§ LORD ROBERT CECILsaid, he begged to ask the right hon. Baronet the Chief Commissioner of Works whether any precautions were taken to ventilate the House, by the opening of doors and windows, during the intervals of its Session? Whether it was true that Mr. Goldsworthy Gurney, to whom the ventilation of the House was committed last year, was habitually absent from the House, and left the care of its ventilation entirely to the subordinates who mismanaged it last year? And whether the Government would object to placing the ventilation, like the kitchen and the library, under the care of a Committee, to be nominated every Session?
§ SIR WILLIAM MOLESWORTHsaid, in reply to the first question of the noble Lord, he had to state that he had been informed that the doors and windows of both Houses of Parliament, as well as the corridors and rooms, were opened during the time the Houses were not sitting, when the state of the weather permitted; that in addition the ventilation arrangements were kept in action at all times during the intervals of the sittings of the Houses day and night, and that there were men on the spot to see that the apparatus worked properly. With regard to the second question of the noble Lord, he had to state that he had been informed that so far was Mr. Goldsworthy Gurney from being habitually absent from the House that he made it a rule to be present every night until ten o'clock at least—that he received reports every half-hour of the state of the ventilation of both Houses while there, that the clerk of the works always knew where to find him, and that since he had got charge of the ventilation of the Houses of Parliament he resided within two minutes' walk of them. He (Sir W. Molesworth) had further to observe, that he could not at all agree with the noble Lord in his statement that the ventilation of the House was bad. On the contrary, he contended that the ventilation had this year been very good. With regard to the last question of the noble Lord, he would only say that he did not think any good would be gained by handing over the ventilation of the House to the Kitchen Committee, or any other Committee.
§ MR. CAYLEYsaid, he wished to know whether Mr. Goldsworthy Gurney received any remuneration for his services in looking after the ventilation of the House?
§ SIR WILLIAM MOLESWORTHsaid, that was a matter for the consideration of the Treasury.