HC Deb 17 May 1915 vol 71 cc1992-4W
Mr. GEORGE GREENWOOD

asked the hon. Member for the Saffron Walden division, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether a licence was granted by the Crown to Lord Ranks-borough some years ago to open a small door in the wall between his house and Richmond Park for the passage of foot passengers; whether this doorway was afterwards enlarged in order to admit of the passage of a bath chair and pony; whether this passage was subsequently further enlarged by him in order to allow a motor car to pass into the park; whether the way thus made into the park is now constantly used by motor cars passing in and out of Lord Ranksborough's back gate; whether a steam roller, provided at the public expense, is being, or has recently been, used for the purpose of rolling bricks and rubble into the park grass in order to facilitate the passage of such motor cars; and, if so, whether these proceedings have been sanctioned and approved by the First Commissioner?

Mr. BECK

A licence was originally granted in 1888 to a former tenant of Kingston Place for a small bridge over the haha admitting of the passage of foot passengers, but in 1911 permission was granted for a new entrance to the park to be formed admitting the passage of vehicles. The exercise of this privilege resulted in some wear and tear of the grass, and, in carrying out repairs to the adjacent roadways the opportunity was taken of remedying this by a certain amount of filling in with brick rubbish and rolling, at a total cost not exceeding £1, which Lord Ranksborough has agreed to pay. As I have previously stated, the licence is personal to the present holder and will not be renewed when Lord Ranksborough's tenancy expires.