HC Deb 22 June 1876 vol 230 cc254-5
MR. J. R. YORKE

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he can inform the House of the financial position of the Commissioners for the Great Exhibition of 1851, or of the prospect of making the large funds in their hands available for the promotion of science and art; and, whether the Commissioners have made any Report to Her Majesty since that of the 15th of August 1867; and, if so, whether he has any objection to lay it upon the Table of the House?

MR. ASSHETON CROSS

As the subject is one which naturally excites some interest, perhaps the House will allow me to read a short statement which I have received from the Commissioners with respect to it. They say— The property of the Commissioners for the Exhibition of 1851 consists of land returning no income, of exhibition galleries leased or lent to the Government, of land let on building leases, and of house property. Their available income at the present time is about £2,000 per annum. Their financial position will depend upon the mode in which the land now returning no income is dealt with, that is to say, whether let on building leases or reserved for public purposes. The Commissioners have lately determined to sell on building leases some of the outlying portions of the estate, and to employ £100,000 of the money thus obtained in erecting on their estate a building for a museum of scientific instruments, for a library of works on science for the use of the students at South Kensington, and for public examination rooms, which are much needed. The building would also be available for other objects of scientific education. An offer to this effect has been recently made to Her Majesty's Government, and the matter is now under consideration. The Commissioners propose to expend a further sum in establishing scholarships to give the more promising students of provincial institutions and colleges of science and art the benefit of study in the science and art classes at South Kensington. The Commissioners made a Report of the annual International Exhibitions from the 1st of May, 1871, to the 31st of October, 1874, which has been laid before Her Majesty. I have no objection to lay that Report upon the Table of the House.