The Sun.
London, England, 1862-02-08 00:00:00

THE PROPOSED NEW ROAD ACROSS HYDE PART.

This day was appointed for the consideration of
the letter of the Right Hon. W. Cowper, First Com-
missioner of Works, in reference to the proposed
new road across Hyde-park, and which was laid
before the Board at its last meeting.
31r. ECKETT moved the following resolution :
" That considering there are many public improve-
ments required in the metropolis which are of
greater importance than that of making a new road
across the property of the Crown in Hyde-park, and
which the Board at present cannot effect from not
having suitable means for that 'purpose, this Board
therefore does not deem it expedient that it should
undertake the making of the proposed new road
across Hyde Park." In moving this resolution, he
said he was not wedded to any particular form of
resolution, but was willing to accept any other
terms by which the opinion of the Board could be
expressed that they were unable to carry out the
plan by means of the taxation of the ratepayers.
He was decidedly of opinion that they ought not to
undertake so expensive a work, or could they re-
commend that it should be effected by means of a
toll levied on those persons using the road ?
Mr. BROOK ER seconded the motion.

Mr. ROCHE moved as an amendment, "That the
letter of Mr. Cowper, of the 30th of January, 1862,
be referred to the Streets Committee for considera-
tion and report." He said it appeared to him in the
resolution which Mr. Eckett had proposed that
his only object in moving it was to get rid of
this question, and he did not seem to care in what
way that was to be accomplished. The question
was one of great importance, this road having been
required for more than 20 years, and at the present
time it had become one of absolute necessity. There
was no doubt that there would be an immense
number of carriages going to the Great Exhibition
frcm the western and north-western districts, but
to get to it they must traverse a circuit of between
one and two miles. The whole of the traffic from
the Great Western Railway and also from other
parts would have to pass down Park-lane, where it
would meet with a flow from the south, and from

thence it would struggle on to Brompton, where
the obstruction would be still further aggravated,
until it finally reached the Great Exhibition. Park-
lane was too narrow for the traffic already
passing down it, and there was in fact no real lead-
ing communication between the western and
southern parts of the metropolis. There were few

members of the Board but who would admit the
necessity of this improvement, and the only ques-
tion they had to consider was, where the funds
were to come from to effect it. He referred to some

Parliamentary returns for the purpose of showing
that the sums levied in the metropolis for local im-
provements were considerably below those which
were paid by the inhabitants of many of the large
towns of the kingdom. The taxation of the metro-
polis was inferior, and below that of Birmingham,
Plymouth, Portsmouth, and many other towns of
the kingdom. He stated, on his own responsibility,
that the metropolis had less local taxation than any
of the towns he had mentioned. The Government
was not compelled to make the roads of the metropo-
lis, but they told the Metropolitan Board of Works
that they would give them the necessary land to make
these roads, The member for St. Pancras (Mr. Wil-
kinson) had told them that the road would be en-
joyed by millions of persons who had been invited,
and who would flow into London during the present
year, and he thought that was a etrong reason why
the road should be made. He saw no reason why
the people of London should do less than was done
by the inhabitants of Birmingham or Manchester,
who did not ask them to pay for their roads. They
did not ask others to pay, and when visitors went
there they had the benefit of them. It was said that
the new road might be carried out by means of a
turnpike trust, but it would be to the shame of the
Metropolitan Board of Works if they were to FeteS
to carry out this road by means of a turnpiltzt VS'2'es
If the Board refused to make the road, and the First
Commissioner of Works should be compelled to go
to Parliament, he would say to the House of Com-
mons that he had a most disagreeable task to per-
form, because the Metropolitan Board of Works had
neglected its duty and ignored its responsibility.
When the Board wanted to build the palace in
which they were then assembled they found no dif-
ficulty in borrowing £15,000, the payment being
spread over three years, and if they wanted to bor-
row £30,000 for a great public improvement they
would find they would have as little difficulty in
borrowing that sum, to be spread also over a period
of three years. A great many metropolitan im-
provements were required, but none of them at the
present time were so pressing as the road across
Hyde-park. (Cries of " Holborn-hill.") Holborn.
hill had been mentioned, and there was no difficulty
in getting up Holborn hill, but if this road was not
made it would be impossible for thousands to get
to the Great Exhibition, unless at a considerable
sacrifice of time.* (Hear.) If that Board did not
make the road the First Commissioner of Works
must resort to other sources, and make the road by
means of a toll, which would have the effect of ex-
citing discontent among the public, and would re-
flect great disgrace on the part of the Metropolitan
Board of Works for having neglected its duty. He
concluded by moving his amendment.
Mr. LE BRETON seconded the motion, and in doing
so said he should desire that the subject should be
referred to a committee, so that it might be
thoroughly discussed and its importance fully exa-
mined; believing that, if they should determine to
make the road, the parish of Marylebone, St. Pan-
cras, and other surrounding parishes would be will-
ing to contribute towards the expense. He agreed
entirely in the observation of the mover of this mo-
tion, that if the Board should decline to make the
road it would neglect its duty and ignore its re-
sponsibility. The Board had liberally contributed
towards the improvements of the city of London,
but if it refused to make the road there would be
only one small approach to the Great Exhibition,
which would be attended with the greatest public
inconvenience.
Mr. BENNETT said he conk; not support the
amendment, and, although the member for Pad-
dington
(Mr. Roche) had told them a good deal
about the taxation of the metropolis, he could not
agree
with him that the metropolis was not heavily
taxed. Apart from the Great Exhibition, there
was no doubt that the road would be of great
benefit to the parishes of Kennington, Paddington,
St. Pancras, andMarylebone;-
but they heard no-
thing of those parishes coming
t ong forward with funds
towards that object. A
to Parliament
for funds, that could not be expected going
xpectedt
to be granted,
as the House of Commons had
expressly declared
and had completely set its face against voting funds
from the Imperial Exchequer for metropolitan im•
provernents. They had declared that before, and
ha doubted not that au would do s° again, the
county members declaring that it was wren!, in
principle that the country should be taxed for the
benefit of the metropolis. On the same ground it
would be equally wrong that the metropolis should
e taxed for the benefit of the country. Now, he
thought that a means for effecting such improve-
ments might be obtained from the revenue which
Government derived from the tax on hackney car-
riages. No less a sum than £170,000 was raised
by the Government annually on metropolitan stage
carriages, which went into the Imperial Exchequer;
while the taxed raised on stage carriages for the
rest of the United Kingdom only amounted to
138,000. Therefore he said that the Board had a
right to ask that some portion of that income de-
rived from metropolitan stage carriages should be
applied to metropolitan improvements.
Mr. Deputy HAunisos supported the amendment,
and hoped to see it carried unanimously, as only an

act of courtesy to Mr. Cowper, and such an act as
would be shown to any vestry who might the ap-
plication. lie hoped they would inquire into the
subject by means of a committee, and, if that
committee should be willing, he had no doubt
that funds might be found to carry out the work

independently of those derived from direct taxation.

He hoped, therefore, as men of business, that no
further time would be lost in discussing that ques-
tion, but, having several other things before them

k their consideration, he hoped they would at once

refer it to a committee.

Mr. BRISTOW, M.P., said the matter was not so
small a question as was supposed by the hon. deputy
from the city of London, but the real question sub-
mitted to them by Mr. Cowper was—Would this
Board undertake to make the road, and also pay
for it ? He looked upon this as an attempt to tax
this Board for improvements out of the funds of

the ratepayers, but he denied that this was an im-
provement of an urgent nature. He hoped they
would tell the First Commissioner that they were
not prepared to make the road at the expense of
the ratepayers.
Mr. DOULTON said the hon.member (Mr. Bristow)
had challenged the argument used by Mr. Deputy
Harrison, but he contended that in respect of every
improvement which had been brought before them,
such as the lowering of Holborn-hill, the abolition
of Middle-row, the making of parks, and other
works of a like character, the invariable practice
had been to send such matters to a committee for
consideration ; but they were now coolly asked to
throw the whole thing aside at once, and to tell the
public that they would not only not carry out this
improvement, but they would not even consider it.
They would say that they did not intend to carry
out the road, or to pay the proportion which they
usually gave towards such improvements. He urged
that the Board should let the matter go to a com-
mittee, who might suggest that, although the Board
should not be at the expense of forming the road,
they should obtain contributions from the different
parishes that would be benefited thereby. He hoped
the Board would not depart from the principle it
had hitherto laid down, but would refer the matter
to a committee.

Mr. FREEMAN said that some of the members
who had spoken upon this question appeared to be
troubled with very short memories. His friend Mr.
Bristow, the member for Greenwich, had forgotten
all the facts which had come before the Board

in reference to great works which had been already
accomplished, and he would take as an instance of
it the Victoria-park approach, which had been car-
ried out by that Board in conjunction with the
owners of the land of the different parishes. They
had already considered the same kind of improve-
ments, although they now gave a cold reception to
the great improvement that was proposed. They
had made improvements at the east-end and in the
City of London, and they were now asked to tell
the west-end of London that they would not even
consider the question. He believed that it was quite
competent for Mr. Cowper to ask Parliament to vote
a sum of money, as Parliament had voted a sum for
making a road from Rotten-row. He hoped they
would tell Mr. Cowper that they were willing to
make the road conjointly with the different parishes
but they were now asked to say that the Metropo-
litan Board of Works would not move a finger to-
wards a great public improvement to give facilities
to the thousands of persons whom they had invited

to -visit them. There was not a road that ran from

the Marble-arch to the Great Western Railway,
and all going to the Exhibition must drive more
than a mile round. He did hope that this subject
would be referred to a committee, and by returning
a respectful answer show that they really felt an
interest in the matter.
Mr. SAMUDA hoped the Board would pause be-
fore it negatived the motion for the reference of this
question to a committee. The subject of this road
was not a question of to-day. He had paid some at-
tention to the matter, and he knew that as far back

as 1851 it was strongly urged on the Government of
the day, and it was again brought forward in 1856.
If there was a necessity for the road then, how much
greater was it at the present time. It was urged that
if that Board did not do the work, the road would be
made by means of a toll to be raised, but he did not
think that remark ought to influence their decision;
but the question was, the usefulness of the work
being admitted, were they the perscns who ought to
carry it out ? It was said the work might be done by
debentures to be raised, but that would be really

no saving to the Board, for if the road were made
and a toll were to be put upon it, the public out-
cry would be so great that the Board would be com-
pelled to raise the money to pay for it.
Mr. Dlxox said he felt grateful to the Boma for
an improvement which it had effected at the east
end. of London, in the Victoria Park approach,
which was a great public benefit. In that case the
owners gave up the land, and the parish made up
the remainder of the expense.
Mr. PHILIPS said he saw no use in sending this
question to a committee unless it was to give the
vestries and district Boards of the metropolis an

opportunity of sending in remonstrances against
the funds of the parishes being applied to such a
purpose. It was said that the road was a work of
necessity, but he denied that there was any such
necessity. There were numerous works, nume-
rous improvements, required in the metropolis
which they were unable to carry out for Jhe want
of funds, and were they now to begin by improv-
ing Hyde Park, and paying the whole expense ?
The letter of Mr. Cowper meant that the Board
should pay the whole expense, if it meant any-
thing. He said that if the Board would undertake
the work he would obtain an act of Parliament—
what fur ?—not to furnish them with funds, but
to " secure the public the permanent and unre-
stricted use of the road." That was all Mr. Cow-
per proposed to do, and, although Mr. Roche bad
endeavoured to show that the metropolis was not
heavily taxed, he hoped that if he should ever be-
come Chancellor of the Exchequer he would be

more successful in making the people of England

believe they were very lightly taxed than he had
been on the present occasion in reference to the
taxation of the people of the metropolis. He saw no
use in referring the question to a committee.
Mr. NICIIOLAY said, if the subject was referred to
a committee, the board would be by no means
pledged to carry out the works. He hoped they
would return such an answer to Mr. Cowper as the
necessity of the case required, believing that the
new road would not only be a great accommodation
to the thousands who would flow to the Great Ex-
hibition, but would be a great boon to the traders of
the district.
Mr. DIFFANGER said he seldom differed with his
colleague (Mr. Nicholay), out he must on the pre-
sent occasion, for if they had any balance of their
funds it would be much better employed in the im-
provement of Holborn-hill and other parts of the
metropolis. If they were to refer this to a committee
they would be raising hopes that they would carry
out the work. As to the people of the metropolitan
district not being heavily taxed, he knew that the
parish of St. Paul, Deptford, was taxed to the ex-
tent of 13s. in the pound, and if Mr. Roche could
bring any other part of England that was more
heavily taxed than that, then they might listen to
his argument. Mr. Cowper had brought the matter
before him at a late date, and if they refused to
assist him it would be his own fault. Let him open
Stanhope-gate and other gates where the roads were
already made. A road had been opened through St.
James's-park, and he sawn o reason why they should
be so thin-skinned as not to allow cabs and omni-
buses to pass through during the three or four
mouths the Exhibition wo old be open. Mr. Cowper
after all was not so very sensitive as to the conve-
nience of the public, or he would not desire them to
cornpassAimrth.iirtiiN
oetueog.tha sunken r .oad. He hoped they would
n
egative the question at once, and not refer it to a
of the parishess3:hoSari,d the
sited upon Mr. Cowper
stated on the question hadrepresentative of one
that the parish funds
could not be legally applied
that was one source from, fundsWhietho this road, and yet
to be obtained. It •was said were expected
the cost of the road
would be £30,000, bt.,t he had
th® authority of a
person conversant with, the subject who said it
would be more likely to *be £60,000. If the Govern-
; 'why not let
ment were honQst in 01 eir intentions