HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT. (Hansard, 21 June 1836)

§ Mr. Hume
presented a petition from the architects who had competed for the prizes offered by the Legislature for designs for the two Houses of Parliament, complaining of the conduct of the Commissioners in making their decision, and praying to be heard by counsel at the bar of the House on the subject. His own private opinion was, that such a power was not likely to be given to the petitioners. He certainly agreed with them in opinion, that the Commissioners should have laid down a certain rule as to the extent of the buildings. As soon as the Report of the Committee was laid on the table of the House, he should feel it his duty to call the attention of the House specially to the subject, and to recommend a plan very different from that of the Commissioners for erecting as soon as possible convenient and suitable buildings for both Houses of Parliament.

§ Mr. Hanbury Tracy
said, that having been a member of the Commission, he wished to make a few observations in reference to this petition. He did not think that the petitioners pursued a wise or judicious course in presenting such a petition, and certainly, if they wished to prevent all future chance of general competition on subjects like this, they had done that which was best calculated to carry such a wish into effect. It was true, that the petitioners did not attack the moral character of the Commissioners, they only impeached their want of judgment in the selection they had made. Reports, however, had been put into circulation of the most unfair nature towards the Commissioners. They were represented as having been guided in their selection of Mr. Barry's plan, not by the honourable motives that should influence honourable men in the situation they were placed, but by some particular bias for that individual. Now, the fact was, that he never had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Barry until he had the pleasure of mentioning to him that he was the successful candidate. No Commission had ever more zealously endeavoured to do its duty as far as its judgment would allow it. Every means had been used to prevent favouritism, or the remotest chance of favouritism. He had himself proposed measures for that purpose in the Committee, before the Commission was named; and with regard to his fellow-Commissioners, there was only one of them with whom he was acquainted, until they had entered on their duties. The question of selection did not rest alone with the Commissioners. Their award had to be sanctioned by the King, and then by both Houses of Parliament. Not only had the two Houses of Parliament unanimously affirmed the judgment of the Commissioners, but he would challenge the hon. Gentleman and the petitioners to show that it had not met with the unanimous approval of the public. He was wrong in saying, that that House had been unanimous on the subject; undoubtedly, one Gentleman in the Committee had dissented from the award of the Commissioners, on the ground that the areas in the plan were neither squares nor parallelograms, and that the tower of 200 feet was calculated to throw a shade over the building. He might have expected that the hon. Member for Middlesex should have given him notice of this petition, but that courtesy was not observed towards him. He would, however, pass over that 674 topic, go through the charges in the petition in detail, and reply to them.

§ Mr. Wakley
rose to order. He begged to remind the Speaker that he (Mr. Wakley) had been interrupted, and prevented from making a statement regarding the poor in certain districts in the country, because the subject was afterwards to come before the House in the shape of a motion, and he submitted, that as the hon. Member for Middlesex had already given notice of a motion on this matter, the hon. Member should reserve his observations for that occasion.

§ The Speaker
said, he was not aware that any notice had been given on the subject.

§ Mr. Hume
said, he had given notice that he would bring the subject forward as soon as the papers on the table of the House were printed.

§ The Speaker
suggested, that under such circumstances the hon. Member had better reserve his statement for that occasion.

§ Mr. Hanbury Tracy
said, he should bow to the decision of the Chair.

§ Mr. Hume
said, he was aware that a copy of the petition had been transmitted to the hon. Member, and as his (Mr. Hume's) notice for presenting it was on the printed votes, he had not supposed it necessary to give the hon. Member a particular notice on the subject.