THE MARQUESS OF CLANRICARDEasked the Lord President, When the Report of the Joint Committee of the Houses of Parliament upon Railway Amalgamation may be expected; and, whether the Government intends to propose to Parliament any action upon the subject in this Session?
§ THE MARQUESS OF RIPONsaid, the matter to which the Question of his noble Friend referred was one of great importance and great difficulty, with regard to which the Joint Committee had made a long and careful inquiry, and heard a large number of witnesses. The Report of the Joint Committee was now 297 prepared, and he should have the honour of laying it on the Table that evening; but it could not be printed for some days, because necessarily it was long, going, as it did, into a history of the question, and making a variety of recommendations for their Lordships and the other House of Parliament. Obviously, it would be improper of him to make any observations as to the contents of the Report; but it must receive the careful consideration of the Government during the Recess. He had the concurrence of his right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade in saying, what must indeed be evident to his noble Friend and the House, that it would be impossible for a Government to submit any proposition to Parliament during the present Session with reference to a question of such magnitude.