LORD WYNFORDasked if it was the intention of the Government to bring in the same Bill as that of last Session on the subject of agricultural statistics; or any modification of that Bill? Great anxiety was felt throughout the country on the subject.
§ LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEYsaid, that he regretted the failure of the Bill of last year; but during the recess he had taken the opinion of many people, and he did not think that there would be found that general concurrence on the subject, without which any Bill would be useless; it would, in fact, be distasteful to the feelings of a large portion of the public. It was not, therefore, his intention to propose any Bill on the subject during the present Session. If, at some future time, a Bill of this nature should be introduced, he should give it his support.
§ LORD FEVERSHAMsaid, that the objection was not to the Bill of last year, but to the manner in which it was to be carried into effect, it being intrusted to the hands of the poor law guardians.
§ LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEYsaid, that he had stated at the time that if it was thought desirable in the other House to propose other machinery, he would consent to it.
§ LORD FEVERSHAMsaid, that the noble Lord last Session refused to adopt any other machinery.
§ LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEYsaid, that he had considered the machinery of the Poor Law Board the best, but in fact no other machinery had been proposed.
VISCOUNT DUNGANNONsaid, that there would have been no objection to a Bill of a modified form. It was the character of the Bill in question which was really offensive to public feeling through the inquisitorial power which was proposed to be vested in the Poor Law Board. He thought that another Bill might be framed with more moderate terms.
§ LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEY422 said, the Bill had been agreed to by a Committee composed of various political opinions, and had commanded the consent of all who had given attention to the subject.
§ LORD FEVERSHAMsaid, it was evident that the Bill was by no means satisfactory to the country.