§ MR. AYRTONsaid, he would beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works, Whether he has issued any instructions to put an end to the appropriation of a part of Battersea Park as a Cricket Ground for the exclusive use of the Civil Service?
MR. COWPERsaid, he had been made aware, by the petitions which had been presented, that there was a feeling of jealousy among the young men who played cricket in Battersea Park on account of the regulations now in force, but the inquiries he had made justified him in asserting that there was no ground for dissatisfaction. The game would be spoilt if persons were left to pitch their wickets as they pleased. The ground at Battersea, devoted to cricketing, was divided into five portions, and in such a way as to avoid conflicts. The first and largest portion was for the use of persons not members of clubs, the second was reserved for the practice of organized clubs, a third part for the matches of organized clubs, a fourth portion was reserved for the Batter-sea Institution Club, and the fifth portion was allotted to the Civil Service Club. There was room for all. The ground appropriated to the use of the Civil Service Club was not at first better than the other parts of the cricket ground; if it were so now, this was owing to the expenditure of the club in mowing, rolling, and levelling it.
§ MR. COXsaid, he wished to know whether the space allotted to the Civil Service Club did not include 18,000 square yards?
MR. COWPERsaid, that in the space allotted to other clubs there was room to play eighteen games at a time; but in the portion granted to the Civil Service Club, 21 which numbered 230 members, only a much smaller number of games could be played.