§ MR. SAMUDAasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, If he is aware that a notice has lately been put up in Victoria Park, near the Victoria Park Railway Station, offering to let ground in the Park on building leases direct from the Crown; and, if such appropriation of the ground to building purposes would not be in violation of "The Victoria Park Act, 1872," and the understanding come to between the Metropolitan Board of Works and the Government to secure the Park unbuilt over for the public?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHI am aware that a notice has been put up offering to lot about half an acre of land in Victoria Park for building purposes. The proposed appropriation of the ground is not, however, in violation of the Victoria Park Act of 1872, or of the understanding come to between the Metropolitan Board of Works and the Government. This particular piece of land was offered to the Metropolitan Board of Works, and expressly excluded by them from the arrangement as too small to be of any use. I have visited the 929 ground myself, and I am not without hopes that an arrangement may yet be made by which, without injury to the Crown Revenues, this half acre may be preserved to the Park; but there is no power under the Acts regulating the management of Crown Lands to make a free grant of it.