Lord Ellenborough, in pursuance of his notice, moved for the appointment of a Select Committee to consider of the means of facilitating the exchange and inclosure of lands lying in common fields, meadows, and pastures; and that such Committee should examine into the subject, and report their opinions thereon to the House. The manner in which he had framed this Motion would, he thought, not leave it open to any misunderstanding as to its object, but it would, perhaps, be as well that he should state his views to the House. It was not his intention to bring in any Bill for the inclosure of waste lands, and he must say that he did not believe the inclosure of waste lands would be productive of advantage. At least he was sure that there were few lands of that description which could be advantageously inclosed, and brought into cultivation at the present price of corn, or at that price which corn was likely to bear, under the existing laws. Besides this, he thought that a right to common was a public advantage. The poor man saved a small sum, and bought a small piece of land, the great benefit of which to him was, that there was connected with it a right of common. It was desirable that this should be continued, and he should regret the introduction into Parliament of any general measure that should put an end to it. But at the same time, he thought that parishes should have the power to inclose a portion of the waste lands, for the purpose of forming a fund to assist in the relief of their poor. His object was to facilitate inclosures of those common fields, meadows, and pasture lands, that, had been in cultivation time immemorial, but which could not be cultivated to the best advantage so long as they were subject to a right of common. It was particularly desirable, that if their Lordships passed any Bill on this subject, they should do it at this time. It was the 204 intention of his Majesty's Government to propose a measure for the commutation of tithes, with a view to their ultimate reduction. Such a commutation must be accompanied with a valuation of the land. If a measure of the description he contemplated was afterwards brought in, another valuation must take place; whereas, if it were now passed, one valuation would be sufficient, and thus much expense and labour would be saved. There was another object which he contemplated in his Motion. It was the intention of his Majesty's Government to propose a measure relating to the Poor-laws. Whatever measure that might be, it would create some alarm among the persons who were entitled to relief. It was, therefore, desirable before it was introduced, that a measure should be passed, which would have the effect of considerably increasing the demand for labour. Such would be the effect of the sort of Bill he desired to propose. There was still another reason for his Motion. There was no doubt that the Report of the Committee on the state of agriculture, which sat last Session, and the declaration lately made in the Houses of Parliament by the Ministers, that they did not propose to make any change in the Corn-laws, but that, on the contrary, they would oppose any proposition for such a change, had produced a degree of confidence in the agricultural interest such as had not existed within the last three years; and it was, therefore, probable that agricultural enterprise and industry would receive a considerable impulse, such as it had not received since the first agitation of the Reform question. Under these circumstances he proposed his Motion.
§ Motion agreed to, and a Committee appointed.