§ SIR THOMAS CHAMBERSasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to the proceedings of the Midland Railway Company, which has recently, and without (as is alleged) complying with the provisions of the Act of Parliament inserted for the protection of the working classes, demolished 221 houses in the parish of St. Pancras, in which 663 families (amounting to 2,652 persons) formerly resided, that is, without having given the statutory notice, or obtained the certificate of a justice, or made any provision for the evicted persons elsewhere; and, further, whether it is not the fact that in a short time 180 more houses will be destroyed, in which 720 families, or 2,880 persons, reside, for whom no other shelter has been provided by the Company?
MR. ASSHETON CROSS,in reply, said, that, from a communication he had received from the Secretary of the Midland Railway, the hon. and learned Gentleman would appear to have some misapprehension as to the facts. The Secretary stated that they obtained their Act in 1875, and at that time 130 houses were standing empty. In the case of 20 houses the people left of themselves, and notices were given by the Company itself to only 16. Those notices were given in consequence of the Company being required by the Metropolitan Board of Works to pull the houses down, as they were considered dangerous. With regard to the last part of the Question, he (Mr. Cross) was informed that the Company had no intention of removing any other tenants until they had completed arrangements now in progress to enable them to comply with the obligations imposed by the Act of Parliament passed for the protection of the working classes. To the 16 persons who had notice to leave the most ample compensation was made by the Company.