§ MR. W. R. COLLETT, seeing the noble Lord the First Commissioner of Woods and Forests in his place, wished to ask him a question respecting the Wellington Statue. The noble Lord had stated on the preceding day, in answer to a question put to him by the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Mr. C. Berkeley), that the statue was to be removed from the present site at Hyde-park-corner; but he did not say to what place it was to be removed, or at whose expense. He trusted that in the present period of distress, the public would not be put to any further expense respecting it. The question he had now to ask of the noble Lord was—on what site did the noble Lord intend that this statue should be erected, and at whose expense? He would take the opportunity of also asking the noble Lord, when it was expected the Nelson Monument would be completed?
§ VISCOUNT MORPETH, in reply to the first question of the hon. Member, said it was intended that the Wellington Statue should be erected in Waterloo-place, and he considered the sub-committee were to pay the expense. With respect to the Nelson Monument, instructions had been given as to further works connected with it.
§ LORD J. MANNERSbegged to put a question to the noble Lord the First Commissioner of Woods and Forests. When he said it was the intention of Her Majesty's Government to erect the statue on a pedestal in Waterloo-place, did he mean to say it was the intention of Her Majesty's Government to erect the statue on that site if the subscribers for the statue were averse from that proposition?
§ VISCOUNT MORPETHobserved, that the subscribers to the statue abstained from giving to the Government any suggestion on the subject. They said their part was performed when they placed it on the arch, and then they left it to the discretion of the Government to dispose of it.
§ LORD JOHN MANNERSDoes the noble Lord mean the House to understand that the sub-committee have authorized the Government to erect the statue in any place the Government choose to select?
§ VISCOUNT MORPETHThey did not make any suggestion whatever; they left it to be dealt with at the pleasure of the Government.