§ MR. B. OSBORNEwished to put a question to the hon. Member for Lancaster (Mr. Greene). Hon. Members had recently received a circular from the Commissioners of the New Houses of Parliament, calling upon them to point out any arrangements which might appear to them to be desirable with respect to the arrangements in the new House of Commons. He (Mr. B. Osborne) wished to inquire, first, whether those arrangements would be allowed to interfere with Mr. Barry's original plan; and if so, who was to be responsible for the expense: secondly, whether the dispute between Dr. Reid and Mr. Barry, which had now lasted four years, had been finally adjusted by the Commissioners: and, thirdly, whether the Commissioners had drawn out any report which would inform the House what the ultimate expense of the Houses would be, and what would be the probable time of their completion?
§ MR. T. GREENEsaid, the circular to which the hon. Member (Mr. B. Osborne) alluded, had been sent round to all the Members of the House of Commons, and arose from the circumstance of the Commissioners wishing to have the views of hon. Gentlemen as to the formation of any arrangements in the interior of the new House which might add to the general convenience of all. They were not matters which could interfere with the plans of the architect, or create any great expense; but every hon. Member must be aware that there were various local arrangements, which might be made in the interior of the building, which would add greatly to the convenience of hon. Gentlemen, and to the facility of the despatch of business; and the Commissioners have been desirous of ascertaining the views of hon. Members on those matters in order to their satisfactory 757 settlement; and, so far from their causing any additional expense, on the contrary, expense would rather be saved by having those matters done at the present moment. As to the dispute between Dr. Reid and Mr. Barry, it had been arranged, before the appointment of the Commissioners, that Dr. Reid should have the full arrangement of the ventilation of the House of Commons, but that his duties should be confined to the House of Commons alone; and the Commissioners had taken great pains to afford Dr. Reid every possible facility—including the moans of the inlet of fresh air and the outlet of foul air—which he required, consistently with the construction of the building; and he believed the whole thing had been arranged in a manner perfectly satisfactory. As to the question of expense, the Commissioners had not prepared any report; but, in obedience to the orders of the House, there were returns prepared of the expense already incurred, and an estimate of the future expediture in the completion of the House; but on looking over the copy of them, which he had received a day or two back, he had observed some inaccuracies, and he was therefore unwilling to lay it upon the table until they were corrected; but he expected to be able to lay them before the House on Monday next. As to the question respecting the period of the completion of the House, it was impossible for him to answer it; the matter rested rather with the right hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who could perhaps mention what sums the state of the finances would enable him to advance for the purpose each year.
§ MR. HUMEobserved, that there should be some plan furnished, in order to enable hon. Gentlemen to see what it was that was intended to be done. Without some such plan it was impossible for any one going to the House, as he had done yesterday, to understand what was being done. There were doors shut up here, and walls freshly broken for windows and doors there, and he, therefore, suggested that some information should be given of the real state of the House.
§ MR. T. GREENEsaid, the plans were all in Mr. Barry's office, who would afford every facility to hon. Members to obtain any information they might require.
§ MR. HUMEinquired, who bore the expense of the building up and knocking down which he had mentioned; or was there any estimate of the expense?
§ MR. T. GREENEwas not quite aware what the hon. Member (Mr. Hume) referred to. There were certain alterations rendered necessary last year, to afford accommodation to the different officers of the Houses; and for that purpose an estimate of the additional expense had been prepared, which had been submitted to the Commissioners of the Treasury for their sanction.