§ *SIR HENRY FOWLER (Wolverhampton, E.)I beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works whether it is possible to make the footpath from Hyde Park Corner to the Albert Memorial suitable for pedestrians; and, if it be, whether he will, during the autumn, take the necessary steps to make the footpaths in Hyde Park and St. James's Park as convenient for the use of the public as are the footpaths in the parks under the control of the County Council?
§ THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF WORKS (Mr. AKERS-DOUGLAS,) Kent, St. Augustine'sI cannot agree with the right hon. Gentleman that the path in question is unfit for pedestrians. There are, certainly, sections of the walk at present in a rough state, especially opposite the barracks, but, considering the enormous extra traffic of the last ten days, and the fact that the park has been recently used as a rest camp for 12,000 men, this is hardly to be wondered at. I will, however, take care that during the autumn special consideration shall be given to the question of the proper construction and maintenance of the paths.
§ *SIR. H. FOWLERMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he recollects that he gave nearly the same answer last year to a similar question, when there had been no Jubilee festivities, and when the path, not being properly gravelled, but covered with shingle, was as inconvenient as it is to-day?
§ MR. AKERS-DOUGLASI understood that the question was directed to one portion of the park.
§ *SIR H. FOWLERNo; it is directed to the footpaths.