§ Mr. Protheroe, pursuant to a notice which he had given, wished to bring under consideration the expediency of making some more effectual provision for the Repair of Highways and Turnpikes in England and Wales. The acts of parliament already subsisting were quite inadequate to the purposes for which they were passed, and a new system of regulation had become indispensably necessary. The causes of their failure in effecting the desired end were various. A very valuable report had been made by a committee appointed some time since to inquire into the subject, and in which these causes were examined in detail. His own attention had been drawn to it both by the numerous petitions from the trustees of turnpike-roads, setting forth their own insolvency, and by the facility with which the prayers of such petitions were generally acceded to. He had moved in the last parliament, under the impressions which that observation made on his mind, for an account of the debt, income, and expenditure of all turnpike-trusts in England and Wales, intending that return as a legacy to some hon. gentleman in the present parliament, of which he himself did not at that time expect to be a member. He was firmly persuaded that great public advantage might be derived from committing these trusts to persons of superior education and scientific acquirements. Many instances might be adduced, in which a knowledge of the best mode of constructing roads, and of the materials afforded within the soil itself, at some depth from the surface, had produced a very considerable saving of public money. The House would not fail to bear in mind, that the construction of these roads had originally cost 7,000,000l. sterling; that they extended over 25,000 miles, and were maintained at an annual expense of 1,200,000l. or 1,300,000l. He held in his hand an extract from the report to which he had already referred, in which it was represented, that the advantage to be derived from an improvement of the roads to all commercial intercourse, could not, when joined to the saving in horses, and in wear and tear, be estimated at less than 5,000,000l. a year. After some further remarks, the hon. gentleman concluded by moving, "That a Select Committee be appointed to take into consideration the acts now in force regarding the Turn- 456 pike roads and Highways in England and Wales, and the expediency of additional regulations for their better repair and preservation; and to report their observations thereupon, from time to time, to the House."
Mr. Crippsagreed with many of the observations made by the hon. gentleman, and hoped that the appointment of a committee would lead to some speedy and radical improvement in the condition of the public roads. The highway and turnpike acts differed very materially in many of their provisions; the consequence of which had been, that a race of informers had sprung up in many parts of the country, not only detrimental to its peace, but creative of much unpleasant feeling amongst inoffensive and unoffending individuals. Informers should be put down at any hazard, in order that the public peace should not be embroiled, nor the public morals contaminated. By one of those acts, the carrying of manure had been allowed toll free; but by another, if extra horses had been used for the purpose of more easily carrying the load, they became subjected to a very heavy toll. The committee would, he hoped, give to the question its most earnest attention, and with the anticipation of a favourable issue to their labours, he felt happy in seconding the motion.
§ Sir M. W. Ridleyasked, whether the inquiry into the turnpike trusts was to be retrospective, or only prospective?
§ Mr. Protheroereplied, certainly not retrospective.
Colonel Woodthought it of great importance that the whole system of highways and turnpikes should be inquired into; for, in his opinion, that subject was intimately connected with the poor laws. In the course of last year, a sum of 1,500,000l. had been laid out on highways, while so many poor, for whom that sum would have provided, were left without employment, and in a state of destitution. He thought the statute-duty should be repealed, and that instead of farmers being obliged to send their servants to work on the public roads, which often occasioned very inconvenient interruptions to their own business, poor people who were willing to labour for their support, should be employed in this work. If young single men, instead of being locked up in work-houses, as had been stated on a former evening, were employed on the highways, it would be a great advantage to themselves, as well as to the public.
§ Sir H. Parnellrose, not for the purpose of offering any opposition to the motion, but merely to say, that having on one occasion acted on a committee of the same nature with that proposed, he had heard abundant evidence to satisfy him of the expediency and necessity of investigating the subject. Many witnesses had stated before that committee, that the duties had of late years been doubled, without any improvement being effected in the roads.
§ The motion was agreed to, and a committee appointed, consisting of the following members, viz.: Mr. Protheroe, Mr. D. Gilbert, Mr. C. Dundas, lord Granville Somerset, Mr. Frankland Lewis, Mr. Nicholson Calvert, Mr. Holme Sumner, lord Clive, Mr. Calcraft, Mr. Dickinson, Mr. Curwen, Mr. Wood, Sir C. Monck, Mr. W. Wynn, Sir J. Sebright, Mr. Newman, Mr. Estcourt, Sir H. Parnell, Mr. Walter Burrell, Mr. W. Smith, Mr. Tremayne, Mr. Shaw Lefevre, Mr. Stuart Wortley, Mr. Gladstone, and Mr. Cripps.