HC Deb 16 July 1851 vol 118 cc851-2

Order for Committee read.

House in Committee.

Clause 1.

MR. WAKLEY

wished to know when he might expect to see the Battersea and Finsbury Parks completed. He could assure the noble Lord the First Commissioner of Woods and Forests, that, with respect to the latter park, great anxiety existed in the metropolis. A large quantity of land which was available for the purpose might be obtained upon very reasonable terms; but as buildings were continually being erected on the plot to which he alluded, it would soon be hopeless to attempt to convert it into a park. He therefore trusted that the noble Lord would, as soon as possible, bring forward a Bill for the purchase of the land alluded to, and with which he believed the noble Lord was well acquainted.

VISCOUNT DUNCAN

said, that Victoria and Battersea Parks were purchased with money derived from the land revenues of the Crown; and if a new park were to be formed for Finsbury, he hoped the noble Lord would state from what source the funds were to be taken.

LORD SEYMOUR

said, that one of the objects of the Battersea Park Bill was to relieve the Crown lands from all charges on account of that park. They had only been deceiving themselves when they paid such charges from funds which otherwise would have been carried to the public account. He was aware that there was a strong desire in Finsbury and the adjoining district that a park should be formed in that neighbourhood, and he had taken pains to ascertain the possibility of making a park there. The first difficulty would be the raising of the necessary funds. If those funds were raised, he believed that there would be little difficulty in procuring a site.

MR. BROTHERTON

said, people in the country did not grudge to contribute the necessary funds when they wanted to form parks. They did not ask that the national funds should be resorted to for their peculiar enjoyment, and he hoped that the wealthy metropolitans would be ashamed of taking a difierent course.

SIR HENRY BARRON

complained of the gross injustice of making the people of Ireland contribute funds for the formation of parks for the special enjoyment of the people of London. He was glad to hear that the Government had determined, for the future, on making such districts as desired to possess the advantages of parks, contribute the necessary funds.

Clause agreed to; as were the remaining Clauses.

House resumed; Committee reported.