§ SIR THOMAS BATESONasked the First Commissioner of Works, Whether he has given his attention to the state of Rotten Row, which has been in such a deplorable condition for the last two or three months owing to the clouds of irritating dust in dry weather; whether he will explain the reason for the cessation of almost any attempt to allay the dust by properly watering the Ride, especially in the morning, previous to the bursting of the main pipe of the Grand Junction Waterworks; and, whether he will undertake to consider the desirability (in view of the present low price of iron) of continuing the piping alongside the whole of the Ride, with hydrants at proper intervals, on the same principle as has been so successfully adopted at Paris, thus by this means getting rid of the inefficient and expensive system of using water-carts?
§ MR. SHAW LEFEVRESir, I did not receive complaints as to the watering of Rotten Row till within the last fortnight, and the Bailiff of the Parks, Colonel Wheatley, informs me that till then the watering was carried on precisely as in former years. Since then there has been a falling off which the contractor explained and justified on the ground of delay caused by the want of pressure of water in the stand pipes. With reference to the use of hydrants, 1896 I am informed that the system was tried four or five years ago on the road between Albert Gate and Hyde Park Corner, but was given up in consequence of complaints that horses were frightened. Judging from the cost of laying the pipes down on that road, the initial cost of laying down the system for the whole of the Ride in the Park would be considerable; but I will make further inquiries on the point before next year.