§ SIR JOHN SHELLEYsaid, he wished to ask the noble Lord the First Commissioner of Works, what day the Chelsea Bridge will be opened for public traffic, the noble Lord having on a former occasion intimated that till Monday next the bridge might be inspected by Members of that House. He also wished to ask the noble Lord the First Commissioner, whether Her Majesty's Government have come to any determination with reference to the toll which is to be charged?
§ LORD JOHN MANNERSreplied, that the bridge was to be opened for public traffic on Monday next, that day having been fixed by the West End and Crystal Palace Railway Company for the opening of their line, and, as the Government must comply with the provisions of the existing Act, until they were superseded by some fresh legislation, the bridge would be opened with tolls for foot passengers. With regard to the second question he had to state that, owing to the pressure of business, the Government had been unable to 812 come to any final resolution upon the subject of foot tolls. It would be necessary to bring in a Bill on the subject after Easter, and in that measure the Government would endeavour to mitigate the tolls upon foot passengers, so as to give the greatest amount of relief consistent with a due regard to what they believed to be the claims of public faith.