§ SIR JOHN SHELLEYsaid, he rose to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether a Report was made to the Commissioners of Woods and Forests by a Sworn Surveyor of the value of the site of the Stables lately pulled down at the east end of Carlton Terrace; whether any public intimation was given that that site was in the market, in order to ascertain what value the public would be disposed to give for such a valuable piece of ground; and whether he has any objection to produce a copy of any such Report, together with the Lease of the site as granted to the present lessees, Sir Morton Peto and Messrs. Trollope?
MR. PEEL, in reply, said, a valuation verified by a declaration in the usual way, was made of the property referred to— about three-quarters of an acre of land— and was valued to let upon building leases at about £1,400 a year. A number of applications were made for the ground, and, after several of the applicants had refused the terms offered by the Government, the property was let at a rent which was declared to be its full value. If that full value had not been obtained, steps would have been taken to offer the ground for public tender. There would be no objection to produce the valuation of the surveyor and the declaration. As to the leases of the site, the houses must be completed upon it before the lessees would be entitled to receive leases.
§ Afterwards—
§ SIR MORTON PETOsaid, that as his name had been mentioned in a Question put on the subject during the earlier part of the evening, he wished to say, that so far from having derived any advantage from the lease which he had obtained from the Government of this particular site, he had gone to the officer of the department to say that he did not require it, and that the disappointed parties were welcome to it at the price which he had paid for it.
§ SIR JOHN SHELLEYsaid, his hon. Friend had misunderstood the object with which he put the Question. In these days, when they were looking everywhere for an eligible site for public offices, he thought 1303 that such a site as Carlton House Rise ought not to be disposed of by private contract, or for any less price than the utmost which the public would give for that purpose. He was glad to hear that his hon. Friend, who was a good judge of the value, had given a full price for it; but he believed it would have fetched a larger price had it been generally known to be in the market. He hoped that by putting the Question he should not be understood as implying that his hon. Friend was in any way to blame.