§ MR. HOWORTH (Salford, S.)asked the First Commissioner of Works, If his attention has been called to the bad state of the ventilation of the Private Bill Committee Rooms; whether he is aware that in the present Session the Town Clerk of Sheffield caught cold in one of the Committee Rooms and died soon afterwards; whether he is aware that Members have often to protect themselves from draughts by wearing their hats and covering their legs with their overcoats; whether it has come to his knowledge that Members, counsel, witnesses, and others continually complain of the discomfort to which they are exposed; and, whether he will take steps to improve the ventilation of the Committee Rooms upstairs?
§ THE FIRST COMMISSIONER (Mr. PLUNKET) (Dublin University)I had not received any complaints as to the bad state of ventilation in the Private Bill Committee Rooms until I saw my hon. Friend's Question on the Paper, nor had I heard of the painful circumstances alleged in the second paragraph. Of course, I shall inquire further into 247 the subject; but I am assured that there is an attendant of the Ventilation Department, whose duty it is to be always in the neighbourhood of the Committee Rooms, and to report any such complaints if made to him.