§ MR. WALDEGRAVE-LESLIEsaid, he wished to ask the Vice-President of the Board of Trade, Whether, Parliament having required a Report from the Board of Trade as to their opinion upon certain Bills, and the Board of Trade having reported their opinion unfavourably to them, the Board of Trade intend taking any steps to prevent the following Bills passing into Law in their present shape,—namely, the Tower Subway Bill, the Fareham and Netley Railway Bill, the Dungarvan Harbour Bill, the North British Railway (Forth River Railway) Bill, and two Isle of Wight Railway Bills?
§ MR. STEPHEN CAVEin reply, said, the duty of the Board of Trade was confined to making these Reports for the information of Parliament, and especially of the Committees to which the Bills were referred. Formerly, the Board of Trade made Reports on all Railway Bills; but those Reports were of little value, though they caused much expense and trouble. They were discontinued last year; and the only Reports now made were in case of Bills which, in the opinion of the Board's professional officers, were likely to affect injuriously tidal waters. The Reports were very carefully made; but, at the same time, they represented merely the opinion of individuals. It was, however, of course competent to the Committees to require the attendance of those officers for the purpose of testing their conclusions, or making further inquiries.