The Sun.
London, England, 1860-04-30 00:00:00

SMITHFIELD MARKET.

Lord EBURY rose to move that an humble address be
presented to her Majesty, prayingher Majesty to be pleased
to direct that the vacant site of Smithfield should bo ap-
propriated in such a manner as would conduce to the
health and recreation of the inhabitants of the neighbour-
hood. His lordship said that before Easter the house had
been informed that the Government would not oppose the
project of building over the late Smithfield Market.
He had heard the announcement with very much regret,
as it was of the utmost importance in a city like London
that every vacant space should be left open. He trusted
that the Government would reconsider the decision they
had arrived at, because the effect of building on the site of
Smithfield would be throwing away an opportunity that would
perhaps never occur again of forming a place of recreation
and amusement for the immense numbers of the poorer
classes resident in the vicinity. The authorities of St. Bar-
tholomew's Hospital were strongly opposed to the erection
of buildings thereon, because they wero of opinion that the
result of so doing would be to render the air very impure,
which was a matter of a serious nature to the patients of

the institution. The Corporation of London seemed
determined to erect a dead meat market on the portion of
the :site over which they had control, but in the event of
such an intention being carried out, all the evils that were
so loudly complained of formerly would be revived. Dr.
Lethaby in his report alluded very pointedly to the desira-
bility of having open spaces in the city, as it was stated in
his report that the mortality amongst the children in three
of the districts which at present was very great, would have
been more had it not been for the open spaces in the western
district. He hoped sincerely the Government would recon-
sider the determination they had arrived at. (Hear, hear.)
Earl GRANVILLE, who was nearly inaudible in the
gallery, was understood to say that as a compromise had
been entered into by the Government and the Corporation
of London, who had claimed the whole of the site, and that
compromise had been embodied in a bill which was now
before Parliament, the proper time to discuss the matter
would be when the bill came before their lordships.
The Earl of SAAFTESBURY. said the answer of
the noble earl was very unsatisfactory. He thought the
appropriating anyportion of the site for a dead meat mar •
ket was highly objectionable, as it clearly appeared to be
the desire of the City authorities to profit at the expense of
their poorer fellow citizens. (Hear, hear.) He looked
upon a dead meat market as a great nuisance—as a
knackers yard—as the smells that would arise in the sum-
mer months would be perfectly insufferable. It had been
said that very few of the butchers died from the effects
of the impurities of the meat markets, that might be true
I because they got plenty of good beef every day which was
the best way to prevent any such results, but the poorer
portion were not in a position to obtain that kind of food,
and as far as they were concerned the worst results were
certain to arise. "What ought to be done was to plant the
the site with shrubs and lay the ground out with gravel
walks, and thus:give the poor what they did not possess at
present, a place of enjoyment and recreation. Much of the
intoxication of the metropolis was mainly owing to the
want of places of recreation, and if the sanitary comfort of
the poor was better looked after, their moral condition
would be sure to improve.
Earl GRANVILLE said there seemed to be some mis-

apprehension on this subject. The Government were cer-
tainly not opposed to making pleasure-grounds for the
recreation of the poorer classes, and he hoped his
noble friend would postpone the discussion until
the bill he had alluded to was before the house.
Lord E BURY said a few words in reply, and then with-
drew the notice.