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the working classes a house or part of a house, there shall
be implied a condition that the house is, at the commencement
of the holding, in all respects reasonably fit for human
habitation, and the operation of the clause is confined to
the letting of a house or part of a house at a rent, in London,
not exceeding £20 per annum.
Demolition of Prisons.-With regard to the removal of
the House of Detention and the Cold Bath Fields Prison,
the Vestry are strongly of opinion that some portion at
least of each of these sites should be retained as an open
space, and they therefore strongly urged this point on the
Metropolitan Board of Works, so that it might be kept in
view if negociations were opened for the acquisition of the
sites by that Board.
In February last, the Vestry appointed a Deputation to
wait upon the Home Secretary to urge the immediate
demolition of the Prisons. The Home Secretary, however,
declined to receive the Deputation, stating that the matter
was under his consideration. The Vestry therefore again
wrote to the Home Secretary, urging a reconsideration of
the price (£180,000) at present asked by the Government
for the site, it being, in the opinion of the Vestry, altogether
prohibitory. A question upon the matter was also put to
the Home Secretary, by Mr. Howard Spensley, M.P., at
the request of the Vestry, which was answered by the
Under Secretary, Mr. Broadhurst, in the following terms:
"My hon. friend appears to think that these prisons are at my
"disposal, and that I have only to order them to be pulled down.
'This is not the case. My first duty was to offer to reconvey them
"to the County authorities. A few days ago I received their final
"refusal. It is now my business to sell them on the best terms I
"can, and the statute prescribes what shall be done with the
"proceeds. Negociations for their sale are now proceeding.
"Considering the many interests involved, I cannot precipitate my
"action, but I will tell my hon. friend when the sale is effected."