§ COLONEL WILSON PATTENsaid, he would beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether Her Majesty's Government have taken into their consideration the present system of Railway Legislation; and whether they are prepared to recommend to Parliament any alteration in that system?
§ MR. HENLEYsaid, he could not say 1517 the Government were prepared, in the present state of their information, to recommend legislation on this subject; but he was fully aware that it was one that required to be looked into. His hon. Friend had given notice of a Motion for a Commission of Inquiry; and he (Mr. Henley) thought the time had come when they ought to inquire how far the recommendations of the Committee of the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Oxford (Mr.Cardwell) had been acted on, and what had been their effects. If his hon. Friend would propose the appointment of a Committee for that purpose, he would be prepared, on the part of the Government, to give his assent to it, and to do all in his power to promote the inquiry.
§ COLONEL WILSON PATTENsaid, that after the answer of the right hon. Gentleman, he would withdraw his notice for a Commission, and on Monday would move for a Committee of Inquiry into the working of the Resolutions passed by the Committee of the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Oxford, and their effect on the railway system.