§ MR. SAMUELSON (Gloucester, Forest of Dean)asked the right hon. Member for South Leeds, as Honorary Secretary to Her Majesty's Commissioners for the Exhibition of 1851, Whether, notwithstanding the fact that the estate in Kensington belonging to Her Majesty's Commissioners was acquired for the promotion of Science and Art, and with no view to obtaining ground rents in the future from private houses, various private dwellings are to be built on the south side of the Royal Albert Hall, between that edifice and the Imperial Institute; whether, for the purpose of architectural unity between the Imperial Institute and the Royal Albert Hall, and any buildings to be erected in future on the estate, Her Majesty's Commissioners have appointed a Committee of Architects to advise them, or intend to be guided by the professional opinions of such authorities; whether a road with good approaches to the southern entrance of the Royal Albert Hall is to be provided for; and, whether any 438 Report or plans of the changes on Her Majesty's Commissioners' estate will be published for the information of the general public, before Her Majesty's Commissioners make any further disposal of the estates they hold in public trust?
§ SIR LYON PLAYFAIR (Leeds, S.)The Charters of the Commissioners for the Exhibition of 1851 limit the purposes of their Trust to the promotion of Science and Art; and the numerous grants of sites for public buildings and the sale to Government of portions of the land at about half their value have been made subject to this condition. It has always been the policy of the Commissioners to let certain portions of the estate on ground rents in order to obtain means for developing the property, building public galleries, and providing money to pay off the mortgage debt (part of which was contracted in purchasing the property), and to enable the Commissioners to raise a surplus income, which they devote to the promotion of Science and Art. With this view the Commissioners intend to let on ground rents a limited portion of land to the south of the Royal Albert Hall. Before they finally decide on the character of the houses, it is their intention to ask for further professional advice in addition to that of their surveyor. It is the intention of the Commissioners to provide by road proper access to the south of the Royal Albert Hall. Hitherto, no plans have been published, and no instructions have been given by the Committee of Management in regard to the suggestion of the hon. Member.