§ On the Motion, that the sum of 44,000l. should be granted to his Majesty, to defray the charge for providing temporary accommodation for the two Houses of Parliament,
§ Mr. H. B. Curteisconsidered 44,000l. for building this and the other miserable House of Parliament most enormous; and he strongly protested against it.
Mr. Francis Baringsaid, that the actual estimate for the buildings was only 30,000l. the remainder being for furniture and other necessary articles. The very short time allowed for restoring the buildings, unavoidably increased the expense; and, under all the circumstances, he thought the country had no reason to quarrel with the charge.
§ Mr. Herbert B. Curteisconsidered the charge for furniture to be most scandalously extravagant. The country was called upon to pay upwards of 10,000l. for nothing but a parcel of deal tables and a few rusty old chairs. He would undertake to prove that the whole of the furniture never cost so much as 2,000l.
§ Mr. Frenchthought that if the charges were extravagant, the present Government at least could not be blamed for it.
Mr. Francis Baringassured the hon. Member (Mr. Curteis) that if he would call for the accounts he would see that he was in error as to the supposed extravagant nature of the charges.
§ Mr. Tulkregarded the charges as much too high. A splendid and magnificent building had been recently erected in Birmingham, capable of affording every possible accommodation for a larger number of people, than to the Members of both Houses of Parliament, at an expense not exceeding 22,000l.
§ Dr. Bowringcomplained of the want of accommodation for the Committees that were now sitting.
The Chancellor of the Exchequeradmitted the inconvenience spoken of by the hon. Member; but, under all the circumstances, he thought no fault could attach to the Government, whether the present or any other, either on that account or on account of the expenses. The necessity of providing immediate accommodation to the two Houses of Parliament, put every other consideration out of view. The gentleman who superintended the restoration of the buildings was a man in whom the greatest confidence could he placed.
§ Mr. George F. Youngwished to be informed whether the Government had taken any 772 steps with respect to the erection of a now House of Commons. The Report of the Committee had been made upwards of a fortnight; and he thought that no time should be lost in acting upon it.
The Chancellor of the Exchequerbegged to remind the hon. Gentleman that notice had already been given of a motion for an address to the Crown on that subject.
§ The Resolution was agreed to, and several other grants were made.