HC Deb 07 April 1891 vol 352 cc61-3

Resolution 1 (see page 1816) agreed to

Resolution 2. That a sum, not exceeding .£78,904, be granted to Her Majesty, to complete the sum cessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1892, for the Royal Parks and Pleasure Gardens.

MR. CAUSTON (Southwark, W.)

May I ask the First Commissioner a question I was unable to put to him last night with regard to the use of Constitution Hill and the desire that the drive should be continued: Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether the road from behind Carlton House Terrrace to Trafalgar Square will be continued, opening up what is now a pavement as a roadway?

THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF WORKS (Mr. PLUNKET, Dublin University)

That is part of the plan recommended by the Committee three years ago on the Admiralty Buildings, and it is intended to carry out that proposal as soon as the Admiralty Buildings are completed.

Resolution agreed to.

Resolution 3. That a sum, not exceeding £29,625, be granted to Her Majesty, to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1892, for Houses of Parliament Buildings.

MR. MORTON (Peterborough)

In this Vote occurs the charge for lamp oil, and in regard to this I wish to ask the right hon. Gentleman how long the present contractor has held the contract, and if any other contractors have been asked to tender during the last 20 or 30 years? I am informed that the contract has been in the hands of one individual for a great many years.

MR. PLUNKET

The contract is from year to year, and I know that for the last three years it has been in the hands of one contractor, I rather think others have been invited to compete for it, but of that I am not sure. But I have" undertaken to give a Return fully explaining the whole circumstances.

Resolution agreed to.

Resolutions 4 and 5 (see pages 1872–3): agreed to.

Resolution 6. "That a sum, not exceeding £28,461, be granted to Her Majesty, to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1892, for Expenditure in respect of Art and Science Buildings, Great Britain.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House doth agree with the Committee in the said Resolution."

SIR G. CAMPBELL (Kirkcaldy, &c.)

I take the opportunity to make one more appeal to the right hon. Gentle man in favour of lighting up the Natural History Museum in the evening and on dark days. I know the experiment at the British Museum has not been successful, but that is a museum of antiquities, and is not attractive for the people generally. The South Kensington Museum contains a collection of out of date out of the way gimcracks—

MR. SPEAKER

Order, order! it is now ten minutes to 7.

SIR G. CAMPBELL

I was merely asking a question. I have no intention of opposing the Vote.

It being ten minutes to Seven of the clock, the Debate stood adjourned.

Debate to be resumed upon Thursday.