§ COLONEL HUGHES (Woolwich)asked the First Commissioner of Works, What 1227 the average has been, for the last three years, of annual expenditure on Victoria Park, Battersea Park, Kennington Park, Bethnal Green, Westminster Bridge, and the Chelsea Embankment respectively, proposed to be transferred to the Metropolitan Board of Works; and, what is the amount of the unpaid debt on any of these Parks and Gardens?
§ MR. WEBSTER (St. Pancras, E.)further asked, What is the annual income proposed to be transferred by the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Works in aid of the maintenance of the Parks proposed to be transferred to the Metropolitan Board; and what balance, on the experience of the last three years, would have to be provided out of rates; also the annual interest on debts relating to the Parks; and the amount of debt; and, how he proposes the Metropolitan Board should raise the requisite sums?
§ THE FIRST COMMISSIONER (Mr. PLUNKET) (Dublin University)The average annual expenditure during the last three years has been—on Victoria Park, £7,421; Battersea Park, £7,076; Kennington Park, £1,340; Bethnal Green Garden, £330; Westminster Bridge, £3,028; Chelsea Embankment, £64—total, £19,259. The only debt on the above is that on Battersea Park, which is—principal of loan by the Public Works Loan Commissioners, £100,000; arrears of simple interest on the above at 4 per cent, £73,000: total, £173,000. Towards meeting the charge on account of this debt there is available an income of £5,400 per annum, derived from the letting of land on building leases. This income is gradually increasing, and when all the surplus land has been let it may be expected to reach £6,800 a-year. There is also an income of about £140 a-year derived from grazings in Battersea and Victoria Parks.