HC Deb 19 January 1832 vol 9 c646

Lord Duncannon brought up the report of the Land Revenue Bill.

On the question that it be considered,

Mr. Herries

said, the principle on which the Bill proceeded was a novel one, and it ought not, therefore, to be passed without, some observation.

Lord Duncannon

assured the right hon. Gentleman, the principle had been previously acted upon. Crown lands had been several times sold. Upon one occasion, a sale to the extent of 66,000l. had taken place. By the 7th Geo. 4th, the produce of the sale of Crown lands was directed to be applied to carry on the improvements in the Strand, which amounted to nearly 1,000,000l. He must further mention, that part of the Waterloo bridge estate was disposed of to purchase the Marquis of Exeter's property in Exeter Change; and this had been acceded to by the right hon. Gentleman (Mr. Goulburn). Every one of these transactions were alienations of the Crown lands.

Mr. Goulburn

thought the noble Lord did not seem to understand the distinction between the life tenant wholly alienating a property, and disposing of it for a time to provide means for a temporary expenditure. With respect to the purchase of Lord Exeter's property, the case was simply an exchange of one portion of real property for another.

Lord Duncannon

said, he only meant to assert, that the estate purchased would not produce any income to the Crown; the whole of the revenue would be absorbed in the improvement of the street.

Mr. Hume

said, all the transactions relating to the Crown land property, and the palaces, seemed to be attended with the same fatality. Large outlays and expenses were incurred, for which there was a most inadequate return. He had hoped that a part of the enormous expense of the building of this palace was to have been defrayed by the sale of Crown lands, and that the remainder, amounting to about 250,000l. was to be paid by the country; but he feared he had acted under a delusion, and that the whole expense must ultimately, come out of the public purse. He did hope however, that the time was coming when some alteration would take place.

Report agreed to.