MR. PERCYTHORNTON (Clapham)I beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works whether the ornamental water in St. James's Park can be immediately cleaned out by utilising the services of the unemployed, so that the public may not lose the boating on the lake during the coming Easter holidays?
§ THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF WORKS (Mr. HERBERT GLADSTONE,) Leeds, W.The cleaning out of the lake in St. James's Park is now in active progress, and about 70 extra men are employed upon it. It is not practicable as yet to fix the date for the, completion of the work, as it cannot, be ascertained until the mud has been removed what repairs may be required to the concrete bottom. But the work shall be pushed on as rapidly as possible.
§ MR. THORNTONDo I understand that it will not be done by Easter.
§ MR. HERBERT GLADSTONEI am afraid that it will not be possible to do it by Easter.
§ MR. THORNTONIs there not, also a sanitary question involved, arising from the affluvia being very disagreeable?
§ MR. HERBERT GLADSTONEThe mud will be cleaned out as quickly as possible, but the repair of the concrete bottom must necessarily take some time.