The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-16 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAM

NT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—(YEsTERDAy.)

The L)rd CHANC':;LLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at 5 o'clock.
Lord DUNGANNON gave notice that on Monday
he should put a question to her Mjesty's Government
as to what arrangements had been made for steam com-
munication between Holyhead and Kingston. If any
had been made he would like to know the period at which
they would be carried into effect. He also gave notice
that on Friday next he would move for a copy of the
correspondence that lic.d taken place between the Lord
Lieutenant of Ireland and the Dublin Protestant Asso-
ciation. The noble lord also presented a petition from
Armagh against any further grant to the College of
Maynooth.
Lord COLVILLE presented a petition from the civil
servants of the Crown employed at Chatham, praying
for an alteration in the system of allowances from the
superannuation' fund.
SCOTSCRAIG'S ESTATE BILL.

On the motio❑ of Lord REDESDALE, this bill was
read a second time.
ST. JAMES'S PARK.

The Eerl of MA 111ESBURY"---Iregged to ask
the Tiestion of which he had given. notice—
namely, what are the objects and expenses of the works
now going on in St. James's-park ? Toe lake in the
enclecure had been entirely drawn off, and works were
in progress to diminish the depth of the water. Of course
the works would cost a large sum of money, and in his
opinion the benefits that were expected to result from
the improvements would dot be commensurate with the
cost. He understood that. the whole of the expense would
cost between 12,0001. and 14,0001. One of the objects
to he attained by the improvements was to render her
Majesty's palace more healthy by the fact of the water
in the lake being rendered more pure. It was, no doubt, a
raostitnportant object, but at the same time he must say,
as a resident in . the locality, that he had never felt
the slightest inconvenience from the condition of the
park. The place had always been of a healthy descrip-
tion, and no complaints had ever been made by the in-
habitants. The second object of the improvement was
the accommodation of skaters ; but, considering
that in this country it was only about once in two
years that this exercise was to be had, be, with-
out wishing in the slightest degree to interfere
with the amusements and recreations of the public, did
not think this was sufficient to justify so heavy an out-
lay. The third object was to have a constant stream of
water passing through the park, and thereby add to the
beauty of the park. No doubt it was important to have
the water as transparent as possible, but whether Par-
liament would consent to the expenditure of so
large a sum of money in making these alterations
be very much doubted. The cost of carrying out the
foot-l-r:dge would be 3,5001,, and the new ornamental
entrance upwards of 4,0001. Their lordship might de-
pend upon it that much greater attention must be paid
to the expenditure of the finances than bad hi-
therto been bestowed upon it. It would no
doubt surprise many of their lordships when
they were told that in the miscellaneous estimates
Educe 18?..3 to the year 1853 the increase had been
4,200,0001. The increase upon salelies during that
period was not less than 463,0001. The noble earl hav-
ing noticed increases in other items, said that the im-
provements as they were called that had been effected
during the list few years were unworthy of the coun-
try, unnecessary, and extravagant.
Earl GRANVILLE said her Majesty had made no
complaint respecting the condition of the water in St.
James's-park. The works were being carried out in ac-
cordance with the opinions of certain eminent medical
men ;and the water in St. James'--park being considered
in the worst state, it was determined that that should be
first attended tc. Nothing could be more criminal than
to tay burdens on the country at large for the mere use-
less ornament of the metrop lis ; but considering what
this metropolis was, the capital of a large and wealthy
kingdom, he believed that those who were not resident
in it would not be satisfied if certain things were left its
an unfinished condition. In this town, comprising two
and a halt millions of inhabitants, there was great infe-
riority in many respects to second-rate towns on the
Continent. But there was one peculiarity—the beauty
of our royal parks ; while they added something to the
decent splendour of the crown, they contributed more
than anything he knew of to the recreation of the poorer
classes of the metropabe. (Hear, hear ) And so lsng es
they thought it useful to have those royal parks, that
Mieister who applied himself judiciously and economi-
cally, as he ought, to make those parks as healthy and
beautiful as the nature of the case would permit was de-
serving of praise and encouragement, and not of censure.
For these reasons he thought the noble lord bad entirely
failed in making out a case of uncalled for expenditure of
the public money in the measures which had been taken
to purify the waters in the centre of the metropolis and
to beautify the parks.
The Earl of HARDWICKE said the grants were
made by Parliament fora epecific purpose; but it appeared
only a small sum was expended f that purpose, and
the remainder applied to something else.
Lard I.SJONTEAGLE wished to set the house right as •
to any excess in the sum voted over that expended. He
regretted to say that there was no audit whatever appl'-
cable to any one of the votes in that paper ; therefore
the check supposed to he found in the auditors in reality
did not exist. For the funeral of the late Duke of Wel-
lington 80,000/. was voted, and for that purpose only.
The whole sutra was withdrawn a few mouths after it
was voted ; but of this 25,0001. was not employed at ail
for the funeral, but fur other purposes, spread over two
or three years. There was no audit sufficient to correct
that manifest violation of the law. It incidentally
transpired in the other house that this had been done,
and the matter was then set right. He did not blame
a government for taking a vote larger than was actually
required ; what he complained of was the application of
the money to other purtesses. With regark to the park,
the complaint was that the improvement bad ben done
without any vote. (Hear.) The noble earl said they
might not have got a correct estimate ; but surely for
such a thing as draining a pond this might have been
dose. Their course should have been to vote on account.
The course pursued was not in accordance with the con-
stitu: ion of England. (Hear.) The expenditure of money
a ithout a parliamentary authority ought not to be
light y pass d weer. The 25,0001. surplus of the money
voted for the Duke of Wellington's funeral had been ap-
plied to other purposee.
Lord S I'AN LEY of ALDERLEY—It was repaid.
Lord MONTEAGLE said it was only repaid when it
was found out. (Laughter.)
The Earl of WICKLOW thought the people of the
metropolis ought to be most grateful to the Government
for what had been done in the parks, as ought also those
who lived in the neighbourhood, which bad been rendered
much more healthy. The new walks had been laid out
with the utmost skill and judgment by Sir B. Hall, and
parte formerly deserted were now favourite resorts.
Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY wished to under-
stand exactly what had fallen from Lord Monteagle.
Did he mean to say that any excess in one estimate
might be applied to any other purpose ? He denied that
this could be done. The only way of proceeding was,
where an excess occurred on any estimate, on application
to the Tr caeury by that department have might be given
to apply the surplus to Borne other kindred object. The
surplus of 25,000/, on the Duke of Wellington's funeral,
he would undertake to say, had not been applied to any-
thing else, without beirg restored to the Treasury.
Lord A3ONTEA GLE said the noble lord Ras in error.
(A laugh.) He was right as to the leave of the Trea-
sury being necessary for the application of any surplus
on the array or navy votes ; but this regulation did not
apply to any of the civil votes. Ir, was also au error
to say that this would be corrected by the audit. Trio
whole of the civil estimates were encirelf out of the con-
trol of the auditors. On no occasion were they ever sub-
mitted to the Board of Audit; therefore no check was
taus supplied.
Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY denied that the
money voted for the Duke'is funeral had been perma-
nently dpi lied to any other purpose.
Lord MONTEAGLE—Not permanently, but it had
been applied to otter purposes for two years—till in fact
the matter r ozad out in the other house.

Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY repeated that no
sums were ever appropriated to objects other than those
for which they were voted, except with the spi-cial ap-
proval of the Trea,ury, and he appealed to noble lords
who had been employed in the administration of the
civil departments whether that was not the case.

The,, subject then dropped.
THE PROPOSED NEW PUBLIC OFFICES.

Tat Duke I SOMERSET dre;ttieattenti;nCriihe
house to the plans now exhibiting in Westminster-hall,
and retnindeo their lordships of tae result which had fol-
lowed a similar exhibition—that of plans for the New
'Houses of Parliament—a quarter of a century ago. They
had been building ever since and they had not finished
yet. Indeed, he wondered if anybody could tell when
they would have them finished, or wnat they would have
to pay before the Huti-ess of Parliament were completed?
(Cneere.) He warned the Government and the public
neainet the courso on welch they were about to enter.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer to el the last Parlia-
ment that the greund which it was proposed to acquire
would cost a million and a half of money, and the possi-
bility was that when they saute to make the actual pur-
chase they would find that it would really cost much
more. ie wiehee, therefore, in the first instance, to ask, '1
whether thearchitects who had sent in designs had been
given eleatly to understand the limits of the ground they
were to cover? and whether tboae designs which ex-
ceeded those limits would at once be c,e;luded as not
having complied with the condition% ? (hear, bear.) In
the reext elece, he should be glad to know how far Par-
bereent would be bound by any decision to ehich the
royal cerumissientre, stele inted a few days ago, might
come (Hear) The intoner :n such things were
usually managed was this. Alter the rep qt of commie.
sioners, a vote was taken on account, and then, when
any objection was made, they were met with the reply,
"The work bas been begun, and must be carried out."
In that manner they might have entailed open the coun-
try a heavy annual expense for the next 25 years,
Earl GRANVILLE said that what bad been done
was merely cal vying out the recommendatiors of a select
committee of the House of Cummone. The committee
had reported on the great inconvenience_ of having had ,
public business transacted in a number ofhouses rented
by the Government in different parts of the town; and
it recotnmended that there should he a concentration of
alt the public departments in the neighbourhood of
I'Vhi,e-bal. The committee, moreover, recomtnended
that the architects of all nations sLeuld be invited to
give One for filling up the whole block of land from the
Horse Guards to Palace yard. What bad been done,
then, was to ask, first, for designs for covering the whole
of ais I;lock of land ; and secondly, for designs for a
new Fereign and a new War-otfice, to be built on ground
near Grat ter- treet, nearly the whole of varlets belonged
ulnady to the Crown. In determining upon the smeller(
scheme, it would by no ratans be necessary t' commit!