MR. GOLDSMIDasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether Her Majesty's Government cannot now make arrangements for throwing open to the public during the recess the new road through the Park by Storey's Gate?
MR. GLADSTONEreplied that the new road through the Park by Storey's Gate had been opened for the purpose of accommodating certain traffic of which the maximum amount was well known, and for which provision was made when the road was constructed. That traffic was comparatively slight; but if the road were thrown open for the use of the general public, a further outlay would be required, which the Government did not for the present think it desirable to incur. The Government were of opinion that it was not desirable to deal piecemeal with the very important questions connected with the use of St. James's Park and other Royal Parks by the people. They desired carefully to examine several very important questions in regard to those Parks and their relations to the public communications of London, and they had no wish to take any further step tending to compromise the future, until after a thorough examination of those larger questions, which were at present under consideration, and which would probably be ripe for settlement before Parliament was called together again.