§ MR. FAWCETTasked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether, if, as reported in the public journals, the local authorities of Croydon had decided to apply for permission to convert a hundred acres of Mitcham Common into a sewage farm, he will promise either to refuse the application, or not to grant it until the House has had an opportunity of expressing its opinion upon the proposed conversion to such a purpose of a considerable portion of a valuable open space near the metropolis?
§ MR. SCLATER-BOOTH, in reply, said, that no official communication bad been made to him to the effect suggested by the Question. He had, however, seen in a newspaper a statement that the Rural Sanitary Authority at Croydon had it in contemplation to make such an applica- 733 tion for 100 acres of Mitcham Common. It appeared by the same report that the consent of more than 100 persons would have to be obtained before such an application could be entertained, and, whatever his views might be, no order which he might make on the subject could take effect until it had been confirmed by Parliament. The hon. Member would, therefore, see that Parliament would have ample opportunity of expressing its opinion on the proposal.