§ Considered in Committee.
§ (In the Committee.)
§ [Mr. J. W. LOWTHER (Cumberland, Penrith) in the Chair.]
§ Clause 1.
§ MR. DALZIEL (Kircaldy Burghs)said he desired to move an Amendment which would raise the principle of the clause; and that was the control which 532 the House of Commons ought to have in respect to the disposal of any surplus money after carrying out the improvement contemplated in The Mall. It was generally recognised that this improvement, when fully carried out, would do credit to the Government and to London itself; but it was also the case that the expense to be incurred would be three or four times more than the original estimate. Clause 1 provided that if the amount of money from the Battersea fund was not fully expended in this improvement the balance should be handed over, with the sanction of the Treasury, to the Commissioner of Works to carry out any other improvement he thought proper, in other parts of London, without the previous approval of Parliament. Of late years there had been too much tendency to take away the authority of the House of Commons over expenditure and put it into the hands of the Treasury. No doubt the Treasury officials discharged their arduous duties to the satisfaction of the country; but it was not a good thing to hand over to them increased powers, as had been done, not only in regard to Bills of this character, but in regard to the manner of expenditure in other Departments. He wished to retain that power in the hands of the House of Commons; and the Amendment he proposed was, in Clause 1, to leave out the word "Treasury" and insert "Parliament."
§
Amendment proposed—
In Clause 1 to leave out the word 'Treasury' and insert the word 'Parliament.'" (Mr. Dalziel.)
§ Question proposed, "That the word 'Treasury' stand part of the clause."
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY (Mr. VICTOR CAVENDISH,) Derbyshire, W.said he did not anticipate that there would be any surplus after this improvement had been fully carried out. He could assure the hon. Gentleman that no other important improvement in London would be undertaken by the Commissioner of Public Works without the approval of Parliament.
§ MR. DALZIELsaid that in view of the statement of the hon. Gentleman he would withdraw his Amendment.
§ Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
§ A Bill repotted without Amendment.
§ Motion made and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a third time."
§ MR. O'MARA (Kilkenny, S.)asked what would be the position of the Government if they got through their business on the Order Paper?
§ MR. SPEAKERThe hon. Gentleman must confine his attention to this particular Order.
§ MR. O'MARAsaid he had no objection to the Bill. It was only a matter affecting the expenditure of £15,000 from the Battersea money by the Commissioner of Works. If every Commissioner of Works was as efficient as the hon. Gentleman the money entrusted to him would be well spent. But he appealed to the Government not to get through their programme on the Order Paper too soon.
§ Question put and agreed to.
§ Bill read the third time, and passed.