§ MR. BARING WALLbegged to ask the right hon. Baronet the Chief Commissioner of Works (Sir W. Molesworth), whether the bronze statues in the metropolis are ever inspected, or the rust cleared off, and whether they are under the control of any Government office, and whether it is intended, before the scaffolding is removed from the statue of Charles I. at Charing-cross, to repair it?
§ SIR WILLIAM MOLESWORTHsaid, that the Board of Works were not officially bound either to inspect the statues in the metropolis, or to see that they were cleared from rust. With respect to the second portion of the hon. Member's question, he should observe that the bronze statues were not under the control of the Government department of the Board of Works; while with reference to the statue at Charingcross he had to state that he had ascertained that the repairs of the statue and pedestal would cost a sum of about 1,000l., and that there was no immediate necessity for making any repairs in that statue. At the end of a year, however, it might be desirable to ask a vote to the amount of 1,000l. for that purpose.