§ MR. W. EWARTsaid, he would beg to inquire of the Chief Commissioner of Public Works whether there will be any objection to increase the number of seats for the accommodation of the public, as well as to restore those requiring restoration, under the trees in Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens; and also, for what special reason a large portion of the Park beyond the Humane Society's Receiving House has been enclosed with rails, and thus withdrawn from the free access of the public?
§ LORD ELCHOsaid, he wished to put another question to the right hon. Gentleman. In the course of a walk that morning near the Kensington-gravelpits, he observed a very fine elm, fifteen feet in circumference, which would, he feared, be destroyed if the present works were continued. The excavations had been carried to within the length of his umbrella from the tree, and the roots on one side had been already cut away. He hoped this fine ornamental tree, which stood in a position where it could be ill-spared, would not be destroyed, and he would suggest that the gentleman who had the direction of the works and whoso duty it was to have prevented this wanton act, should be called upon to repair, at his own cost, the damage which had already been done.
MR. FITZROYsaid, that in reply to the question of the hon. Member for Dumfries (Mr. W. Ewart), he had to state that a considerable Vote was taken every year to provide seats for the accommodation of the public in St. James's Park, the Green Park, Hyde Park, and Kensington Gardens. Last year a Vote of £250 was taken for this purpose, and in the present Estimates a Vote of £70 was proposed. There were at this time 102 public seats in St. James's Park, 67 in the Green Park, and 351 in Hyde Park, the total number of seats being 520; but he 1301 must admit that 49 of them were out of repair. With regard to the enclosure of a portion of Hyde Park by rails, it would be in the recollection of many hon. Members that two or three years ago strong complaints were made of the inconvenience which resulted from allowing cows to graze in the Park, and in order to obviate this inconvenience the cows had been restricted to a small portion of the Park. In reply to the question of his noble Friend he might say that he believed on the first day after his accession to office, he spoke to the superintendent of the Parks as to the damage which might be occasioned to the fine tree to which the noble Lord had referred in the progress of the excavation. He had not visited the spot recently, and ascertained by the measurement of his umbrella, as his noble Friend had done, the distance within which the excavation had approached the tree; but he could assure the noble Lord that every care should be taken to protect that very beautiful tree from destruction.
§ SIR JOHN SHELLEYsaid, he wished to know to whom the cows allowed to graze in the Park belonged?