§ MR. KIMBER (Waudsworth)asked, the hon. Member for the Knutsford Division of Cheshire, Whether the Metropolitan Board of Works have declared the Parish Church of St. Mary-le-Strand to be a dangerous structure, a portion of its cornice having fallen into the street; whether other portions of the; church were reported by the architect, Mr. Vicars, to be unsafe, and a source of danger to the public; whether the public had been warned by the police not to go near the church; whether the attention of the Board had been directed to the enormously increased vehicular traffic in the Strand, which suddenly narrows at that point; and, whether the Board have it in contemplation to widen the Strand by the removal of the south side of Holywell Street, or to adopt the suggestion, which appears to have been made in the Vestry, respecting the removal of the church?
§ MR. TATTON EGERTON (Cheshire, Knutsford), in reply, said, that a portion of the cornice on the north side of the; church having fallen, the Metropolitan, Board of Works, following the usual course adopted in such cases, declared the church to be a dangerous structure. Previous to the hoarding being erected, persons were warned by the police not to go near the church. The repair of the damaged portion of the structure was being proceeded with. The Board could only deal with such portion of the structure as was certified by its own surveyor to be unsafe; and it had no knowledge of any report said to have been submitted by the architect of the parish. The attention of the Board had been directed to the large amount of traffic in the Strand; and there was now before it a suggestion that the Strand should be widened, cither by the removal of the south side of Holywell Street, or the removal of the church. The Board, however, was not in a position at the present time to act on either of those suggestions.