§ Order read, for resuming Adjourned Debate on Question [27th May], "That this House doth agree with the Committee in the Resolution, 'That it is expedient to authorise the payment, out of moneys provided by Parliament, of any Expenses, so far as not otherwise provided for, incurred by the Commissioners of Works under any Act of the present Session, to provide for the Acquisition of Land for the extension of certain Public Offices in Westminster and of the Patent Office, and for certain other public purposes.'"—(Mr. Harcourt.)
§ Question again proposed.
§ MR. WILLIAM RUTHERFORDsaid that this Resolution was to commit the country to the payment of a very large sum of money indeed for another of those palatial establishments in which the servants in the different public Departments were to be housed. He was not aware, when this matter was brought before the Committee on a former occasion, that the scheme was one which had been approved of some years ago, and that the idea was to acquire 1396 a very large piece of land between the last new building at the corner of Parliament Street and Great George Street and Delahay Street, the last-named of which streets was to be shut up. In his opinion sufficient explanation had not been given as to precisely how much of the land had already been acquired, or how much money was intended to be got by this particular Vote. He understood that a considerable portion of the property still to be acquired consisted of the excellent and magnificent building of the Institute of Civil Engineers, which had only been erected twelve or thirteen, years, but which was to be taken down simply because it was desired to have a uniform set of buildings for the public Departments. He protested on behalf of the taxpayers of the country against the expenditure of £600,000 for that site and for the buildings to be put upon it, when another site might have been procured within two or three hundreds yards, next to the building occupied by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, at a tenth of the cost. Even if this scheme had originated with the late Government he did not see why it was less objectionable that it should be carried out by the present Government with all their professions of retrenchment, economy, and reform. The present Government should have had the courage immediately to alter the scheme, and not to come before the House in a session like the present, when there were so many demands on the public purse, asking for this enormously expensive scheme. It was for these reasons that he ventured to protest most strongly against this Resolution.
§ Question put, and agreed to.
§ And, it being after half-past Eleven of the Clock, Mr. SPEAKER adjourned the House without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.
§ Adjourned at twenty minutes before Twelve o'clock.