§ LORD WAVENEYrose to enquire, When it may be expected that the report of the Commission last appointed to consider the question of agricultural distress will be presented? The noble Lord observed, that the subject was of immense 129 importance; but, still, he did not desire to bring it forward in detail. Their Lordships would remember that in consequence of the serious damage done to the agricultural interest in the early period of last year a Commission was appointed with very extensive powers. It was divided into Departments, and its researches were extended not only over Great Britain, but to the United States, where a deputation, or sub-Commission, was sent. He asked, would it not be well that the results of those investigations should be at once published? Successive seasons had depressed the agricultural interest, and especially the scientific branch of agriculture, to a point which, he believed, was lower than had been reached before. The appointment of the Royal Commission was, therefore, a timely and wise step. Productions brought to the market were of an inferior quality, with regard to cereals, cattle, and sheep, which formed a large proportion of the remunerative results of agricultural labour. These evils had pressed with aggravating force on the most scientifically managed and best cultivated districts. In the East of England, which yielded to none in what was necessary for the production of food, the crops had been of an inferior quality, wheat being so bad that millers were obliged to purchase foreign corn to mix for grinding. The well-being of the labouring classes was largely involved in this question, the pressing importance of which led him to urge the Government to publish the Report of the Commission as early as possible. He was quite aware that whatever distress occurred the landlords would willingly bear their share, and would do all that they could to lessen the burden on the tenantry.
THE DUKE OF RICHMOND AND GORDONMy Lords, I do not think it is necessary that I should follow the noble Lord through all the observations he has made; but with some of them I cannot agree. I am not disposed to agree with the gloomy view of agricultural prospects he has taken, and with the very gloomy view which he seems disposed to take of the price of cattle and sheep at the present time. I think the price of mutton is going up. The price of wool is very much higher than it was some time ago; but on these small details I am not called upon now to 130 touch. Nor am I concerned to discuss the powers of limited owners; because the noble Lord will have a better opportunity, on a future occasion, of discussing the question when the noble and learned Earl on the Woolsack moves the second reading of his Bill on that subject than he has at present. The noble Lord speaks of the Commission over which I have the honour of presiding as proceeding in Departments; but in this the noble Lord is in error. It is a Royal Commission, issued by the favour of Her Majesty, and the topics which it has to inquire into are very various. Its inquiry is to be a very general one; it is to be accurate; and it is to be very searching, I have no doubt. This inquiry is to be held by the Royal Commission itself, and is not divided into Departments. In order to procure the information which it was not possible for themselves to personally obtain, they sent out gentlemen to different parts of the country. Two Assistant Commissioners were sent to America to procure information on the spot, and they have now come back, but have not completed their Report, as they have not got all the information from America which they desired. They are applying for some further details on matters on which they wish to be informed. The Assistant Commissioners at home have prepared and sent in their Reports; but they are by no means exhaustive of the subject. In addition to the evidence obtained by these gentlemen, the Commission itself must take evidence, not only in this country, but also in Ireland, to satisfy themselves, from personal examination of witnesses, on various points which require to be cleared up before any opinion can be arrived at. The Commission have not examined anything like the number of witnesses which will be required before completing their Report; and this being so, it is impossible for me to inform the noble Lord when its Report will be laid on the Table.