§ The Earl of Hardwickepresented a Report from the committee on the Poor Laws. It could hardly have been expected that the committee, during the short period that elapsed since its appointment, could have fully examined the subject, or have collected so much information as to enable it to give any decided opinion as to what ought to be done: but he was not sorry that such a committee had been appointed, because it had at least collected some information well worthy of their lordships attention. It was not his intention to enter into the particulars of the report; but if any measure were adopted, founded upon the subject of the report, he trusted it would come from the executive government; ministers having, from their situations, much better opportunities of forming a correct judgment as to the proper course to be pursued than other persons enjoyed.
The Earl of Liverpoolcould not allow the occasion to pass without saying, that no examination had ever been conducted with more candour and liberality, or with a stronger disposition to attend to every view in which the subject could be represented. It would certainly be improper at present to propose any measure founded on that report. It would be necessary to investigate this important subject much more fully and extensively, before their lordships could venture to come to any 1366 decided conclusion: and, whatever measures might ultimately be adopted, he believed that much would be found to depend on the due administration of the existing laws. The reports of this and the other House contained a great body of valuable evidence; and much good might be done by their lordships during the recess, by collecting in their several counties all the information that could be procured on this very interesting subject.