§ MR. CHRISTIEmoved for copies of any Papers or Reports by Mr. Chadwick, Secretary to the Poor Law Commissioners, by Mr. Parker, late Assistant-Commissioner, or by any other Assistant-Commissioner, on the subject of bone-crushing in Union workhouses; and in doing so, he referred to passages in Mr. Parker's letter addressed to Sir J. Graham, for the purpose of showing that such representations had been made both by Mr. Chadwick and 507 Mr. Parker. Of course, he (Mr. Christie) could not state precisely the proper names which the Papers or Reports bore in which these representations appeared; but he trusted the Government would not, on that account, refuse to lay them on the Table.
§ Sir J. GRAHAMsaid, he was not aware when he spoke yesterday, that there were any such documents of the nature of those which the hon. Member had described; but in consequence of what the hon. Member had then stated, he had, in the course of that morning, made inquiries of the Poor Law Commissioners, and it did appear that there was a paper by Mr. Chadwick, in the nature of a memorandum, unsigned, but it was quite of a confidential nature, and intended entirely for the consideration of the Commissioners. He (Sir J. Graham) therefore hoped that the hon. Gentleman would not press for the production of the documents referred to; for it was impossible that public business could be conducted without differences occasionally occurring between superior authorities and the officers in their employment, and all public confidence would be destroyed if such documents were not to be considered of a confidential nature. He begged to say, therefore, that he could not consent to lay on the Table the Papers moved for.
§ MR. CHRISTIEThe right hon. Baronet has said nothing about the paper by Mr. Parker.
§ SIR J. GRAHAMreplied, that the paper by Mr. Parker consisted of a mere memorandum on the back of certain other papers, which expressed an opinion that bone-crushing was not a good employment for the poor of the workhouses. Mr. Chad wick's paper was a more recent production; but both were alike of a confidential character.
§ MR. CHRISTIEremarked, that though the documents were refused, he was glad to find from the statement of the right hon. Baronet, that it was made clear that both Mr. Chadwick and Mr. Parker had remonstrated against the practice of bone-crushing in workhouses.
§ SIR J. GRAHAMI did not say that they remonstrated against the practice; but merely that they had expressed an opinion.
§ Motion withdrawn.
§ House adjourned at seven o'clock.