LORD STANLEYreminded their Lordships that last Session he felt it his duty to advert more than once to the mode of conducting business in that House, and to the great delay in the introduction of mea- 222 sures in that House in the early part of the Session, which created an undue pressure of business, so that, towards the close, when there was a thin attendance, they had more to do than they could satisfactorily accomplish. The measure which he introduced obtained their Lordships' concurrence, though not that of the other House; and he now understood that it was the intention of Her Majesty's Government to take some steps in consequence of the recommendations of a Select Committee of that House. That being the case, he was not disposed to take the responsibility of any measure upon himself, until, at all events, he saw what was likely to be the result of the Amendments which he hoped would shortly be introduced into the other House for the despatch of public business. But in order that their Lordships might have before them a practical result of the existing system, he should move for a return, to which he apprehended there would be no objection—namely, a return, in the order of their original introduction, of all Public Bills introduced into either House of Parliament during the Session of 1847–8, distinguishing those introduced into each House respectively, and showing the dates at which each of such Bills passed through each of its stages. This return would show an unfortunate result as to the manner in which public business had been disposed of in both Houses.
§ Ordered to be laid before the House.