§ MR. SALTasked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether, in view of 1026 the importance of maintaining the waterways of the Country in an efficient condition, he will consider how far it may be convenient and desirable to refer other Bills that contain powers for the sale of Canals to Railway Companies to the Committee to which the Bill affecting the Regent's Canal has been referred?
§ MR. CHAMBERLAIN,in reply, said, that there were only two Railway Bills before Parliament this Session which proposed to acquire Canals. One was the Regent's Canal Bill, which had already passed the second reading in this House, and been referred to a Hybrid Committee; and the other was the Thames and Severn Canal Bill, which had passed the second reading in the House of Lords. If the latter came down from the Lords, he would consider whether it might not be well to move a Resolution, referring it to the same Committee. The Board of Trade intended to make a special Report as regarded both of those Bills, and those Reports would be in the hands of hon. Members when the Bills were referred to the Committee.