§ MR. G. J. HEATHCOTEwished to put a question to the right hon. Baronet the Secretary for the Home Department, respecting the correspondence which had taken place between the Government and the corporation of London consequent on the recommendation of the commissioners in favour of the removal of Smithfield market, and also as the course Government proposed to take in the matter?
§ SIR G. GREYsaid, it was intimated on a former occasion that the Government concurred with the recommendations of the commission respecting the removal of Smithfield market to another place. A copy of that report had been sent by the Government to the corporation of London, on the 24th of June last, calling their attention to the recommendations contained in it as to the discontinuance of Smithfield market, and desiring to know if the corporation were willing to engage in the construction of a new market. An answer had been received only to-day from the City Remembrancer, which he would read:—
§ "Guildhall, July 31."
§ Sir—In answer to your letter of the 24th of June, I am directed by the Markets Improvement 718 Committee of the Corporation of London, in pursuance of an order of the Court of Common Council of the 23rd of July, to state that your letter, and the reports accompanying it, have been fully and maturely considered; and, the notice of the corporation having been drawn by your letter to the recommendation of five of the Commissioners for the discontinuance of the present market at Smithfield, and the establishment of a new market for the sale of cattle without the city, the corporation are advised to protest against the commission being used for the purpose of affecting the rights prescriptive, chartered, and parliamentarily and judicially confirmed to the corporation of London, and cannot concur in the proposed removal of the market from the place where it has been held by the citizens of London from time immemorial under the common law and their charters, which prohibit the establishment of any other market within seven miles of the city, and which charters have been confirmed by Parliament and lately supported by the judgment of the House of Lords, assisted by the Judges. The corporation of London, therefore, feel themselves called upon to maintain those charters for the sake of the public and of their fellow-citizens, and rely with confidence that no such Bill as that referred to in your letter will be proposed to Parliament. The corporation having recently prepared a comprehensive plan and model for the purpose of meeting the suggestions pointed out by the reports of the several Select Committees of the House of Commons, and proposed means for effecting it, they cannot undertake the task of constructing a new market without the limits of the city, for which no site, nor plan, nor estimate is suggested; whilst the plan proposed by the corporation is ready when sanctioned by Parliament for immediate execution.—I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
§ "E. TYRELL, City Remembrancer.
§ "George Cornewall Lewis, Esq."
§ As he had said, the letter had been received to-day, and he had only to say that the Government still concurred in the opinions of the commissioners, and in their recommendations that the market should be removed from Smithfield.
§ MR. STAFFORDasked whether a Bill for the removal of Smithfield market would be brought before them this Session?
§ SIR G. GREYNot this Session.
§ Subject dropped.