Lord Temple, pursuant to his notice on a former night, moved, that a committee be appointed to take into consideration the various acts relating to the woollen manufacture.
Lord Henry Petty, in seconding the motion of his noble friend, took the opportunity of stating the motives which influenced him on the occasion. Three years had elapsed since a committee had been ap- 433 pointed to take this important subject into consideration. No final arrangement had yet taken place, and the suspension bill had been, from time to time, renewed. However objectionable such an expedient might be as a remedy for temporary evils, it was peculiarly so in this instance, where the evil would be everyday growing worse and worse. He trusted that when the committee should make their report to parliament, the house would look the question in the face, and come to such a decision upon it as would put an end to the irritation which was kept alive in the country, by the frequent renewal of the suspension bill. The interests of the manufacturer, employers, and employed, and that of the country, were the same, viz. to promote the growth and prosperity of the manufacture.
§ Mr. H. Lascellesstated that the evil alluded to by the noble lord, and which it was the object of the proposed committee to correct, did not originate in the suspension law; but that, on the contrary, this law was rendered necessary by the penalties given by certain obsolete statutes, and was calculated to restrain the operation of this evil. The fact was, that a number of statutes existed which were quite inapplicable to the present state of the Woollen Manufacture. Yet upon those obsolete statutes several prosecutions had been commenced; and to guard against the effects of such prosecutions the suspension law was introduced. Such was the object of this law, and it had answered the end in view. But still he felt that it could serve only as a temporary expedient, until, as in this instance, it was determined fully to investigate the subject, and to decide what laws should continue in force, or whether any new laws should be enacted with regard to the state of the Woollen Manufacture.
§ Lord H. Pettyreplied, that he had certainly expressed himself very ill, if his words conveyed the idea, that he considered the existing discontents as originating from the suspension acts. He had only said, that these were temporary expedients, which had not lessened the irritation, and that something farther was necessary to be done.—A committee was then appointed to whom the various petitions from the Woollen Manufacturers were referred, and who were empowered to report from time to time, their observations on the whole subject.