§ Mr. Long moved a grant of 75,200l. for projecting the improvements in and near both houses of parliament, and for the purchase of grounds in and near Palace-yard with a view to that object.
§ Mr. Windhamobjected to the mode in which the money was expended, and the bad taste which prevailed in the pretended improvements. He thought it sufficient to grant a part of this large sum at pre- 864 sent, and was sorry to say the style of building hitherto pursued was such as to impress an idea of misery instead of grandeur.
§ Mr. Longagreed with the right hon. gent, in condemning the mock Gothic front of the house of lords. The remaining buildings should be submitted to such judgment as would insure a better taste.
Mr. Rosesaid, that he really did not know under whose authority these improvements were conducted; but some of them consisted in lath and plaister, and he should be very happy that they were pulled down.
§ Mr. Sheridanthought no new grant should be made till care should be taken that the new expenditure did not get into the same hands as the former. The present front of the house of lords was something like the appointment of Dr. Duigenan to the privy council, every one was ashamed of it, and nobody would avow himself the author of it. He recommended undoing the improper appointment, as well as pulling down the miserable building.
§ The Speakerjoined in condemning the improvements, as they were called, and, by some persons, had been thought, but for which, he declared himself in no way responsible. With respect to what was to be done, the plans were now before the house, so that it only, and not the commissioners, would be responsible, either for adopting or rejecting them.
§ Mr. Bankeswas glad that this subject had attracted the notice of the committee, and reprobated the practice of voting the public money, when no one was responsible for its application. He moved that instead of 75,000l. only 45,000l. should be voted, as amply sufficient to supply all the demands of the present year.
§ Mr. Whitbread,though he had every wish for œconomy, thought the present building so disgraceful that he would vote for a new one. He thought that a committee ought to be appointed to inquire who authorised the raising of the buildings, who audited the accounts, and who issued the orders for their payment.
Mr. Rosebelieved that the works were ordered by the Surveyor General of the Board of Works, and that they might have been paid by an order from the Treasury. But he asserted that every shilling of the money had been accounted for, and that the accounts had been as scrupulously examined, as any public accounts ever had.
§ Lord H. Pettycondemned the front of the house of lords, and denied all knowledge of the plan.
§ The Speakersaid, a general order had been given to comply with the wish expressed by the house of lords for additional buildings. Nobody knew any thing of the plan till the building exhibited itself in its present form.
§ Mr. Huskissonstated that, in consequence of the difficulties the Board of Treasury found in getting proper accounts from the Board of Works, measures had recently been taken to put the great expence of that Board under proper controul.
§ Mr. Fullercondemned the shameful carelessness, which, from whatever quarter proceeding, was so evident, from the disgraceful state of the exterior of the house of lords. The professed object was to give that house a handsome outside; whereas, to speak plain English, its pilastres appeared nothing better than a set of elongations, to which, under certain circumstances, the members might occasionally retire. The work which had been erected was a paltry building, and he was not surprised the public thought their money thrown away upon it.
The Chancellor of the Exchequerpreferred the eyesore of the present building to the expence of pulling it down. The authority for purchasing the building was given in 1806, and notice was given to the holders inconsequence. On this ground, he thought it right to vote the original sum: which was voted accordingly.