Star.
London, England, 1809-03-25 00:00:00

PUBLIC BILLS.

Lord AUCKLAND called the attention of their Lordships to
the manner of sending up the Public Bills to that House, which
peculiarly called for some alteration. In the last Session no less
than 75 Public Bills were brought up to that House in the last
three weeks of the Session, which amounted to half the whole
number of Public Bills passed during the Session. Such a mass of
Bills being sent up at so late a period, it was impossible that the
requisite attention could be paid to them, or that their Lordships
could take their proper share in the legislation of the country.
Lord GRENVILLE also urged the great inconvenience which
arose from this practice, and referred to a Petition in the Votes
of the House of Commons, from one of the Clerks of the House,
apologizing for some mistake which had occurred on account of
the multiplicity of business at a late period of the Session, which
rendered it impossible to pay the necessary attention to 4. This
evil had arisen to a height which loudly called for the application
of sortie remedy. A large mass of Bills were brought up at a
period of the Session, when many Noble Lords were necessarily
absent in the discharge of their public duties, and many others in
the discharge of private duties, which, from their importance
might be called p.iblic duties, and thus the Bills were hurried
through the House without the possibility of considering them, a
practice which, if suffered to prevail, would render their Lord-
ships' Legislative functions in a great measure nugatory, and re-
duce the House to the situation of merely registering the acts of
the Commons.

The Earl of LIVERPOOL observed, that the mass of legisla-
tion was in some degree a subject for congratulation, as it arose
from the increased wealth and prosperity of the country. At the
same time, however, he thought much might be done to decrease
the mass, by generalizing, instead of particularizing, and legisla-
ting more upon general principles than in particular instances, as
they were now in the habit of doing. Some of the inconvenience'
also arose from the time taken up in discussions upon subjects
which were not strictly matters of legislation,, and which neces-
sarily curtailed the time allotted for the consideration of Bills.
The Earl of MOIRA adverted to a particular instance in the
last Session, in which, from the pressure of time, a Bill of consi-
derable importance could not be properly oonsidered.

The Duke of NORFOLK observed, that the inconvenience
was not merely felt with respect to public bills, but extended also
to private bills.
Lord AUCKLAND agreed with the Noble Secretary of State,
that the increase of legislation was to be attributed'to the Increa-
sing wealth and prosperity of the country. In the yeat 1761, for
instance, there were only 29 Public Bills passed during.the whole
Session, whilst in the last three weeks. of the last Session there
were 75. This, however, was no reason why they should be
sent up at so late a period as not to allow time to consider them.
He should therefore move for the appointmett of a, Committee to
inquire with respect to the number of Bills brought up from the
Commons during the List Session, and the dates rtspectively at
which they were brought up.
The LORD CHANCELLOR wished for further time to con-
sider the motion, and
Lord AUCKLAND consented to withdraw it for the present.