§ The DUKE of RICHMOND said, it was not his intention to trouble their Lordships with a long speech in putting the question to his noble Friend relating to the Corn Averages, of which he had given notice. In doing so he begged to state distinctly that he had no intention of making any attack upon the officers of the Board of Trade, for he acquitted them of any negligence in making up the returns. But their Lordships must be aware that to every one in any way connected with land, it was of the utmost importance that those averages should be true, inasmuch as all payments under the Tithe Commutation Act depended upon and were regulated by them. He believed that a very considerable portion of the corn grown in this country never came into the averages at all, being sold without going through any regular market. But what he complained of was, that the corn inspectors appointed to make returns from the various markets named in the Act, did not properly discharge their duty; that those gentlemen—he might also have said ladies, for he understood that the wives of some influential 329 electors had received the appointment—had shown much carelessness in the performance of their duty. He wished to ask, whether the corn inspectors were required to keep any books in which to register the returns made by them; and whether, on the part of the Board of Trade, or any other department of the Government, any one was sent into the country to see that the duty was regularly and properly performed. Any local inspection by the landed proprietors would, he knew, lead to great dissatisfaction on the part of the farmers, who would be jealous of their landlords having an opportunity of knowing the quantity of corn sold by them. But at the same time a very general opinion prevailed in the country that very gross mistakes had been made in the average prices of both wheat and barley. The Act provided a penalty for an improper discharge of the duty of inspector; but he believed it had never been enforced. He wished to ask his noble Friend, whether the returns could be depended upon, and would the Government take means to ensure a better supervision of the inspectors?
§ The MARQUESS of LANSDOWNE said, he had made inquiries at the office of the Board of Trade, and he was informed that in the new towns the returns were made by excise officers, and in the old by clerks to solicitors and shopkeepers; as the offices became vacant in the latter places they would be filled up by officers of the Excise. The officers of the Board of Trade were of opinion that the averages in general were correct.