acted upon last session, would be easily disposed of. The
the expense were to be taken into account. number of railways before the Standing Orders Committee
they might follow the example set them by several of would not greatl exceed that of last session ; but if it did, if
the other judicial institutions of toe country, and
nthnetywentto work at the commencement of the session, and
delay it
.as they had done last year,. they would get through
throw the cost of the proceedings on the promoters of • •
it in good time. Last year the session ; was very much ad-
the sever tl Bills which were to be submitted to the Le- vanced before the Committees commenced to sit, and then,
gislature.—(Hear, hear.) while many Members sat a long time on certain Committees,
Colonel SIBTHORP felt a little surprise that so other Members never sat at all ; and he was of opinion many
humble an individual as himself should have been more Committees might have been formed so as to facilitate
thought worthy of any particular notice on the present the business. There was another point of the Right
occasion. He was aware, however, that it was well Honourable Gentleman's speech to which he would refer—
known that he had a great distaste to what were called that the restricting of the number of projects would be
commiesionerships, and he felt this distaste because he a good rather than an evil. He (Mr. H. Hinde) was of opi-
had invariably found, that these same commissioner- inifioinn,vtehatait
aththnowtinhge
NdaiffiriCollult ire 3.
Isuchaashethoseannahmeidtteir,si tthneraa-ary
ships generally drew enormous sums from the public,
liarnent wgouildgbe a 'great sev'ill.waff the projectors of railways,
and were almost invariably neither more nor less than and those who subscribed to them, had difficulties thrown in
jobs, proposed though they might bo by both sides of their way in the expediting these schemes, it would cause the
the House. Now ho had greater objection to this corn- capital that would be expended in them to go out of the country.
mission, because it was said to be for the good of what It would surely be a great evil that a large sum which was pro-
were called these important schemes, though, in his posed to be expended on railways should he sent abroad; and
epinio'i they were anything but important schemes. that such would be the evident result, if the Right Hon. Sa-
lle was the more convinced of the truth of this impres- ronet's counsel in the construction of the Committee was taken,
siou, because he saw that the lion. and Gallant Member he was firmly persuaded. He should rather that some person
—(Laughter)—the Hon. and Learned Member he of greater experience than himself had taken up the view of the
question ; but in the sentiments he had expressed he was sure
believed he ought to call him—had so made his pro- he but echoed the opinions that were prevalent out of doors.
position, that these corn inissionars, however assidu- Mr. P. M. STEWAR T wished to call the. attention of the
ously and earnestly they performed their duty, could nut Right Hon. Gentleman at the head of her Majesty's Government
receive a single sixpence of their pay until the title to to the experience that hail been acquired by the application
it had been certified by another commission, appointed of the system of Committees last session. He (Mr. Stewart)
to supervise their conduct. lie had, therefore, the less quite agreed that some interference was necessary in their
to object to the Honourable Gentleman sug- mode of conducting the business so as to facilitate its transac-
gested by the Right Honourable Baronet. tion, but he would remind them, thut in devising measures
He stood there as the representative of an impor- for the dispatch of business, they should give no unfair hin-
p drance to Bills presented to that House on the faith of the
taut commercial city, to discharge impartially a
standing orders of last session. Last year it was the 20th or
public duty, and he demanded, on behalf
of the ._
'lst of April before a single railway Committee sat, and then,
public of England, that all the members of the railway from the number of Billsthat were to be investigated, with all
Committees should not be interested, either directly or their dispatch they could not get through the business; but
indirectly, in any of the schemes that might come befell now, he was persuaded, whatever increase of business there
them. He did not wish to speak disrespectfully of any Hon. was beyond that of last year, if they applied themselves to it,
Member, but in his opinion it would be little better than diss they would get through with it in much better time than they
honesty for an Hon. Member to sit upon a Committee aP- did then. He said this in order that the Right lion.
pointed to consider the merits of two schemes, in one of which Baronet's Committee might not report to the House from
he was immediately interested. Many of the projects, although time to time, and thus delay the commencement of the
their promoters said they brought them forward for the benefit business ; and with the hope that if the Government
of the public, were nothing but gambling schemes, and in the had any plans to submit to the Committee they would do so at
last session of Parliament, while the Railway Clauses Con- once, that they might decide and report so as they, who were
soldiation Bill was under consideration, he did his best to make interested in railway Bills, would know what course was to be
the promoters of these schemes more responsible than taken. It was strange, that if a new mode of carrying forward
they were for some of their acts and deeds.—(Cheers.)
the private business was necessary, that some course had nos
He felt it his duty to make these observations, but he sincerely been taken last year, so as to meet the case fully. Nor must
hoped that no Member in the House would consider that he they expect now that any plan agreed on was merely to apply
was connected either directly, or indirectly, with any railway to this year, and that then the railway business of the country
scheme. For his own part he did not wish to be connected would be at an end. They were much mistaken, if they
with any railway project.—(Laughter.) He would rather put thought that 600 Bills would exhaust all the railway business
his hand into the fire in fact than purchase a railway share.— of the country, and that any plan agreed to this session, would
(Continued laughter.) not be required hereafter. Look at the state of the country ?
Mr. GEORGE HUDSON said he considered it his duty to Railroads were supplanting turnpikes everywhere. There
make a few observations, in consequence of the remarks that were twenty thousand miles of turnpike-road in England
had fallen from the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir R. Peel). He and Wales, and he was persuaded that wherever there was
would suggest to the Right lion. Baronet, that the schemes a turnpike, a railroad would be constructed in its stead.
which should come before the House, should pass through a Isom this they might expect every session a large amount of
certain ordeal, viz., that all the deposits should be paid in railway business, and they should devise some permanent
prior to their being enabled to pass through the standing orders. mode of disposing of this businesss so calculated to increase
( Hear, hear.) If it were not so, the committee might commend the national power, and to develope the national wealth. The
many schemes, the promoters of which were not in a competent Right Hon. Baronet in the course of his observations, had ex-
position to carry them out.—( Hear, hear.) Ho wee pressed an opinion as to the amount of wealth it was expedient
not alarmed, like the Right Honourable Baronet, as to the annually to expend on railways, and he bad set it down at
amount of money which might be required in the execu- '20,000,000/. He (Mr. Stewart) considered this estimate not
tion of the contemplated lines of railway ; because that enough. He was of opinion that from the fast increasing power
money was not going out of the country.—( Hear.) of the nation, and its continually growing wealth, it was in
One-fifth nearly of the money expended in the making of the a position to extend at least 50,000,0001. annually. The
proposed lines would, go into the pockets of the landowners, Right Hon. Baronet had admitted that it would be much
and it was likely that they would invest that money in the rail- better that that capital was invested in the heart and bowels of
ways which passed through their districts; they would, most their own country than expended in foreign schemes.—( Hear,
probably, invest it in mortgages to the companies. The iron- bear.) He had great doubts if any new plan they
mongers, and other parties concerned in the making of mate- could lay down would at all facilitate the business. If
rials for the lines, would also receive another large portion of the Committee proposed to be appointed was to linger
the money expended in railways.—( Hear, hear.) •The Right over its business, and in the present time nothing was done to
Hon. Baronet had spoken of the distress in Ireland, but surely forward the Bills before the House, great evil would result,
the making of new railways would he the very best thing to and it would be March or April before anything was done. lie
alleviate that distress, for the superabundance of labourers in approved of the appointment of the Committee, but he doubted
the country would be thereby afforded employment. The that the Committee, like that of last year, would materially
Right Hon. Baronet said that the amount of money to be ex- interfere with the commencement of business, and, like the
pended in railways should be limited—but was it possible to do exertions of the Board of Trade, add nothing to its proper exe-
so? He should imagine the case of a line proposed to pass cution. He entreated the Right Hon. Baronet to urge for-
through the West Riding of Yorkshire, in which, of ward the dispatch of business, and facilitate by every means in
course, there was great necessity for easy means his power those railway Bills for which petitions had been pre-
of transit through the different parts of that district. sented to that House.
Why, to deny the right of these persons to make their Mr. PLUMPTRE said his object in rising was to take no-
railway would be an immense hardship. It seemed to give tice of the proceedings which characterised the depositing of
the Committee a power which he did not quite understand. the railway plans at the Board of Trade. It happened that
He might be told that it would only be a report of a Corn- the 30th of November was on a Sunday, and on that day a
mittee; however, though not a proficient in Parliamentary general deposit of the plans had taken place. If it was in the
business, he had learned sufficient to know that a report of a power of the Board of Trade to have put off the depositions of
Committee gives a weight with which it is impossible to con- the plans to the following day, they ought to have done so ; and
tend. Were these lines of national importance ? Were they if they had not, it would be satisfactory for the public to know
laid out in such a manner as to afford abundance ? If they were that great complaints have been made.
he did not doubt but money and means would be found in Mr. RICARDO regretted very much that the Right Hon.
abundance to carry them out, provided always that the money Gentleman had not answered the objections of the Noble Lord
was not called out of the country for other objects, pro- (Lord J. Russell) to the proposed measure. It was hard that
vided it was not called out on South American Bonds, or a number of persons interested in railway Bills, who had com-
to buy foreign corn—(Loud cheering from the Ministerial plied with all the conditions of last session, who had fully met
benches.) He did not wonder there was some alarm the provisions of the standing orders, should be placed in the
that there would be a deficiency of money when measures like same position as those who had not. The Right lion. Baronet
that he alluded to were proposed. And it behoved them, if should have made known the plan at the close of last session,
they were carried out, to button op their pockets until they and then he (Mr. Ricardo) having had that information, should
should see how they would turn out. He was quite certain not have employed, in those companies with which he was con-
that if the House applied itself to the consideration of those nected, engineers at great expense ; he would have said, never
lines with which it was competent to deal, they would be able mind tunnels nor viaducts, but merely draw the line straight—
to transact the whole business which would be brought before leaving out of calculation hills and valleys, and all estimate of
it. There might be defects, it is true, in some of their de-
expense or capabilities of the line. The Right Hon. Baronet
cisions. Be, himself, might have been very frequently grieved said he large ofthe various railways projected
had got a map
at many of them—( Hear, hear)—but he, e, always, on calm re- which would be submitted,
and if they appointed
flection, felt that those decisions were honest, and always felt
the utmost respect for' them a Committee they (the Commissioners who had fully
was prepared to abide
by them. Let them not take and he ever w
complied with the standing orders) would only stand
e any measures until they kne
a chance of being picked out of the map with those compa-
whether the parties were incondition to proceed with their
t
Bills, for it was notorious that marry of these schemes were denies that had not been able to comply. The consequence
would be, that this year they would not be able to go forward
festive, and not in a condition to occupy the time of the House.
with these Bills, and next year they would he placed in the
If they did this he felt quite certain that they would get through
same position as the companies that this year had neither de-
the business with satisfaction to the public, and with honour to
themselves. posited plans or made deposits.—( Hear, hear.) He considered
Mr. FOX MAULE congratulated the House on having se- this unfair, and the
Hwhole measure a clumsy contrivance to
meet the difficult
cured the services of so valuable a Member as the Gentleman should, at the 'eleLnth He regretted that the Right Hon. Baronet
who had just sat down. He thought the CommitteeprionpoLdt he had come down to theeuHopursoe paoz
told l phlan, but rather that
one of the most important that was over
appointedtswhere rail- would have saved the paying engineers fort ewinnrwkliinat to.lhot.
and
House. He also considered that all ( 'strut day, and going to o
in the Com-other great expenses, in order to cgommil with
ways were to be made should be fairly
representedformer Committees the standing. orders. Ile hoped the Right Hon. Baronety
would reconsider
mittee, for he had to complain that, with . the matter, and tell them what he meant to
railways, there was not recommend to the Committee, in
who had been appointed to decide upon
its order that the •
country might
f • ortior
got air prop ' know what they were to expect.—( Hear, hear. )
a fair representation. Scotland had not
senting a are ,
l " The Earlof LlNCOLNsaidthat •
it appeared that the
of representation. The only Member rephe
lathe
constituency was e Honourable Gentleman the Member for Nottingham, supposed
constituency who was on those r
hear.) With hat the Right Hon. Baronet at the head of the Government
Honourable Member for Dumfries.—(Hear, t . .
that the Committee which he had proposed should
reference to the other points, viz., as to the ascer allinniensg intended
those duties which had bees performed by the
matters of fact connected with the different projected simply performd .
thelastyear, viz.:—that they should take
with the Hon. le bee for Devonport, that a re-
He agreed
ns authorised by both into consideration the various competing
cord of them might be made up by persons
Houses of Parliament, or by any other body appointed for that to the House such lines as they deemed the best for the dis-
purpose ; and he considered that such a tribunal
liwould
be tricts of country proposed to be passed through. But the
had been assumed by the Right Hon.
in-
much preferable to the system formerly adopted. e con- tentions were not such as
sidered that the decisions would be more correct, as they would be no guide
Gentleman. The proceedings of last year .
onion of the tt mee
whatever with regard to the selection of lines ; the Committee
business be obtained with more care, and a heawy p
that been com-
p which passed in former sessions on Committees of . would show to the House the lines which had already .
House would be discharged with more ease to all the parties pleted, the lines which had been sanctioned by Parliament,
concerned, and with greater advantage to the public at Lerge• the lines not yet completed, and those which were contemplated
With those observations, then, and trusting that the Chroe during the present year. The intentions of the Right Hon.
mittee would be framed in such a manner as would ensure the Baronet in proposing the Select Committee, were to show at
fullest confidence, he would not enter his protest against the once the exact state of railway matters, and it was anticipated
question ; but it would be too late to object when the names that the course proposed would give satisfaction to all persons
should be called, as that would be making what might appear connected with railway schemes. The Committee, it was
invidious distinctions. also proposed, should consider what amount of money it was
Mr. CHARLES RUSSELL said he did not participate considered advisable to suffer to be expended in the formation
in the apprehension that the mode of selecting the Committee of railways. lie thought that it would be unfair in any way
would be regarded with distrust or dissatisfaction, or that the to prejudice their decision by any remarks upon that
mode of investigation would 'create the same feelings. This head. It was thought right that there should be some reduc-
Committee, if he understood it, was not intended to investi- tion upon the capital to be expended during the present year
gate the merits of any line, but to regulate the manner in in the making of railways. It was said by his Noble Friend
which a general principle could be applied to the mode Of the Member for the City of London, that it would be most de-
conducting those investigations—( Hear, hear)—and he had no sir able that the Government should express some decided opi-
doubt but that this duty would be discharged with justice to all nion as to what the amount of capital should be. He was sure
parties, and satisfaction to the public.—(Hear, hear.) Con- that his Noble Friend would give the Government the credit
nected as he was with railways, it would not be for hi ii to sug- , of having given this subject, as well as all other subjects which
gest what the principle ought to be ; but this he would say, must come under discussion, their most serious consideration.
that if any preference were to be given to any, he would hope He believed that many Members of the House were of opinion
that that preference would be given to Ireland.—( Hear, hear.) that some limitation should be placed upon the expenditure of
Believing, as he did, that the evils of that country were not the surplus capital of the country. The Hon. Gentleman who
owing to religious or political dijerences, but _
entirely from had last addressed the House had stated that 50,000,000 L, and
want of employment for the peer people of that country.— even a much larger sum than that, should be sanctioned by
( Hear, hear.) He did think it watt time that they should Parliament for the purposes of new railways. That point
surplus wealth into that
take means for pouring some of their would, of course, be a very proper subject for the consideration
country.—( Hear, hear.) . .of the Committee proposed to be appointed, but he thought
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that he had a vhery ifmporhtant that the Hon. Gentleman ought to consider the large increase
question to remark upon. There were two Men: ersora• oin the demand of money for the other great interests and in-
the House entertained very great respect, and who entirely stitutions of the country ( Hear, hear)—and it could not,
differed in their opinion on that question. The Hon .Memberbetween therefore, be expected that the Government would be inclined
for Sunderland said, that if a railway communication
line to sanction the expenditure of the large sum proposed
two towns were required, and if all the landholders onthis , for the formation of railways. With respect to what had
were ready with their assent, and parties were ready to '6' fallen from certain Hon. Members, concerning the advisability
Vance money for the project—supposing the whole to be in of requiring the payment of deposits before Railway Bills
that state of advancement yet Parliament had the power of weee allowed to pass through the Standing Orders. There
placing its veto on that project, and hindering its construe- were various reasons why that course should not be adopted.
tion. The Hon. Member for Reading said that the exercise It would be impossible for the proposed Committee to ascer-
of that power would cause great derangement in the money taro the number of Bills which it would be advisable for the
market and in the labour market, and very great evils would Legislature to pass into laws. The subject of payment of de-
follow in the event of Parliament stopping such projected lines, posits was, in his opinion, one which might very properly be
and that very great evils would also follow the attempt to eon- left to the consideration of the Select Committee. He could,
struct too many railroads. He (Lord John Russell) owned however, assure the Noble Lord, and all ;those who had spoken
that the question assumed a grave and important character, and 1 in the course of the debate, that it was not the intention of
ought not immediately to be referred to a Committee. The (government to confide the whole of this important matter to
Fret Lord of the Treasury, or the Chancellor of the the decision of the proposed Committee. It was the deter-
Exchequer, ought to come to the House, and state mination of the Government to give the subject its most at-
what public inconvenience would, in their opinion, arise from tentive consideration.—(Hear, hear.)
ha construction of so many railroads, and what limits ought

Mr. L ABOIiCH ERE said that he did not intend troubling
the House with many observations. He we eonished to
hear from the speech of the Noble Lord, the' t %ea. ,ne in-
tention of the Government to confide this lei porta. smatter to
the consideration of a Committee. They were about to con-
sign to the power of about half a dozen men the decision of
that most important question, viz. what shall be the maximum
sum to be allowed in the construction of railways.—(Hear,
hear.) A greater, or more difficult question than that could
not come before the House.—( hear, hear.) To propose any
limitation at all in that respect, would be obviously to act in
direct opposition to the general principles which the House had
invariably adhered to. He would only say that the course
proposed was a most unusual one. The question, if it were
to be decided, should be seriously and carefully debated upon
by the whole House.--( Hear.) He would venture to say
that no benefit would arise from the proposed Commit' ee.
If such a Committee should he appointed, he considered it to
be the duty of those who composed it at once to say that it
was not a proper subject for them to entertain. Fin had
hoped that the Government would have come before the Howe
with some maiured plan on this subject, and he was not with-
out hopes that the most desirable plans miglß he devised on
this head. He thought that, with the experience of the last
session before them, they might take steps which would greatly
facilitate the progress of railway legislation during the present
session. The douse of Commons, in his opinion, was quite
right in appointing a railway Committee during the last year,
but the subject which it had been proposed to refer to their
decision in the present instance was quite a different thing.—
( Ilear, hear.) The present question was of an entirely dif-
ferent character, and he therefore much regretted to hear the
proposal of the Government just made with respect to railway
legislation during the present session.—( Hear, hear. ) He
would only make one other remark. He agreed with the Hon.
Gentleman who had just spoken, that the experience of
last session lilted rendered it incumbent upon the
House to devise some scheme that would facilitate the pro-
gress of railway business. He agreed with him that the pub-
lic had every right to complain of the extraordinary delay of
railway business during the last session. His Hon. Friend
had stated that he thought that out of doors there was an im-
pression that the tribunals that had been appointed during the
last session for the transaction of railway business were not
altogether free from suspicion.—( Hear, hear.) For his own
part, he could only say (having had experience in those tribu-
nals), that he was nor aware of any other tribunal in existence
that had discharged its duties so honorably, and with so much
deliberation.— ( Hear, hear.) No blemish should, therefore,
be east upon their proceedings either in or out of doors.. He
had thought it right to say thus much upon this subject, for
he should be sorry if that House were charged with perform-
ing the business brought before them in a dishonourabe man-
ner ; but much more should he regret were they justly so
charged. He could, however, say that the tribunals referred
to were :above all suspicion.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. JOHN COLLETT thought that the House had a
perfect right to ask her Majesty's Government what were the
subjects which they proposed to submit to the Select Com-
mittee. lie did not mean to say that they should enter into
every minute detail. As a banker, he could say, that unless
the Government clearly stated their course with regard to rail-
wayghieslma tai ot
enridaul
lryi n gd
atmh ea
gperde.s e nHt
es ews saiso na
t„i
ltiheef ban
opinionk tihnat et rtehset
wouldle
public would very much prefer a Commission appointed by this
House. Committees had been appointed for all other matters,
and why not on this?
Mr. F. FRENCH said he had no objection to the Com-
mittee. He was much satisfied with the remarks which had
fallen from the Right Hon. Baronet. He did not think that
the House need fear that their labours would be much increased
h
come
eng
hthefeeeseessiiotn. bynthee numberof
aie
railway Bills
that
out of
hundred and odd railways, the plans of which had
theich would
eight
been deposited, 100 would not pass through the ordeal of the
standing orders, and consequently would not come before the
House. _

Sir R. PEEL—Not secret, certainly. A Select Com-
mittee.
The Committee was then appointed.
EXTENSION OF PUBLIC WORKS IN IRELAND,