§ 34. Sir WILLIAM DAVISONasked the First Commissioner of Works whether, in view of the number of persons now using the Serpentine for bathing, he will have a chemical and bacteriological 353 analysis of the water taken as it enters the Serpentine at the north-east end of Kensington Gardens and as it leaves the Serpentine at its eastern end in Hyde Park, to ascertain its composition and what, if any, deterioration the purity of the water has suffered by reason of the bathing facilities now in operation?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREA series of tests on different days and at different hours, with the same object, was carried out in 1930. The results were quite satisfactory, and I see no reason for going to the expense of having further analyses made.
§ Sir W. DAVISONWill my right hon. Friend publish the results, and will he state how many streptococci were found in one part of the Serpentine and not the other, and whether there was any material difference after a portion of the Serpentine had been used by the bathers?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI very much doubt, from such knowledge as I have of bacteria, or in this case protoxoa, whether it is at all possible for there to be any increase of streptococci by any person bathing anywhere.
§ Mr. GODFREY NICHOLSONIs it not a fact that most of the pollution conies from the direction of Kensington?
§ Sir W. DAVISONIs my right hon. Friend aware that, as everyone knows, the water is quite free until it gets below the bridge and leaves Kensington?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREIf the public are still at all agitated about this matter, I can say that there is no reason to suppose that the water of the Serpentine is in any way fouled or injured by people bathing there.