§ Captain JESSELasked the hon. Member for St. George's-in-the-East, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether his attention has been called to the recent death by drowning in the Serpentine; whether the accident that occurred was due to the tenacious mud at the bottom which prevented the body from rising; if so, whether he would con- 1544 sider the advisability of cleaning the Serpentine at the earliest possible moment; and could he state the date when last the Serpentine was cleaned?
§ Mr. WEDGWOOD BENNThe attention of the First Commissioner has been called to this accident, but there is no reason to think that the mud in the Serpentine had anything to do with the drowning. The Serpentine has only once been cleaned out, namely, in 1869. The cost of this operation is very large, and there seems to be no reason for another cleaning at present.
§ Captain JESSELMay I ask whether steps will be taken to make further inquiries?
§ Mr. WEDGWOOD BENNNo, Sir. When the hon. Member put his question down, a most careful inquiry was made from the bailiff and others connected with the Serpentine, and they came to the conclusion that there was no ground for supposing that the mud was responsible for the accident?
§ Sir CLEMENT KINLOCH-COOKEIs it not a fact that the turning out of the Serpentine in 1869 was due to a sad accident at the time?
§ Mr. WEDGWOOD BENNI am afraid my memory does not carry me back to that time.