HC Deb 01 March 1866 vol 181 cc1282-3
MR. BAXTER

said, he would beg to ask the Secretary of the Treasury, If any time has been fixed for bringing to a close the enormous expenditure at Alderney, and if the Estimate of £1,300,000 was to be exceeded?

MR. CHILDERS

Sir, the total expenditure at Alderney to the 31st of December last is stated in the Estimates, now in the hands of hon. Members, to have been £1,175,346. To complete the work to the point known as D, without constructing the eastern arm, will cost less than £100,000 more, of which amount £50,000 will fall on the present financial year, and the remainder on the financial year 1866–7, but there is also a claim on the part of the contractors on account of damage done in the gales of last year which may slightly increase this amount. But all the work which Government now contemplates doing is expected to be completed within the £1,300,000, and the final payment will he in 1867–8. The House will remember that an Act was passed last year transferring Alderney from the Admiralty to the Board of Trade, and no further work would be undertaken there except on the recommendation of the Board of Trade to the Treasury. The formal transfer has just been completed, but I have no reason to expect that my right hon. Friend (Mr. Milner Gibson) contemplates any further works there.