§ THE EARL OF POWISsaid, he wished to inquire of the noble Earl the President of the Council Whether he proposed, on an early day, to state the course which the Government intended to take with respect to the projects of Railways within the metropolitan district? He understood that some joint action was proposed to be taken by the two House of Parliament, and if that was the case, it was extremely desirable to know what was the outline in the plan intended by the Government in the conduct of the inquiry. If their Lordships had seen the various projects on foot this year for the construction of railways above and below ground in the metropolis, they would see that the matter was one requiring a strong and determined action on the part of the Government, for it was impossible to allow the various companies to scramble through various Committees for powers to carry out their plans. It would be observed that amongst the schemes there was very little of a substantive character the plans being almost without exception speculative, proposed for the purpose of putting up to auction the railways interests of the metropolis. If joint action between the two Houses, which was likely to contribute to the adoption of some system of control over these projects, was intended, it was extremely important, that their Lordships should 160 know in what shape it was proposed that action should be taken.
§ EARL GRANVILLEsaid, every one must admit the importance of the question to which the noble Earl had called attention. It was one which had been frequently considered by the Government during the recess, and they had come to a conclusion very much in accordance with the Report of the Committee of their Lordships' House which sat last year. With regard to one of the recommendations of that Committee, that the Board of Trade should make their Report upon the whole of the schemes within the metropolitan district, and also point out how far those schemes differed or agreed with the views of the Committee, that had been acted on, and he had had the pleasure on the previous night of laying upon the table of the House the Report of the Board of Trade on the subject. With regard to the appointment of a preliminary Committee to consider the whole of the schemes, notice had been given of a Motion for such a Committee in the other House. If that Motion should be adopted, he proposed to make a similar Motion in that House, the object being that the two Committees should act together, and report for the guidance of Parliament and the Government on the subject.