§ MR. LYELL (Dorsetshire, E.)To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the proposal of the town council of Bournemouth to erect an infectious diseases hospital in the parish of Kinson, Bournemouth being in Hampshire and Kinson in Dorset; whether the inhabitants of Kinson have written to the Local Government Board protesting against the proposal on the ground that their water supply is drawn from a stream flowing close to the proposed site for the hospital and almost certain to be contaminated from it; and what steps he intends to take in the matter.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. John Burns, Battersea)The Chairman of the Kinson Parish Meeting has communicated to me the effect of a resolution passed by the parish meeting protesting against this proposal. I have no authority to interfere in the matter unless the town council apply for sanction to a loan for the purpose of defraying the cost of providing the hospital. I have not at present received any such application, but in the event of my doing so I will, before complying with it, give full consideration to all the circumstances of the case.
§ MR. LYELLDoes the right hon. Gentleman say that the Local Govern-Board has no power to prevent a municipal authority thus prejudicing the value of property in a given neighbourhood unless a loan is applied for.
§ MR. JOHN BURNSThat is so.
§ MR. LYELLWill the right hon. Gentleman take any steps to secure an alteration of the law to prevent that?
§ MR. JOHN BURNSI will, of course, consider any representations made to me.