§ MR. CHARLES WILSON (Hull, W.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will inquire into the loss and inconvenience caused to the trade of London, by the position of the Custom House with its long river frontage, at present not used, and which space is urgently required by the fishing and coasting trades?
§ MR. HANBURYA full inquiry was made in 1881 into the question of the situation of the Custom House and its advantage or otherwise to the trade of London, which is, of course, much larger than the fishing and coasting trades mentioned in the Question. The London Corporation at that time wished to buy the site in order to enlarge Billingsgate market. It was found that its proximity to the Bank of England and the principal merchants and brokers was of great advantage to trade. It was also shown that if the site were occupied by a market or commercial buildings the block of traffic in and about Lower Thames Street —which is considerable now—would become much worse. While this is the case few would wish to see the Custom House building replaced by a row of warehouses, especially as the present quay is thrown open to the public and affords a much-needed open space for recreation in a thickly-populated district of the East-end.