Lord Ellen-boroughmoved the third reading of the Funding Exchequer Bills Bill.
The Marquess of Normunbywished to take that opportunity of calling the attention of the noble Duke opposite, to a portion of the public business to which he attached considerable importance. He alluded to the measures which he had brought forward on the first day of the 1104 Session, for the drainage of towns, the improvement of building regulations, and the improvement of certain boroughs. He had introduced them in consequence of a report of the other House, and from his own information, and observations of the evils which they were to remedy. The subject had been thoroughly investigated by a committee of their Lordships, and the bill had been sent down to the other House, where he believed the principle was not opposed, but the termination of the Session prevented its being proceeded with. Their Lordships had again sent down the bill this Session, but a similar reason prevented its being proceeded with in the other House. He had expressed to the right hon. Gentleman who succeeded him in the Home Office, his sense of the importance of these measures, and the question he now wished to put, was, whether Government had determined to adopt them as far as the principle went. If the noble Duke gave him such an assurance, he would much rather leave them in the hands of the Government, but if he received no such assurance, he took that opportunity of giving notice, that unless his health prevented him from being present at the commencement of next Session, he should, on the first day of the assembling of Parliament, bring forward his bill again, and trust to the noble Lord, the Member for Dorsetshire, as an independent Member, who took an interest in the subject, for getting it through the other House.
Lord Ellenboroughhad communicated with his right hon. Friend, the Secretary for the Home Department, on the subject, and expressed the anxiety felt by the majority of their Lordships on the subject. His right hon. Friend represented that the bill must necessarily undergo investigation by a committee of the House of Commons, that there was a new opposition to some of the details, and that it was practically impossible to proceed with it in the course of the present Session. With respect to the noble Marquess's question, he could only say, that the Government had as yet no opportunity of looking into the bill, and were not prepared to say, whether, as a Government, they would take it up. It should, however, receive their most attentive consideration during the recess, and they would state what they were prepared to do at the commencement of next Session,
§ The Duke of Wellingtonsaid, that he had given his individual support to those bills in their progress through that House, and would do so again when they came before him, but he could not answer for the course which his Colleagues in the other House might feel it necessary to adopt with respect to them.
The Marquess of Normanbysaid, the answers he had received were perfectly satisfactory; and he would only add, that if the Government did not adopt the bills, he would again bring them forward early in the next Session, satisfied with the efficient support of the noble Duke.
§ Bill read a third time and passed.