CLASS I.—PUBLIC WORKS AND BUILDINGS. (Hansard, 6 March 1879)

§ MR. DILLWYN
observed, that some explanation ought to be given with regard to this Vote. They were told that the sum of £5,542 was required to defray the expense of repairs on certain public buildings, including works carried out at the official residence of the First Lord of the Treasury. Surely it could be foreseen, when the original Estimates were prepared, that those works would be required, and their cost could have been included. The Committee ought to know what change had taken place to render the expenditure necessary. The footnote in the Estimates stated that the money was required for ordinary work and repairs; but why should the cost of that work be greater than usual? Labour and materials were both cheaper, and 318 the cost of the work should, therefore, have been less.

§ MR. GERARD NOEL
said, that some works had been executed which were not anticipated when the Estimate was framed. In August or September last the First Lord of the Treasury notified his intention to take up his residence at the official mansion in Downing Street, and it was necessary to put it into proper repair. Only a small proportion of the sum of £5,542 was spent upon the residence of the First Lord. In consequence of a fire taking place some repairs were suddenly required at the Colonial Office, and some work was also done at the Home Office. About £400 was spent on the Prisons Department, and £700 had to be laid out at the offices of the Local Government Board.

§ MR. DILLWYN
observed, that his point had not been answered—namely, that the work ought to have been cheaper, as labour and materials had fallen in value.

§ MR. GERARD NOEL
said, that no doubt the cost of the work was less in consequence.

§ MR. RYLANDS
said, that the Vote included a sum of £1,196 on account of Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum. The buildings at Broadmoor were very unsatisfactory, and occasioned very considerable expenditure from year to year. There was an expectation held out that some change might be made which would relieve the country from the maintenance of those buildings. He would like to ask the First Commissioner of Works if he knew whether any place had been taken in substitution of Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum, or whether anything had been done which would relieve the country from the continually recurring expense on the buildings of that Asylum?

§ MR. GERARD NOEL
said, that a Committee had sat with regard to the question; but, so far as he was aware, no resolution had yet been arrived at. The sum of £1,196 had been required to supply the immediate need for some large tanks in the buildings, and for increasing the supply of gas. The "maintenance" for Broadmoor was only £2,000 per annum. This was found to be insufficient.

§ MR. BRISTOWE
thought that these heads of the Supplementary Estimates had been rendered necessary by reason 319 of a proper survey not having been made. He should have supposed those whose duty it was to survey buildings of this important character would have been able to foresee what would be required in the year. It must be an unsatisfactory kind of survey which could lead to Supplementary Estimates of this amount. It was the duty of the surveyor to examine all the public buildings; and though he knew sufficient of the subject to be aware that accidental circumstances might occasion unforeseen repairs, yet he should like to be satisfied that a sufficient survey was made.

§ MR. DILLWYN
inquired why the purchase of 20, Great George Street had been brought into the Supplementary Estimates?

§ MR. GERARD NOEL
explained that the purchase was not completed during the financial year.

§ MR. WHITWELL
disagreed with the criticisms on the expenditure at Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum. The arrangement of the buildings was bad—nothing could be worse—but the management, and the results of the Asylum, were not unfortunate, but, on the whole, very satisfactory.

§ MR. DILLWYN
asked whether any further sums would be required in connection with these Offices?

§ MR. GERARD NOEL
said, that this was the last charge.

§ MR. ADAM
observed, that the building did not seem to be finished, as two towers were still incomplete.

§ MR. GERARD NOEL
remarked that several plans had been considered, but were not approved of. At present it was not intended to add the cupolas to the building.

§ MR. WHITWELL
wished to be informed whether the experiments in electric lighting at the Library of the British Museum were being made at the expense of the country or of the contractors, and whether the experiments were being conducted with a view to the adoption of the system of electric lighting there?

§ MR. GERARD NOEL
said, he could not answer the question. The matter was entirely in the hands of the Trustees of the British Museum.

§ MR. PARNELL
observed, that part of the Vote was required to defray expenditure in consequence of defective drainage. He would like to know whether steps had been taken to remedy those defects, for, otherwise, the charge might be an annual one?

§ MR. GERARD NOEL
said, that in consequence of the outbreak of typhoid fever in the British Museum the drains were examined and put into proper repair.

§ MR. BRISTOWE
supposed that this additional Estimate was necessary by reason of the works at the Natural History Museum having made more rapid progress than was anticipated. He would, however, like to be assured that that was the case, for if more rapid progress had been made nothing could be more satisfactory; but if the additional Estimate was requisite only because the work had been more expensive, the matter required some explanation.

§ MR. GERARD NOEL
was happy to say that the increased Vote had been taken simply because the progress of the work had been much quicker than was expected. So far as he was aware, the original Estimate had not been exceeded, and he hoped the buildings would be completed in May.

§ MR. PARNELL
said, that this Vote included a charge for Holyhead Harbour. That harbour was one of those gigantic engineering blunders which had entailed almost endless cost upon those who had been led into sanctioning it. Of the Supplementary Estimate of £1,900, £1,641 had been laid out on Holyhead Harbour. They were informed by a foot-note that the cost of repairing the damage done by a severe gale was £1,100, while the cost of covering the stone angle of the jetty with timber had been £537. It was a matter of common knowledge that Holyhead Harbour was constructed in such a way 321 that it was almost certain to be carried away permanently some day or other, and all the expenditure upon it would be rendered useless. The harbour was built in such a manner that the sea beat into an angle, where it must infallibly make a breach in the harbour walls. He wished to know what prospect there was of a cessation in this annual expenditure, or how much more money was intended to be spent on this costly and useless work?

§ MR. J. G. TALBOT
declined to enter into a discussion of the merits or demerits of Holyhead Harbour, on which he thought the House had already made up its mind. With regard to this particular Vote, unfortunately, last autumn, there was a very severe gale, and a great breach was made by the sea in the wall of the harbour. The Board of Trade consulted Sir John Hawkshaw, whose name was, doubtless, familiar to many hon. Members. It was found that it would be necessary to make a considerable expenditure at once in repairing the breach which the sea bad already made in the breakwater. Accordingly, in the present financial year, the expense mentioned in the Estimate—£1,100—was incurred. He would be deceiving the Committee if he led them to believe that that was all that would be required. Sir John Hawkshaw had stated that some additional works would be necessary, and the expenditure on them would appear in the Estimates of the ensuing year. With regard to covering the stone jetty with timber, that was done in order to make it secure. The cost of the work appeared in the Supplementary Estimates, because it was necessary to do it for the winter service. As hon. Members were aware, the force of the sea at Holyhead was very great, more particularly during the winter months.