HC Deb 12 August 1913 vol 56 cc2461-3

"The Commissioners of Works shall take such steps as they think fit to notify to the public and all persons concerned what ancient monuments are under their guardianship or protection, and for this purpose they may affix to, or place near, any building or monument protected a sign, notice, or board giving any information which they may deem desirable."

Clause brought up, and read the first time.

Mr. KING

I beg to move, "That the Clause be read a second time."

This Clause will, I believe, save a great deal of difficulty, doubt and trouble in the future. Suppose an ancient building or some of these stones are protected as being monuments, it ought to be patent and obvious to anyone who sees them that they are historical monuments of an ancient character, and they therefore aught to be described in brief language, and the date, and so forth, put up on one of those neat signboards or notices which you sometimes meet in interesting places. It might very well occur that one of these ancient monuments, which is only protected by the Office of Works, might be owned by somebody who would refuse leave to put up any notice of that kind, and I see nothing, either in this Bill or in any Act so far as I have studied them, that would give the Commissioners the power to put up such a notice. I, therefore, hope that this Clause will be accepted. I cannot see that it raises any difficulty. It only removes a doubt and makes the matter quite plain and clear, and I trust it will be accepted by the hon. Member in charge of the Bill.

Mr. BENN

I do not think there is any harm in this Clause, but it is quite unnecessary, because the First Commissioner already has power to put up a notice explaining the nature of the monument, and that is already done. In reference to monuments, in regard to which a Preservation Order is made, I do not think such a power would exist, but the Preservation Order is only regarded as a provisional measure. I do not think there is really any necessity for the Clause if my hon. Friend will accept our assurance that we do intend to give the public all the information desirable about these monuments. I hope, therefore, he will not press the Clause.

Mr. KING

I shall not press it, but the admission of my hon. Friend that in the case of a protected building you could not put up such a notice merely bears out my contention, and I think that is just the sort of building where you want a notice of this kind erected.

Mr. HOGGE

Could my hon. Friend state what it is proposed to do in the case of monuments that are not obvious to people as they are going along? As my hon. Friend knows, a great many of these monuments are remote from the roads, and many of them are on private estates or in woods which are not accessible to the public. What kind of indication are you going to give on the main road, for instance, that there are these monuments preserved in the neighbourhood which the public desire to see?

Mr. BOOTH

I thought when I read this Clause that my hon. Friend meant a notice such as "Trespassers will be prosecuted," or "Commit no nuisance."

Mr. PRICE

May I just say that when I was on Dartmoor trying to find some Druidical remains, after searching for some hours, I at last found a landmark and asked a lad, "Can you tell me what those beautiful remains are?" and he replied, "I don't know; they must have been here before my time."

Proposed Clause, by leave, withdrawn.