§ LORD ROBERT MONTAGUsaid, he rose to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council, Whether the Government have any intention to introduce a Bill to amend the Public Health Acts, and whether it will contain any Clauses which deal with the pollution of rivers, in accordance with the recent Report of the Commissioners?
MR. H. A. BRUCEsaid, in reply, that it was the intention of the Government to introduce a Bill for amending the Public Health Acts very shortly; but it would not deal with the pollution of rivers. The Commissioners only presented their Report on the Thames River a few days ago. The more difficult inquiry into the waters of the 1772 manufacturing districts of Yorkshire and Lancashire was not completed, and till it was completed no general measure on the subject would be satisfactorily considered.