§ MR. DIXON-HARTLAND (Middlesex, Uxbridge)asked the President of the Local Government Board, What plans were submitted to him before leave was given to build the hotel on the Island near Shepperton Lock, and, if the plans and correspondence can be 15 shown; who are the proper authorities to re-open the question in case those plans or the statements about them are seriously incorrect as to size, Island, or other particulars; whether it is a fact that the clerk to the Chertsey Rural Sanitary Authorities, who have granted the permission, was also solicitor to the gentleman who has obtained leave to erect the hotel; and, if so, whether such Authority has been properly represented; and, what steps can now be taken to stop the erection of the hotel, which must cause pollution to the river?
§ THE PRESIDENT (Mr. RITCHIE) (Tower Hamlets, St. George's)Tracings of the plans of the hotel on the Island near Shepperton Lock were forwarded to the Local Government Board by the Rural Sanitary Authority of the Chertsey Union in connection with a communication which they addressed to the Board on the subject. Those tracings are not now in the possession of the Board, as they were returned to the Sanitary Authority in January last. If my hon. Friend wishes to see the correspondence which has passed on the subject I shall have no objection. If the consent of the Sanitary Authority has been obtained to plans which are seriously inaccurate, it may be that liability to a penalty may be incurred in the erection of the building; but this is a question on which I am not in possession of the facts. As regards the clerk to the Chertsey Sanitary Authority, I am informed by him that neither he nor his partner acted as solicitor for the gentleman who submitted plans for the erection of the hotel. His partner, however, acted as agent for the solicitors of that gentleman in serving notices of an intended application to the Justices for a licence; but this was subsequent to the approval of the plans by the Sanitary Authority. As regards the question of the erection of the hotel and possible pollution of the river, I am afraid I cannot add anything to the reply which was given to the Question of my hon. Friend on the 6th of March last.