§ MR. CHIOZZA MONEY (Paddington, N.)To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether his attention has been directed to the fact that another private contractor has been allowed to establish himself in Kew Gardens, and that at several of the entrances this contractor has erected stalls covered with guides, postcards, etc., displayed in such a way as to be eyesores; and whether he will give instructions for these erections to be removed and the profits on the sales of guides, etc., reserved entirely for the taxpayers who maintain the gardens.
(Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) The right to sell guide books, postcards, etc., at Kew Gardens has been entrusted to a private firm in order to relieve the constables of a task which interfered with the performance of their proper duties. The firm in question pay an annual rent for the privilege, and in addition they have borne the cost of erecting one permanent and one movable kiosk. No complaint has hitherto been made of their appearance, and my noble friend does not propose to alter the present arrangement, which has been made in the interests of the general public as well as with the object of increasing the efficiency of the garden staff.