§ COLONEL HAMBRO (Dorset, S.)I beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works if there is any foundation for the statement, made by Major General C. E. Webber, R.E., in a pamphlet which has been sent to Members of Parliament—
That Her Majesty's Government has given practical encouragement to the project called the South Kensington and Paddington Subway Tramway.
§ THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF WORKS (Mr. PLUNKET,) Dublin UniversityThe statement referred to in the question does not accurately represent the course taken by the Government with regard to the South Kensington and Paddington Tramway Bill—now withdrawn. The scheme had, I think, some good points, especially in so far as it aimed at providing better communication between the South Kensingtom Railway Station and the Albert Hall, and other public buildings in that neighbourhood, and no doubt the promoters believed that it would minister greatly to the wants of the public; but so far a it affected Kensington Gardens the view I took was that the making of the tramway would cause considerable inconvenience to the public during the time of its construction, and must involve the immediate loss of some fine trees, and serious risk to others, and that it would require a very strong case of public advantage to be made out on their side in order to overcome these objections. I was in correspondence in this sense with the promoters when the Bill was withdrawn; and I had not at any time undertaken to withhold opposition if the Bill should go to a Committee, much less did I ever promise to support it.