§ 36. Mr. GILBERTasked the hon. Member for the Pollok Division of Glasgow, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether he can explain the delay in clearing the lake buildings in St. James's Park and re-establishing the lake; whether he can now give a definite date when the work will be completed; and if it will be during the present summer months?
§ Lieut.-Colonel Sir J. GILMOUR (for the First Commissioner of Works)As regards the clearance of the buildings, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to a similar question on the 15th instant by the hon. Member for Ashton-under-Lyne. As regards the re-establishment of the lake, I very much regret to say that preliminary experiments show that the fissures in the concrete bed are deeper 2057 and more numerous than was expected. This raises a very serious financial problem, and though no estimates of reparation have been prepared, I imagine that the cost would be serious, and under present conditions it may prove necessary to confine the work of repair to a small portion of the lake.