Mr. RUTHERFORDasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is taking any and, if so, what steps to allay the public anxiety caused by the disclosure that on a residential estate about twelve miles to the south of London a Japanese garden has been found to be constructed in concrete and masonry giving gun emplacements for five heavy guns and that such estate commands a main line of railway into London, and which property was until last week in the occupation of a so-called American citizen of German nationality with the rank of captain; if so, what steps are being taken to destroy the gun emplacements and deal with the person or persons responsible for their construction whether he is aware that at the same place there was a 80-horse-power motor car fitted with a 500-candle searchlight whether he is aware that at the sale on the 18th July such car was purchased by a firm with a German name; whether any steps are being taken in reference to such car and searchlight; and whether he is aware that last week there was a similar sale on another residential estate to the west of London with another similar Japanese garden with gun emplacements, also occupied by a person of German nationality?
Mr. SAMUELMy attention had not previously been drawn to this matter. I find on inquiry that there is no foundation whatever for the rumour respecting alleged gun emplacements on the estate south of London to which the hon. Member refers. The report appears to have originated from the fact that, in order to retain the water which filtered away through a sandy bottom, Messrs. Cheal, the well-known landscape gardeners, concreted the bottom of a small artificial lake. A motor car of the description indicated, which has lain dismantled for many months, was recently offered for sale by the owner of this estate, but it was not, in fact, sold. Nothing is known by the military authorities or the police of the west London estate referred to in the last part of the question.