§ MR. GREGORYsaid, he would beg to ask the hon. Member for Bath, Whether the Board of Works are going to pull down the public houses on the eastern side of Park Lane, since the proposal to widen the Lane through Hamilton Place has been rejected?
§ MR. TITEsaid, in reply, that in 1864 an application, which was refused, was 1284 made to the Government to make a communication through the Park. The same scheme was submitted to the Government by Mr. Snell, but with no better success. In 1865 the Board of Works introduced a Bill to open Hamilton Place; but it was opposed by Mr. Gore on the part of the Government, and after being referred to a Select Committee, it was rejected. In 1866 the Board of Works brought in a Bill to open up Park Lane by taking down Gloucester House. In 1866–7 there were no means of carrying out the improvement through the Coal and Wine duties, and the Bills of 1866 and 1867 had to be withdrawn. The sanction of the Government having been this year obtained for the continuance of the Coal and Wine duties, a Bill was brought in but the plan of taking down Gloucester House was unfortunately rejected unanimously by the Select Committee. The question was, therefore, still open, and the possibility of widening the other side of Park Lane was under consideration, and also the suggestion of the Committee of 1868. Not a moment would be lost in considering the question by the Board of Works, and he hoped next Session to be able to bring in a Bill by which this desirable improvement might be carried out, but certainly not by the removal of Gloucester House.