§ MR. S. HERBERT (Croydon)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether the Metropolitan Asylums Board are persisting in their endeavours to establish a fever hospital on the Grange Wood Estate, in Norwood, in spite of the declared opposition of the residents in that locality, and of the Corporation of the Borough of Croydon, in the area of which the Grange Wood Estate is situated; whether he is aware that the site in question is in the middle of valuable villa property where the number of houses is rapidly increasing; and whether he will take any steps to prevent the Metropolitan Asylums Board from inflicting upon the residents and owners in Norwood such a danger to health and deterioration of the value of property as the establishment of a fever hospital in their midst would entail?
§ * MR. H. H. FOWLERI have received an application from the Managers of the Metropolitan Asylums District for the sanction of the Local Government Board to the purchase of the estate referred to for a hospital for convalescent fever patients, and I have directed a local inquiry to be hold by two of the Board's Inspectors with reference to this proposal. Any persons interested in the matter will have an opportunity of attending the inquiry and submitting any representations with regard to the proposal. The Report of the evidence taken at the inquiry will be carefully considered by me before any decision is arrived at.
§ MR. A. O'CONNOR (Donegal, E.)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the fact that if the proposed scheme of the Metropolitan Asylums Board, to acquire Grange Wood, in Croydon, for a site for an infections hospital, is sanctioned by him, it will involve the closing a road which runs through the proposed site, and over which the public has exercised rights of way for years, and which is largely used by the working class on the way to their work, and that, if the said road is closed, it will compel workmen to go an extra distance of three-quarters of a mile on each journey?
§ * THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. H. H. FOWLER,) Wolverhampton, E.I have no definite information as to the road referred to in the question; but, as I have already stated, a public inquiry will be held by the Board's Inspectors, and full opportunity will then be given of submitting any representations with reference to the road referred to.
§ MR. BARROW (Southwark, Bermondsey)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that the Metropolitan Asylums Board are negotiating for a site of land at Norwood, known as the Grange Wood Estate, and within the Borough of Croydon, for the purpose of erecting a fever hospital thereon; whether he is aware that the immediate inhabitants and the Corporation Authorities are strongly opposed to such an institution being erected in their midst; and whether he will consent to receive a deputation of representative men upon the subject?
§ * MR. H. H. FOWLERI have already answered the first part of the question. With reference to the latter part, independent inquiries are being made.