VISCOUNT DUNCANinquired what steps had been taken by the Woods and Forests Commissioners to enforce the provisions of the lease, with regard to the prevention of encroachments on the Green Park in the case of the Earl of Ellesmere's mansion, and whether the garden walls of that mansion recently erected next the park and encroaching thereon, had been built with the knowledge and permission of the Commissioners?
§ MR. HAYTERreplied that there had been no encroachments in the case of the gardens to which the noble Lord referred. No doubt there had been an alteration in the garden itself introduced by the architect in the erection of the ornamental walls which had been built to give it an Italian character. That erection was no encroachment, though it was inconsistent with the covenants of the lease, and on the Commissioners of the Woods and Forests being made aware of it they directed their architect to communicate with the architect of the Earl of Ellesmere, to arrange with him for the removal of the erection in question. 134 It had not yet been removed, but the two architects were in consultation on the subject, and there was no intention, he believed on the part of the noble Earl, and certainly none on the part of the Woods and Forests, to act inconsistently with the covenants of the lease.
VISCOUNT DUNCANsaid, he would then beg to inquire as to certain rumoured encroachments in Greenwich Park, referred to in a letter in a morning paper of Saturday last. His question was whether any part of Greenwich Park was about to be encroached on to provide residences for the Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital, or for any other purpose?
§ MR. HAYTERwas much obliged to his noble Friend for putting the question, because he hoped the answer he should give would allay all apprehensions on the part of the inhabitants of Greenwich that there was any design or intention on the part of the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, or the Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital, to interfere with their comforts or their property. The Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital had recently been carrying out certain improvements, by which they believed the duties of the hospital and the comforts of its inmates might be considerably improved. In the course of those improvements they designed to erect certain buildings on a portion of the property which belonged, not to the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, but to the Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital, and it was suggested that a small ornamental garden, facing the park, should be added to the houses so about to be built. That portion of the park was under the control and management of the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, and at first they gave their assent to the proposed alterations, but on a representation being made to them by the inhabitants of the opposite houses that the buildings about to be erected would interrupt their view of the park, and their property be interfered with, their remonstrances were considered by the Commissioners of Woods and Forests and the Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital; although the latter commissioners had a perfect right to erect the buildings in the way they had contemplated, yet, in deference to the opinion of the public and the inhabitants of the neighbourhood, and believing they could procure the accommodation they required elsewhere, without interfering with the comforts or deteriorating the property of anybody, they resolved to 135 abandon their original intention, and erect the houses not on that but on a different spot.
§ MR. BARNARDbegged to thank the hon. Gentleman for his most satisfactory answer.
§ Subject dropped.