§ MR. JAMES HOWARDsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether, considering the evils made public by the Report of the Rivers Commission, it be the intention of the Government to introduce, during the present Session, any measure for the prevention of the pollution of rivers and watercourses?
MR. BRUCEsaid, that the important Commission presided over by Sir William Denison was now engaged in examining the Ribble and Mersey, which flowed through the chief manufacturing districts of the country, but until they had pursued their inquiries further he could not say when the Report would be presented; although, from communications he had held with them, he was not without hopes that they would be able to lay down principles which would enable the House to legislate on this subject without causing any serious interruption to our manufacturing establishments.