The Marquis of Salisburyrose to move for several Returns connected with the expenses of the Commissioners of the London and Holyhead, and London and Edinburgh Roads, to the production of which, he said, he understood there was no objection. The reason why he made the Motion was, that a committee had been, as he understood, appointed in another place to inquire into the state of those roads; and he wished that their Lordships should be in possession of all the information necessary to understand 831 the subject, particularly the amount of the expense incurred by the commissioners. The noble Marquis then moved for the following Returns. An account of all sums of Money granted by Parliament for the improvement of the Road from London to Holyhead since the institution of the Commission for that purpose; an account of each Contract for works done on the different trusts; an account of the Debt incurred on the tolls of each trust; an account of the Tolls payable on each trust; an account of all Salaries paid under the direction of the Commissioners; and an account of all money paid for Surveys relating to the Roads between London and Edinburgh, and London and Portpatrick under the authority of Government.
§ Viscount Goderichwished to know, if his noble friend included in his Motion the whole of the receipts of the Commissioners, for if he did not, the account would be incomplete and incorrect; the whole expenses of the roads not being met by sums from the public purse:—a considerable part of the expenditure was made good by tolls which they were authorised to levy.
The Marquis of Salisburystated, that he wished to have an account of the whole expenditure for which the public supplied the funds, as well as that which came from other sources. What he most disliked was, a species of local taxation by Parliamentary Commissioners, which he considered to be very improper.
§ Viscount Goderichdoubted if the Commissioners levied any money except that which they were authorised to do by Act of Parliament. In order to support the expense, an increased toll was levied at some places, and there was an additional postage on letters conveyed from London to Dublin. From these sources the money at first advanced by the commissioners had since been replaced.
§ The Returns were then ordered.