HC Deb 29 February 1832 vol 10 cc969-70
Sir Fred. Trench

took occasion to call the attention of Members to the report on Buckingham Palace, and he hoped that they would only read a few pages of it in preparation for his Motion on Friday next. They would find, that 700,000l. had already been expended upon this building, to which sum was now to be added about 75,000l., for completing some of the apartments, besides an unascertained sum for the state-rooms, in order to complete which, it would be found necessary to make indefinite purchases of lands and houses in Pimlico.

Mr. Cressett Pelham

was convinced that the sum necessary to make this palace a habitation fit for the Sovereign would be so great, that it would be preferable to abandon the undertaking altogether rather than to attempt it.

Mr. Hume

said, the large sums that had been so wantonly expended on the royal palaces, ought to make them extremely cautious how they voted money for such purposes, There were certain items of this character in the Miscellaneous Estimates, which the House ought to be acquainted with before it went into the Committee. He would suggest, that one quarter's Estimates ought to be taken first, instead of the five quarters together, so that there might be time to examine the matter fully.

Mr. Spring Rice

said, it was not his intention to bring on the Miscellaneous Estimates to-night; but when he did, he thought it would be more convenient to the House to vote the whole of the five quarters at once.

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