MR. FITZROYsaid, the hon. and gallant Member for Ayrshire (Colonel Blair) 1538 had lately put to him a question with reference to a return moved for by the hon. Member for Elgin (Mr. Cumming Bruce) some weeks ago, and he had told the hon. and gallant Gentleman on that occasion that he was not aware in what stage this return was. He had now brought down these papers, which had just been placed in his hand, in order that the House might see the bulk of this return, and might have some idea of the time, labour, and consequent expense which were occasioned by the custom now pursued of moving for returns to obtain information which was already within the reach of Members of that House. [The hon. Gentleman here placed on the table a large mass of MS.] He was informed that the whole of the information to be derived from this return was to be found in the Census papers, which had already, as the House knew, cost the country many thousand pounds. He was further assured that the hon. Member who had moved for it was informed at the time that he could obtain all the information he sought for in the pages of the Census Returns. As this was a habit which was really becoming rather a nuisance, and as the country was liable every year to enormous expense for the production of returns, which, in many cases, did not contain information of vital importance, he did hope, before the next Session of Parliament, that means would be devised by which some check might be put to this practice. Perhaps he might be allowed to refer to some particulars of a return moved for in 1852, and which had only been laid before the House this Session with respect to local rates. This return was subdivided into so many heads and comprised so much detail that the cost of the paper alone and the number of different persons employed in procuring that return were really almost incredible. With the permission of the House, he would read a short statement which had been prepared on the subject. To obtain this return upwards of 34,500 circular letters were sent out from the Poor Law Board and the Home Office, and returns were received in accordance with those letters. These returns, having been received, had to be made up into 328 tables, and 260 distinct calculations were made in order to reduce them into their proper form. The paper alone required was seventy-two reams of foolscap, and the weight of the paper, together with the envelopes, was 1,388 pounds. He was told that that return, 1539 which had never yet been added up, because no office could be found to undertake the task with its present staff, would require two clerks during at least one year, in order to add up the separate items, and that, when completed, they would afford the House no information whatever beyond what it already possessed. He hoped this was a subject which would not be thought unworthy the attention of the House, and that some means would be devised by which the enormous expense entailed upon the country in this way might be prevented.