§ MR. KEAYI beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works whether he is aware that a person, said to be the chair contractor for Hyde Park, is using the chairs as a barrier whereby he has enclosed part of the surface of the Serpentine, and is charging 6d. to each person for admission thereto for the purpose of skating, and is exhibiting a printed notice with the heading "Authorised Skating Enclosure," and stating that the above charge is levied upon each person; and whether he will state under whose authority a private person is thus railing off and charging for the use of any part of one of the public parks?
§ THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF WORKS (Mr. PLUNKET, Dublin University)I am afraid that the question of the hon. Member has now only an historical interest, but, for the hon. Member's information, I may state that the matter complained of by him was done under my authority. I was informed from various quarters, through the Press and otherwise, that the fine sheets of water in Hyde Park and the other Royal. Parks in London were greatly injured for skating purposes for want of being properly cleaned. It would cost a great deal of money—between £100 and £200 a day—to keep them properly cleaned, and, unfortunately, I had too funds applicable for the purpose. I thought I would 900 try the experiment of how far the public would approve of having a small part of the ice railed off by chairs for those persons who were willing to pay for having it swept. There was only an acre and a half out of the 35 acres of the Serpentine so taken. No sooner had I made arrangements to try my great experiment than the thaw set in! but as far as it went I have reason to believe that it was rather popular, and, as long as it lasted, it had the advantage of giving a certain amount of employment.