§ Colonel Sibthorpsaid, the increase of Commissions appointed by his Majesty's Government had gone on to an alarming length, and the expense to the 1490 country had increased in a corresponding ratio; and yet, from what he learned, it was the noble Lord's intention to continue it. By a return which he had moved for in the year 1836, it appeared, that the expenses of these Commissions amounted to no less a sum than 553,556l. 2s. This was the amount of the original return. Since then another return had been made by which it appeared that ten Commissions had been added to the former number; that upon the whole there were forty-nine Commissions at present in existence; and that altogether, there were 367 paid Commissioners, clerks, &c. The cost of one Commission which was still going on was very great. They had the Ecclesiastical commission, the Irish poor commission, the Poor-law Commission—the expense of these amounted to 38,46ll. The whole expense of these Commissions amounted to 561,333l. is. 8d. The Record Commission, which had cost the country half a million, had left the Records in a worse state than they were before. It was the duty of the Government, who proposed (but who did not practise) economy, to make this inquiry. The hon. and gallant Member concluded by moving for a Select Committee to inquire into the present state of the various public commissions, with a view of considering how far it may be expedient and practicable to make an alteration in the number, and consequently diminution in the enormous expenses of the same.
Mr. Francis Baringopposed the motion. A Committee of Inquiry must be quite unnecessary, all the facts connected with the existing Commissions being already before the House. The hon. and gallant Member had not brought any direct charge against any particular Commission, but had confined himself to a general complaint against all, and had said a good deal about jobs, yet the only job to which he particularly referred was that of the Record Commission, which, if it were a job at all, was a job that had existed ever since the days of Mr. Pitt; the Record Commission having been appointed by that famous statesman.
§ The House divided.
§ Ayes 20; Noes 74; Majority 54.
| List of the AYES. | |
| Archdall, M. | Fielden, J. |
| Blackstone, W. | Gaskell, Jas. Milnes |
| Bonham, R. Francis | Halse, James |
| Chichester, A. | Harcourt, G. S. |
| Eaton, R. J. | Longfield, R. |
| Mackinnon, W. A. | Trevor, hon. A. |
| Maunsell, T. P. | Walter, J. |
| Palmer, R. | West, J. B. |
| Perceval, Col. | |
| Polhill, F. | TELLERS. |
| Sinclair, Sir G. | Sibthorp, Col. |
| Smyth, Sir H. | Forbes, C. |
| List of the NOES. | |
| Aglionby, H. A. | Murray, J. A. |
| Attwood, T. | Musgrave, Sir R. |
| Baines, E. | O'Brien, C. |
| Baring, F. T. | O'Brien, W. S. |
| Baring, W. B. | O'Connell, D. |
| Bernal, R. | O'Connell, M. |
| Bewes, T. | Parker, J. |
| Boldero, H. O. | Parnell, Sir H. |
| Bowring, Dr. | Parrot, J. |
| Bridgeman, H. | Parry, Sir L. P. J. |
| Brodie, W. B. | Pendarves, E. W. |
| Brotherton, J. | Pusey, P. |
| Buller, E. | Roche, W. |
| Chalmers, P. | Roebuck, J. |
| Chapman, L. | Rolfe, Sir R. M. |
| Collins, W. | Rundle, J. |
| Divett, E. | Russell, Lord J. |
| Fergus, J. | Sandon, Viscount |
| Folkes, Sir W. | Scholefield, J. |
| Gully, J. | Stanley, W, O. |
| Hastie, A. | Stuart, V. |
| Hawes, B. | Strickland, Sir G. |
| Hay, Sir A. L. | Thompson, Colonel |
| Howard, R. | Thornley, T. |
| Howard, P. H. | Verney, Sir H. |
| Humphery, J. | Villiers, C. P. |
| James, W. | Walker, R. |
| Ingham, R. | Wason, R. |
| King, E. B. | Whalley, Sir S. |
| Lennard, T. B. | Williams, W. A. |
| Lennox, Lord G. | Wood, Alderman |
| Lister, E. C. | Woulfe, Sergeant |
| Lushington, C. | Wrightson, W. B. |
| Lynch, A. H. | Wyse, T. |
| Macleod, R. | Young, G. F. |
| Mangles, J. | |
| Melgund, Viscount | TELLERS. |
| Morpeth, Viscount | Maule, hon. F. |
| Mosley, Sir O. | Steuart, R. |