MR. GIBSON BOWLESI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade, whether he can explain why, in the Report presented to this House of the Departmental Committee to inquire into the Joint Stock Companies Acts, the evidence of some witnesses is given and that of others omitted; and, whether there is any, and, if so, what objection to laying upon the Table the minutes of the proceedings and of the evidence of all the witnesses examined, who, according to the Report, were not a large number?
§ MR. RITCHIEThe Appendix to the Report contains all evidence taken by the Committee. It is not proposed to lay on the Table the minutes of proceedings, as this is not usual in the case 1555 of Departmental Committees. Moreover, the discussions of the Committee were, to a large extent, of an informal character.