ANNUAL REPORT of the UNITED VESTRY of the parishes of St. Margaret & St John, WESTMINSTER, For the Year ended 25th March, 1890, being the second year of the administration of the vestry as re-constituted; the thirty-fourth year under the metropolis local management acts, and the three hundred and fifth year of the vestry's existence. JUNE, 1890. Printed by Wightman & Co., 104 & 100, Regency Street Westminster, S.W. 1890. ALPHABETICAL ARRANGEMENT OF SUBJECTS. page. Accounts, Assets and Liabilities 112 ,, Balance Sheet 110 „ Free Public Library Commissioners 140 ,, General Rate 102 ,, General Rate (School Board Purposes) 108 ,, Loans, statement of 110 ,, Local Sewers Rate 108 ,, Montpelier Square Rate 108 ,, Poor Rate 100 ,, Town Hall Management—Churchwardens and Overseers .. 122 Addresses, Auditors x. „ Baths &c., Commissioners xv. „ Burial Board xv. „ Collectors of Inland Revenue xxviii. ,, County Councillors for the Westminster Division xxxiv. ,, District Surveyors xxv. ,, Guardians of the Poor xvi. ,, Free Public Library Commissioners xiv. ,, Inspectors xiii. ,, Members of Parliament, Borough and County xxxiv. ,, Rate Collectors xiii. ,, Relieving Officers xxii. ,, School Board for London, Local Members and Managers xxxv. ,, Trustees of the Parochial Charities xiv. ,, Turncocks xxvi. ,, Vestrymen vii-ix. Advertisement Rating Bill 18 Agenda Papers of the London County Council 39 Albert Gate, Paving and Refuge at; Explosion at 70, 71 Ambulance xxix., xxx., xxxi. Analysis of Food and Drugs xxxiii.. 17. 35 Annual Election of Members 2-3 Annual Report of Medical Officer of Health 78 ,, of Surveyor 87 Annual Estimates of Expenditure 13 Alexandra Gate 55 Appointment of Committees 6 Artisans' Dwellings Acts, Proceedings under 29 Asphalte Paving 28 Attendances of Members 6, 77, 89 Auditors, Addresses of x. ,, Election of 4 ,, Report of 98 Baths and Wash-houses xv., 74 Bills in Parliament 18-19 Borough Member of Parliament xxxiv. Building Applications 50 Burial Board xv. Caroline Place 73, 92 Carriage-ways, Maintenance of 28, 87 Caxton Street, Proposed Improvements 54 Census Statistics x., 95 Chartered Accountants, Report of 97 iv PAGE. Chalet Accommodation 35 Chelsea Waterworks Company xxvi. Churchwardens and Overseers xii. Clerk to Commissioners of Taxes xxviii. Collector of Rates, Appointment of 11 Collectors of Kates, Names of xiii., 94 Work of 10,114 College Mews 63 Commissioners of the Free Public Library xiv. ,, of Public Baths and Wash-houses xv. ,, of Taxes, Clerk to xxviii. Committees of St. George's Union xix.-xxi. Committees of the Vestry:— Financc, Members and Proceedings of 6-14 Works and General Purposes, Members and Proceedings of 15-16 Street Cleansing and Sanitary ,, ,, 16-18 Parliamentary ,, ,, 18-22 Joint Works and Sanitary ,, ,, 22-23 Condolence, Vote of 4 Constitution of the Vestry vii.-ix , 3 Contracts 73,124 Conveyance of Infectious Disease Patients xxix.-xxxii. County Councillors of Westminster xxxiv, 38-9 County Members of Parliament xxxiv. Cow-houses, Licensing of 17, 31 Coroner and Deputy xxvi. Death Hate in the District 80 Debts and Liabilities of the Vestry 112 Demolition of Houses 29, 84, 86 Disinfection 17 Dispensary xxii. District Surveyors xxv. Drainage Works 29,32,90 Dust, Kemoval of 29 Elected Auditors, Report of 98 Election of the London County Council 37-8 Election of Vestrymen 3 Electric Light, The 19-21, 71 Embankment of the Thames 51,92 Estimates and Expenditure, Annual 13, 27,102-111 Executive 24,94 Expenditure and Receipts, Statement of 27 Explosion at Albert Gate 70 Finance Committee, Members and Proceedings of 6-14 Fire Prevention, &c xxvi., 49 Flooding of Basements 40 Flushing Apparatus affixed to Urinals 38 Food and Drags, Analysis of xxxiii., 17, 35 Free Public Library Commissioners, Accounts of 74,140 ,, „ List of xiv. ,, ,, Proposed New Buildings 14,130 Fumigation of Rooms 17 General Works and Repairs 28 Guardians of the Poor xvi. Health of the District 78 Hoard Licenses and Road Openings 89 Improvements, Street, in the District 50,91 Infectious Disease Notification 36, 80 Inspectors xiii., 83, 85 James Street, Proposed Improvement 54 Joint Baths and Library Commissions, Report of 130 V. PAGE. Joint Works and Sanitary Committee 22 Knightsbridge. Urinal at 33, 93 ,, Refuge at 71 Lamps, Street, Number of 28, 90 Liabilities of the Vestry 112 Licenses, Hoard, &c 89 Lighting of the Parish 28, 90 Loans, Negotiations for 12, 48 Loans owing by the Vestry 113 Local Drainage Works 32, 46, 90 London County Council : — Agenda Papers of the Council 39 Building Applications 50 County Councillors for Westminster 39 Election of 37-89 Fire Prevention, &c. 49 Loans 12, 48 Maintenance of Main Roads 7 Millbank Prison Site 49 Overflow of Sewers 40 Street Improvements, Local 50-8 Underground Rooms 48 London School Board xxxv., 58 London Tramways Company's Bill 21 Maintenance of Carriage-ways 28, 87 „ Main lioads 47, 93 Sewers 29, 90 Medical Officer of Health, Annual Report of 78 Members' Attendances 77 Members, Election of 3 Metropolitan Asylums Board xxx. Metropolitan Asylum District Managers xxii. Millbank Prison Site 49 M ortality, Rate of 80 Mortgages and Interest owing by the Vestry 110 Mortuary xxxii., 30 Motions after Notice 65-70 Naming Streets and Numbering Houses 58 Negotiations for Loans 12 Notification of Infectious Disease 36, 80 Nuisances, Proceedings for the Abatement of 17, 29, 83-6 Obstructions upon Highways 15 Office Staff, The 11,94 Officers of the United Vestry, and other Local Authorities, xiii., xiv., xxii., xxv. Overflowing of Main Line Sewers 40 Overseers vii. Parliament Street (Improvements) Bill 19 Parliamentary Committee, Members and Proceedings of 18-22 Parliamentary Schemes 18-19 Parochial Charities xiv. Paving 28, 87 Pear Street and Strutton Ground, Proposed Improvement 57 Poor Law Audit 100 Population of the District x., 95 Precept, Metropolitan Board of Works 14, 26 ,, School Board for London 14, 58-62 Public Baths &c. Commissioners, Accounts of 138 „ List of xv. ,, Proposed New Buildings 14, 130 Public Libraries Acts Amendment Bill 19 Public Mortuary xxxii., 30 VI. PAGE. Public Urinals 33, 91 Qualification of Vestrymen, Question as to 4,66 liates and Rateable Value 25 Rate Collectors xiii. liates, Receipts and Expenditure, on account of the several 100-9 Regret, Votes of 5 Removal of Dust 29 Re-naming of Streets and Re-numbering Houses 58 Resignations 4, 5 Return of Members' Attendances 76 Saint George's Union xvi. St. John's Public Garden 16 Salaries of Officers 94 Saint Margaret's Passage 73 Sanitary Committee, List and Proceedings of 16-18 Sanitary Inspectors xiii., 83, 85 Sanitary Measures 29-37 School Board for Loudonxxxv., 58 Sewers' Rate 108 Sewers, Maintenance of 29, 90 Slaughter-Houses 17, 31 Statistics of the District x., 95 Street Cleansing Committee 16-18 Street Improvements 50 Street Lamps and Lighting 28, 90 Street Cleansing and Watering 29 Streets, Re-naming and Re-numbering 58 Strutton Ground, proposed widening 57 Subway Railway Bills 18-19 Summons Fees, System of Crediting 7 Surveyor's Annual Report 87 Thanks, Votes of 5 Totliill Fields Prison site 52 Town Hall Management 23 Treasurer of the Vestry xiii. Treasurer's Security 74,116 Trustees of the Parochial Charities xiv. Turncocks xxvi. Underground Rooms 48, 84, 85 Unhealthy Dwellings 29 United Vestry vii.-ix. Urinals 33 Vaccination xxix. Value, Rateable x. Vestryman's Qualification, Question of 4, 66 Vestrymen, Names and Addresses of vii.-ix. Vestry's Officers xiii., 94 Votes of Thanks and Personal Resolutions 4-5 Ward Elections 2 Water Companies xxvi. Water Supply and Water Companies' Charges 64 ,, to Urinals 34 Watering 29 Westminster Court of Burgesses xxvii. Wood Paving 28,87-8 Workhouses xxiii. Wood Street, Improvement in 53 Works and General Purposes Committee, List and Proceedings of 15-16 Works Executed by the Vestry 28 York Street, Prohibition of to Soldiers 37 ,, Proposed Widening of 51, 91 vii. UNITED VESTRY of St. Margaret and St. John the Ebangelist, WBSTMINSTBE Ven. Archdeacon Farrar, D.D., Rector of St. Margaret's, 17, Dean's Yard. Rev. Canon Furse, M.A., Rector of St. John's, 1, Abbey Garden. CHURCHWARDENS. St. Margaret. Henry Arthur Hunt 45, Parliament Street George James Lough Lancelot Place, and 78, Brompton Road, Knightsbridge St. John. Michael Holman Bishop 2 & 3, Grosvenor Road Herman Olsen Hamborg 30, Great Smith Street OVERSEERS. St. Margaret. Joseph Browne Martin Victoria Mansions, 28, Victoria St. Henry Lovett Cameron 35, Montpelier Square St. John. Zephaniah Augustin Berry 16 & 18, Regency Street James Gibson 18, New Street, Vincent Square WARD No.l— ST. MARGARET. (Hamlet of Knightsbridge.) Retire in 1892 James Benjamin Barnes 1 & 2, Trevor Ter., Knightsbridge 1891 William Abel Birch 5, Middle Row „ 1893 Henry Lovett Cameron 35, Montpelier Square „ 1891 William Cleghorn 7, Montpelier Terrace „ 1891 Charles Thomas Cowley 3, Trevor Terrace ,, 1893 Sir Walter Eugene de Souza 35, Albert Hall Mansions „ Kt., L.C.C. 1892 James Charlton Humphreys Humphreys' Mansions, High Road, Knightsbridge 1892 John Kent 11, Middle Row, Knightsbi'idge 1893 Edward Lance 12, Middle Row, „ 1891 George James Lough Lancelot Place, and 78, Brompton Road, Knightsbridge 1892 Hon. Ashley George John 9, Prince's Gardens, Knightsbridge, Ponsonby, J.P. and Heatherfield, Ascot, Berks. 1892 William Sharp 29, Albert Gate, Knightsbridge 1891 Colonel John Barton Sterling . 4, South Place, Rutland Gate, Knightsbridge 1893 George William Tallents . 62, Ennismore Gardens, bridge 1893 David Verity 15, High Road, Knightsbridge viii. WARD No. 2—ST. MARGARET. 1893 Walter Balchin 81 & 82, York Street 1892 William Brindley 4, Stafford Place 1892 William John Cooper 21, Great Smith Street 1891 Edward Davis 86 to 90, York Street 1892 James Edwards 41½, York Street 1891 John Fergusson 180,Vanxhall Bridge Road 1891 John Willis King 8, Artillery Row 1892 Zephaniah King 171, Victoria Street 1891 Joseph Browne Martin Victoria Mansions, 28, Victoria Street 1893 William Mailes Power 83 & 84, York Street 1892 Walter Moseley Scudamore . 18, Great Chapel Street 1893 Major-Gen. Charles Alexander 8, James Street, Buckingham Gate Sim, M.L.S.B. 1893 Charles Spencer Smith United Westminster Schools, Palace Street 1893 William Swingler 3, Great Chapel Street 1891 Charles Wright 98, York Street WARD No. 3—ST. MARGARET. 1891 William Michael Adams Queen Anne's Mansions 1893 George Barber 26, Great Chapel Street 1892 James Brend Batten 32, Great George Street 1891 Thomas Bond, M.B., F.R.C.S. 7, The Sanctuary 1893 Walter Bonwick 22, Victoria Street 1891 Thomas Butler The Albert Hotel, 52, Victoria Street 1893 Solomon Hyman Cohen 32, Broadway 1893 John Hamblin 9, Princes Street 1891 Edwin Hearne 27, Great Chapel Street 1892 Julian Hill 8, Dean's Yard 1891 Edgar Home 17, Great George Street 1892 Thomas Langston, L.R.C.P., 29, Broadway M.R.C.S. 1893 Sir John Henry Puleston, M.P. 4, Whitehall Yard 1892 James Alexander Rentoul, 10a, Little Queen Street LL.D., M.P., L.C.C. 1892 William Edward Murray 3, Richmond Terrace Tomlinson, M.P. 1891 George Francis Trollope 15, Parliament Street 1892 Thomas John White 14, Parliament Street 1893 James Watson Wilkinson Royal Aquarium, Tothill Street WARD No. 1—ST. JOHN. 1891 Thomas Adams 1, Artillery Row 1893 James Alfred Armour 6, Rochester Row 1893 William Henry Baker 74, Vincent Square 1892 Henry William Budd 76, Vincent Square 1892 George John Chappie 163, Vauxhall Briddge Road 1893 Thomas John Cocks 68, Vincent Square ix 1891 Benjamin Francis Conn 40, Grosvenor Road Costelloe, M.A., B.Sc., L.C.C. 1891 Alexander FitzGerald 72, Millbank Street 1892 John Jacob Geisel 2, Churton Street 1893 James Gibson 18, New Street, Vincent Square 1893 Charles Honey sett 10, Little Tufton Street 1891 James Margrie 160, Vauxhall Bridge Road 1892 Thomas Rintoul 25, Artillery Row 1891 Harry Sherras 2, Regency Street 1892 Alfred Wright 4, Warwick Street WARD No. 2—ST. JOHN. 1893 John Ashby .122, Horseferry Road 1893 William John Bennett 4, Little Smith Street; and 39, Smith Street, King's Road, Chelsea 1891 Zephaniah Augustin Berry . 16 & 18, Regency Street 1892 John Coppen 2, 4, & 6, Wood Street; and Nor- manhurst, Ashford, Middlesex 1893 Thomas William Davies 61, Horseferry Road 1891 Herman Olsen Hamborg 30, Great Smith Street 1892 John Hayler .28, Marsham Street 1891 Thomas Holder 19, Marsham Street 1891 George Hollis -27, Horseferry Road 1892 Frederick Seager Hunt, M.P. 2 & 3, Grosvenor Road 1893 Myer Isaacs . 22 & 23, Smith Square 1893 James Lane . 110, Horseferry Road 1891 Charles Palmer 18, Millbank Street 1892 Edward Henry Smith 9, Strutton Ground 1893 Henry Smith .... 32, Lillington Street 1891 Harry Nelson Bowman Spink 3, Marsham Street 1892 Charles Stone 51, Strutton Ground 1892 Charles Wright 6 & 7, Grosvenor Road WARD No. 3—ST. JOHN. 1891 William Samuel Birch 68, Romney Street 1891 George Broughton 40, Vincent Square 1891 Thomas Horn 35, Vincent Square ; and Spring Lawn, 72, Tulse Hill, S.E. 1893 Robert William Jones 77, Vauxhall Bridge Road 1893 William Lewis Josephs 12, Moreton Street 1893 Henry Alfred Kingwell 131, Lillington Street 1892 Francis William Cooper Lambert 10, Bessborough Place 1891 Charles Christmas Piper . 30, Bessborough Gardens 1893 Richard Potts 32, Vauxhall Bridge Road 1891 Frederick Rose 45, Horseferry Road; and 33, Great Pulteney Street, W. 1892 Alfred James Saunders 50, Bessborough Street 1892 James Spanton 95 & 97, Regency Street 1N92 Charles David Steel . 12, Bessborough Place 1892 Christopher Sweeting 107, Regency Street 1893 William Alfred Charles Vincent 66 & 67, Grosvenor lioad X. AUDITORS. St. Margaret. Ward No. 1. George Frederick Danielli, 25, Montpelier Square, Knights bridge. „ 2. Robert Edwin Hemblington Goffin, Palace Street. „ 3. Thomas Bull, 29, Great Chapel Street. St. John. Ward No. 1. Henry Thomas White, 148, Yauxhall Bridge Road. ,, 2. Richard Morgan, 13, Marsham Street. ,, 3. Thomas Henry Hobbs, 131 and 133, Page Street. VESTRY CLERK TO THE UNITED PARISHES, AND TO THE PARISH OF ST. MARGARET. John Edward Smith, Vestry Offices, Town Hall, Caxton Street. VESTRY CLERK TO THE PARISH OF ST. JOHN. John R. L. Walmisley, S.S.C., 8, Old Jewry, E.C., and 15, Kemerton Road, Loughborough Junction, S.E. Applications relative to Church Notices, &c., to be made. St. Margaret's Church.—To Mr. Grimble (10, Page Street), at the Vestry Room of the Church, between 10 and 4 o'clock daily. St. Johns Church.—To Mr. Charles Aires, 33, Great Smith Street, Westminster. STATISTICS. Parishes. Acreage. Inhabited Houses 1881 Census. Population, 1881 Census. Rateable Value, Current Year. St. Margaret 604 2,595 24,430 562,165 St. John 211 3,610 35,496 203,841 United Parishes 815 6,205 59,926 £766,006 xi. STANDING COMMITTEES. FINANCE COMMITTEE. Chairman—Charles Christmas Piper. Vice-Chairman—Walter Moseley Scudamore. Ex-officio Members. Churchwarden Henry Arthur Hunt „ George James Lough Overseer Joseph Browne Martin „ Henry Lovett Cameron Churchwarden Michael Holman Bishop „ Herman Olsen Hamborg Overseer Zephaniah Augustin Berry „ James Gibson Elected Members. James Benjamin Barnes Solomon Hyman Cohen Walter Moseley Scudamorc Charles Spencer Smith Colonel John Barton Sterling William Swingler George William Tallents Charles Wright John Ashby William Henry Baker George John Chappie Thomas William Davies James Lane Charles Palmer Charles Christmas Piper Charles David Steel WORKS AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE. Chairman—Hon. Ashley G. J. Ponsonby, J.P Vice-Chairman—Thomas Horn, C.E. George Barber Thomas Butler Solomon Hyman Cohen Sir Walter de Souza, L.C.C. John Kent George James Lough Hon. Ashley G. J. Ponsonby, J.P. William Mailcs Power Maj.-Gen. Charles Alexander Sim William Swingler David Verity Charles Wright Henry William Budd George John Chappie Thomas John Cocks Herman Olsen Hamborg John Hayler Thomas Horn William Lewis Josephs James Margrie Charles Christmas Piper Henry Smith Harry Nelson Bowman Spink Charles Wright xii STREET CLEANSING AND SANITARY COMMITTEE. Chairman—Harry Nelson Bowman Spink. Vice-Chairmait—John Fergusson. Walter Balchin George Barber James Brend Batten Thomas Bond, M.B. William Brindley Thomas Butler John Fergusson Edwin Hearne Zephaniah KingThomas Langston, L.R.C.P. William Mailes Power James Watson Wilkinson John Ash by William Henry Baker Thomas John Cocks Thomas William Davies Herman Olsen Hamborg John Hayler William Lewis Josephs James Lane Henry Smith Harry Nelson Bowman Spink Charles David Steel Charles Stone PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE. Chairman—James Brend Batten. Vice-Chairman—Thomas Horn. James Brend Batten Sir Walter de Souza, L.C.C. John Fergusson Hon. Ashley G. J. Ponsonby, J.P. Walter Moseley Scudamore Maj.-Gen. Charles Alexander Sim George William Tallents George Francis Trollope David Verity Thomas Adams Michael Holman Bishop John Coppen Benjamin Francis Conn Costelloe, M.A., B.Sc., L.C.C. Thomas Horn Frederick Seager Hunt, M.P. Myer Isaacs Charles Palmer Charles Wright TOWN HALL MANAGEMENT. Churchwarden H. A. Hunt „ G. J. Lough Overseer J. Browne Martin „ H. L. Cameron Churchwarden M. H. Bishop „ H. O. Hamborg Overseer Z. A. Berry „ J. Gibson Members of the Vestry acting with the Churchwardens and Overseers in the management of the Town Hall Buildings :— William Henry Baker (Past Churchwarden John Kent (Past Overseer) Charles Christmas Piper (Past Churchwarden) Zephaniah King (Past Overseer) xiii. OFFICERS. Clerk to the Vestry—John Edward Smith. Solicitor—J. C. F. Warrington Rogers, 17, Victoria Street. Surveyor—G. R. Welby Wheeler, A.M.I.C.E. Medical Officer of Health—Barnard Holt, F.R.C.S., 14, SavileRow,W. Analyst—Dr. A. Dupre, F.R.S., Medical School, Caxton Street. Assistant Clerks—Francis Charles Long, Frederick A. Pratten. Office Clerks—Ernest William Heather, George Percy Warner Terry. Surveyor s Clerk—Edwin James Winsborrow. Junior Clerks—Walter Shadford Simpkin, William Henry Clark, William Henry Terry. Rate Collectors. St. Margaret. Ward. Name and Office. Times of Attendance. No. 1. (Knightsbridge) William Herbert Brand, 3, Trevor Square, Knightsbridge. Mondays, from 2 to 5 p.m., and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays Wednesdays, Fridays, 2 to 5 p.m. No. 2. John White, Town Hall, Palmer Street. Mondays irom l1 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 to 4 p.m. No. 2. William Briant, Town Hall, Palmer Street, Mondays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays from 2 to 4 p.m. St. John. Nos. 1 and 3. Thomas Edmund Kettle White, Town Hall, Palmer Street. Mondays from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. No. 2. William Edward Waterman, Town Hall, Palmer Street. Mondays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and 6 to 8 p.m. (No attendance on Bank Holidays.) Treasurer of the Vestry. Joseph Crosthwaite, Esq., London and County Banking Company, Limited, 173, Victoria Street, S.W. Inspectors of Nuisances and Sanitary Inspectors. St. Margaret's Parish.—Thomas Ashdown, 13d, Bloomburg Street. St. John's Parish.—Thomas George Dee, 17, Grosvenor Road. Inspector of Pavements, Dust Removal, and Street Cleansing ; also Inspector under the " Sale of Food and Drugs Acts." Thomas Lightfoot, 20, High Road, Knightsbridge. Forevian of Roads— Ambrose Lockett, The Store Yard, 65, Horseferry Road. Voreman of Sewers— John Sheppard, The Store Yard, 65, Horseferry Road. Hall Keeper—James Mason Barber, The Town Hall, Caxton Street. xiv. Hall Porter and Messenger—Samuel Townscnd, The Town Hall. First Assistant ditto—William Lawrie, ditto. Second Assistant ditto—Joseph Young, ditto. Mortuary Keeper—Henry White, 37, Millbank Street. Offices of the Vestry—Town Hall, Caxton Street, Westminster, S.W. Office Hours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. District Office—3, Trevor Square, Knightsbridge, S.W. THE PAROCHIAL CHARITIES. The administration of the Parochial Charities, as established by an Order of the Charity Commission, dated 31st May, 1889, is vested in "fourteen competent Trustees," as follows: — Two Ex-officio Trustees, the Rectors, for the time being, of the two Parishes of St. Margaret and St. John:— The Ven. Archdeacon Farrar, D.D., Rector of St. Margaret's. The Rev. Canon Furse, M.A., Rector of St. John's. Six Co-optative Trustees, appointed (in the first instance) by the Charity Commission, their term of office to expire in 1896 (i.e., seven years) :— Sir Rutherford Alcock, K.C.B., 14, Great Queen Street. William L. A. B. Burdett-Coutts, Esq. M.P., 1, Stratton Street. G. Taverner Miller, Esq., J.P., 7, Millbank Street. H. A. Hunt, Esq., 45, Parliament Street. Fredk. Rose, Esq., 45, Horseferry Road, and 33, Gt. Pulteney St.,W. G. Nicholls, Esq., 4, Wood Street. Six Representative Trustees, appointed by the Vestry on the 24th June, 1889, for five years, three representing St. Margarefs Parish, and three St. John's :— St. Margaret. G. J. Lough, Esq 78, Brompton Road. W. M. Scudamore, Esq 18, Great Chapel Street. C. Wright, Esq 98, York Street. St. John. M. H. Bishop, Esq 2 & 3, Grosvenor Road. H. O. Hamborg, Esq 30, Great Smith Street. C. C. Piper, Esq 30, Bessborough Gardens. COMMISSIONERS FOR PUBLIC LIBRARIES. William Henry Baker, 74, Vincent Square. Walter Bonwick, 22, Victoria Street. Herman Olsen Hamborg, 30, Great Smith Street. John Kent, 11, Middle Row, Knightsbridge. George James Lough, 78, Brompton Road. Frederick Rose, 33, Great Pulteney Street. Harry Nelson Bowman Spink, 3, Marsham Street. Charles Spencer Smith, Palmer Lodge, Palace Street. Richard Austwick Westbrook, 26, Bessborough Street, XV. Library and Offices—23, Great Smith Street, S.W. Branch Library—3, Trevor Square, Knightsbridge, S.W. Secretary and Librarian—Henry E. Poole. Library open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Commissioners meet on the third Monday in each month at 5 p.m. BURIAL BOARD. George Barber 26, Great Chapel Street Solomon Hyman Cohen 32, Broadway William Davis 48, Rochester Row William Lewis Josephs 12, Moreton Street John Kent 11, Middle Row, Knightsbridge Charles Christmas Piper 30, Bessborough Gardens Charles Stone 51, Strutton Ground William John Bennett 39, Smith Street, Chelsea Charles Wright 98, York Street Clerk—Russell Rogers (Solicitor), 13, Victoria Street, S.W. The Meetings of the Board are held as occasion requires. COMMISSIONERS OF PUBLIC BATHS & WASH-HOUSES. John Ashby 122, Horseferry Road Zephaniah Augustin Berry 16 & 18, Regency Street Herman Olsen Hamborg 30, Great Smith Street William Lewis Josephs 2, Moreton Street Charles Christmas Piper 30, Bessborough Gardens Maj.-Gen. Charles Alex. Sim 8, James St., Buckingham Gate George William Tallents 62,EnnismoreGdns.,Knightsbdge. Baths and Wash-houses—34, Great Smith Street. Clerk—Warrington Rogers (Solicitor), 17, Victoria Street. Superintendent—George Morley. The Commissioners meet on the first Wednesday in each month at the Board Room, Great Smith Street, at 5.45 o'clock p.m. The Bathing Department is open for Men, Women, and Children, from 6 in the morning until 9 o'clock at night, and on Saturdays until 10 o'clock at night. On Sundays from 6 30 until 9 in the morning only. Charges— 1st Class, warm, 6c/. ; cold, 3d. 2nd Class, warm, 2d. ; cold, 1 d. Each Bath is in a separate room, and the bather is provided with clean water and clean towels. There are separate entrances to Men's and Women's Baths. The Tepid Swimming Baths are open on the same days and during the same hours as the Bathing Department. Charges—1st Class, 4d. ; 2nd Class, 2d. The Washing, Drying, and Ironing Department is open, for Women only, daily (Sundays excepted) from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., at the following charges : under three hours—for each hour, 1 ½d. ; for each half-hour, or part of half-an-hour, 1 d. Over three hours—for each hour, 2d.; for each half-hour, or part of half-anhour, 1 d. Each woman engaged in washing has a place to herself, provided with as much clean water (hot and cold) as she requires, and steam for boiling the linen, a separate horse for drying the clothes, with the conveniences of ironing, the use of irons and ironing blankets, and a mangle. xvi. Saint Beorge's Union. Comprising the Parishes of St, George, Hanover Square, St. Margaret and St. John the Evangelist, and the Close of the, Collegiate Church of St. Peter, Westminster. Board of Guardians of the Poor for the year 1890-1. Hugh Horatio Seymour, Esq., J.P., Chairman. Colonel Francis Haygarth, First Vice-Chairman. Sir John Tilley, K.C.B., Second ,, Parish of St. George, Hanover Square. Dover Ward. Ogilvy, Col. Thos. Wedderburn 23, Grafton Street, Bond St., W. Conduit Ward. FitzRoy, Maj. Cavendish Chas. 48, Buckingham Palace Road, S.W. Grosvenor Ward. FitzRoy, Lt.Col. Lord Fredk. . 23, Grosvenor Street, W. Weir, William 38, South Audley St., Gros. Sq., AV. Brook Ward. Burden, Edward McMullen 37, Duke Street, Grosvenor Sq., W. Ellice, William 27, Upper Brook St., Gros. Sq., W. Curzon Ward. Anstruther, Dowager Lady 14, Hobart Place, Eaton Sq., S.W. Grimston, Major Walter John . 9, Queen Street. Mayfair, W. Knightsbridge Ward. Beckwith, Thomas Percival 14, Eaton Place, S.W. Berkeley, GrenvilleC.Lennox 7, Wilton Crescent, S.W. Haygarth, Colonel Francis 24, Wilton Crescent, S.W. Macdonald, Arthur Ramsay 10, Chester Street, S.W. Out Ward. Barry-Drew, Major-General 1, Eccleston Houses, St. George's Francis, C.B. Road, S.W. Blachford-Mansfield, Robert 74, AVarwick Square, S.AV. Butler, Thomas Dacres 11, Eccleston Square, S.W. Dovey, John12, Alderney Street, Pimlico, S.AV. Elkington, Surgeon-Gen. A. Guy 52, Gillingham Street, S.AV. Parishes of St. Margaret and St. John, Westminster. Saint Margaret Ward. Bramston, Georgin 1, Morpeth Ter., Victoria St., S.W. Fergusson, John 180, ATauxhall Bridge Road, S.AV Hill, Julian 8, Dean's Yard, AVestminster, S.W. Sim, Major-Gen, C. Alexander 8, James St.,BuckinghamGate,S.W. xvii. Knightsbridge Ward. Lawrie, Mary Eleanor 30, Albert Gate, SW. Verity, David 15, High Road, Knightsbridge, S.W Yorke, Captain the Hon. John 52, Rutland Gate, S.AY. Manners, R.N. Saint John Ward. Davis, William 48, Rochester Row, Westminster, S.W. Gibson, James 18, New Street, Vincent Sq., S.W. Margrie, James 160, Vauxhall Bridge Road, S.W. Piper, Charles Christmas 30, Bessborough Gardens. S.W. Twining, The Rev. William St. Stephen's Vicarage, Vincent Sq., Harry Graves S.W. Parish of the Close of the Collegiate Church of St. Peter, Westminster. Troutbeck, The Rev. John, D.D. 4, Dean's Yard, Westminster, S.W. Day of Meeting—Every Wednesday at 10.30 a.m. The following Noblemen and Gentlemen being Justices of the Peace for the County, and resident within the Union, are Ex-officio Members of this Board. Adeane, Rear-Admiral Edward C.M.G 28, Eaton Place, S.W. Alston, Sir Francis Beilby, K.C.M.G 69, Eccleston Square, S.W. Anderson, William Curling 35,Queen's Mans.,Victoria St.,S.W. Annesley, Col. The Hon. Algernon Sydney Arthur 57, Belgrave Road, S.W. Antrobus, Robert Craufurd 27, Eccleston Square, S.W. Baring, Thomas Charles, M.P 1, Grafton Street, W. Bartley, George Christopher Trout, M.P St. Margaret's House, Victoria St., S.W. Beaumont, John Augustus 15, Stratton Street, W. Borthwick, Sir Algernon, Bt., M.P 139, Piccadilly, W. Berners, Captain Hugh, R.N 12, Eaton Square, S.W. Boscawen, The Hon. Hugh 20, South Street, Park Lane, W. Bromley, Edward 12, Eccleston Square, S.AY. Bruce, Col. Robert, C.B 6, Warwick Square, S.W. Burt, George 19, Grosvenor Road, S.W. Cecil, Lieut.-Col. Lord Eustace 32, Eccleston Square, S.AV. Churchill, Lord Alfred Spcncer 16, Rutland Gate, S.AV. Clode, Matthew Charles, C.B 14, Ashley Place, Victoria St., S.AV. Colville of Culross,The Lord,K.T. 42, Eaton Place, S.AV. Craven, William George 26, Curzon Street, Mayfair, AY. Creyke, Ralph 28, Ennismore Gardens, S.AY. Cundy, Charles Fishlake 26, AVilton PI., Belgrave Sq., SW. B xviii. Deedes, Henry Charles 7, Queen Street, Mayfair, W . Dixon-Hartland, Fredk.I).,M.P. 14, Chesham Place, S.W . Ebury, The Lord 35, Park Street, Grosvenor Sq., W Edwards, Sir Henry 53, Berkeley Square, W . Foley, The Lord 7, Audley Sq., South Audley St., W Foley, The Hon. Fitzalan 7, Audley Square, W. Forster, Sir Chas., Bt., M.P. 38, Queen Anne's Gate, S.W . Forsyth, William, Q.C 61, Rutland Gate, S.W. Fox, Sir Charles Douglas 28, Victoria Street, S.W. France, George Flood 40, South Street, Park Lane, W. Goldsmid, Sir Julian, Bt., M.P. 105, Piccadilly, W. Greville, The Hon. Geo. Fredk. 4, Chester Square, S.W. Griffith, Henry 30, Prince's Gdns., Hyde Park, S.W. Grosvenor, The Hon. Algernon Henry 35, Park Street, Grosvenor Sq., W. Hall, Maj.-Gen. Julian Hamilton 90, Eaton Place, S.W. Hardcastle, Henry 38, Eaton Square, S.W. Hardman, Sir William 81, St. George's Road, S.W. Hardwick. Philip Charles 2, Hereford Gdns., Park Lane, W. Henry, Mitchell Stratheden House, Knightsbridge, S.W. Hillingdon, The Lord Camelford House, Park Lane, W. Hoare, Samuel, M.P 7, Hereford Gardens, Park Lane, W. Hobart, Robert Henry, C.B. 54, Chester Square, S.W. Howard, John Morgan, Q.C. 22, Gloucester St., Warwick Sq.,SW. James, Col. William Hill 7, Lowndes Street, S.W. Jersey, The Earl of 3, Great Stanhope St., Mayfair, W. Johnson, Edmund Charles 4, Eaton Place, Belgrave Sq., S.W. Kendall, Capt. Clarence Peter Trevelyan 6, Wilton Place, Belgrave Sq., S.W. Latham, Morton 23, Norfolk Street, Park Lane, W. Lucas, Arthur Charles 30, Wilton Crescent, S.W. Lucas, Sir Thomas, Bart. 1 2a, Kensington Palace Gardens, W. Lyon, Major William 1, Hill Street, W. Magheramorne, The Lord, K.C.B 17, Grosvenor Gardens, S.W. March, Thomas Charles Board of Green Cloth, Buckingham Palace, S.W. Marshall, James 37, Grosvenor Road, SW. Marsham, The Hon. Robert 5, Chesterfield Street, Mayfair, W. Medley, George Webb 21, Park Street, Park Lane, W. Melville, Beresford Valentine 36, Charles Street, Berkeley Sq.,W. Miller, George Taverner 7, Millbank Street, S.W. Milltown, The Earl of 2, Buckingham Gate, S.W. Montague, Samuel, M.P. 12, Kensington Palace Gdns., S.W. Moon, John Francis 33, Park Street, Grosvenor Sq., W. North, Col. The Rt. Hon. J. S. 16, Arlington Street, S.W. Otway, The Rt. Hon. Sir J., Bt. 34, Eaton Square, SW. Pender, Sir John, K.C.M.G. 18, Arlington Street, S.W. xix. Ponsonby, The Hon. A. G. J 9, Princes Gardens, S.W. Prendergast, Col. Lenox 22, Grosvenor Gardens, S.W Ralli, Pandeli 17, Belgrave Square, S.W. Salisbury, The Marquis of, K.G. 20, Arlington Street, S.W. Sanford, Col. H. Aysliford 55, Ennismore Gardens, S.W. Seymour, Hugh Horatio 30, Upper Brook Street, W. Shaw-Stewart, John Archibald.. 71, Eaton Place, S.W. Smith, The Rt. Hon. W. H., M.P 3, Grosvenor Place, S.W. Somerset, Admiral L. E. H. 44, Curzon Street, Mayfair, W. Spicer, Richard William 3, Chesham PL, Belgrave Sq., S.W Stapylton, H. E. Chetwynd 72, Warwick Square, S.W. Stern, Sydney James 10, Great Stanhope Street, W. Strafford, The Earl of, 79, Eaton Square, S.W. Talbot, John Gilbert, M.P. 10, Great George Street, S.AY. Taylor, General Sir R. C. H., K.C.B 16, Eaton Place, S.W. Tilley, Sir John, K.C.B. 73, St. George's Square, S.W. Trew, John Philip, D.L 29, Grosvenor Place, S.W. Truscott, Sir Francis Wyatt 123, Victoria Street, S.W. Tufnell, Thomas Robert 1, Whitehall Gardens, S.W. Tweedmouth, The Lord Brook House, Park Lane, W. Vincent, Lieut.-Col. C. E. H., C.B., M.P 1, Grosvenor Square, W. Waller, Frederick, Q.C 6, Chester Square, S.W. Walter, John 40, Upper Grosvenor Street, W. Waterfield, Ottiwell Charles 9, Bridge Street, Westminster, S.W. Waterlow, Walter Blandford 5, Storey's Gate, Westminster,S.W. Webster, Robert Grant, M.P 83, Belgrave Road, S.W. Westminster, The Duke of, K.G. 33, Upper Grosvenor Street, W. Worms, The Rt. Hon. Baron H. de, M.P 42, Grosvenor Place, S.W. Committees of the Board of Guardians, 1890-1. IXFIRMARV VISITING COMMITTEE. Mr. Seymour, Chairman. Dowager Lady Anstruther Mr. Beckwith Mr. Blachford-Mansfield Mr. Dovey Surgeon-Gen. Elkington Mr. Hardcastle Mr. Macdonald Mr. Piper Colonel Sanford Mr. Spicer Capt. The Hon. J.M. Yorke, R.N. Colonel James Meetings held at the Infirmary on Mondays at 3p.m. b 2 XX. BUCKINGHAM PALACE ROAD WORKHOUSEVISITING COMMITTEE. Mr. Seymour, Chairman. Maj.-Gen. F. Barry-Drew, C.B. Mr. Berkeley Miss Bramston Mr. Burden Mr. Butler Mr. Ellice Major Fitz-Roy Major Grimston Mr. Hardcastle Colonel Ogilvy Rev. Dr. Troutbeck Capt. The Hon. J. M. Yorke, R.N. Meetings held at the Workhouse on Tuesdays at 11 a.m. FULHAM ROAD WORKHOUSE—VISITING COMMITTEE. Sir John Tilley, K.C.B., Chairman. Rear-Admiral Adeane Col. The Hon. A. S. Annesley Mr. Beckwith Col. Bruce, C.B. Lord Eustace Cecil Mr. Deedes Mr. Hardcastle Mrs. Lawrie Mr. Macdonald Colonel Ogilvy Mr. Piper Mr. Spicer Meetings held at the Workhouse on Tuesdays at 2.30 p in. A and B DISTRICTS—RELIEF COMMITTEE Mr. Seymour, Chairman. Dowager Lady Anstruther Major.-Gen. F. Barry-Drew, C.B. Mr. Burden Mr. Butler Mr. Davis Mr. Ellice Surgeon-Gen. Elkington Major FitzRoy Major Grimston Mr. Macdonald Major-General Sim Capt. The Hon. J. M. Yorke, R.N Day of Weekly Meeting—Tuesday at 10.30) a.m. C, D, AND E DISTRICTS-RELIEF COMMITTEE. Sir John Tilley, K.C.B., Chairman. Mr. Blachford-Mansfield Mr. Davis Mr. Dovey M r. Fergusson Major FitzRoy Mr. Hardcastle Mr. Hill Mr. Macdonald Mr. Piper Rev. Dr. Troutbeck Rev. W. H. G. Twining Mr. Verity Day of Weekly Meeting—Thursday at 5 p.m. Both Relief Committees meet at the Buckingham Palace Road Workhouse, xxi. SCHOOLS AND ASYLUMS COMMITTEE. Col. Haygarth, Chairman. Rear-Admiral Adeane Major Grimston Col. The Hon. A. S. Annesley Mr. Hardcastle Mr. Blachford-Mansfield Mr. Hill Miss Bramston Mrs. Lawrie Mr. Butler Colonel Prendergast Mr. Dovey Mr. J. G. Talbot, M.P. Day of Meeting—The 2nd and 4th Thursdays in the Month, at 10.30 a.m., at the Union Offices, Mount Street. FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE. Mr. Seymour, Chairman. Mr. Beckwith Mr. Hill Mr. Burden Mr. Margrie Mr. Dovey Mr. Spicer Mr. Ellice Mr. Weir Mr. Fergusson Day of Meeting—The 1st and 3rd Wednesdays in the Month, after the rising of the Board. DISPENSARY COMMITTEE. Mr. Burden, Chairman. Miss Bramston Mr. Ellice Mr. Davis Major FitzRoy Surgeon-General Elkington Capt.The Hon. J. M. Yorke, R.N. Day of Meeting - Every alternate Tuesday at 128, Victoria Street, at about 11:15 a.m.—after the rising of the Buckingham Palace Road Workhouse Visiting Committee. The Chairman and two Vice-Chairmen of the Board are Members of all the above-mentioned Committees. ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE. (Comprising Four Ex-officio and Eight Elected Guardians). Mr. Seymour, Chairman. Rear-Admiral Adeane Mr. Piper Mr. Beckwith Mr. Spicer Mr. Blachford-Mansfield Major-General Sim Mr. Burden Mr. Verity Mr. Hardcastle Mr. Weir Mr. Macdonald Clerk to the Committee—Mr. Thomas Worlock. GUARDIANS on the JOINT COMMITTEE APPOINTED FOR THE VESTRY HALL AND OFFICES IN MOUNT STREET. Mr. Beckwith Mr. Fergusson Mr. Davis Mr. Seymour Sir John Tilley, K.C.B. xxii METROPOLITAN ASYLUM DISTRICT MANAGERS Appointed by the Guardians of the Union Bruce, Col Robert, CB Warwick Square, SW Macdonald, Arthur Ramsay 10, Chester Streot, SW Seymour, Hugh Horatio, .J.P 30, Uppor Brook Street, Tilley, Sir John, K.C.B, JP 71, St Goorge's Square, S.W. managers Resident in the Union. Nominated by the Local Government Board. Sir Vincent Hunter Harrington Kennett-Barrington, 65, Albert Hall Mansions Capt Sir Douglas Gallon, K.C.B, 12, Chester Street, Grosvenor Place, S.W. Henry Hardcastle, J.P, 38, Eaton Square, S.W. John Moyer Heathcote, 3, Park Place, St. James's Street, S.W. Mrs Mary Eleanor Lawrie, 30, Albert Gate, S.W. Albert Oslilff Rutson, 74, Eaton Square, S.W. David F Schloss, 8, Queen Anne's Gate, S.W. Edward Seaton, MD, 35, George Street, Hanover Square, W. Hon Maude A Stanley, 40, Dover Street, W. John (J Talbot, MP, 10, Great George Street, S.W. OUT-DOOR MEDICAL OFFICERS OF THE UNION No 1 District Adam R H Oakley, L.R.C.S., L.R.C.S, 2, Bennett Street, S.W. No 2 District Edward Lowe Webb, MD., St George's Road, S.W. No 3 District John Hunt, M.R.C.S., 1, St George's Square, S.W. No 4 District Robert J Hamill, M.D., 295, Vauxhall Bridge Road, S.W. DISPENSARY 128, Victoria Street, S.W.—Dispenser (Resident), Frederick Hearne RELIEVING OFFICERS A District (Part of St George's Parish and part of St Margaret's Parish)—John Wray, 2, Montpelier Terrace, S.W. Office—13, Avery Row, Brook Street, W. B District (Part of St George's Pariah and part of St. Marfarrt;s Parish)--, John West, 46, Westbourne Street, Pimlico, S.W. Office—181, Buckingham Palace Road, S.W. C District (Part of St George' s Parish and Part of St Margaret and St John, Westminster) —H. S Bonnott, 92, Grosvenor Road, S.W. Ollice—181, Buckingham Palace Road, S.W. xxiii. D District (Part of St. Margaret's Parish, and part of St. John's Parish and the Close of St. Peter)—E. J. Badderley, 32, Denbigh Street, S.W. Assistant, J. R. Bairstow. Office—67, Horseferry Road, S.W. E District (Part of St. Margaret's Parish and part of St. John's Parish) — Robert Boston Hannant. Residence and Office, 67, Horseferry Road, S.W. All applications for medical or other Relief should be made at the Relief Office of the District in which the applicant resides. WORKHOUSES. Buckingham Palace Road. Medical Officer—Robert J. Hamill, M.D. Master—F. E. Elkerton. Matron—Hannah Waterman. Fulham Road, West Brompton. Medical Officer—H. W. Webster, M.D. Master—George Cole. Matron—Louisa Cole. Fulham Road, West Brompton. INFIRMARY. Resident Medical Officer—H.W. Webster, M.D Resident Assistant Medical Officer — C. Pollard, Matron-M. A. Lock. [M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. Steward—J. H. Lock. Clerk to the Guardians—Mr. Thomas Worlock. Offices of the Hoard—St. George's Vestry Hall, Mount Street, W. Office hours, 10 to 5 ; Saturdays, 10 to 2. VACCINATION. Vaccination Officer—C. O. Elkerton, 19, Bessborough Street, Pimlico, S.W. Public Vaccinators. For the Wards of St. Margaret and St. John, Westminster— Dr. W. E. G. Pearse. Hours for Vaccination, every Tuesday morning from 10 to 12 o'clock, at the Western Dispensary, 38 and 40, Rochester Row, S.W. For the Knightsbridge Ward— Mr. Geo. Henry Pedler, 6, Trevor Terrace, Knightsbridge, S.W. Hour for Vaccination, every Friday, at 9 a.m. xxiv. Compulsory Vaccination Acts, 30 & 31 Vict., Cap. 84, and 34 & 35 Vict., Cap. 98. The above-mentioned Acts of Parliament render it necessary that every child born after the 1st day of January, 1868, must be vaccinated within three months after birth, or the father, mother, or guardian of such child will, in neglect thereof, subject themselves to a penalty of Twenty Shillings. Care should therefore be taken to have the child vaccinated within the prescribed time by the legally qualified Medical Attendant of the parents, or by the Public Vaccinator appointed for the District in which the child resides, where it will be done gratuitously, and duly certified; and care must also be taken to have the printed form of successful vaccination properly filled up by the party who vaccinates the child, and the certificate forthwith sent to the Vaccination Officer of the Sr. George's Union, Mr. C. O. Elkerton, 19, Bessborough Street, Pindico, S.W., to be registered, as the parties neglecting to do so will subject themselves to a similar penalty of Twenty Shillings. REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS, DEATHS, AND MARRIAGES. Superintendent Registrar for the District, Mr. Thomas Worlock. Register Office, St. George's Vestry Hall, Mount Street, W. Office Hours 10 to 4; Saturdays 10 to 1; except for Marriages, which must take place between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. At the Registrar Office Marriage Notices are taken and Licences granted; Marriages solemnised and certified copies supplied of any Birth, Death, or Marriage, which has been registered within the District since July, 1837, one set of Register Books of Marriages filled at the various churches in St. George, Hanover Square, and St. Margaret and St. John, Westminster, as well as those filled by the Registrars being in the custody of the Superintendent Registrar. Registrars of Marriages. Mr. Henry Tull, 87, Hugh Street, Pimlico, S.W. Mr. Frederick Hearne, 128, Victoria Street, S.W. Registrars of Births and Deaths. For the Sub-District of St. John, Dr. W. E. G. Pearse, 24, Bess- borough Gardens, S.W. Office Hours 9 a.m. to 12 noon. For the Sub-District of St. Margaret (including the Hamlet of Knightsbridge), Mr. Frederick Hearne, 128, Victoria Street, S.W. Office Hours, 9 to 10 am., and from 2 to 3 p.m. daily. All Births and Deaths must be registered by the Registrar of the Sub-District in which they occur. The parent of any child, or occupier of house in which birth took place who fails to give information of its birth within 42 days is liable to a penalty of Forty Shillings. In the case of a living new-born child found exposed information must be given within seven days. XXV. Births are registered in the presence of either parent within three months from birth without a fee; if accidentally delayed, over three months, and not exceeding twelve months, fee 5s. After twelve months a birth cannot be registered without the authority of the Registrar-General. The occupier of the house, or the person present at the birth is qualified to register. Deaths should be registered within five days and the medical certificate of the cause of death delivered to the Registrar. The informant should be the nearest relation, a person present at the death, or in attendance during the last illness of the deceased. DISTRICT SURVEYORS. To whom due notice must be given of all new buildings, additions, and other works requiring supervision, under the Metropolitan Buildings Act, 1855. St. Margaret (except the Hamlet of Knightsbridge) and St. John the Evangelist, and the Close of the Collegiate Church of St. Peter— Mr. E. D. Drury, 25, Queen Anne's Gate, S.AY. Office hours, 10 to 4. Knightsbridge— Mr. Alfred Williams, 17, Onslow Gardens, Brompton, S.W. Office hours, 10 to 4. POLICE. A Division, Stations, King Street, Hyde Park, and Rochester Roav. Mr. William Fisher, Superintendent. Police Court, Rochester Row, S.W. Magistrates—Louis C. T. d'Eyncourt, Esq., and Jas. Sheil, Esq. Chief Clerk—Mr. A. H. Safford. B Division, Stations—Gerald Road, Pimlico, S.W., and Walton Street, S.W. Mr. Charles W. Sheppard, Superintendent. The following are fixed points where police-constables are permanently stationed from 9 am to 1 a.m., viz.:— Albert Gate, Knightsbridge. Sloane Street, Knightsbridge. Victoria Street, Westminster, opposite National Penny Bank. Lambeth Bridge, near Horseferry Road. Broad Sanctuary, corner of Victoria Street and Broad Sanctuary. Bessborough Gardens, near Vauxhall Bridge. Smith Square, near St. John Street, Westminster. Horseferry Road, and Regency Place. Victoria Railway Station, Buckingham Palace Road. AVilton Road (entrance to Victoria Railwav Station, East Gates). Pont Street (at the corner of Sloane Street). Bridge Street, at foot crossing, Victoria Embankment. Buckingham Palace Road and James Street. A ictoria Street (centre of), at Railway Ventilator, opposite the Standard Music Hall. xxvi. FIRE ENGINE STATION. Howick Place, Victoria Street. Fire Escapes are also kept at this Station; at St. Peter's Church, Eaton Square; St. Gabriel's Church, Warwick Square; Knightsbridge Green; Regent Place, Horseferry Road; and at night-time in front of Westminster Hospital, Broad Sanctuary. Floating Fire Appliances are moored at the Old Pimlico Pier, Grosvenor Road, S.W, and by the Charing Cross Railway Bridge The nearest Fire Engine Station to the Knightsbridge Ward is at Relton Mews, Chapel Place, and Montpelier Street. GAS COMPANY. The Gas Light & Coke Company—Chief Office, Horseferry Rd., S.W. Secretary and General Manager—Mr. John Orwell Phillips. Distributing Engineer—Mr. Robert Harris. WATER COMPANIES. Chelsea Waterworks Company—Office, Commercial Road, Pimlico. Office Hours 10 to 5 o'clock. Secretary—Mr. Geo. Hy. Gill. Superintendent—Mr. Alfred Gregory. Surveyor—Mr. F. T. Husband. Turncocks and Assistants. Joseph Cotton, 25, Marsham Street, Westminster. William Roberts, 3, Great Smith Street, Westminster. Charles Harrison, 12, Montpelier Place, Brompton Road. George Hilton, 33, Vincent Street, Vincent Square. George Keem, 6, Rutland Street, Montpelier Square. John Querney, 34, Cobourg Row, Westminster Rewards are paid by the Company to persons who call Turncocks in case of fire. Grand Junction Waterworks Company—Offices, 65, South Molton Street, W. Office Hours, 10 to 4 o'clock. Secretary—Mr. Ernest Oswald Coe. West Middlesex Waterworks Company—Office, 19, Marylebone Road, adjoining Marylebone Church, N.W. Secretary—Mr. George Barton Hall Superintendent of Supplies—Mr. Walter Willis. Turncocks. James Butler 20, Kensington Court Place. John Adams, jun. District Inspector—Mr. R. A. Ellison Poysey, Kensington Place, Notting Hill Gate. CORONER. City and Liberties of Westminster—John Troutbeck, Esq., M.A., B.C.L., 11 Victoria Street, S.W. Deputy Coroner—Henry Ernest Barnes, Esq., 11, Victoria Street, S.W. Coroner's Officer—Tom Ralph, 17, Charlwood Place, Pimlico, SAY., to whom applications for Coroner's Inquests are to be made xxvii. WESTMINSTER COURT OF BURGESSES. Dean—The Very Rev. George Granville Bradley, D.D., Cloisters, Westminster, S.W. High Steward.—The Most Noble The Duke of Westminster, K.G., Grosvenor House, W. Deputy High Steward.—John Charles Thynne, Esq., 3, Little Cloisters, Westminster Abbey, S.W. High Bailiff.—Harry Wilmot Lee, Esq., The Sanctuary, Westminster, S.W. Deputy High Bailiff.— Montagu Turner, Esq., 22, Sackville Street, Piccadilly, W. Town Clerk.—Wm. Mann Trollope, Esq., 31, Abingdon Street, S.W. High Constable.— Robert Montague, Esq., 82, Vincent Square, S.W. Burgesses. 1 hos. Partington Scrivener, Esq. Robert Wm. Shipway, Esq. Edgar Horne, Esq George Francis Trollope, Esq. Robert Leonard Trollope, Esq. John Pullman, Esq John Mowlem Burt, Esq Henry Arthur Hunt, Esq James Wm. Harrison, Esq Arthur Cribb, Esq Robert Reed, Esq Frederick Rose, Esq Charles John Phillips, Esq Thos. John White, Esq Robert Collier Driver, Esq Henry Dunkley, Esq James St., Buckngm. Gate, S.W. 465, Oxford Street, W. 17, Great George Street, S.W. 15, Parliament Street, S.W. 15, Parliament Street, S.W. 17, Greek Street, Soho, W. Grosvenor Road, S.W. 45, Parliament Street, S.W. 45, St. Martin's Lane, W.C. 38, Soho Square, W. 51, Great Marlborough St., W. 33, Great Pulteney Street, W. 1, Grosvenor Road, S.AV. 14, Parliament Street, S.W. 4, AVhitehall, S. W. 15. Buckingham Palace Rd., S.W. Assistants. George Hayward Trollope, Esq. Robert Loav, Esq Thos. Francis Blackwell, Esq George Russell Rogers, Esq Cecil Reeves Harrison, Esq Edwd. England Pullman, Esq Chas. James Phillips, Esq William Edgar Horne, Esq Russell Selby Freeman, Esq Henry Roberts, Esq Charles William Driver, Esq Joseph Browne Martin, Esq G. D. Rose, Esq T. B. Miller, Esq H. H. Twining, Esq James Webber, Esq 15, Parliament Street, S. W. 29, Parliament Street, S. W. 21, Soho Square, W. 13, Victoria Street, S.W. 45, St. Martin's Lane, W. C. 17, Greek Street, Soho, W. 1, Grosvenor Road, S.A.V. 17, Great George Street, S. W. 66, Millbank Street, S.W. 2, Lower Grosvenor Place S.W. 4, AVhitehall, S.w. 28, Victoria Street, S. W. Great Pulteney Street, W. 12, Savile Row, W. 215, Strand, W.C. Covent Garden Market, W.C. xxviii. Crier and Mace Bearer—Robert Bird. Summoning Officer—Robert Bird. SURVEYOR OF TAXES. Mr. Frederick Blake, 15½, Parliament Street, S.W. Office Hours—10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. till 1 p.m. COLLECTORS OF TAXES. Mr. W. Cutbush, 27, Hill Street, Knightsbridge, S.W. ,, Edward Davis, 86 to 90, York Street, S.W. „ T. Foster, 5a, Cowley Street, S.W. ,, A. J. Hodges, 3, Little Queen Street, S.W. CLERK TO COMMISSIONERS OF TAXES. Mr. Warrington Rogers (Solicitor), 17, Victoria Street, S.W. SANITARY HINTS. Residents in this parish are earnestly requested not to deposit animal or vegetable refuse in their dust-bins, the decay of such matters causing offensive smells and injury to health. All such refuse being, after slight drying behind the fire, combustible in ordinary grates, may, and should be burned, small quantities being placed on the lire at a time. Dust-bins should bo provided with covers and be emptied at least once a week. Residents are further requested to keep their cisterns cleaned and covered ; to cleanse all sinks, drains, closets, traps, and urinals ; and especially to see that the bell-trap, where used, has a proper bell, and that all traps are filled with water. No cistern used for drinking purposes should be placed over a water-closet, and no waste-pipe should enter any drain. Water closets should have an independent supply of water. No drinking water should be kept exposed in a living room. All drains and soil pipes should be securely trapped with a syphon trap. Dust-bins, water-closets, and sinks should he frequently sprinkled with a disinfectant. At least 400 cubic feet of space are required for each adult, and 200 feet for a child, and all rooms should be properly ventilated. Notice should be immediately forwarded to the Inspectors of the existence of any case or cases of infectious disease, so that the necessary steps may be taken either for the removal of the patient or the disinfecting of the room, bedding, and clothes. Impure air and polluted water being fertile sources of disease, especially of typhoid fever, diarrlœa, &c., &c., the importance of observing the above recommendations and instructions is obvious. xxix. INFECTIOUS DISEASES. Persons suffering from fever, who are in a position to bear the expenses of their support, should apply at the London Fever Hospital, Liverpool Koad, Islington, where they can be accommodated on favourable terms. A carriage for the conveyance of fever patients is kept at the Hospital, and is sent at once for cases requiring admission, the only payment asked being for horse hire. For the accommodation of any inhabitants who may have to vacate their rooms during the progress of fumigation and cleansing after infectious disease, the Vestry have provided and furnished suitable rooms at Nos. 35 and 37, Millbank Street. The use of these rooms will be granted free of charge on application to the Inspectors. PREVENTION OF SMALL POX. The extreme importance of primary vaccination in infancy, and of re-vaccination at the age of puberty has been repeatedly testified on the highest possible authority, whenever the metropolis has been visited by epidemics of small-pox. The information gathered by the Metropolitan Asylums Board also affords such conclusive evidence of the protective powers of vaccination and re-vaccination, that an extract from the observations made by that Board during the epidemic of 1876-9 may be quoted with advantage to the residents in the parish. It was found— "That the per-centage of mortality upon the whole of the admissions to the hospitals under the care of the Managers, from the outbreak in 1876 until October 1879, was 17.6, and was at the rate of 8.8 per cent, of the vaccinated, and of no less than 44.4 per cent, of the unvaccinated. " That no case of small pox came within the cognisance of either of the Medical Superintendents of any person who had been efficiently vaccinated and successfully re-vaccinated. "That the nurses and servants employed from time to time at the various hospitals under the care of the Managers during the epidemic enjoyed almost absolute immunity from infection, and that the few (about half-a-dozen amongst nearly a thousand) who contracted the disease escaped re-vaccination before entering the wards." This powerful testimony is endorsed by the report of the Medical Superintendent of one of the London Small Pox Hospitals. Referring first to the cases in which the disease was of a malignant type, he showed that in 1881, 113 patients were admitted, of whom 105 died. The majority of these had never been vaccinated, and the remainder had been badly done, and bore very doubtful traces of the marks. Next he showed that the severity of the attack was generally in proportion to the imperfection of the vaccination—that among persons with good marks the attack was slight, where the marks were doubtful the cases were serious, and where no marks existed, the disease in many cases assumed a malignant form. The ex- XXX. perience among the official staff appears to have been none the less striking. Out of 295 members of the staff, 294 were vaccinated. Five only of those officials the one not vaccinated, and four others —took the disease, whereas in the fever hospitals 133 nurses had been attacked in a given period, and 25 had died. A reference to the compulsory provisions of the Vaccination Acts relating to infants has already been made at page 19. It now only remains to state the course to be adopted in the event of a person being found to be suffering from small pox. Take the earliest opportunity of satisfactorily isolating the sufferer and of having every person in the house re-vaccinated, unless recently done. If the accommodation in the house docs not admit of complete isolation, arrange at once for the removal of the patient to a hospital. If the friends arc unable to bear the expense (some five or six guineas) of a pay hospital, seek the assistance of the relieving officer, with a view to the removal of the sufferer to one of the establishments of the Metroplitan Asylums Board, where every necessary is provided. If expense does not enter into the consideration, persons suffering from small-pox may be admitted to the small-pox hospital at Highgate on payment of an admission fee of at least five guineas (to be paid at the time of admission); or, upon a letter of recommendation of a Member, at a reduced fee of three guineas, subject to there being, in the opinion of the Medical Officer, sufficient room in the hospital to receive patients. Applications for admission should be made to the Resident-Surgeon, Small-pox Hospital, Highgate Hill, Upper Holloway, N. Particulars as to Membership can be obtained from the Secretary, R. H. Wilkins, Esq., 19, King's Arms Yard, Coleman Street, E.C. Information with rcspect to the fumigation of bedding, &c., the disinfection of apartments, &c., may be obtained at the Office of the Vestry at the Town Hall, where also disinfectants may be obtained free of charge in urgent cases. METROPOLITAN ASYLUMS BOARD. AMBULANCE SERVICE. Removal of Perrons Suffering from Infectious Diseases. 1. Apply on week days, between 8.0 a.m. and 8 p.m., to the Chief Offices. Postal Address: Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, Strand, W.C. Telegraphic Address: Asylums Board, London. Telephone Number 2587. N B.—Applications in the latter part of the day must be dispatched in time to reach the Offices before 8 p.m. At Night between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m., and on Sundays, Christmas Day, and (Jood Friday, to the Ambulance Stations. Eastern Ambulance Station, Brooksby's Walk, Homerton, N.E. South-Eastern Ambulance Station, New Cross Road (near Old Kent Road Railway Station), S.E. Western Ambulance Station, Seagrave Road, Fulham, S.W. xxxi. 2. Removal to the Board's Hospitals :— (a) Only persons suffering from Smallpox, Fevers, or Diphtheria are admitted into the Board's Hospitals. (b) Every application must state the name, age, and full address of the patient, from what disease suffering, and in cases of fever the particular kind of fever; and also the name of the person making the application. (c) Unless a Medical Certificate be handed to the Ambulance Nurse the patient will not be removed. (d) Patients should leave all valuables, money, &c., and all outside clothing at home, should wear body linen only, and be wrapped in blankets provided for the purpose. (e) The Ambulance Nurse will leave, at the house from which the patient is removed, a notice stating the Hospital to which the patient is to be taken, and a copy of the regulations as to visiting, &c. 3. Conveyance to other places :— (a) Persons suffering from any dangerous infectious disorder may be conveyed by ambulance to places other than the Board's Hospitals. N.B.—Dangerous Infectious Disorders include the following: Smallpox, Cholera, Diphtheria, Membranous Croup, Erysipelas, Scarlatina or Scarlet Fever, Typhus, Typhoid, Enteric, Relapsing, Continued and Puerperal Fevers, and Measles. (b) Every application for an ambulance must state :— (i.) Name, sex, and age of patient. (ii.) Description of disease, and, in the case of fever, the particular kind of fever. (iii.) Full address from which the patient is to be conveyed. (iv.) Full address to which the patient is to be conveyed. (c) The patient must be provided with a Medical Certificate of the nature of the disease, to be handed to the Driver of the Ambulance. (d) The charge for the hire of the Ambulance, including (when the patient is over ten years of age) the services of a male attendant, is 5s. This amount must be paid to the Driver, who will give an official receipt for the same. (e) One person only will be allowed to accompany the patient, and such person may be conveyed back to the place from which the patient was conveyed. (f) The Ambulances may be sent outside the Metropolitan district only by special sanction of the Ambulance Committee or of the Clerk to the Board, and in such cases an extra charge will be made of Is. for every mile outside the Metropolitan area. xxxii. 4. The Drivers of the Board's Ambulances are not allowed to loiter on their journeys or to stop for refreshments on pain of instant dismissal. It is particularly requested that any breach of this regulation, or any neglect or incivility on t he part of the Drivers, Nurses, or Attendants may be immediately reported to the undersigned. The Servants of the Board are forbidden to accept any gratuities or refreshments. By Order, W. F. JEBB, Dated 16th December, 1889. Clerk to the Board. THE SPREAD OF FEVER. In very many cases of infectious fevers in London among the middle and upper classes there can be no complete isolation, and, consequently, no safeguard from the spread of fever to those in the same house as the patient. As scarlet fever is not only dangerous to life, but also entails a long quarantine of about six weeks, it will be acknowledged that complete isolation is most desirable. At the London Fever Hospital in the Liverpool Road, Islington, there are private rooms both for males and females, where the patients are under the care of gentlemen of high professional skill, and nurses who have been trained for their duty. Every requisite for the fever patient is afforded him, and he is kept in the Hospital until all traces of infection have disappeared. The charge, including everything, is only £3 3s. per week. Besides these private rooms there are many large well-ventilated wards. Into these are admitted domestic servants, employes, and others, the fee for the whole time the patient is in the Hospital being only £2 2s., and where the patient is unable to pay the fee, the amount is remitted, and in no case is a patient refused admission. Either the wards or private rooms of this Hospital are at all times available, and an ambulance is immediately dispatched for the patient, on receipt of a telegram, which is accompanied by a person accustomed to the duty, who is able to conduct the removal without risk or discomfort to the patient. MORTUARY, &c. The Westminster Vestry has temporarily provided, at the Premises, Nos. 35 and 37, Millbank Street, S.W., a place for the reception of dead bodies, not being those of paupers, with a room for post-mortem examinations. Application should be made to the person placed in charge upon the premises (H. White), or to the Sanitary Inspectors of the Vestry, of whom a copv of the regulations can be obtained, xxxiii. Acts of Parliament for Preventing the Adulteration or Food and Drink, and of Drugs. (23 and 24 Vict., cap. 84, and 35 and 36 Vict., cap. 74.) Appointment of Analyst. 1. In accordance with the provisions of the abovementioned Acts the United Vestry of St. Margaret and St. John, Westminster, have appointed Dr. Dupre, of the Laboratory of the Westminster Hospital, as the Analyst of all articles of Food, Drink, and Drugs purchased within the abovenamed parish. And of Sanitary Inspectors. 2. The Vestry have also appointed their Sanitary Inspectors as Inspectors under these Acts, who shall procure and submit samples of Articles of Food or Drink, or Drugs, suspected to be adulterated, to be analysed by the aforesaid Analyst; and on receiving a certificate stating that the articles in question are adulterated, shall take the necessary proceedings before the Justices as the Acts direct. Purchasers of articles may have them analysed 3. Any purchaser ot any article ot food or Drink, or Drug, within the said parish, is entitled to take the same to either of the Inspectors, one of whom will attend at the Vestry Offices, the Town Hall, Caxton Street, or No. 3, Trevor Square, Knightsbridge, daily, at half-past 10 o'clock, and on payment to him of a sum of two shillings and sixpence shall have such article analysed by the Analyst, and shall receive from him a certificate of the result of his analysis, specifying whether, in his opinion, such article is adulterated, and also whether it is so adulterated as to be injurious to the health of persons eating or drinking the same; and such certificate, duly signed by the Analyst, shall, in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, be sufficient evidence of the matter therein certified, and the sum paid for the certificate shall be deemed part of the costs. Protection against articles being tampered with. 4. in case of proceedings before the Justices, the purchaser shall prove to the satisfaction of such justices that the seller of the article, or his servants, had such notice of the intention of the purchaser to have it analysed, and such opportunity of accompanying the purchaser to an Inspector, as the Justices shall think reasonable, in order to secure such article from being tampered with by the purchaser. On complaint to Inspector printed forms to be filled up by purchasers. 5. for the purpose of facilitating the execution of these Acts, a printed form will be provided at the Offices of the Vestry, which any purchaser of any article suspected to be adulterated may fill up, and thereupon one of the Inspectors shall take the necessary proceedings. Penalties for adulterating, as recited in Sees. 1 & 2 of the Act 35 & 36 Vict. 6. Every person who wilfully admixes or cause others to admix with any article of Food or Drink any injurious or poisonous ingredient for the purpose of adulterating it for sale, and every person who wilfully admixes, or causes others to admix, any ingredient or material with any Drug to adulterate it for sale, shall for the first C xxxiv. offence forfeit and pay a penalty not exceeding Fifty Pounds together with the costs attending such conviction, and for the second offence shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and be imprisoned for a period not exceeding six calendar months, with hard labour. Penalty for selling adulterated articles as recited in Sec.2 of the Act 35 & 36 Vict. 7. And every person who snail sell any article of Food or Drink with which, to the knowledge of such person, any ingredient or material injurious to health has been mixed, and every person Who shall sell as unadulterated any article of Food or Drink, or any Drug which is adulterated, shall for every such offence, on a summary conviction of the same, forfeit and pay a penalty not exceeding Twenty pounds, together with the costs thereof; and if any person so convicted shall afterwards commit the like offence, the Justices shall cause the offender's name, place of abode, and offence to he published, at the expense of the offender in such newspaper or in such other manner as the said Justices shall deem desirable. Mixtures that increase weight or hulk of articles are adulterations. b. And any person who shall sell any article of food or Drink, or any Drug, knowing the same to have been mixed with any other substance with intent fraudulently to increase its weight or bulk, and who shall not declare such admixture to any purchaser thereof before delivering the same, shall be deemed to have sold an adulterated article of Food, or Drink, or Drug, as the case may be, under the Act. COUNTY MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT. The Right Hon. Lord George Francis Hamilton, 17, Montague Street, Portman Square, W. James Bigwood, Esq., Carlton Club, S.W. BOROUGH MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT. Westminster. William Lehman Ashmead-Bartlett Burdett-Coutts, Esq., 1, Stratton Street, Piccadilly. LONDON COUNTY COUNCIL. Electoral Division of Westminster. Sir Walter Eugene de Souza, Kt., 35, Albert Hall Mansions Vernon James Watney, Esq., M.A., 90, Piccadilly. XXXV. SCHOOL BOARD FOR LONDON. Offices—Victoria Embankment, W.C. Clerk—Mr. G. H. Croad, B.A. LOCAL MEMBERS. Rev. A. Gerald Bowman, M.A., The Vicarage, Kennington Oval, S.E. William Winnett, Esq., 73, Wardour Street, W. General Sim, 8, James Street, Buckingham Gate, Westminster, S.W. [Two vacancies.] Superintendent of Visitors, Westminster Division—Mr. F. J. Murray, 16, Craven Street, Strand, W.C. Official Correspondent of Schools in Westminster Division— Mr. G. Plucknett, 20, Northwood Road, Archway Road, Highgate, N. MANAGERS OF THE BOARD SCHOOLS IN THE PARISH OF ST. MARGARET & ST. JOHN, WESTMINSTER. HORSEFERRY ROAD, WESTMINSTER, Mr. H. N. Bowman Spink (Chairman) Ordinary Manager, 3, Marsham Street Mr. J. K. Aston 3, Dean's Yard. Westminster Barrister-at-Law. Mr. Lawrence Hearne 70, Grosvenor Road, Pimlico House Agent. Mr. William Richards 42, Tachbrook Street, S.W Stationer. Rev. W. B. Trevelyan, M.A. 40, Great Smith Street, S.W. Vicar of St. Matthews. Rev. Chas. W. Furse, M.A. 1, Abbey Garden, Great College Street, Westminster, S.W. Canon of Westminster & Rector of St. John's. Mr. Alfred Wright 4, Warwick Street, S.W Tea Dealer. Mrs. E. Hill 8, Dean's Yd., Westminster, S.W. No Occupation. Lady Emily Pepys 75, Victoria St., Westminster, S.W. Do. Miss Jane H. Eccles 3, Dean's Yd., Westminster, S.W. Do. Rev. Jas. Macarthur, M.A St. Marys Vicarage, Vincent Square, S.W. Clergyman. JAMES STREET, BUCKINGHAM GATE Mr. D. Welby (Chairman) Clapham Common, West Side Gentleman. Mr. J. Fergusson 180, Vauxhall Bridge Rd., S.W. Tailor. Mr. G. Holbrook 8. Tothill Street. Westminster Tea Dealer. Mr. H. M. Just 104, .fmborough Road, West Brompton, S.W. Clerk in Colonial Office Miss G. Holland 72, Brook Street, W Occupation not std. Miss Parker 22, Brunswick Gardens, Kensington Do. Mrs. Pocock Chansnolme, ralace Koad, Streatham Hill, S.W. Do. Mr. w. h. pendlebury 68, negency street, S. W. Oil and Colourman Mr. William Mailes Power 83 and 84, York Street, S.W Carver and Gilder. Mr. John Anderson Colonial Office, Whitehall, S.W. Clerk in Colonial Office. Mrs. Adelaide G.G.Sim Hon. and Rev. John Stafford Northcote 8, James Street, Buckingham Gate, S.W. 30, Ashley Place, S.W, Occupation not stated. Vicar of the Parish (St. Andrew's) The Vestry Of The United parish of st. Margaret and st. John the Ebangelist, Westminster. ANNUAL REPORT For the Year ended Lady-day, 1800. IN a report presented to the United Vestries in November, 1876, the Finance Committee stated that "it must be "apparent to every one who has considered the subject that "the present mode of conducting the parochial business is "not only very costly, but very circuitous and unsatis"factory. By a judicious consolidation it is believed that "much time will personally be saved to the Members of the "Local Authorities; and also by consolidation greater "efficiency would be obtained in the executive, uniformity "in the accounts secured, business more promptly des"patched, economy promoted, the rates more speedily "collected, losses avoided, and interest on outstanding "moneys saved." All that was accomplished towards reaching so desirable a standard, however, was the union of the then separate offices of vestry clerk and clerk to the District Board. It was left for the public spirit of the local administrators of 1887, with the assistance of Parliament, to complete all that had been foreshadowed eleven years previously. The transition from the old to the new system having taken place—and taken place, it may be said, without the slightest suspension, impediment, or other inconvenience—it may safely be left for the verdict of the ratepayers as to whether the advantages expected from the much-needed simplification and consolidation have been realised. The steps taken to secure these advantages were D 2 recited at considerable length two years ago, in the ThirtySecond (and last) Annual Report of the Board of Works for the Westminster District, at pp. -9 to 35. After so recent a recital nothing more need be said here than that the union of the two parishes of St. Margaret and St. John the Evangelist for purposes of civil administration, which took place in 1752, was confirmed in 1855, and was rendered more complete by the Amending Act of 1887, by which it was declared that the two parishes were henceforth to be considered as "one parish." The word "parish" as hereafter used is therefore intended to refer to the entire area over which the powers of the Vestry extend, including the detached ward or "hamlet" of Knightsbridge. For the information of the parishioners, and in conformity with the requirements of the 198th section of the principal Act governing. its proceedings, the Vestry has to publish an epitome of its proceedings during the twelve months ended on the 25th March, 1890, being the second year of the administration of the Vestry as incorporated by the Act of 1887, the thirty-fourth year under the Metropolis Local Management Act of 1855, and the three hundred and fifth* (at least) year of its existence. The epitome is supplemented by the reports of the medical officer of health and the surveyor, together with copies of the financial statements as certified by the auditors, and numerous statistical tables and summaries relating to the business of the year. THE WARD ELECTIONS. After the publication of the statutory notices, the elections in the six Wards into which the parish is divided, to fill the vacancies caused by one-third of the members going * The earliest "minute book" of the Vestry dates from 1585. The exact date of the constitution of the Vestry cannot be ascertained with certainty; it was probably between 1561 and 1585. 3 out of office by effluxion of time, took place on Wednesday, 22nd May The Churchwardens, who are the returning officers for the purposes of the elections, returned the following gentlemen as having been duly elected St Margaret Ward No 1 (Knightsbridge) Mr, J B Barnes Mr J Kent Hon A G J Ponsonby, J P Mr W Sharp Mr J C Humphreys Ward No 2 Mr W J Cooper Mr Z King Mr W M Scudamore Mr W Brindley Mr J Edwards Ward No 3 Mr J B Batten Mr W E M Tomlinson, MP Mr T J White Mr J W Hiscox Mr T Langston, LRCP Mr J Hill St John Ward No 1 Mr G J Chappie Mr J J Geisel Mr T Rintoul Mr A Wright Mr H W Budd Ward No 2 Mr J Coppen Mr J Hayler Mr F Seager Hunt, MP Mr C Stone Mr C Wright Mr E H Smith Ward No 3 Mr F W C Lambert Mr C Sweeting Mr J Spanton Mr C D Steel Mr A J Saunders These gentlemen were all elected for three years In Ward 3 of St John, Mr G Broughton was chosen to fill a vacancy until 1891, and Mr W A C Vincent to serve until 1890 In Ward 2 of St John, Mr H Sherras was chosen to till a vacancy until 1891 Eight new members (Messrs Brindley, Edwards, Budd Sherras, E H Smith, Spanton, Saunders, and Vincent) were thus introduced D 2 4 The six auditors of accounts chosen by the parishioners were:— Ward 1, St Margaret Mr R T Lewis Ward 2 „ ,, R E H Goffin Ward 3 „ „ T Bull Ward 1, St John „ H T White Ward 2 „ „ R Morgan Ward 3 „ „ T H Hobbs The expenses incurred in the six wards amounted to £12 15s 6d, there being no poll in any of the wards The Presiding Officer at one of the Wards having declined to receive the nomination of a parishioner on the ground that he did not possess the occupier's qualification prescribed by the statute, the following motion was submitted to the Vestry thereon shortly afterwards:— That the Churchwardens, as Returning Officers at Vestry Elections, be requested to take the opinion of Counsel on the questions:— (a) Whether a person occupying property below the qualifying amount (ie £40 in Westminster) and rated to the Poor in addition in respect of other premises not in his occupation, is capable of being elected, and of acting as Vestryman or Auditor (b) Whether it is within the province of the Presiding Officer to satisfy himself before putting the names to the vote that the persons nominated at the Ward Election over which he presides are duly qualified, and that the expense be defrayed by the Vestry The solicitor having advised the Vestry, the motion was lost by 32 votes to 5 During the year under review two seats have become vacant, one by the death of Mr John Burman in June, and one by the resignation of Mr John H Pugh, BA, MRCS, on his removal from the parish in January vote of At the Vestry meeting on 26th June the death condolence of Mr John Burman, one of the oldest members, was announced The following resolution was thereupon 5 Unanimously passed and duly transmitted in a letter of condolence to the widow and family of the deceased:— That this Vestry record the unfeigned regret with which they receive the anouncement of the decease of Mr John Burman, who for upwards of thirty years took a keen interest in the welfare of these parishes, and who, by his assiduous attention and invariable courtesy had gained the respect and esteem of the whole Vestry Votes of regret On the withdrawal of Mr Frederick Rose from his position on the Finance and Parliamentary Committees, the Vestry passed a resolution recording their sincere regret at the loss of his valuable assistance A similar resolution was passed in January on the resignation of Dr Pugh of his seat upon the Vestry and the Works and Sanitary Committees Votes of Thanks Votes of thanks were accorded by the Vestry during the year as follows :— To Mr Burdett-Coutts, the Member for the Borough, for his valuable and successful services in the interests of this parish and the public generally, in introducing and conducting through Parliament the Bill for the rating of Advertising Stations To Mr F Seager Hunt, MP, for his active and assiduous co-operation with Mr Burdett-Coutts in the above matter To the Rt Hon Lord Zouche of Harryngworth, for the public service rendered by him in the House of Lords in connection with the same Bill To Mr S H Cohen, for the bust of himself in terra-cotta, presented to the Vestry To Sir Walter de Souza, Kt, one of the Members of the London County Couucil for Westminster, for the information forwarded by him of the proceedings of the Council, and for his watchful care of the Vestry's interests in the matter of the proposed improvement between Alexandra Gate and Queen's Gate To the Vestry Clerk, in connection with the Bill for the rating of Advertising Stations, and in reference to the compilation of "Notes on the Local Government of Westminster from PreReformation Times to the Present Day," incorporated with the first Annual Report of the Vestry as re-constituted 6 Attendances of Members A return showing the number of attendances of members, and the number of meetings to which they were summoned is given as an Appendix hereto (No 1) The period comprised therein commenced with the 12th June, 1889, and ended with the 10th May, 1890 APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES At the first meeting of the Vestry after its re-constitution, the four Standing Committees were appointed For the sixteen seats on the Finance Committee, of which the Churchwardens and Overseers for the time being are ex officio Members, there were twenty three nominations; for election upon the Works and General Purposes Committee, which consists of twenty four Members, there were forty-two nominations; thirty-five names were proposed for appointment to the twenty-four seats on the Street Cleansing and Sanitary Committee, and twenty-three names were put to the vote for the eighteen seats upon the Parliamentary Committee As the names of the Members chosen have already been given at pages xi and xii, their repetition here is unnecessary It may be stated that the regulations governing these appointments afford every Member of the Vestry an equal opportunity of nomination upon any two of the Committees on which he would like to sit No Member is eligible for seats on more than two Committees, and provision is made by the standing orders of the Vestry for an equal apportionment of seats on all Committees between the two parishes THE FINANCE COMMITTEE Mr C C Piper and Mr W M Scudamore were re-elected as Chairman and Vice Chairman respectively of this Committee The duties devolving upon the Committee since the dissolution of the District Board of Works may be said to have doubled, for under the former system such 7 duties pertained almost exclusively to the collection of rates and the provision of funds for disbursement by the District Board through its own Finance Committee, whereas under the new regime the examination and passing of every item of expenditure as well as all the details of the collection, are subject to the supervision of the one Committee By the resolution of the Vestries on 1st July, 1869, whereby the duties of the Committee are to some extent defined, extensive powers are entrusted to them in relation to the recovery of rates They have, nevertheless, submitted reports thereon for the information and approval of the Vestrv from time to time Summons Fees In November the Committee investigated the system of crediting to the Vestry's account the sums received by the Collectors on account of summons fees, and submitted the following report to the Vestry thereon :— On the 28th March last the vestry clerk presented a short report to the Committee stating that he had observed a want of uniformity on the part of the collectors in the method of crediting to the Vestry's General Rate Account the amounts received in respect of summons fees The Committee thereupon referred the matter to a Sub-Committee for investigation, and have since received and adopted the following report thereon:— The Sub-Committee appointed by the foregoing resolution have to report that they have met twice to investigate the circumstances referred to them, and that they have seen the collectors and questioned them thereon The Vestry Clerk has submitted to us the minutes of the Vestries on the 5th November, 1878, when the Vestries ordered that "all fees received for summonses and warrants be paid by the collectors to the bankers of the Vestry" It was at the same time resolved "That no allowance be made to the vestry clerk or collectors in respect of fees received for summonses and warrants, but that the sum of twelve guineas per annum be paid to the clerk to the Local Justices as an acknowledgment of the services rendered by him upon the hearing of the cases since the Vestry have received the fees for summonses" 8 Your Sub-Committee find that the sums paid to the credit of the Vestry in respect of summons fees have been as under:— Year ended at Lady-Day Collectors Mr A Aldin Mr J White Mr C Richardson Mr W Briant Mr T E K White Mr W E Waterman £ s d £ s d £ s d £ s d £ s d £ s d 1881 5 2 0 1882 9 1 0 3 8 0 1888 2 7 0 1884 7 11 0 1 7 0 3 3 11 1 13 4 1885 188(3 1 15 0 2 15 8 1 15 0 1887 1888 1 7 0 6 4 8 2 18 4 1889 5 2 8 1 4 8 Total 16 12 0 8 17 0 1 7 0 22 8 11 7 11 4 For each of these years the sum of £12 12s 0d was paid to the clerk to the Justices byway of " gratuity for the services rendered by him upon the hearing of the cases," and £1 0s 0d to the court keeper of the Sessions House for preparing the room Your Sub-Committee find that when the accounts for 1882-3 and 1883-4 were examined by the Chartered Accountants and the Elected Auditors in 1885, the following references were made to the subject of summons fees:— Chartered Accountants' Report, dated 29th April, 1885 There does not appear to be any check upon these; the collectors sometimes allowing the amounts and not being called upon to state from whom they have received them, and who have been excused the payment It is the system in some parishes to have special receipts for these summonses Elected Auditors' Report, dated 8th July, 1885 Whilst fully recognising the desirability of instituting a check upon the accounts in this particular, we venture to suggest that serious inconveniences might be found to arise by the withdrawal from the collectors of the discretionary power, in certain cases, of remitting or allowing the cost of summonses with which they are now entrusted, and which they are not shown to have exercised 9 injudiciously So long as this discretion is vested in them we think their word must be taken; the only check would be, so far as we can see, a personal inquiry of the parties to whom the allowance was made A register of summonses is kept by each collector, in which is entered the individual cases in which the charges for summonses are recovered or allowed ; but to test the correctness of these entries, as above stated, it would be necessary to make a personal enquiry in each case Your Sub-Committee have been supplied by the collectors with the information below in respect of the year ended at Lady-Day last:— COLLECTOR No of Summonses Served No of Distress W arrants obtained No of Distress Warrants levied No of cases in which Summons Fee of 1/- was recovered Amount of Fees recovered £ s d Mr Aldin 141 24 16 89 4 9 0 ,, J White 77 13 5 18 0 18 0 ,, Briant 51 10 10 25 1 5 0 „ T EKWhite 360 125 53 158 7 18 0 ,, Waterman 110 51 10 42 2 2 0 Total 739 223 94 332 £16 12 0 It appears that in many cases of undoubted poverty in which summonses are necessarily issued, the collectors accept the rates when offered, without enforcing the fee of 1s 4d for the summons The 4d due to the broker for service in these cases is paid out of the fees of 1s 4d each recovered with the rates in the other cases of default, from which fees, also, the broker's charge of 8d for each levy of distress is paid After making these payments, the balance of the fees received is paid to the Vestry's credit In Wards Nos 1 and 3, St Margaret, these balances are stated to have been very small As the result of our enquiry your Sub-Committee submit:— (a) That it is not desirable to insist upon payment of the summons fee in every case, nor to disturb the discretion exercised by the collectors (b) That an improvement in the system might be effected by requiring the collectors to pay to the 10 treasurer, every Saturday, the total sum received during the week in respect of summons fees, keeping the same clearly distinguished on the credit slip from the rates (c) That the broker send in an account to the Vestry, every month, of the fees due to him for summonses and levies, the same to be paid by the Finance Committee after being checked by the collectors and the vestry clerk Dated this 21th day of October, 1889 (Signed) C C PIPER, Chairman T W DAVIES J BROWNE-MARTIN W M SCUDAMORE ZEPH KING The Committee recommend that the foregoing suggestions (a), (6), and (c) be approved and adopted, and be communicated in writing to each of the collectors These recommendations were approved and adopted by the Vestry In June the Committee received from the Vestry Clerk, and submitted to the Vestry the following report in relation to the collection of the Poor Rate for the year ended at the preceding Lady-Day :— It is due to your Committee, as it is just to the collectors, that the result of the Poor Law Audit which took place last Friday should be reported, since the observations of the Auditor were due to the instructions issued by your Committee last June, on the recommendation of the Overseers upon the Audit then completed, and to the fidelity with which those instructions have been carried out by the collectors Out of the £'53,359 collected in the year, £27,396 were received in the first six months, while the " recoverable arrears" were less at Lady-Day, when the rate was balanced, by £24:5 than last year The Auditor referring to these conditions, publicly complimented the collectors on the standard of efficiency their work had now reached reached The figures hereunder given illustrate to some extent the improvement to which reference was made :— year Rate and Additions Irrecoverable Percentage of Irrecoverable Amount of Recoverable Arrears £ £ £ 1885-6 72,860 3,494 4.9 648 1886-7 72,395 4,685 6.45 454 1887-8 61,218 3,175 5.18 368 1888-9 61,621 2,894 4.69 123 Work of the Collectors 11 Resignation of a Collector. On 18th November a letter was submitted to the Vestry from Mr. Alfred Aldin, the Rate Collector for Ward No. 1 of St. Margaret (Knightsbridge) referring to the recent loss of his wife and to his continued ill-health, and respectfully requesting the Vestry, in consideration of his forty-four years' service, to grant him a retiring allowance upon his resigning his office. This letter was referred to the Finance Committee for consideration and report. After duly weighing all the circumstances the Committee recommended that Mr. Aldin's resignation be accepted and that a retiring allowance of £160, to be charged in moieties upon the Poor and General Rates, be granted him, which was adopted by the Vestry by 32 votes to 10 on a division. On the acceptance of the resignation the Committee, after causing advertisements to be issued inviting applications from candidates for the vacancy, sent up four selected from among the applicants to the Vestry for appointment. The ballot resulted in the choice of Mr. \V. H. Brand, a clerk in the Vestry's office. All vacancies and other matters affecting; the office staff being, by the 31st Bye-law, placed under the supervision of the Finance Committee, they have been called upon to give attention to that branch of their business several times during the year. In May, Ernest A. Webb, one of the junior office clerks, tendered his resignation. The Committee nominated George Morgan, office youth, for promotion to the vacancy, which the Vestry assented to. E. G. Waldock was thereupon engaged as boy messenger to succeed George Morgan. In November, the Committee caused an investigation to be made of the office work in the vestry clerk's and the surveyor's departments, the result of which was reported to the Vestry in due course. This report proposed the advancement of Mr. Terry from the status of junior clerk to that of office clerk, the engagement of an additional junior clerk in the general office, and the The Office Staff. 12 appointment of a clerk in the surveyor's department, which propositions were adopted by the Vestry. The duty of advertising for candidates and of selecting four for each office then devolved upon the Committee. On the withdrawal of George Morgan in December, the Committee recommended George W. Small for appointment to the vacancy, to which the Vestry agreed; and on the vacant rate-collectorship being filled by the advancement of Mr. Brand, one of the office clerks, the recommendations of the Committee that Mr. Terry should succeed to the position vacated by Mr. Brand, that W. H. Clark, one of the juniors, should take that vacated by Mr. Terry, and that a youth should be engaged in W.H. Clark's place, were adopted by the Vestry. Advertisements were issued for candidates for the last named position, four candidates being selected and sent up for the choice of the Vestry on 20th March. With a view to provide for the payment of the cost of certain new works about to be executed in wood-paving and asphalte, the Committee recommended that application be made to the London County Council for authority to borrow, and for the advance of £1,800 for wood-paving work, and of £1,800 for asphalte. The application was, in the first instance, granted, subject to the period of repayment being diminished to four years for the former and to five years for the latter class of work. When the draft mortgages were received from the London County Council, however, they were accompanied by a form of statutory declaration, to be made by the Vestry Clerk, that the Vestry had no funds in hand available for the purpose for which the loans were required. The Committee were aware that at this time the Vestry had on deposit £124 10s. 6d., balance of the last loan for wood paving, and £.398 12s 8d,., surplus of the last loan for asphalte works. They explained to the County Council Negotiations for Loans. 13 that the first-named sum would be absorbed by payment of the retention money due under the contract, and that the latter would be applied towards the cost of laying asphalte in a carriageway not included in the detailed estimate sent to the County Council ; and they directed the vestry clerk to make the required declaration subject to that explanation In due course notice was received of the "settlement” but it was accompanied by a statement that the cheque for £1,800 for asphalte works would only be handed over in exchange for the Vestry's cheque for £398 12s 8d, the amount of the above-named surplus To this unprecedented proposal the Committee replied that if the amount were returned, a new loan in its place would be necessary They also pointed out that the condition was imposed without any suggestion as to the manner in which credit for the return would be given, or as to the effect upon the interest secured by the mortgage deed; but no solution of these difficulties was offered The Committee thereupon communicated with the contractors by whom the work had been executed, and subsequently recommended that the contemplated loan of £1,800 be abandoned, and that the offer of the Limmer Asphalte Company to accept payment in four equal instalments, the first forthwith, and three at intervals of twelve months each, with interest at four-and-a-half per cent. be accepted This course was adopted by the Vestry, and resulted in a saving of £35, as compared with the interest which would have been payable to the London Countv Council While these negfociations were pending, the loan of £1,300 was completed In March, the Committee considered the sums to be raised by rates to meet the expenditure of the several departments for the year, fall details being submitted to the Vestry. Recommendations were also sent up for the raising of the sums named below:— Annual Estimates of Expenditure. 14 Poor Rate (including expenses of London County Council, Police, Metropolitan Asylums Board, Public Baths and Wash-houses, and Burial Board £80,898 General Rate (for local purposes) 28,896 General Rate (for London School Board) 23,582 Consolidated Rate (Metropolitan Board of Works, for one quarter of the year) 6,112 Sewers Rate (for local purposes) 1,208 Free Public Library 1,530 £151,226 In the discharge of the reference remitted to them some months previously, the Committee reported to the Vestry in April the result of their consideration of the scheme for the improvement of these two establishments, and of their conference with the Commissioners thereon. The report and recommendations of the Committee were accepted by the Vestry. This report, with the proceedings of the Vestry thereon, are given as an appendix (No. 17). The Committee felt called upon to make several representations upon the subject of the increasing demands of the School Board for London, as well as upon the inconvenient times prescribed by that Board for the payment of the instalments under their precepts, representations which were in every case approved by the Vestry, and which are noticed hereafter under the head of " School Board for London," at page 58. Miscellaneous addition to the foregoing, and to the super- matters. intendence of the operations of the rate collectors, considerable demand has been made upon the time of the Committee by the periodical examination and checking of the accounts, vouchers, and financial statements, the drawing of cheques, the regulation of the loan and deposit Free Public Library and Public Baths and Wasli-houses. School Hoard Precepts. 15 accounts, the perusal of draft reports, business connected with the three audits to which the accounts are subjected, and a large amount of detail not calling for special notice here WORKS AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE By the unanimous vote of the Committee the Hon Ashley Ponsonby was re-elected Chairman and Mr Thomas Horn Vice-Chairman at the first meeting in the parochial year Such a number and variety of questions have engaged the attention of the Committee, that the briefest possible mention of them would occupy at least seven pages The following analysis has therefore been made, the figures set againt each class of subjects being added to denote the number of times each subject has been before the Committee Ordinary repairs of roadways and footways 16 Street improvements 32 Drainage of private buildings 9 Proposals to build beyond the " general line of buildings" 10 Street lamps and public lighting 5 Private lamps, signboards, and other projections over the public footway 10 Obstructions of the public highway 7 Public urinals, including water supply 12 Flooding of basements through overflow of main line sewers 10 Street refuges for pedestrians 10 Disturbance of highways by Electric Lighting Companies 10 New wood-paving or asphalte works 10 Vaults under the public footway 7 Tenders for works and services 7 Formation of new roads and sewers 7 Closiug of public thoroughfares 6 16 Pillar letter boxes 5 St John's Public Gardens 4 London County Council and main roads 4 Re-naming streets and re-numbering houses 4 Examination of contractors'and tradesmen's accounts 4 Sower ventilators 4 Hoardings under licenses 4 Jurisdiction over College Mews 4 Paved crossings for pedestrians 3 Tree planting in public highways 2 Miscellaneous 17 As considerable correspondence passed between the Vestry and the London County Council upon several of the more important of these subjects, the proceedings thereon will bo noticed hereafter under the head "London County Council," at page 37 In the transaction of the business represented by the foregoing summary, the Committee were occupied during 23 sittings, besides which they sat 13 times with the Street Cleansing and Sanitary Committee, as a Joint Committee, on the question of improving the system of street cleansing, watering, and dusting More particular allusion to this department of the Committee's duties is made in the report of the Joint Committee at page 22 STREET CLEANSING AND SANITARY COMMITTEE Twenty-one meetings of this Committee have been held during the year, Mr H N B Spink having been chosen Chairman, with Mr J Fergusson as Vice-Chairman In addition to these attendances the Committee sat 13 times jointly with the Works and General Purposes Committee in furtherance of a scheme for performing some of the most important services by labour in the immediate employment of the Vestry, and independently of contractors As regards the ordinary duties of the Committee, they are 17 entrusted, on behalf of the Vestry, with the care and supervision of all matters relating to the sanitary condition of the parish, and removal of nuisances therefrom ; with the superintendence of the execution of the street cleansing, watering, and dusting contracts, and with the exercise of all or any of the powers of the Vestry in relation thereto This comprehensive charter enables the Committee to receive the reports of the inspectors upon all sanitary defects discovered by them, to direct the service of notices for the abatement of nuisances, and to order the issue of proceedings in all cases of non-compliance The enforcement of the provisions of the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts also devolves upon the Committee, who are further charged with the duty of seeing that the few remaining slaughter-houses and cowhouses, with the bakehouses in the parish, are regularly visited by the Vestry's officers A large measure of the Committee's time is necessarily occupied in details and routine work of an uninteresting character, upon which reports to the Vestry are rarely necessary; but the business of the Committee is none the less important on that account In consequence of the partial jurisdiction over cow-houses and slaughter-houses having become transferred from the late Metropolitan Board of Works to the London County Council, in whom also had become vested the licensing powers formerly exercised by the Justices in Special Sessions, the Committee embraced the opportunity of discontinuing the annual perambulation and inspection of these places A more satisfactory arrangement has been made by the Committee for the fumigation of rooms and the disinfection of bedding, &c, in cases of infectious disease, where the persons are unable, by reason of poverty, to obtain the execution of the necessary work All that is needful in E 18 such cases is now done by workmen in the employ of the Vestry, under the superintendence of the inspectors One thousand six hundred and nine Notices were issued, under the orders of the Committee, for the remedy of sanitary defects of various kinds The large majority of these were complied with; in some few cases the medical officer of health and the surveyor represented the condition of the dwellings to be incapable of improvement, in consequence of which the Committee directed the solicitor to take proceedings before the magistrate to enforce the closing of the houses against human habitation In directing the action of the inspectors under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, the Committee caused 69 samples to be purchased and analysed An abstract of these cases is given under the head of " Sanitary Measures" THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE The Chairmanship of this Committee was conferred upon Mr J B Batten, and the Vice-Chairmanship upon Mr T Horn Seven sittings were held for the consideration of schemes more or less directly affecting the parish, as also for the examination of the undermentioned Bills, twentysix in number, before Parliament:— Advertisement Rating Coal Duties (London) Abolition Electric Lighting (Provisional Orders Confirmation) Factory and Workshops' Act, 1878, Amendment Infectious Diseases Notification Infectious Diseases Prevention Kensington and Paddington (Subway) Railway, London Central Subway London County Council (General Powers) London County Council (Theatres and Music Halls) London and Paddington (Subway) Railway London Streets (Removal of Gates) 10 London Streets (Strand Improvements) London Subways and Overhead Wires London Tramways Company Metropolis Management and Building Acts Amendment Municipal Corporations and County Elections North and South London (Subway) Railway Public Libraries' Acts Amendment Railway Stations (Names) Rating of Machinery Sanitary Registration of Buildings School Board for London Elections Smoke Nuisances Abatement (Metropolis) House of Lords Tenancies Rating Westminster (Parliament Street) Improvements As immediately affecting the parish the Westminster (Parliament Street) Improvements Bill was closely examined Its main object was to obtain an extension of time by four years from August, 1890 for the works authorised by the original Act The Committee reported their opinion that no action was called for on the part of the Vestry; but as this view was not acquiesced in, the matter stood referred back to the Committee at Lady-Day The parish was also affected by the Public Libraries Act, 1855, Amendment Bill, whereby it was proposed to dispense with the levying of a separate rate for the expenses of Public Libraries, and to collect the same with and as part of the poor rate On the recommendation of the Committee the Vestry approved of the principle of the Bill Another matter immediately affecting the parish, and which was therefore closely watched by the Committee, was comprised in several applications for leave to lay down mains for the supply of the electric light Reference to this subject was given somewhat fully at pp 243-6 of the last Annual Report; it is therefore proposed to omit all tedious details here E 2 20 The Board of Trade having ordered an enquiry into the whole question of electric lighting in the metropolis, with special reference to the applications relating to the several parishes and districts, the Committee resolved to defer, until the publication of the report upon that enquiry, the presentation of any definite recommendation, at the same time requesting their Chairman (Mr J B Batten") their Vice-Chairman (Mr Thomas Horn) and Mr J K Aston to attend the enquiry on behalf of the Vestry The result of the investigation was published in June, when the Committee submitted a report of which the following is an abridgment:— On behalf of the Vestry the representatives named objected to the entrance of any company into the Parish in the present state of electrical science, and in the absence of any special demand for electricity The Report of Major Marindin contains inter alia the following paragraphs with reference to objections of local authorities:— "That it must be admitted that the science of Electric Lighting has now reached the point at which a supply can be made which will be of very great benefit to the public, and that the power of obtaining this supply should be within the reach of all persons who may require it For this reason it seems to me that although the wishes and opinions of the local authorities in the areas proposed to be supplied should be consulted and deferred to as far as possible, the mere objection by a local authority to the introduction of a Company proposing to supply Electric Light upon general grounds should not be considered sufficient to exclude such Company, unless the local authority should express its intention to undertake the supply and give evidence that it proposes to apply for permission to do so, and this should apply with more force when it can be shown that the exclusion of a Company from such an area would injuriously affect the service of other contiguous areas" "The opposition of the United Vestry of St Margaret and St John was not so strong as to lead to the belief that it would object to the division of the parishes between two companies, especially as there appears to be a demand for electricity in the district" In conclusion, Major Marindin has recommended the Board of Trade to consent, with the approval of Parliament in due 21 course, to the division of the parishes between two Companies, viz: the London Electric Supply Corporation and the Westminster Electric Lighting Company, the former Company to have the portion of the parish lying to the north of Victoria Street, excepting that portion of St Margaret's lying to the west of St George, Hanover Square (viz Knightsbridge), and the latter portion of the parish lying to the south of Victoria Street With regard to Knightsbridge, the Board of Trade is recommended to grant powers to the Kensington and Knightsbridge Electric Lighting Company, who are already lighting this area under a license, granted upon the approval of the Vestry The Committee have to recommend— 1 That the Vestry reserve its consideration of the schemes for the lighting of the Parish by Electricity, and the proposed provisional orders until the Bill relating thereto has been introduced into Parliament, and that the Board of Trade be informed accordingly; and 2 That the Committee be authorised, in case of necessity, to petition against the Bills affecting the Parish, and to affix the Common Seal thereto The Vestry adopted these recommendations, in conformity with which the Committee sealed petitions against the three schemes recognised by the Board of Trade This action was duly reported to the Vestry on 2-tth July, when the Committee were relieved from further duty in the matter by the Vestry resolving to take no further action in opposing either of the Provisional Orders An application by a fourth company to introduce its system into the parish under a license from the Board of Trade was also consented to by the Vestry at the same meeting, and subsequently confirmed ; but the license was not granted The Bill confirming the three Provisional Orders passed into law, shortly after which the footways in the principal thoroughfares were disturbed for the pux-pose of laying the mains From the notice published in the London Gazette in November, there was good reason to believe that the Bill of the London Tramways Company would contain a provision enabling the Company to extend their system from 22 its present terminus on the Surrey side of Westminster Bridge to the Middlesex side of the bridge in this parish The Committee therefore watched the Bill, but were not called upon to take action thereon in consequence of the withdrawal of the provision referred to The majority of the other Bills examined and reported upon by the Committee were general in their application THE JOINT WORKS AND SANITARY COMMITTEE At pages 223-7 of the last Annual Report of the Vestry the circumstances under which the Works and Sanitary Committees were requested to sit together as a Joint Committee were fully noticed It is therefore only necessary to call to mind that the special duty with which they were charged was that of ''obtaining a service of street cleansing, watering and dusting more commensurate with the present payments and requirements, and of rendering the general sanitary administration of the parish more efficient" Their proceedings from June, 1888, to Lady Day, 1889, which were totally unproductive as to the first part of the reference, were reviewed at some length in the last issue, as were also the improvements brought about in the department under the supervision of the Medical Officer of Health To reproduce in detail the acts of the Committee in the past twelve months in the direction of improving the street cleansing, watering and dusting, would occupy far more space than in the last report, and would not repay the perusal, for the result may be told in two words—disappointment and failure Not only were insurmountable obstacles placed in the way of the Vestry acquiring suitable wharf accommodation by which to dispose of the street refuse and house dust, but exorbitant prices were subsequently asked by the few contractors who tendered for the service With the object of breaking up what was openly declared to be a "ring," the Committee 2:3 caused the parish to be divided into three districts, in the hope that the owners of smaller plant might be induced to submit offers. This failed to attract any new competitors, however, and gave evidence of the spirit in which the Vestry was being treated. The five tenders ranged from £10,500 to £13,350 for the year, for the three parts, whereas the price at Lady-day, 1889, was £7,500, and many thousands of yards of new wood paving and asphalte had been laid since. The lowest of these tenders was reduced to £9,800, subject to the three divisions of the parish being ignored; and the Committee, after full deliberation, submitted the offer to the Vestry for acceptance. To this, however, the Vestry did not assent, and the Committee were instructed to make arrangements for the execution of the street sweeping by labour in the immediate employ of the Vestry, leaving the collection of street refuse and house dust,and the street watering to be tendered for on the contract system. Advertisements were accordingly issued again' the result being even more unsatisfactory, for whereas the former modified offer for the entire service was £9,800, the lowest tender for part of it was now £10,050, to which had to be added the estimated cost of the sweeping, £2,327, making a total of £12,337. Believing this issue to be contrary to the anticipation of the Vestry, the Committee saw Mr. Cookson, whose tender was £10,050 for part of the service, and induced him to accept £9,000 for the whole, subject to a new specification and the continued free use of the Vestry's premises in Millbank Street. These terms were agreed to by the Vestry on the Committee's recommendation. TOWN HALL MANAGEMENT. The Town Hall and Parochial Offices are erected under the provisions of the Parochial Offices Act, 24 and 25 Vic., cap. 125, whereby the land and buildings vest in the Churchwardens and Overseers for the time being. Since these 24 gentlemen assumed the jurisdiction imposed upon them by the statute, they have annually called to their assistance four gentlemen from among the members of the Vestry who have in past years served the office of Churchwarden or Overseer, to share the duties relating to the management, letting, and maintenance of the building. Thus constituted the body maintains an entire independence of the Vestry, and are responsible to the District Auditor of the Local Government Board for the proper carrying out of their stewardship. The business of letting is conducted absolutely without charge of any kind upon the rates, and such unexpended income as may remain in the hands of the Churchwardens and Overseers at the close of the year is paid to the credit of the Poor Rate. In consequence, however, of the building having required complete and permanent decoration in the course of the year, which was carried out a cost of twelve hundred pounds, no balance was available for the purpose at Lady-Day. A statement of the receipts and disbursements on their account, as certified by the Local Government Board Auditor, is incorporated herewith as an Appendix, No. 15. Executivo. Allusion has already been made in the report of the Finance Committee, at page 11, to some ot the changes in the official staff of the Vestry. In addition thereto the Vestry increased the salary of the medical officer of health, Mr. Barnard Holt, from £130, at which it had remained since his appointment in 1856, to £250, in consideration of the greater demand made upon his time. An allowance of £78 per annum was also made to the solicitor, Mr. Warrington Rogers, towards the cost of clerical assistance in his office, by reason of the increasing business of the legal department, In November, the Vestry granted an additional junior clerk in the general office, to relieve the pressure of work, Mr. W. S. Sinipkin being appointed from among the applicants who responded to 25 the advertisements. At the same time, the Vestry sanctioned the engagement of a clerk in the surveyor's department, to which Mr. E. J. Winsborrow was appointed, after candidates had been invited by newspaper advertisements. The arrangements under which the members of the staff furnished their respective securities was revised in October, when a collective policy was taken up by and at the expense of the Vestry. An increase of salary was voted to Mr. T. E. K. White, the collector of rates in Wards Nos. 1 and 3 of St. John, in December, in consideration of the peculiarities of his collection, his maximum of £200 being extended to £250, by annual increments of £10. The resignation of Mr. Alfred Aldin, rate collector in Ward No. 1 of St. Margaret's, and the steps taken to fill the vacancy, have already been noticed in the report of the Finance Committee's proceedings. A list of the officers with their addresses is published in the opening pages of this Report. An Appendix, No. 4 is also given, showing the dates of the several appointments and the salaries. Rates, Rateable Value. &c. Notwithstanding an advance of one penny in the £ upon the rates of the preceding year, the l <r> «/ ' parish maintained its position among the lowest rated parishes in the metropolis. The rates levied amounted to 4s. 3½d. in the £, the rateable value being £745,223. Of the rates levied, 3s. 4½d. in the £, or 78.7 per cent. were for the purposes and expenses of central boards and bodies, for whose policy and administration the Vestry is in no way answerable; the expenditure under the control of the 26 Vestry represented llrf. in the £, or 21 3 per cent, of the sum assessed, as follows:— s d. s. d. For the strictly local purposes of the Vestry—maintenance, lighting and cleansing of the roadway, footways, &c., and construction of sewers 0 10 ½ For expenses of Free Public Library 0 0½ Total under Vestry s control 0 11 For the relief of the poor, including expenses of the London County Council, Police, Metropolitan Asylums' Board, and Baths and Wash-houses. 2 For the expenses of the Metropolitan Board of Works (three months) 0 2 For the purposes of the School Board for London 0 8 Total for central purposes 3 4½ 4 3½ Before the new County Council had assumed jurisdiction the Provisional Council, by its proceedings, gave a premonitory warning that no relief would be granted in the matter of their demands upon the ratepayers. In the preceding year the rate for the Metropolitan Board had been 9d. in the £ ; in the year under review it became necessary to include Is. O^d. in the £ in the Poor Rate—an increase of 3£d. in the £, besides the 2d. in the £ required by the Metropolitan Board to meet their liabilities for the last three months of their existence. Thus the " improved" system added o|d. in the £ to the burthens of the ratepayers for the year; but the levying of so serious an addition in one year was averted, at least for the time, by the Vestry reducing the provision for their local requirements, in the hope that the promised Government grants would cause a compensating reduction by the close of the year. 27 A summary of the work of the rate collectors for the year was presented to the Vestry in June, with the report of the Auditors, and is added in an abridged form as an Appendix, No. 13. It is therefore only necessary to state here that the total amount of the rates made for and during the year was £105,017 8s. 3¾d. (including "additions"); the total amount collected, £155,505 18s. 10½d.; and the sums not recovered, £8,755 8s. 10½., or a percentage of 4-16, omitting the "composition" allowances made under statutory authority. In 1876 the percentage of irrecoverables was 10 25. EXPENDITURE. Including the sums paid to the Guardians of the Union, to the London County Council, as successors to the late Metropolitan Board of Works, to the School Board for London, and to the Library Commissioners, the aggregate disbursements of the Vestry during the year amounted to £170,549. Of this sum £37,774 was expended by the Vestry for the strictly local purposes within their discretion. The disbursements may be thus summarised :— Rate. Estimate. Expenditure. £ £ Poor Rate (including expenses of London County Council, Police, Metropolitan Asylums Board and Public Baths and Washhouses) 93,461 95,725 General Rate (for strictly local purposes) 31,358 34,501* Sewers' Rate (also local) 2,287 3,273† School Board (raised as part of General Rate although the Vestry have no control over it) 25,938 27,591 Consolidated Rate (for Metropolitan Board of Works for one quarter of the year) 7,873 7,874 Library Rate 1,530 Montpelier Square Rate 55 55 £160,972 £170,549 * Includes £400 in respect of Hoard Licenses, †Includes £640 in respect of Drainage Licenses. 28 ORDINARY WORKS EXECUTED BY THE VESTRY. Paving. Repairs to roadways and footways, rendered necessary by ordinary wear, have been carried out at a cost of £4,582, irrespective of the carriage-ways paved with wood and asphalte. The work has been executed by Messrs. Mowlem under a contract and schedule of prices. Wood and Asphalte Paving. For the maintenance of the wood and asphalte paved carriageways in a satisfactory state £600 has been paid. state £600 has been paid. The figures given below are extracted from the audited accounts:— £ Cash paid for new works 1,773 Ditto for maintenance and repairs 606 Ditto in repayment of principal on outstanding loans 4,739 Ditto in payment of interest on out-standing balances 573 £7,691 Liability in respect of retention money under contracts 100 £7,791 Lighting. The system of street lighting, including the cost of repairing the 1,381 gas columns and lanterns, the periodical painting and cleaning, lighting and extinguishing, and the supply of gas, has been carried out at a cost of £4,767, the entire service being executed by the Gas Light and Coke Company. Twenty-one lamps in Parliament Square are supplied, lighted and maintained by Her Majesty's Office of Works, to whom £60, included in the above amount, was paid by the Vestry under a special arrangement. 29 Watering, Cleansing, and Removal of Dust. lor these services, which are performed by Mr. G. Cookson under contract, the Vestry paid £9,091 2s. 1½d. The contractor is required to carry out the necessary sweeping and cartage, together with special work upon the wood paving by street orderly boys. The Vestry provide a shoot at the wharf in Millbank Street, and a residence for the contractor's foreman, at an annual cost of £500, to ensui-e the more efficient execution of the work. Sewers. Upon the re-construction of sewers, general repairs and renewals, and short extensions, in order to maintain an efficient local sewerage system, the sum of £1,706 11s. 6d. was expended during the year. The work was executed by Mr. J. H. Neave under a contract and schedule of prices. SANITARY MEASURES Artizans' Dwellings Acts. The first report of the Vestry at page 252 gave review of the circumstances which led the Vestry to determine upon the issue of Orders under the Artizans' and Labourers' Dwellings Acts of 1868, for the demolition of certain properties in Smith's Rents, Smith's Place, and Lewisham Street. At the meeting of the Vestry on 10th April a letter was received from the Rector of St Margaret's, the Venerable Dr. Farrar, "appeal"ing very earnestly to the Vestry to follow up, by direct and "decisive action, the strong reports of their sanitary officers "respecting the houses in Lewisham Street," and proceeding: " If I could detail to the Vestry the miseries, the tragedies, and the sins which are constantly occurring in this street, they would understand the strength of my opinion as to the necessity —in the best interests of the people themselves as well as of the whole neighbourhood—of putting into force the wise and beneficent provisions of the Artizans' Dwellings Act. Everything that can be done by the clergy and their agents in that street is being done, but it is all defeated by the physical conditions of the street, and the immoral and drunken character of many of its inhabitants. While the houses remain in their 30 present condition the street will continue to be one of the slums and plague spots of Westminster, the existence of which costs so much to the nation and to the ratepayers." Demolition Orders were sealed on the date above mentioned, and were, with one exception, complied with during the year. This exception was with reference to a house in Lewisham Street in respect of which the Vestry granted to the owner, upon his closing the house as a dwelling, by the severance of sewer connections, the removal of cisterns, &c., and internal alterations, a modification of the Order so far as absolute demolition was required, so that the shell of the house might be utilised for storage purposes. This stringent action, taken in the best interests of the parishioners, provoked a discouraging correspondence with the Home Office, the particular attention of the Vestry being directed to the alleged "evils arising from houses being demolished without provision being made for the people dishoused," although, as it was pointed out, only 36 small tenements were affected, irrespective of the fact that the demolition was necessary "in the best interests of the people themselves, as well as of the whole neighbourhood." Public Mortuary In December the Vestry received a communication from the Coroner of Westminster (Mr. Troutbeck), submitting the necessity, in view of the Sessions House having been taken over by the Middlesex County Council, for the provision of proper accommodation as a mortuary and Coroner's Court. The 27th Annual Report of the late District Board noted the fact that during the year 1882-3, an agreement was entered into between the Board and His Grace the Duke of Westminster, whereby a piece of land in the Horseferry Road, used by the Vestry as a store-yard, was secured to the Board and their successors for the purpose of building a public mortuary, with all necessary appurtenances, subject to the determination of the respective leases or other 31 existing tenancies. The Vestry were reminded of this agreement, and had produced to them the plans and elevations approved and initialled by His Grace in connection with the above concession. As the lease held by the Vestry will expire in 1892, and as a change, caused by the death of the lessor, had taken place since enquiries were last made in reference to the purchase of the lessor's interest, the Vestry ordered immediate steps to be taken with a view to securing the superior leaseholder's interest in the land, and gave instructions to the Joint Works and Sanitary Committee to carry out the negotiations. The Committee lost no time in instructing the Solicitor to communicate with the lessees, and at Lady-day the matter was still in the Solicitor's hands. Thirty-one bodies were received at the mortuary during the year, 4 to await interment by reason of insufficient accommodation in apartments or dwelling-houses, at the dictation of sanitary precaution, and 27 for the purpose of inquests by the coroner. Of these 27 dead bodies, 5 were found in the Thames, 2 in the public streets, and 1 in a public conveyance. By the 49th Vic., cap. 20 (known as "Col. Hughes's Act") the Vestry are empowered to pay the sum of five shillings to any constable bringing a body found in the Thames to the Mortuary for the purpose of inquest and parochial interment. Cow Houses and Slaughter Houses. By the operation or the Local Government Act of 1888, the granting of licenses in respect of cow and slaughter-houses became transferred to the London County Council, the jurisdiction of the Justices in Special Sessions being superseded by the Council as the licensing authority. Partly in regard to the newlyconstituted licensing authority having its own inspectors, and partly in view of the improvement in the inspection and registration of the places by the Vestry's officers, the 32 Vestry did not deem it necessary to make their former annual visitation of the premises. No opposition was raised to the renewal of any of the licenses at the hearing of applications by the Council on the 24th October. Local Drainage Works. Several matters connected with the local drainage engaged the attention of the Works o o and Sanitary Committees of the Vestry during the year. Taken alphabetically in order of street, an application by Mr.W.Cooke for permission to lay down a 12-inch drain at the rear of Ambrosden Avenue for the drainage of proposed residential flats was at first refused, the building owners being informed that the Vestry would require a sufficient sewer to be constructed in the Avenue. On the application being amended in deference to the wishes of the Vestry, the plans were approved, and the proposed drainage sanctioned, subject to the surrender by the applicant of ten feet into the thoroughfare of Ashley Place. A further application by Mr. Cooke to lay 420 feet of 12-inch pipe sewer in Ambrosden Avenue, with three manholes 100 feet apart, was also acceded to on condition that the proposed sewer was ventilated by shafts to be carried up the fronts of the houses intended to be drained by the sewer. A public sewer with approved ventilation was thus provided for, and a street widening of ten feet effected, without cost to the parish. Upon an application by Messrs. Clutton for sanction to a combined system of drainage to Nos. 1 to 9, Buckingham Cottages, the Vestry required each house to be drained separately, a public sewer being within the prescribed distance. An application by the secretary of the Shrewsbury and Talbot Cab Company, for permission to drain their premises in Earl Street, brought to the notice of the Vestry that there was no sewer in that street, the drainage passing through other premises into Page Street. This defect was remedied by the construction of 112 feet of 12 inch sewer 33 in Earl Street, at an estimated cost of £80. and by the occupiers of the contiguous premises being required to drain into the new sewer. The Vestry approved of plans, submitted by Mr. H. A. Hunt, for the construction of a large sewer on the Kensington Gore Estate, upon an amendment as to the fall proposed (1 in 200 feet, instead of 1 in 300), being adopted. Numerous small drainage works (substitution of pipe drainage for old brick barrel, efficient trapping, alterations in fall, filling-up of cesspools whenever discovered, " separate " drainage instead of " combined systems," &c.) were also carried out at the instance of the sanitary inspectors, or the medical officer of health. An improvement in procedure, of some importance in principle, was made during the year by the prohibition of any application to a second Committee as a court of appeal, so to speak, from the decision of another Committee. For instance, the Works Committee had three applications made to them at one meeting for sanction to the construction of combined drainage in cases where the Sanitary Com. mittee had ordered separate drains to be laid, a public sewer being within the prescribed distance. The former Committee refused to deal with the applications, and the applicants were informed that the works would have to be carried out in conformity with the orders of the Sanitary Committee. At page 46 a proposed interference by the London County Council with the jurisdiction of the Vestry over the local drainage is alluded to. Urinals. The first report of the Vestry at pages 255-6, related the representations which were made to the Vestry tor the removal ot the urinal at the junction ot the Knightsbridge and Brompton Roads—a request to which effect was given at the end of March of 1889. Subsequently the Vestry of Kensington communicated to the Works F 34 Committee that they had received numerous complaints of the urinal in Hooper's Court, Brompton Road, within their parish, in consequence of the demolition of the urinal at Kniffhtsbrisre, and asked that new accommodation might o ~ 7 be erected upon some more suitable site in the same locality. The surveyor being unable to suggest any alternative spot sufficiently near, the Committee enquired of the Vestry of Kensington whether they would be willing to contribute towards the cost of constructing an underground urinal by the present refuge in the centre of the Knightsbridge Road. The matter proceeded no further, however, for at the meeting of the Vestry when the report of the Works Committee, instructing the surveyor to prepare plans and estimates, was submitted for approval, protests were raised by the residents in the vicinity of the suggested site against the proposal to bring back an annoyance of which they had successfully complained a few months previously, and the Vestry negatived the scheme to the expressed regret of the Kensington Vestry. Early in the year the Vestry received notifications from the Chelsea Waterworks Company of intention to determine at Midsummer the existing arrangements for the supply of water to the urinals in Little George Street and Horseferry Road, when the water would be supplied by meter at the ordinary trade scale—i.e., Is. per 1,000 gallons. Considering this charge to be excessive, having regard to the public purpose for which the supply is required (the urinal in Horseferry Road alone was estimated to cost £130 per annum as compared with the £100 provided for in the estimates for all urinals hitherto), the company were requested to name more favourable terms ; and upon their refusal the solicitor was instructed to apply to the magistrate to fix the rate of payment for the water consumed. The solicitor, however, with the support of counsel, advised that the supply to urinals did not come within the provisions of the Acts relating to supply "for other than 35 "domestic purposes,"and that consequently it was not within the magistrate's jurisdiction to determine the rate of pay. inent as suggested. Being thus at the entire dictation of the company, the Committee incurred an expense, estimated at £30, in fixing automatic flushing apparatus to the urinals in Grosvenor Road, Horseferry Road, Little George Street, York Street and Charles Street, Knightsbridge, with a view to lessen the consumption of water, for economical rather than sanitary reasons. The London County Council issued a circular letter in May to the local authorities calling attention to the deficiency of chalet accommodation for men and women throughout London, and to the serious physical injury traceable, on medical authority, to the want of such accommodation. No allusion was made to the difficulty, frequently insurmountable, of obtaining sites for such structures without exciting opposition and litigation ; but in order that the question might be thoroughly looked into, it was remitted to the Sanitary Committee. The reference was subsequently transferred to the Joint Works and Sanitary Committee, in whose hands it remained at the close of the year. Analysis of Food & Drags, As in previous years, the Vestry have not allowed the Adulteration Acts to become a dead letter within the parishes, and drink were purchased letter witnin the parishes, oixty-nme samples or rood and drink were purchased and submitted to the public analyst (Dr. Auguste Dupre, F R.S.), the results of the analyses being as shown in the following summary:— Articles purchased. Genuine. Adulterated. Convictions. Butter 17 1 1 Milk 21 9 2 Whisky ... 5 1 1 Port Wine 6 0 Sausage (beef, German, and saveloys) ... 9 0 — 36 With regard to the .samples of milk returned as adulterated it is necessary to state that in several instances the adulteration was to so small an extent, or so dubious, that proceedings were not taken in respect of them. Of the samples of sausage, the analyst reported all to be free from anything injurious to health, and free from horse-flesh, although the proportion of bread in two or t.hree instances might be considered as excessive. The adulterated sample of wThisky in respect of which a penalty was recovered, was found to be 5 degrees below the prescribed standard. As a means of checking the srnead of diseases Notification of Infectious Diseases. of a zymotic character, the Vestry in December of 1888, unanimously adopted the principle that medical practitioners should notify to the medical officer of health of any parish concerned, all cases of infectious disease coming to their knowledge, upon payment of a fee in each case so notified. The invitation of the Vestry was responded to in a very cordial manner by the medical gentlemen practising within the limits of the parish. On the 30th August, 1889, the Royal Assent was given to the Infectious Disease (Notification) Act, which renders it obligatory upon the part of every medical practitioner attending on, or called in to visit a patient suffering from an infectious disorder, as well as upon the heads of families, or the nearest relatives, or in default of such upon any person becoming aware of a patient so suffering, to notify the same to the medical officer of health of the parish in which the case occurs, under liability, on conviction, under the Summaiy Jurisdiction Acts, to a fine not exceeding forty shillings, the fee of two shillings and sixpence being with certain exceptions adopted. The Act provides that the Metropolitan Asylums Board is to recoup the local authority for all expenses incurred thereunder, subject to certain stipulations. Payments amounting to £62 were made to medical practitioners for services rendered in the matter during the year. 37 i)i January the Vestry gave their inspectors instructions to notify to the local superintendent of visitors of the School Board for London all cases of infectious disease^ including measles, which might come under their notice in the course of their duty. Considerable disquietude was occasioned among the residents and tradesmen in York Street in consequence of the medical officer of the Wellington Barracks prohibiting the soldiers at that and the Chelsea Barracks from passing along the thoroughfare, or dealing with the tradesmen therein, the reason alleged being the prevalence of diphtheria in the locality. Colour was given to the misapprehension by the fact that ten houses had been closed against occupation at the instance of the Vestry on account of their insanitary condition; but in only one of the ten so closed had any infectious disease occurred. A correspondence ensued between the military medical authorities and the Vestry's medical officer, the result being that the mistake was acknowledged, and York Street again "put in bounds" to Her Majesty's Foot Guards. By section 6 of the Poor Law Act of 1889, which came into force during the year, the managers of the Metropolitan Asylums Board are empowered to allow their carriages to be used for the conveyance of persons suffering from any dangerous infectious disease, to or from hospitals and places other than their asylums, and to make a reasonable charge for such use. A copy of the Board's regulations relating thereto will be found at page xxxii. ante. THE LONDON COUNTY COUNCIL. Election. On page 240 of the last report is set out the action taken by the Vestry with regard to the election in January of 1889, of the new Council for the Administrative County of London, constituted by the Local Government Act of 1888. The election on the 17th 38 January of two Councillors to represent the Westnnnster Electoral Division of the County of London resulted as follows, the returning officer being the vestry clerk of the parish:— Sir Walter de Souza, Kt 1,539 Vernon J. Watney, M.A 1 ,482 John Coppen 1,415 Hon. Ashley G. J. Ponsonby, J.P 1,184 D. de Pinna 455 W. L. Josephs 88 The new body first met on the 31st January as a Provisional Council, and on the 21st March the County Council held its fiist meeting as such, instead of on the 1st April, "the appointed day" of the Act, under an Order issued by the Local Government Board, in consequence of the determination on the part of the moribund Metropolitan Board of Works to carry our certain costly works to which they considered themselves to be committed. The Council entered upon its duties under favourable circumstances. It had been directly and popularly elected, and it superseded a Board which, however much the metropolis is indebted to it for good work done and great improvements effected, had passed out of existence under the shadow of a Special Commission of Enquiry, and in a manner not attended with dignity. The eager anticipation with which the administrations of the Council was looked forward to in most parts of the metropolis may, perhaps, have been somewhat disadvantageous to the Council, for however much other parts of the metropolis may have benefited under the new regime, it must be conceded that during the year to which this report relates, the ratepayers of Westminster cannot be congratulated upon any such result. On the contrary, so far as local interests, as represented by the Vestry, are concerned, the change has been the cause of some disappointment, if not also of some disparaging comparison with the old Metropolitan Board. 39 The County Councillors for Westminster. The representatives of Westminster upon the County Council—Sir Walter de Souza and Mr. Watney—have uniformly shown themselves to be in harmony with the Vestry upon the various matters in which the views of the Vestry have not coincided with those of the Council on local matters. The services of both gentlemen have invariably been accorded in the interests of the parish, although success has not in all cases attended their efforts. The Agenda Papers of the Council. One of the first departures of the Council upon its assuming jurisdiction, was to discontinue the practice observed by their predecessors for more than thirty years, of sending to the local authorities copies of the agenda papers of the meetings These papers had contained the reports and recommendations of the Committees, and had reached the Vestry in time to admit of representations to the local members in case any course inimical to the interests of the parish had been proposed. In substitution for this paper, which frequently afforded information of great local value, the Council generously intimated their intention to forward for the use of the Vestry, a copy of their "summons paper," which contained the bald notice of the meeting and the notices of motions by individual councillors on questions, for the most part, of an abstract character, and quite useless to the Vestry. The Council were applied to for copies of their agenda paper, but their answer was in the negative. On the 24th July, after several instances had occurred in which a reference to such papers would have been of value, the Vestry made further representations to the Council in support of their former request. The Councillors for the Division were also desired to support this renewed application, and communications were addressed to the other Vestries and District Boards suggesting that they might similarly solicit the support of 40 the Councillors for their respective divisions. Many of the local authorities, in their replies, intimated having taken such action. The Council, however, replied on the 26th September at considerable length, "that it was not "expedient that the reports of Committees should be com"municated to outside parties before presentation to the "Council," and that notwithstanding the difference, as compared with the late Metropolitan Board in the relation of the Council to the Vestries and District Boards, " the "Council was at all times desirous of affording to the local "bodies all possible information respecting its proceedings, "and of co-operating with them in promoting the interests "of the inhabitants of London." The value of the sentiment expressed in the last sentence is materially diminished, if not destroyed, by the facts. Overflow of Main Sewers. In the final report of the late Metropolitan Board of Works, issued in February, 1889, a retrospect or their proceedings tor the improvement ot the main drainage system of the metropolis was given. The Board called to mind that " in times of heavy and long "continued rain, and more particularly when much rain " fell at the time of high water in the river, the closed " sewers were unable to store the increased volume of " sewage water, which then rose through the house drains o 7 o t: and flooded the basements of the houses." The context showed that this was intended as a description of the main drainage system as the Metropolitan Board of Works found it; but it is much more. So far as Westminster is concerned it is a true description'of the system as the Board left it, after thirty-three years administration ; and it is none the less true of the condition of things after twelve months repeated remonstrance to the London County Council. All the facts have been fully and repeatedly laid before the Council during the year, but the last reports of the surveyor prior to Lady-day testified that the nuisance continued on the increase. 41 For the last five years the serious damage which has been and is caused to property, as well as the injury to health arising from the flooding of basements in all parts of the home-wards of the parish, by the overflowing of the main-line sewers under the control of the County Council, or before them of the Metropolitan Board of Works, has been a source of anxiety to the Vestry and its predecessors. In the 29th (page 34), the 30th (page 55), the 31st (page 49), and the 32nd Report of the District Board (page 46), and in the first Report of the Vestry (page 276) this great nuisance was adverted to. So far back as February, 1885, relief was applied for, when the Metropolitan Board replied that the matter was then receiving the consideration of their engineer who was "expected shortly to report "upon it;" and in April of the same year the predecessors of the Vestry were informed that the engineer fully expected that the new Ranelagh Relief Sewer then in course of construction would afford a remedy, and that the main-line low level sewer would be "relieved "of flood wrater through the storm outlets by the "pumps at the Western Pumping Station at those "periods when the natural overflow is impeded by the "rising tide." After waiting several months in expectation of the promised relief, the District Board were compelled by the many and serious complaints of inhabitants, to address a further communication to the Metropolitan Board of Works. Six months after the date of this letter (22nd May, 1886), the Metropolitan Board in their reply attributed the evil to the fact that five local sewers and 125 drains connected with the main sewer between Piccadilly and the river were untrapped; but it was pointed out that under the circumstances the trapping of all the local sewers and private drains would tend to increase rather than to diminish the annoyance. A deputation, consisting of members of the District Board and of Vestrymen of the adjoining parish of 42 St. George, Hanover Square, obtained an interview with the then engineer of the Metropolitan Board (Sir Joseph Bazalgette), who explained that the failure of the new relief sewer was only temporary, being attributable to a mishap shortly after the sewer was brought into use; and the deputation were assured of his confidence "that upon the "completion of certain alterations, then in hand, the sewer "would amply meet the requirements of the surrounding "districts." This was in November of 1886, when, partly in reliance upon the engineer's assurance and partly in order that the local sewerage system might be watched upon the occurrence of the next heavy rain-fall at the time of high tide, action was suspended. In December of 1887, the recurrence of the overflows became more frequent, and the area affected more extensive than previously, in consequence of which the Central Board were once more requested to provide a remedy. In 1887-8, "history repeated itself further floodings, renewed "complaints, fresh representations to the Metropolitan Board "of Works, and no steps taken to effect a remedy." In September, and again in November, of 1888, further letters were addressed to the Board; and in April, 1889, the Vestry requested the London County Council, in consequence of the revival of local remonstrances, to adopt remedial measures without loss of time. Numerous letters of complaint from ratepayers were from time to time during the period to which this report specially applies, forwarded on to the Council, and on the 10th July, a deputation, consisting of Messrs. J. Lane, C. C. Piper, S. H. Cohen, J. Margrie, and Thos. Horn, was appointed to present the following Memorial, approved by the Vestry on the 24th July: — To the Honourable the Council of the Administrative County of London. The MEMORIAL of the United Vestry of the Parishes of St. Margaret and St. John the Evangelist, Westminster. 43 SHEWETH:— THAT your Memorialists are a Vestry constituted under an Act made and passed in the 18th and 19th year of the reign of Her present Majesty, entituled "An Act for the better Local Management of the Metropolis," and by subsequent Acts extending and amending the same, whereby your Memorialists are made a body corporate, and are entrusted with the performance of certain duties in relation to the government and public concerns of the parishes under their jurisdiction. THAT your Memorialists have for some years past received serious complaints from ratepayers in various parts of the United Parish of inconvenience and damage sustained by reason of the flooding of basements along the lines of the main sewers under the control of your Council. THAT as the result of an enquiry into the cause of such floodings your Memorialists find that whenever heavy rains occur at or near the time of high water in the Thames, the main line sewers become so fully charged as to be unable to afford an outlet for the surface water from the local sewers in this parish, and that as the water accumulates from the higher ground it flows back from the main line sewers through the local service into the areas and basements of many of the houses and buildings in this comparatively low-lying parish. THAT on the 13th December, 1884, your Memorialists called the attention of the Metropolitan Board of Works, by letter, to the frequency with which basements were then flooded in various parts of the parish, apparently in consequence of the insufficient capacity of the main line sewers, and requested that Board to provide an efficient remedy at the earliest possible date. THAT on the 10th March, 1885, your Memorialists received a reply from the Metropolitan Board of Works referring to the relief sewer then in course of construction along Piccadilly " for the purpose of taking storm water from the main King's Scholars' Pond Sewer," whereby it was expected that the sewers of this parish would be relieved. THAT after further overflows had been brought to the notice of your memorialists, renewed representations were made to the Metropolitan Board of Works by letter on 22nd May, 1886. THAT in December, 1886, your Memorialists, by a Sub-Committee, waited upon the Engineer to the said Board to point out that the expectations of the relief to be afforded by the newly constructed sewer had not been realised ; and that the said Engineer then explained that such failure was only temporary, and would be speedily remedied. THAT the parish under the jurisdiction of your Memorialists has nevertheless been since subjected to a recurrence of the 44 conveniences whenever a heavy rainfall has occurred at or near the time of high water, particularly from the local sewers in Tothill Street, the Broadway, James Street, York Street, Carteret Street, and Great Peter Street, and from the main line sewers in Milbank Street, Victoria Street, and Tachbrook Street. THAT your Memorialists submit that the outlet for the storm water of the parish is not sufficiently provided for by the main line sewers, or by pumping stations to relieve the same. Your Memorialists therefore pray your Honorable Council to cause such steps to be taken as may afford speedy and permanent relief from the inconveniences complained of The memorial was presented to the Main Drainage Committee of the Council on the 25th July, when the representations made in support of its 'prayer' by the deputation were favourably and sympathetically received, the Chairman (Mr. J. G. Rhoads) promising to enter fully into the many technical details of the matter with the Vestry's surveyor at the earliest date. Nothing in the shape of relief resulted, however, and in October urgent appeals were again made to the Council, the whole history of the agitation being reviewed. At the same time the members of the London County Council representing the Westminster Division were invited to attend the Vestry's Works Committee, when the question was to be specially considered. Sir Walter de Souza then informed the Committee that the subject was receiving the earnest consideration of the Main Drainage Committee of the Council, but that as any scheme for remedying the unsatisfactory condition of the main drainage system in all parts of the metropolis must not only be enormous in its cost, but must take a long time to complete, the Main Drainage Committee would be glad to consider any proposal for a temporary relief that might be suggested by the local authorities affected. The Committee thereupon appointed a Sub-Committee, comprising the Chairman of the Committee and four gentlemen fully acquainted with the whole subject (The Hon. Ashley Ponsonby and Messrs. T. Horn, G. F. Trollope, J. W. 45 Hiscox, and G. J. Lough), who subsequently reported their opinion that a remedy for the local floodings might be provided by the establishment of a pumping station in the vicinity of Millbank Street. This opinion was duly communicated to the Council in accordance with the suggestion of Sir Walter de Souza, but three months passed without a sign or sound of any intention to apply a remedy, albeit the signs and sounds resulting from continued overflows were not wanting. At last, on the 20th February. 1890, the Council wrote regretting that "recent" circumstances relating to their Engineer's Department had caused some delay in the consideration of the best means for the prevention of the floodings, and stating that the matter had been referred to the newly appointed engineer, who would enter upon his duties on the 3rd March, as one of great urgency, adding that Mr. (now Sir) Benjamin Baker had been specially instructed to join him in reporting upon the general capacity and requirements of the main line sewers. Recent circumstances were advanced as reasons for delay in the consideration of a matter which had been pressed upon the central authority since 1885, or, if the London County Council be held irresponsible so far as their predecessors were concerned, upon that body itself, in a very strenuous manner, for nearly twelve months. On the 5th March the surveyor reported to the Works Committee another request for suggestions or information which the Vestry acceded to. The last step taken by the Vestry before the close of the official year was to request the member for the borough, Mr. Burdett-Coutts, to submit an enquiry in the House of Commons to the President of the Local Government Board, "with reference to the delay " on the part of the London County Council in providing "relief from the flooding of basements in this parish." 46 So far as the Vestry were able to ascertain, no practical steps to provide even a temporary remedy were taken between December, 1884, and March, 1890. During all this time widespread impatience and dissatisfaction had been manifested in all parts of the parish. Properties never before affected (some having been built more thirty years) had recently been flooded several times, while properties built within the past few years (one assessed at nearly £4,000, and another erected at a cost of nearly £150,000) had suffered such inconvenience as to render the basements comparatively useless, while the local sewers were known to have been for days in succession fully charged with water from the main sewers, no perceptible difference taking place upon the tide falling. Furthermore, the ratepayers so prejudicially affected, many of whom are assessed to very large amounts, complained that they were called upon to contribute towards the cost of a system which, so far from being an advantage to them, was productive of a serious proprietary loss, and grave insanitary nuisance. In this connection reference may fitly be made to a letter received from the Council, notifying their intention to make application to Parliament for the following powers:— 1. To provide for periodical inspection of drains nnder houses by Vestries or District Boards, and for the execution of such works by them as, upon such inspection or otherwise, may in their judgment seem necessary; a clause to be included requiring that means shall be provided for inspecting and testing house drains. 2. To prevent the construction of basements below the level of sewers, except with the consent of the Council. 3. To prevent buildings being erected in places where there are no sewers, except with the consent of the Council. The Council were informed of the unanimous opinion of the Vestry, "that it would not be conducive to the public "advantage for the Council to seek powers over local drain"age, now under the jurisdiction of Vestries and District 47 "Boards, until the Council had effectually removed the cause "of the wide-spread complaint arising from the defects of "the main drainage system under their control." Maintenance of Main Roads. A question of some importance to local authorities with regard to the maintenance of roads, arose upon the passing of the Local Government Act of 1888. Prior to the passing of the Act, the Highways and Locomotives Amendment Act of 1878 (41 and 42 Vic., cap. 77) was specially excluded by section 2 from operation in the metropolis; but section 41 of the new Act removed this exemption, so that by section 15 of the Highways Act, the Vestries and District Boards of the metropolis as "high"way authorities" were enabled to make application to the London County Council as the "county authority" of that Act, for an order declaring any thoroughfare to be a "main "road" by reason of its "being a medium of communica"tion between great towns or a thoroughfare to a railway "station, or otherwise." Upon such an application the Council would be required by sub-section 1 of section 11 of the Local Government Act to contribute towards the cost of maintaining any such thoroughfares, although by sub-section 2 of the same section, the local authority could "retain the powers and duties of main"taining and repairing the roads within its district." The Vestry made the necessary application, the principal streets in the parish being scheduled, and considerable correspondence between the Vestry and the local Councillors took place upon the subject. However, in an exhaustive report prepared by the Highways Committee of the London County Council, the opinion was expressed that the provisions of the Local Government Act and the Highways and Locomotives Act referred to were totally inapplicable to the thoroughfares in the County of London, having regard to the fact that with so many railway stations in London, 48 nearly every road and street might be considered to be a part of a thoroughfare leading to a railway station ; that with a main road running through several parishes and districts paved according to the will of the respective authority in wood, asphalte, or macadam, the Council would have no power of requiring continuity in the system of paving, and in view also of the fact that the Council would not be able to exercise any sort of control over the authorities to whom they might have to grant contributions. For these reasons the Highways Committee recommended the Council to take steps with a view to seeking an amendment of the law. For this information the Vestry are indebited to the agenda papers of the Council, courteously furnished to them by one of the members for Westminster, the Council not having replied to the Vestry's letter which enclosed the schedule of streets in respect of which the application was made. Loans. During the year the Vestry have met with some difficulty in connection with the negotiation of loans with the Council, but as this matter has been already noted in the proper place, with other financial details at page 12, there is no necessity here to do more than give the reference. Underground Rooms. A report was received from the inspector in October that certain underground rooms were occupied contrary to the 103rd section of the Metropolis Local Management Act. The attention of the London County Council was thereupon called to the fact that since the receipt, in July, of the last report from the District Surveyor (stating that no underground rooms occupied separately as dwellings had been discovered since his report in January previous), the inspectors of the Vestry had found several cases in which such rooms, totally unfit for human habitation, were illegally so used, and the Council were requested to give instructions to the district surveyors in order to ensure the strict observance of this important 49 statutory duty. In reply the Council suggested the cooperation of the Vestry's inspectors with the district surveyors. The Vestry declined to accept responsibility in a duty imposed by the Legislature upon the district surveyors, especially as (no reports of any practical utility having been received for the last two preceding half-years), the advantage derivable from the suggested co-operation was questionable. Fire Prevention, &c. A fire-escape and watch-box have been placed in Regent Place, Horseferry Road, by the Council during the year. In consequence of a communication from the London County Council in January, the Vestry have caused a warning to be circulated amongst ratepayers, by means of the demand notes, against unauthorised requests for money by "volunteer" fire brigades and soi-disant firemen in no way connected with the Metropolitan Fire Brigade—the men of the Brigade being strictly prohibited from soliciting money for any purpose. Millbank Prison Site. The projected removal of the Millbank tentiary has naturally given rise during the year to some speculation as to the manner in which the Government would utilise the large area of land when cleared. The Vestry expressed a desire to see a continuation of Earl Street being effected across the site to the Grosvenor Road near Vauxhall Bridge (see page 51); a reservation of a portion of the site as an "open space" was advocated by the Earl of Meath, Chairman of the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association; and in February the Vestry were informed by Sir Walter de Souza that the London County Council would probably apply to the Home Secretary for the purchase of eight acres of the site for the erection of industrial dwellings at a price estimated at £5,000 per acre or about 1s. Gd. per foot, the Council proposing to erect eight blocks of buildings, each to contain 400 people, G 50 dwellings to be let at a weekly rent of 1s. 6d. to 3s. maximum per room. The matter had not assumed a definite shape at the close of the year. Building Applications. It is due to observe that, in one respect, the London County Council have shown consideration in the manner in which the opinion of the local authorities is regarded, with respect to building applications, as compared with the Metropolitan Board of Works. Following the custom established by the latter body, the Council has continued to transmit applications made under the Building Acts to the local authorities affected, in order that opportunity might be given them for making observations thereon. Under the Metropolitan Board the Vestry had frequently to complain that their suggestions were ignored, applications being refused where the Vestry saw no reason for opposition, while others were granted regard, less of the strong objection of the Vestry. The Council have, however, uniformly treated this consultation of the Vestry's wishes as something more than an empty formality. In no instance during the year have the Council acceded to an application where the Vestry found reason to intimate their disapproval. STREET IMPROVEMENTS. Among the matters for which Westminster is indebted to the late Metropolitan Board of Works is that of contributions towards the cost of local improvements and streetwidenings carried out by the Vestry. The contributions received by the parish from the late Board amounted to £11,823; and it was hoped that the subject would have been dealt with by the new authority in the same broad and considerate spirit. A complete reversal of policy, however, was soon manifested upon the Council assuming jurisdiction. In June, 1889, a memorial, with an accompanying plan, was presented to the Council by a deputation, urging the 51 Council to undertake as County improvements the undermentioned works, and to apply to Parliament for powers in that behalf, if necessary:— The embankment of the Thames from Victoria Tower Garden to Vauxhall Bridge. The widening of Great Smith Street and Marsham Street. The formation of a new street in continuation of Earl Street across the site of Millbank Prison to the Grosvenor Road near Vauxhall Bridge. The formation of a direct connection between Victoria Street and Rochester Row by a new street from the junction of Artillery Row and Old Rochester Row. The widening of York Street from the Broadway to James Street. The continuation of Howick Place, across a corner of the Tothill Fields Prison site and the vacant land by the King's Scholars Pond Sewer, into Vauxhall Bridge Road. Of the first four proposals the Vestry have heard nothing. With reference to the suggested widening of York Street along its entire length, the matter was again brought up upon the consideration of plans deposited on behalf of Messrs. Brown Brothers, for the erection of blocks of new buildings between Palmer Street and No. 98, York Street, showing that the old frontage line was intended to be retained, notwithstanding that the new buildings were proposed to be carried seven storeys high. A letter was accordingly addressed to the Council, suggesting that the building owners should be required to set back the frontage line by eight feet before the approval of plans showing buildings exceeding to such an extent the height of the former houses. On the 12th March, 1890, the Vestry received a letter from the Council, refusing to undertake the improvement on the ground " that York Street is sufficiently wide to meet the "requirements of the traffic," an opinion with which no one acquainted with the locality could be found to agree. G 2 52 Tothill Fields Prison site. Having in view the proposed continuation of Howick Place across the site of the late Tothill Fields Prison into the Vauxhall Bridge Road, suggested in the memorial presented to the Council in June, the Vestry, in the following month, had occasion to call the attention of the Council to the intended erection of houses upon that part of the site which was comprised in the scheme, with a request that their approval should be withheld until a decision had been arrived at upon the memorial of the Vestry. A somewhat curious correspondence followed. Although the Army and Navy Co-operative and Auxiliary Societies about the same time, in urging the desirability of forming a now thoroughfare from flowick Place to Ashley Place, made reference to the impending commencement of building operations, tho superintending architect replied (16th July) that there was no proposal before the Council to build upon the sito in question, and that immediately any application was received, the Vestry would be informed of the same in the usual way. Building operations were actually in progress at tho time. The architect was accordingly informed that the promised intimation had not been received, notwithstanding that extensive excavations were being made. The same letter also forwarded copy of a memorial received by the Vestry, numerously signed by owners and occupiers of property in Victoria Street, Ashley Place, Morpeth Terrace, and tho vicinity of the vacant site, in favour of the proposed widening of the roadway leading from Howick Place to Ashley Place. On the 2nd August the Council transmitted copies of the letters from the Army and Navy Co-operative Societies referred to above, with an intimation that tho Societies had been informed that tho matter was one for the consideration of tho Vestry. It is, perhaps, hardly necessary to remark that the particular improvement desired by the Societies progressed no further. Finally the Council, by letter dated the 9th 53 October, expressed the opinion that the suggested widening of the road from Howick Place to Ashley Place was one of a purely local character, and that they were therefore not prepared to carry it out. Wood Street. Early in May of 1889 attention was called to the work of demolition which was in progress at the "Prince Alfred" public-house in Wood Street, and to the inconvenience which had long been experienced by reason of the projection of the building upon the public footway some four feet beyond the general line of the buildings in the street. Negotiations were entered into with the view to the new building line being set back to correspond with that of the other buildings, and to the surrender for the use of the public of the strip of four feet along the frontage. The owners consented to cede the land required for the sum of £355, inclusive of their charges. This offer was accepted, and preliminary notice of the inteuded improvement was accordingly given to the London County Council on the 24th May, following the custom observed with the late Metropolitan Board of Works. No notice of departure from the practice of the late Board having been given, the Vestry completed the negotiations with the vendor, and the improvement was subsequently carried out. On the 6th August, however, the Vestry received a letter from the Council stating that they were unable to regard the improvement as one towards which a contribution should be made. The Vestry, taken by surprise, requested the Council to re-consider their decision, and the members for the Division were appealed to for their assistance. The Council, however, declined doing so, "inasmuch as the "Vestry had carried out the matter without having obtained "the consent of the Council, as required by section 72 of "the Metropolis Local Management Amendment Act, 1862." 54 The Vestry were therefore called upon for the first time since 1856 to bear the entire cost of a public street improvement. Caxton Street. By the erection of new blocks of buildings, containing many residential suites, and by the many meetings and social gatherings of every description, held at the Town Hall, the Vestry have become impressed with the necessity for widening Caxton Street on the west, between the Medical School and James Street, and on the east at its junction with Great Chapel Street. The first section of the scheme, to which attention was directed, was that on the north side, comprising Wrake's Buildings and the property occupied under a lease by the Army and Navy Auxiliary Supply ; but as the freeholders required forty years' purchase for their interest, the proposal was abandoned, without enquiry as to the compensation required by the lessees. In March, 1889, the Vestry received communications from Messrs. W. Hill & Son, Col. Lumsden, of the London Scottish Rifle Volunteers, and Messrs. J. & A. E. Bull, on behalf of the Army and Navy Co-operative Societies, urging the necessity of the Vestry acquiring a portion of the Blue Coat School premises for the purpose of widening James Street, and negociations were subsequently commenced with a view to carrying out an improvement both in James Street and Caxton Street in the manner suggested. Messrs. Trollope & Winckworth, writing on behalf of the Governors of the School, offered to sell a strip of land, containing 2,808 superficial feet, for the sum of £4,500 plus £200 compensation to the master of the school for loss and inconvenience which would be entailed by the demolition of his house. As a precautionary step the Vestry caused further negotiations to be stayed until the London County Council had consented to contribute. No decision had been communicated to the Vestry up to the time of writing. 55 The next proposal referred to the eastern end of the street. Mr. E. T. Hall, the Architect of St. Ermin's Mansions, submitted to the Vestry in October alternative plans for a widening of Caxton Street, and of Great Chapel Street, the latter to St. Ermin's Hill. Terms were quoted upon which the owner would be prepared to surrender all interests free from encumbrances. Beyond satisfying themselves that the improvement was feasible, as well as desirable, the Vestry forbore going into the question of terms, until it had been ascertained from the Council whether they would be willing to contribute a moiety of the cost. This circumspection was fully justified, for the Council, after some delay, declined to grant the application, on the ground that the extent of the traffic passing the spot referred to was not sufficient to warrant a contribution." Alexandra Gate. The First Annual Report of the Vestry, at page 228, gave a review of the negociations which had taken place with Her Majesty's Office of Works up to the 25th March of 1889, in the matter of a proposed widening of the Kensington Road by Alexandra Gate. In July the Vestry received a letter from H. M. Office of Works, stating that if the Vestry would undertake to arrange that the setting-back of the footway should be continued on the same line down to the Queen's Gate entrance to Kensington Gardens, the First Commissioner would be willing to recommend Her Majesty to grant the necessary license, it being understood that the Vestry should bear the expense of the alterations; the estimated cost was £5,000. Although the improvement affected but slightly the Knightsbridge portion of the parish, it being in every respect a metropolitan improvement, the department were informed of the Vestry's willingness to undertake the execution of the works upon the land necessary for the purpose being surrendered; and in confirmation of the preliminary notice given to the Metropolitan Board 50 of Works in March, 1889, the London County Council were made acquainted with the proposed extension. The Improvements Committee of the Council in reply communicated the adjournment of the question as to a contribution until the Vestry should have obtained the decision of the Government. Thus the matter stood till January of the present year, when the Vestry, without any previous official intimation, had their attention called by Sir Walter de Souza, to a recommendation of the Improvements Committee "that the Council do not contribute towards the "cost of the proposed improvement." The councillors for the Westminster Division subsequently acquainted themselves with the facts, and communicated with Mr. Costelloe, and other members of the Council thereon; and the result of the timely action taken by these gentlemen was that the Chairman of the Improvements Committee of the Council agreed to withdraw the recommendation in question for further consideration. H. M. Office of Works, who were then asked for their decision, replied that the scheme had been recommended to Her Majesty's Treasury, but that no final instructions had been received or pressed for on the assumption that as the autumn season had passed, the execution of the works would in any case have to stand over until the return of that period of the year. On the 20th February, the Vestry received an intimation from Sir Walter de Souza, stating that the Improvements Committee had recommended a contribution of £1000 towards the cost of the improvement. This further innovation on the part of the Council in discontinuing, without notice, the practice invariably observed by their predecessors of contributing one half the cost of public improvements, led the Vestry to pass an unanimous resolution "That the proposed improve"ment at Alexandra Gate be abandoned in the event of the London County Council not contributing a moiety of the "cost. At the last meeting of the Vestry, in the year 57 Under review, a letter was read from Sir Walter de Souza, stating that the Council had "given a further proof of its "indifference to the desires of Westminster by absolutely "rejecting the improvement," negativing even the recommendation of their Committee to grant a contribution of £1,000, the letter concluding as follows:— "I did what I could in urging this improvement upon the Council, but my efforts met with but limited support. I may add that, personally, I hold a strong opinion as to the various acts of the Council whereby the burden of taxation has been most illegitimately increased upon the ratepayers, while most useful measures have been recklessly discarded. I should wish it to be clearly understood that my personal responsibility should be distinguished from the rash acts of the Council, which cannot commend themselves to anyone of common sense, or to anyone acquainted with the necessity of a proper conduct of municipal business." A vote of thanks was accorded to Sir Walter de Souza, for his assiduity in behalf of the Vestry's interests, and Her Majesty's Office of Works were forthwith informed that the Vestry were reluctantly compelled to abandon the improvement, inasmuch as they did not feel called upon to charge upon the local rates the entire cost of effecting a widening in one of the main approaches to the metropolis from the west, and in respect of which the property likely to receive "betterment" thereby was outside the limits of the parish. StruttonGround and Pear Street. The Accountant of the London County Council communicated with the Vestry in November, in reference to a contribution promised by the late Metropolitan Board of Works of £825 towards the cost of an improvement in Pear Street and Strutton Ground, contemplated by the late District Board, and enquired whether it was intended to carry out the work. The improvement in question had been held in abeyance some ten years, but on the receipt of this letter the surveyor of the Vestry was instructed to re-open enquiries as to the possibility of acquiring the property in question. As the freeholders 58 declined entertaining the question of sale on any terms, the Vestry resolved to put into operations the provisions of the Act 57 Geo. III., cap. 29, for the compulsory purchase of the premises. They also ordered, as a preliminary step in that direction, that in the event of the owner of the house in Strutton Ground and of the two cottages in Pear Street not accepting £2,000 and £600 for their respective interests, Messrs. Driver bo engaged to make an independent valuation of the property. Here the matter rested at tho close of the year. RE-NAMING STREETS AND RE-NUMBERING HOUSES. Fow alterations were made during the past year in street nomenclature or in the numbering of houses. Holland Street and Whister's Ground were incorporated under the name of "Monck Street" after a local worthy of the last century, and Now Peter Street was renamed "Chadwick Street" as a public mark of respect to the memory of Mrs. Chadwick, a large-hearted philanthropist, who partly founded the present Almshouses in Rochester Row. The London County Council transmitted to the Vestry a memorial from inhabitants of Knightsbridge praying for the substitution of the names "Rutland Gate Square" and "Rutland Gate Street" for Montpelier Square and Moutpelier Street respectively. Notwithstanding the memorial, the Vestry had reason to believe that the alteration would be objected to by the inhabitants generally, in consequence of which no action was taken in the matter. THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR LONDON. Precept and Rate. The amount which the Vestry were called upon to pay during the year was £27,590 10s. 6d., including £2,059 6s. 3d. on account of Government properties, being an increase upon the sum required in respect of the previous year of £2,525 15s. 4d.. Last year the 59 Vestry were able to record a small reduction in the amount of the demand made by the Board for their purposes, and when making the rates in March of 1889 the Vestry were led by a further reduction in the amount of the precept for the first half-year to determine upon a rate of 8d. in the £, being a penny less than the rate levied during the two previous years. The decrease, however, proved to be illusive. In October, the Finance Committee had to report that the amount of the precept for the second half of the year was £13,563 6s. 5d., exceeding by £1,595 2s. 7d. that of the first half-year, upon which the General Rate for School Board purposes had been estimated. As that rate was barely sufficient to produce the amount for the year on the basis of the demand for the first six months, the Committee were naturally apprehensive of great inconvenience arising from the insufficiency of the rate before the financial year closed—an inconvenience only avoidable, if the precepts were to be met at the required times, by a resort to the expensive expedient of a Supplementary Rate. The Committee declined, however, to submit such a proposal to the Vestry; and the School Board were plainly told that so long as they systematically ignored the reasonable convenience of the rating authorities in imposing, without any previous notice, an increase equivalent to more than a half-penny in the £, and while they continued to disregard the representations repeatedly made by such authorities of the impossibility of collecting the amounts required to pay the instalments at the dates named in their precepts, the Board would have to submit to the resulting inconvenience being brought home to them by waiting for the payment of the instalments until the rates for the purpose had been collected. And the Vestry did more than give verbal expression to their opinion. When on the 20th February the solicitors of the School Board wrote pressing for payment of the £6,781 13s. 3d. instalment due on the 60 24th December, they were informed that the then balance to the credit of the School Board rate was a little over three thousand pounds, and that if they were willing to accept that sum in part payment a cheque should be drawn at once; but that otherwise the Board would have to share with the Vestry the inconvenience arising from the payment being somewhat in arrear. No reply was forthcoming to this frank intimation. Financial Outlook, 1890-1. Prior to the receipt of this lawyer's letter, the Finance Committee were favoured by MajorGeneral Sim, a member for the Westminster Division upon the School Board, and a Vestryman, with a copy of the Preliminary Financial Statement of that Board for 1890-91, in which it was stated that the rate for the next financial year would be "at least 10d. in the pound, on an assessment "of about thirty-one and a half millions," based on the totals of the rateable value of the metropolis. The Vestry thereupon deemed it their duty to demonstrate to the School Board that from the point of view of the rating authorities in the metropolis (who have to collect the money in satisfaction of the Board's precepts), these statements were unsatisfactory in a two-fold sense. First, in the sense that any increase in the rate was unsatisfactory, bearing in mind the enormous growth of the rateable value of the metropolis; and secondly, that such statements did not correctly convey to the minds of the householders the rate in the pound they would be called upon to pay. In the statement, the estimated rate was given as 10d. in the pound, "on an assessment of about thirty-one and a "half millions"; but that was on the assumption that every property in the metropolis would be occupied throughout the year, and that the rate could be collected without cost. If the "empties," "compositions" with tenement landlords, losses from other causes, and cost of collection were taken into consideration, a rate of at least 61 11d. in the pound would have to be levied, irrespective of a further halfpenny which would probably be required to make up the deficiency caused by the second part of the precept for the year under review being so much in excess of the first part. The views of the Vestry indicated above were communicated to the other rating authorities in the metropolitan area, and received a general concurrence. The reply of the School Board in no way met the criticism of the Vestry:— the "preliminary financial statement '' was declared to be "not an official document, but a statement made by the "Chairman of the Finance Committee in moving the "estimates"; and the Board added that it was impossible for them to estimate with any certainty their expenditure for any given year until the estimates of the previous year had been made up. But this disclaimer of the "preliminary "financial statement" did not prevent its being widely circulated by the press as being a ministerial forecast of the Board's financial requirements, and as conveying to the minds of householders not acquainted with the details of rating, that a rate of 10d. as calculated by the School Board, is in reality a rate of 11½d. as levied upon the ratepayers. As the figures have in the past proved to be of considerable use, the following summary of the amounts of the precepts issued by the School Board upon the Vestrv since 1871, given in previous reports, is again appended:— Precept. Rate. £ s. d. d. 1871 983 9 10 1872 1,857 5 11 1½ 1873 1,535 7 3 1 1874 3,689 1 9 1¾ 1875 6,440 4 9 3½ 1876 9,597 18 4 4 1877 11,363 9 11 5½ 62  Precept. Rate. £ s. d. #] 1878 11,224 4 9 5 1879 12,536 4 11 4½ 1880 14,458 9 11 5½ 1881 14,799 13 4 5½ 1882 14,797 2 8 6½ 1883 17,316 16 0 7 1884 20,474 2 0 8 1885 22,613 0 0 9 1886 25,134 1 10 9 1887 23,910 4 6 9 1888 22,899 8 11 9 1889 25,531 10 3 8 With reference to the last column—the amounts of the rate in the £—it should be borne in mind that the rate therein stated is only relative to the amount of the rateable value in the year particularised. The rateable value of the metropolis since 1871 has not by any means been stationary. It is necessary, for a correct appreciation of the amazing manner in which the expenditure of the School Board has increased from year to year, to keep this fact in view. As an illustration, it may be stated that in the last ten years no less than £6,790,000 have been added to the rateable value of London. In 1870, the rateable value was £24,600,000, when the rate for School Board purposes was 4½d. in the £. The rate for the year 1890-1, is 11½d in the £. The present rateable value of the metropolis is £31,390,000, so that this rate of 11½d. is not merely an increase of 7d. in the pound upon that of ten years ago; besides that increase, the ratepayers are called upon to pay the 11½d upon the £6,790,000, which has come into assessment since—equivalent to 2½d. in the £. In other words, if the rateable value of 1879 had remained unaltered, the rate for the year 1890-1 would have been 1s. 2d. in the £. 63 The Buildings Scandal. _ „ .... Allegations have been publicly made during The Buildings scandal. the year respecting the acquisition of sites and the inferior construction of buildings for the School Board for London. In January, upon the invitation of the Board of Works for the St. Olave District, "to combine in a "humble petition to her Majesty to appoint a Royal Com"mission of Enquiry into the working of the School Board "for London with special regard to its building work and "general expenditure," the Vestry intimated their willingness to adopt such a course ; and in March other communications were received from several local bodies relating to the same matter, advocating the appointment of a Special Commission, to which the Vestry also gave a general assent. miscellaneous matters. A curious case of disputed jurisdiction exemcollege Mews. Plifying the value, even in these days of elaborate ordnance maps, and of " beating the bounds," arose upon communications from Mr. Labouchere, M.P., and Her Majesty's Office of Works, complaining respectively of ill-drainage in College Mews and of the neglected condition of the roadway. As neither the Vestry nor its predecessors had ever repaired the mews, the matter was referred to the solicitor, upon whose report Her Majesty's Office of Works were acquainted of the Vestry's opinion that the roadway of the mews was under the jurisdiction of that Department as Paving Commissioners of the " Approaches to the Houses of Parliament" under the 14 and 15 Vict., cap. 95; and Mr. Labouchere was informed that, although the sewer vested in the Vestry, the particular drain of which he complained was upon private property. Notices were subsequently served upon the owners to put the drainage in question into proper sanitary condition. The Office of Works, however, denied jurisdiction, as did also the Chapter House authorities having control over the Collegiate Close. 64 The evidence consequently tending to show that the Vestry were the responsible paving authorities of the mews, although the properties therein, with the exception of one house, had never been rated in the parish, the owners and occupiers were ordered to be notified that upon the roadway being put into thorough repair at their expense, and upon the Overseers assessing the property to the local rates, the Vestry would assume jurisdiction. Water Supply and Water Companies' Charges. Water Supply In view of the quinquennial re-assessment of companies' 1890, the Vestry, on the motion of Mr. G.J.Chappie < barges. anfj q Stone, took the initiative in a movement against the efforts of the water companies to enhance the value of their monopoly, which has now grown to such proportions as to give hope that an amendment of the law so urgently needed may nob be far distant. By section 08 of the Waterworks Clauses Act of 1847, the various water companies are invested with the power to make their charges for water "payable according tc the annual value of the tenement supplied with water"; and the operation of the Valuation (Metropolis) Act of 1869, has enabled the water companies to reap the benefit of the enormous " unearned increment " thereby created, at the expense of the consumers and without outlay of capital—a result which manifestly could not have been intended by the legislature when according the powers possessed by the Water Companies. The Local Government Board were accordingly communicated with, suggesting that H. M. Government should introduce a short Bill into Parliament in the session of 1890, with the object of suspending' the power of the Companies to charge for supply in proportion to the increase that may be expected to accrue from the re-valuation of London. As a copy of the motion will be found at page 69 post, it is unnecessary to give it here. In the absence of the Government taking action, it is gratifying to note that the London County Council 65 determined upon petitioning Parliament on similar lines to those laid down by the Vestry. The number of motions of which notice had Motions after Notice. been given during the year was 21. In the previous year there were 13. Below are given the several motions arranged in order of date, with the manner in which they were dealt with indicated in each case. 27th March, 1889. By Mr. W. M. Scudamore— "That with reference to the letter of Sir Walter de Souza (dated 9th March), the Vestry regret the action he has taken in the matter, and express their opinion that he should not allow his personal feelings to interfere with the discharge of his public duty; and they trust that he will work in harmony with the sitting Member on all local and public questions affecting the interests of the United Parish." The Vestry 'proceeded to the next business. 10th April, 1889. By Mr. W. M. Scudamore— To call attention to communications recently received from Sir W. de Souza, L.C.C., and to move a resolution, or resolutions, if necessary." In the absence of the mover, allowed to lapse. 10th April, 1889. By Mr. S. H. Cohen— "That the attention of the London County Council be called to the insufficient capacity of the main line sewers in this parish, whereby frequent floodings of basements and losses to the ratepayers are occasioned; and that the Council be asked to devise a remedy for the same, by the provision of additional pumping stations or otherwise, at the earliest possible opportunity." Referred to Works Committee, and subsequently acted upon. See page 40. 10th May, 1889. By Mr. F. Lambert— "That the solicitor take steps to obtain the discontinuance of the obstruction of the carriageway of Grosvenor Road, by Holy Trinity Church, by the coffee stall and fixed shelter now standing thereon, and to renew such proceedings as may be necessary in the event of the stall being placed elsewhere upon the public highways of this parish without the consent of the the Vestry previously obtained." Lost. h 66 12th June, 1889. By Mr. H. N. B. Spink— "That the Churchwardens, as Returning Officers at Yestry Elections, be requested to take the opinion of Counsel on the questions:— (a.) "Whether a person occupying property below the qualifying amoiint (i.e., £40 in Westminster) and rated to the Poor in addition in respect of other premises not in his occupation, is capable of being elected, and of acting as Vestryman or Auditor.' (b.) Whether it is within the province of the Presiding Officer to satisfy himself before putting the names to the vote that the persons nominated at the Ward Election over which he presides are duly qualified.' and that the expense be defrayed by the Yestry." Lost. 12th June, 1889. By Mr. C. Stone— "That in the opinion of the Yestry the action of the Chairman on Wednesday, 10th April, and of the Chairman on Wednesday, 8th May, in admitting the speech and vote of an interested member, in the matter of the site of the proposed new Library and Baths, was a violation of the following Bye-Law, No. 41:— No Member of the Vestry shall at any Yestry or Committee Meeting take part in any discussion, or vote on any question in which he is either personally or as agent interested; provided that no Member shall hereby be deprived of the opportunity of attending as a ratepayer and addressing at the appointed time any Vestry or Committee Meeting on such question.' " Withdrawn. 26th June, 1889. By Mr. C. Stone— "That to facilitate the annual election of members upon Committees, the names printed upon the agenda paper, according to the Standing Order No. 121, be taken as representing all the members desirous of serving upon the several Committees ; and that no nominations without such previous publication of the names be admitted by the Chairman of the day, unless the number of nominations under the Standing Order be less than the number of vacancies.' " The Vestry proceeded to the next business. 26th June, 1889. By Mr. W. H. Baker— 'That a Special Meeting of the Works Committee be convened to consider the advisability of purchasing the houses in Old Rochester Row, to be submitted for sale by auction on July 2nd." Pei •missively considered as a matter of urgency. Withdrawn. 67 10th July, 1889. By Mr. Z. King— "That the attention of the London County Council be called to the intention to erect houses upon that part of the late Tothill Fields Prison site which is comprised in the Improvement Scheme submitted by this Vestry, and that they be requested to withhold their approval of such buildings until a decision has been arrived at upon the memorial referring to the improvements." Carried unanimously. See page 52. This motion was considered permissively as a matter of urgency, no notice thereof having been given. 24th July, 1889. By Mr. C. C. Piper, pro Mr. W. H. Baker— "That in the opinion of this Vestry the Notices of the Meetings of the London County Council now sent to the Vestry, and containing only the Notices of Motions of individual Councillors, on general or abstract questions, are of little use to the Vestry." "That representations be again made to the County Council as to the value of the agendas and reports of Committees, as sent to the local Vestries and District Boards by the late Metropolitan Board of Works, whereby the local bodies were enabled to take cognisance of, and to communicate with their representatives upon such questions before the Board as affected their respective areas." "That the London County Council be asked to revert to the practice of the late Metropolitan Board of Works in this respect; that the Councillors for the Division be asked to support the request; and that communications be addressed to the other Vestries and District Boards, suggesting that they might make similar representations to the County Council on the subject, and solicit the support of the Councillors of their respective Divisions thereto." Carried. See page 39. 23rd October, 1889. By Mr. W. H. Baker— "That the recent proceedings against Westminster tradesmen for exposing goods for sale on the public footway, acts very hard upon them as ratepayers, and that the extreme measures taken against one in Rochester Row is harsh and unjust." Withdrawn. 13th November, 1889. By Mr. C. Stone— "That the following be a Standing Order of the Vestry :— 'That no person in receipt of any public charity be eligible for appointment to any salaried office or for engagement in any paid employment imder this Vestry.' " Carried. h 2 68 13th November, 1889. By Mr. J. Asiiry— "That Mr. c. d. Stool be appointed upon the Finance Committee in the placo of Mr. F. Itose, resigned." Carried. 27th November, 1889. By Mr. II. N. B. Spink— "That this Vestry cordially approves the objects of the London Society for the Extension of University Teaching, and, with a view to support the same, do appoint a committee of six members with authority to convene a public meeting on behalf of the Vestry, and otherwise to assist in arranging for the delivery of a course of lectures in this parish, no expense exceeding £5 to be incurred without the previous sanction of the Vestry." Carried. 27th November, 1880. By Mr. T. Horn— "That inasmuch as the public inconvenience attending the laying of gas, water, electric lighting, telegraph, and telephonic services in the public thoroughfares is largely due to the space under the footways being occupied by vaults projecting beyond the private line, the Vestry resolve that for the future, in no street or place laid out for building purposes, no vaults, ovens, or other structures be permitted under any part of a public thoroughfare, or any place which may be capable of becoming a public thoroughfare." Referred to Works Committee; reference subsequently discharged at the instance of the mover. 27th November, 1889. By Mr. W. Swingler— "To call attention to the nuisance and annoyance to inhabitants by the working of electrical machinery ut the rear of houses in Broadway, Chapel Place, and York Street, and to move a resolution thereon." Lapsed. 23rd December, 1889. By Mr. J. K. Aston,pro Mr. W. IT. Baker— "That Mr. Margrie bo placed on the Parliamentary Committee vicc Mr. llosc, resigned.'' Carried. 22nd January, 1890. By Mr. W. H. Baker— "That Mr. Margrie bo elected a member of the Works Committee in the place of Dr. Pugh, resigned." Carried. 69 26th February, 1890. By Mr. G. J. Chapple — "That in view of the re-assessment of property to be made in the present year, which, in many cases, will enable the water companies to increase their charges without giving any equivalent to the consumers, and so increase the value of their monopoly if at any time there should be a purchase of their interest by the London County Council, it is resolved :— 'That, in the opinion of this Yestry, the operation of Section 68 of the Waterworks Clauses Act of 1847, whereby it is enacted that the charges for water shall be ' payable according to the annual value of the tenement supplied with water,' and of similar provisions in the Acts of the several Water Companies in the Metropolis, is attended with grievous injustice to a large section of the consumers ; and that the effect of the Quinquennial Revision of the Valuation Lists in the Metropolis, under the Valuation Act of 1869, periodically possesses the Water Companies, at the expense of the consumers, of an enormous imearned increment, not contemplated by the Legislature when the Act of 1847 and the later Acts on the same lines were passed; and that this Vestry address a communication to the Local Government Board, suggesting that Her Majesty's Government should introduce a short Bill in the present Session of Parliament to provide that when once the rateable value of a house or tenement has been assessed, the Water Companies in the Metropolis shall not be entitled to any higher rate of charge thereon, unless where an additional consumption of water follows the increase in the rateable value ; and to provide also that the public shall be able to demand a supply by meter at a small quarterly minimum charge.' " "That copies of this resolution be sent to the London County Council, and to all the rating authorities of the Metropolis, with a suggestion that in the event of the principle of the resolution being approved, they should also address the Local Government Board thereon.'' Carried unanimously. 26th February, 1890. By Mr. C. Stone— "That in the opinion of this Vestry the time has arrived when the power of Water Companies to make an additional charge (not for extra water supplied, but in consequence of the increased valuation of parishes) should end, and the public be enabled to obtain a supply by meter with a small quarterly minimum charge and that the clerk be instructed to com- 70 munioato with other local bodios to arrange u conference to consider the best means of bringing this about." Withdrawn in favour of that oj Mr. Ohapple upon the sawn subject. 12th March, I890. By Mr. W. H. Baker— "That the following resolution of the Vestry on '26th February ultimo (4 (i) bo and it in hereby rescinded: - 'That the acts, proceedings, and recommendation of the Works and General Purposes Committee an now submitted in paragraph No. 7 of their report be and they are hereby approved and adopted ; that the applicants be informed that the Vestry will ^ivo their consent to the closing of St. Margaret's I'assago, subject to application being made to the Justices under the 57 George III., cap. 29, and upon the applicants undertaking to surrender all interests in the forecourts, as shown on the tracing deposited, and to bear the expense of making up the roadway on the site of such forecourts.' " I tout. viberLtiai.o The locality of Albert (late received a considerable amount of attention from the Vestry during the year. When preparing the estimates lor the year 1889-90 enquiry was made of the Vestry of St. George, Hanover Square, as to whether they would lie willing to co-operate with this Vestry in the laying of wood pavement to the approach to 1 lyde Park from the main road, so far as the same is in their parish. To this the Vestry of St. George replied that they had resolved to undertake no wood paving works during the year, and asked the Vestry to postpone the consideration of the matter until the next Spring. A second reply, identical in terms, was given to a letter in February, 1890, reminding them of the postponement, and the Vestry, without awaiting further procrastination on the part of the neighbouring Vestry, made provision in the estimates for 1 1890-1, for carrying out the much needed works. 71 In consequence of a complaint made by a resident at Albert Gate of the nuisance as well as the residential injury caused by omnibuses making a stopping-stage opposite his house, the Works Committee, after visiting the locality, submitted a proposal to the Vestry for an amalgamation of the two present refuges into one refuge 120 feet long, with a view to diverging the traffic between and across the two refuges, and to creating two distinct lines of traffic ' along the Brompton and the Knightsbridge roads respectively. The police authorities, however, who were consulted as to whether the suggested alterations would be to the convenience of the public traffic, were so emphatically adverse to the scheme that the Vestry proceeded no further in the matter. The Electric One of the principal features of the year has been the development of the electric light. At pages 19-21 ante is reviewed the activity of the local electric lighting companies, the efforts made by the Vestry to prevent monopoly and to ensure proper control, and the action of theBoard of Trade in practically over-ruling the objections of the Vestry made in behalf of the public safety and convenience. The companies having secured their powers, miles of footway in the principal thoroughfares throughout the parish have been pulled up at whatever time the companies chose to do the work, regardless of the public convenience, or the wishes of the local authorities. As a consequence the public have been put to no small incommodity.and at the same time subjected to some misgivings at the spectacle of conduits,insulators,distributing boxes,and interminable "mains" being placed under foot. And, indeed, that there was some reason for apprehension that the introduction of the electric light would not be unattended with danger, was evidenced by an explosion which occurred at Albert Gate on the 1st November, 1889, due to the ignition of an accumulation of coal gas which had percolated into a distributing box 72 belonging to the Kensington and Knights bridge Electric Lighting Company. The footway was disturbed, several windows in the vicinity were broken, and, by the nature of the accident, the public seriously endangered, although, fortunately, no injury to pedestrians resulted. The Board of Trade were immediately written to, suggesting an enquiry into all the circumstances in the interest of the public safety,—a request which was at once acceded to. Major P. Cardew, R.E., electrical adviser to the Board, reported that the ignition of the gas was due to small sparks occurring between the insulating covering of the high pressure alternating current conductors. The enquiry also elicited that the main which caused the explosion belonged to the London Electric Supply Corporation, who had rented the conduits from the Kensington and Knightsbridge Company —a mutual mode of arrangement by no means contemplated when the orders were granted to the various companies. A copy correspondence furnished by the Board of Trade between the Board and these Companies showed that the responsibility was attributed by either Company to the other, and that eventually the London Corporation in justification went so far as to submit to the Board that if such Companies as theirs, having several parishes comprised within their authorised area of supply, were permitted under suitable regulations to make such connections between certain points as had been made in this instance, it would be much to the advantage of the public, inasmuch as it would facilitate the distribution of electrical energy. However desirable from the companies' point of view such arrangements might be, Major Cardew emphatically reported 'I consider that the renting of conduits from one com"pany by another is distinctly against the interest of the 'public safety, as being liable to detract from the full re'sponsibility of a supply company for its own mains." As precautionary measures against the recurrence of a similar 73 I O accident, Major Cardew advised that the drawing-in boxes should be thoroughly ventilated, and, in order that sparks should not be produced from the mains in these boxes, that the mains should be bound together with bare copper or iron wire passing round both mains throughout the whole extent where they are not lying in contact with the iron pipe. From a copy of further correspondence in December it appeared that the Board were requiring these suggestions to be adopted. Caroline Place, Knightsbridge. . Caroline riace, Upon £25 being paid for the paving removed, Knightsbndge. ygave their consent in January before the Justices to the closing of Caroline Place as a thoroughfare, under the Act 57 Geo. III., cap. 29. St. Margaret's Passage. ^ st Margaret's February the Vestry received an offer Passage. mac[e on behalf of the Army and Navy Cooperative and Auxiliary Societies, to surrender a strip of ground for the purpose of widening Cobourg Row thirty feet, in consideration of the Vestry consenting to the closing of St. Margaret s Passage, the Societies being owners in fee simple of the land on both sides of the passage with the exception of Spencer Buildings. As the area of the Passage 3was more than twice that of the forecourts proposed to be ceded, the Vestry stipulated that the expense of making up the roadway should also be borne by the applicants, and, this being agreed to, the necessary consent under the 57 ' Geo. III., cap. 29 was given, and confirmed at a special meeting, when a motion to revoke the consent was negatived by 21 votes to 17. Contracts. In conformity with the provisions of the Contracts. 192nd Section of the Metropolis Local Management Act, a statement of all contracts entered into and in force during the year was prepared and submitted to the Auditors at their investigation of the Vestry's accounts. A copy of this statement is incorporated with this report as an Appendix (No. 16), for the information of the ratepayers. 71 Treasurer's Security. , In the course of the Poor Law Audit in Feb- Treasurer s security. was found necessary to submit to the Local Government Board Auditor that the Vestry were empowered, by reason of the passing of the Act 50 & 51 Vict, cap. 17, to appoint a Treasurer under the Act of 1855, as amended by the Act 19 & 20 Vict. cap. 112, in lieu of the "Churchwardens, Overseers of the Poor and Vestrymen" of the Local Act 25 George II., cap 23. A statement setting forth the facts of the case was prepared and submitted to the District Auditor, and as the particulars therein given may be likely to prove useful for future reference, a copy is incorporated with this Report as Appendix No. 14. Baths and Wash-houses Baths and the public Baths and Wash-houses in Great wash-houses, Smith Street are managed by a Board of Commissioners who are invested with statutory powers for that purpose, and who are elected by the Vestry. The accounts of the Commissioners are examined by the Auditors elected by the ratepayers, under the provisions of Sec. 197 of the Metropolis Local Management Act. A copy of such accounts for the year ended at Lady-day last is printed herewith (Appendix No. 18) in pursuance of a resolution of the late District Board of Works on 22nd June, 1886. Free Public Library. Free Public The Commissioners of the Free Public Library, Library. Qne third of whom retire annually in November, are elected by the Vestry for the performances of duties defined by Act of Parliament. The accounts of these Commissioners for the year to Lady-day last, duly certified by the District Auditor of the Local Government Board, will be found as an appendix (No. 19) forming the concluding pages of this volume. By Order of the Vestry, J. E. SMITH, June, 1890. Vestry Clerk. APPENDICES. 76 APPEK Tabulae Statement showing the attendances of Members at the Meeting* NAME OF MEMBER. The Vestry. Finance Committee. W orks and General Purposes; Committee. I Street Cleansing and Sanitary Committee. Parliamentary Committee. Joint Works and Sanitary Committee. Valuation Committee. Sub-Committees and Special Committee. Total Attendances. No. of Meetings summoned to. No. of Meetings held '29 23 23 21 7 13 13 Adams, W. M. 0 ... 0 29 Aston, J. K. 20 ... ... ., ... 9 3 (4) 32 46 Barber, G. 23 18 16 12 1 (1) 70 87 Barnes, J.B. (Overseer, 1889-90) 11 11 ... ... 1 5 (7) 28 09 Batten, J. B. ... 8 • . • 2 6 2 «. • 18 70 Birch, W. A 3 .. . ... 3 29 Bond, Dr. T 9 10 3 22 63 Bonwick, AV. ... 18 "7 ... 25 52 Brindley, W. ... 21 ... • . . 21 29 Burman, J. (deceased) 0 ... 0 ... ... 0 0 3 Butler, T 17 . • 14 15 3 1 (2) 50 88 Cameron, H. L.(Overseer,'90-1) 12 0 ... 7 .. . 3 1 (1) 25 80 Cleghorn, \V. ... 18 10 ... 5 ... 34 59 Cohen, S. H 23 16 18 10 ... 67 88 Cooper, W. J. ... 9 . . . . . . i ... 4 . 1 1 14 63 Cowley, C. T 7 . . . ... ... ... ». . 7 29 Davis, E. i 0 • . . • . • • . . . » . 0 29 De Pinna, D. (resigned, 10/5,90) 1 ... ... ... .. ... 1 28 Edwards, J. 11 . . ; 8 5 ... 24 63 Farrar, Yen. Arch., D.D.(Rectr) 1 • . . ... ... 1 29 Fergusson, J. ... 21 ... . . . 19 "5 9 1 (1) 55 71 Hearne, E. 19 ... 9 4 32 63 Hill, J 3 ... ... 3 6 36 Hiscox, J. W. (deceased) 21 14 13 ... 9 10(13) 75 111 Home, E. 4 • . • ... 0 ... 4 36 Humphreys, J. C. 5 ... ... ... ... ... 5 29 Hunt, H. A. (Churchwarden)... 3 1 ... . ■ . ... ... 6 ... 10 65 Kent, J. 23 7 1 9 40 78 King, J. W 0 ... ... ... 0 29 King, Z. 16 ... ... 12 „ 5 0 (2) 33 65 Lance, E. 9 ... ... ... 9 29 Langston, T., M.R.C.S. 15 ... 5 ... 1 21 63 Lough, G. J. (Church'warden).. 25 15 5 ... ... 2 6 2 (2) 55 103 Martin, J.B. (Overseer,'89-90-1) 9 3 ... ... ... 10 0 (2) 22 67 Ponsonby, Hon. A. G. J., J. P. 10 ... 11 ... 3 5 ... 2 (2) 31 74 Rorke, J. 8 ... ... ... ... ... 8 29 Scudamore, W. M. 18 9 ... ... ... ... 4 (6) 31 58 Sharp, W. 3 ... ... ... ... ... ... 3 29 Sim, Maj.-Gen., C.A., M.L.S.B. 10 ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 29 Smith, C. Spencer 20 14 ... ... ... ... ... 6 (6) 40 58 Smith, J. 0 ... ... ... ... ... ... 0 29 Sterling, Col. J. B. 14 "7 ... ... ... '* - ... 21 52 Swingler, W. 20 7 11 ... ... 4 ... ... 42 88 Tallents, G. W. 11 ... ... 6 ... ... ... 17 36 Tomlinson, W. E. M., M.P. 4 ... ... ... ... ... ... 4 29 Trollope, G. F. 17 ... 9 ... 1 6 ... 5 (5) 38 77 Tucker, F. J. 4 ... ... ... ... ... 4 29 Verity, D. 22 ... 19 ... 4 7 ... 3 (3) 55 75 White, T.J 13 ... 6 1 9 ... 5 (5) 34 75 Wright, C 24 10 15 ... ... 4 ... 1 (1) 54 89 The figures in brackets under the head''Sub-Committees, &o.," 16th May, 1890. 77 No. 1. between 12th June, 1889, and 10th May, 1890, both days inclusive. NAME OF MEMBER. The Vestry. Finance ommittee. Wor i General Purposes Committee. ] Street Cleansing and Sanitary Committee. Parliamentary Committee. Joint Works and Sanitary Committee. Valuation Committee. Sub-Committees and Special Committee. Total Attendances. No. of Meetings summoned to. No. of Meetings held 29 23 23 21 7 13 13 dams, T. 15 2 17 36 shby, J. 22 16 ... 18 ... io 1 (1) 67 87 aker, W. H. 21 16 ... 11 ... 7 12 4 (10) 71 109 iennett, W. J. 19 15 7 ... 1 . . . 1 (3) 43 91 ierry,Z.A.(Overseer 1889-90-1) 18 7 ... ... ... ... 7 0 (2) 32 67 iirch, W. S 14 ... ... ... 14 29 iishop, M. H. (Churchwarden) 5 1 ... ... ... ... 6 12 65 ■roughton, G. .. 17 ... ... ... • .. . • • . . . 17 29 iudd, H. W 27 .. . • •. . . ... . . . ... 27 29 i happle, G. J.... 19 14 •.. ... ... .. . •. . 35 59 ocks, T. 13 • • . 5 6 ... 2 ... 26 86 oppen, J. ... [L.C.C. 11 ... ... ... . .. 11 29 'ostelloe, C. F. C., M.A., B.Sc., 4 0 ... 0 (4) 4 40 )avies,T.W.(Overseer,1889-90) 21 15 13 ... 7 4 I (2) 61 98 )avis, W. 23 • • . "s 14 ... 9 ... 54 86 'itzgerald, A. .. 23 ... ... 8 ... 4 .. 35 42 ''urse, Rev. Canon (Rector) . 0 • .. •.. . . . ... • .. ... 0 29 ieisel, J. J. 8 • i. . ... • • . ... ... 8 29 libson, J. (Overseer 1890-91) . 17 1 ... • i. ... • .. *7 25 41 lamborg, H. 0. (Churchwden.) 20 16 • . . 11 ... 9 12 5 (5) 73 104 Sannah, A. 7 ... ... ... ... 7 29 Hayler, J. 20 ... 12 11 ... 7 ... 50 86 Holder, T. 4 ... • t. ... ... ... 4 29 Hollis, G. 10 ... ... ... ... ... 10 29 Honeysett, C. 16 •.. 5 . .. ... 2 ... 23 65 Horn, T. 28 ... 20 • . . 6 11 ... 9 (9) 74 81 Hunt, F. Seager, M.P. 2 .. • 0 0 0 ... ... 2 72 Lambert, F. W. C. 23 ... ... •. • ... ... ... 23 29 Lane, J.. 27 16 16 ... ii ... ... 70 86 Margrie, J. 23 ... 3 ... 1 l ... ... 28 46 Miller, G. T., J.P 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 29 Newman, 0. 0 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 0 29 Nicholls, G 10 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 29 Palmer, C. 18 17 ... ... 6 ... ... ... 41 59 Piper, C. C 26 22 22 ... 8 10 13 (16) 101 117 I'upjh, J.H., M.R.C.S. (rcsgnd.8-1-00) 7 2 7 4 20 50 Rintoul, T 15 ... 15 29 Rose, F,(rcsgnd.scats on all Corns., 23-10-89) 10 "i 3 1 (2) 18 42 Saunders, A. J 21 \ / 21 29 Sherras, H 10 ... 10 29 Smith, E. H 23 23 29 Smith, H. 26 i*9 i-2 1 (1) 58 64 Spanton, J 4 . . . 4 29 Spink, H. N. B 28 9 21 13 5 (8) 76 94 Steel, C. D. 25 i*2 ... 37 43 Stone, C. 26 17 io 4 (4) 57 67 Sweeting, C. 0 1 "6 0 1 72 Vincent, W. A. C 27 ... 27 29 Wright, A 19 ... 19 29 Wright, C. 17 *8 ... 4 *8 1 (4) 38 76 acrca e the nnmber of meetings to which Members were summoned. ^ J. E. SMITH, Vestry Clerk. 78 APPENDIX No. 2. —:o:— ANNUAL REPORT on the SANITARY CONDITION OF THE PARISHES of St. Margaret and St. John, Westminster, Ending March, 1890, By BARNARD HOLT, F.R.C.S., Medical Officer of Health. To the Members of the United Vestry. Gentlemen, As is my usual custom, I shall commence with recording the number of births and deaths that have been returned during the year, and shall afterwards place before you, in detail, the several interesting sanitary improvements that have been effected during the year. The number of births registered during the present year has been 782 males and 797 females, or a total of 1,579 births, while the deaths have numbered 602 males and 511 females, or a total of 1,113 deaths; from these, however, have to be deducted 37 as having been due to accidents, which reduces the actual number to 1,076. The deaths during the year 1889 were 970, thus showing an increase of 106 as compared with the previous year. The following is a tabular statement of births and deaths arranged as to sex:— 70 BIRTHS AND DEATHS EOR THE YEAR ENDING MARCH, 1890. Month. BIRTHS. DEATHS. Corrected. Deaths in 1888-9. ST. MARGARET. ST. JOHN. Total Births. •ST. MARGARET. ST. JOHN. Total Deaths. Male. Female. Total. Male. Female. Total. Male. Female. Total. Male. Female. Total. 1889. April . 16 16 32 49 44 93 125 20 14 34 21 15 36 70 69 75 May 14 22 36 40 41 81 117 22 16 38 28 19 47 85 82 75 June . 15 22 37 42 58 100 137 27 23 50 21 23 44 94 90 69 July . 15 25 40 54 41 95 135 23 15 38 22 28 50 88 86 63 August. 17 22 39 56 61 117 156 20 12 32 29 24 53 85 81 72 September . 18 17 35 40 38 78 113 20 14 34 20 20 40 74 67 78 October 12 12 24 48 35 83 107 28 21 49 14 10 24 73 68 73 November . 17 21 38 49 61 110 148 13 13 26 23 31 54 80 79 75 December 20 22 42 32 28 60 102 20 28 48 33 29 62 110 107 111 1890. January 23 16 39 58 48 106 145 36 24 60 46 42 88 148 146 104 February 21 11 32 41 59 100 132 34 18 52 31 27 58 110 107 81 March . 25 18 43 60 59 119 162 22 19 41 29 26 55 96 94 94 Totals. . 213 22+ 437 569 573 1,142 1,579 285 217 502 317 294 611 1,113 1,076 970 80 The following deaths occurred at the undermentioned places, viz.:— Hospitals. Prisons. Barracks. Westminster. 219 Mill bank 7 Wellington 3 Grosvenor 2 Station 12 Coldstreams 1 Emanuel 1 Convent 1 236 7 3 The following deaths occurred at the undermentioned ages, viz.:— Above sixty, 169; above seventy, 74; above eighty, 23; above ninety, 5. The following is a table of deaths from zymotic causes during the past three years:— 1888. 1889. 1890. Small Pox 0 0 0 Measles 34 27 38 Scarlet Fever 9 3 4 Whooping Cough 54 33 42 Diarrhoea 68 31 45 Dysentery 0 0 0 Cholera 0 0 0 Fever 0 3 4 165 97 133 The above table shows an increase, in reference to the previous year, of 36 deaths arising from zymotic diseases, and on examination of the table of deaths an increase of 106, as compared with the previous year, due to the great increase in the deaths from bronchitis, viz., 70 more, the increase in measles is 11 more deaths, the increase in whooping cough of 9 more deaths, and 12 more deaths from diarrhoea than in the previous year. The death rate for the year is 18 and a fraction of a thousand. compulsory notification of disease. The notification of diseases of a zymotic character has been of very considerable assistance in enabling me not only to cope with existing disease but in pointing out the locality where the disease existed, and so to direct the inspectors to take immediate steps to improve the sanitary condition of the dwellings ; this has been regularly carried out, and, in the majority of instances, with the very best results. 81 81 The following gentlemen have kindly reported cases, viz.:— Dr. F. J. Pearse. Dr. R. J. Hamill. „ H. Scott. „ Norton. „ W. T. Sylvester. „ R. W. Jones. ,, L. Barnett. ,, T. Langston. „ W. H. Pywell. „ J. Hunt. „ G. N. Robins. „ J. H. Battye. „ W. D. Smallpeice. „ J. B. Menzies. The following is a table of cases notified each month during the past year, and also the deaths that occurred of the under-mentioned diseases:— Measles. Scarlet Fever. Diphtheria. Erysipelas. Enteric Fever. Typh id Fever. Cases Deaths Cases Deaths Cases Deaths Cases Deaths Cases Deaths Cases Deaths April 120 12 5 ... 4 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... May 117 14 9 ... 4 1 ... ... ... 1 ... June 39 9 1 ... 4 1 ... ... ... • • • ... July 16 2 17 ... 6 • • • ... ... 1 1 1 ... August 5 1 31 1 4 3 ... ... 1 1 ,., September . « » 11 2 2 4 ... ... 1 1 . .. ... October 1 ... 10 • • . 10 1 ... ... 2 ... 2 ... November 4 • • • 15 1 10 2 6 1 6 ... 1 • * • December 1 ... 15 ... 2 ... 6 1 1 ... 1 ... January ... 6 ... ... ... 4 .. . 2 ... 1 1 February 1 ... 5 ... 4 ... 6 2 ... ... ... ... March 1 ... 14 ... 3 1 7 1 ... ... ... ... 305 33 139 4 53 13 29 5 14 3 7 1 Total Cases—547. Total Deaths—64. Measles were most prevalent in April last year, but in each succeeding month the number was reduced till in August there were only 5 cases and one death, and since then about one case per month has been reported without, however, any death. Scarlet Fever was most prevalent in August, when there were 31 cases, and though since then the cases have averaged about 11a month, there have only been 4 deaths during the whole year. Diphtheria.—Up to November and December, when the number of cases reached 10 each month, averaged 4 a month; since November there have been 2 cases a month, but there have been 13 deaths. Erysipelas.—Cases of this disorder were not reported before November, since that time there have been about G a month, and I 82 5 deaths have taken place in 5 months, ,'3 of these, however, came from accidental causes such as scalds or burns. Enteric Fever.—About one case a month has occurred, with 3 deaths. Whooping Cough.—Though there have been 42 deaths yet only one case has been reported. places where the greatest number of cases have occurred. Measles.—Peabody Buildings, 22; Great Peter Street, 10; Smith's Kents, 12; Castle Lane, 11 ; New Peter Street, 14; and Tufton Street, 13. Scarlet Fever.—Peabody Buildings, 27; Tufton Street, 13; St. John's Chambers, 7 ; and Ponsonby Place, 6. Diphtheria did not in any case reach a higher nnmber than 3 in a street, and that only in Castle Lane, Peabody Buildings, and Victoria Street. Erysipelas has been scattered over the whole parish. Enteric Fever also was not confined to any particular part; one case was at Rutland Gate, 2 at Poet's Corner, the others scattered about. As a detailed report of all the sanitary improvements that have been effected has been placed before you at each monthly meeting, and as such report has been already published, I do not consider it necessary to refer further to the matter in the present annual report. An accurate record is kept in each inspector's book, and it can be referred to at any moment. There are two matters, however, to which I desire to draw your special attention, viz., the water supply to Peabody's and other large buildings, and the existence of closets in open places, which arc not only used by the inhabitants, but are open for the use of the public without any authority from the owner. With regard to the water supply, in the large majority of cases the drinking water is drawn from a cistern that supplies the closet. This ought not to be, and might be remedied by such buildings having a constant supply from the main, thus preventing any contamination, and at the same time securing a plentiful supply of pure water. At present, in a great many cases, the water is caught while coming in and stored in the already badly ventilated rooms. The closets that I refer to are situated in—Artillery Square, 3 ; Taylor's Buildings, 3; George Place, 3; Mills' Buildings, 2. Lvery one of these are in a filthy condition, and will remain so, 83 although the greatest vigilance is used. The only remedy that I can suggest is that a proper closet should be erected at the top of each house. The reports of the inspectors of St. Margaret and St. John is appended to this report, and shows that in St. Margaret's 2,849 houses have been visited; and in St. John's 2,645, making a total of 5,494. The details of work done are also shown. I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, Your faithful servant, BARNARD HOLT. REPORT OF INSPECTOR T. G. DEE. Sanitary Department, Town Hall, Westminster. To the Medical Officer of Health. Sir, In compliance with your instructions I beg to submit the following information respecting the sanitary duties performed by me in the parish of St. John from the 15th of April, 1889, until March 25th. 1890:— Premises demolished 13 Number of visits made to ground proceedings 1506 Summonses taken out 38 Visits to Slaughterhouses 23 „ Cowhouses 17 „ Bakehouses 46 Closets open to the public 11 Artillery Square 3 Taylor's Buildings 3 George Place 3 Mills' Buildings 2 Drinking water supplied from closet cisterns 232 Complaints received from Inhabitants' Complaint Book 24 Notifications and written orders from medical officer 351 Number of notices served to remedy the following sanitary defects, 737:— W.c.'s supplied from drinking water cistern 232 W.c.'s without water supplies 102 W.c.'s dirty, defective, or not ventilated 171 New cisterns 18 Cisterns without covers 22 Cisterns or butts foul 43 Overflow pipe from cisterns to drains 14 Waste pipes from sinks into drains 103 I 2 84 Water apparatus defective 83 Dust bins defective or new ones required 139 Rooms dirty 438 Passages or staircases dirty 111 Rooms overcrowded 26 Houses or rooms requiring disinfection 139 Underground rooms illegally occupied 18 Drains stopped 106 Defective brick or pipe drains 248 Defective traps to drains 327 Yard paving defective 122 Walls of yards or washhouses to be limewhited 32 Stables or cowsheds dirty or defective 32 Accumulation of refuse 30 Bakehouses dirty 10 Miscellaneous 79 Total 2645 The premises demolished in preference to complying with notices to abate nuisances were as follows:— Ship Court 2 St. Ann's Lane 9 Great Peter Street 2 In each case the ground is still vacant. Summonses have been issued in 38 cases with the following results, viz.:— Magistrate's order made to comply with Vestry's notice . 26 Withdrawn in consequence of the work being completed, either without or after an adjournment 11 Sub judice (adjourned sine die) 1 Thirteen other summonses ordered by the Committee were not issued in consequence of the notices being complied with immediately the owners were aware legal proceedings were ordered. For noncompliance with the Magistrate's orders to abate nuisances, in 5 instances the following fines were inflicted:— 40s., 20s., 20s., 50s., and 130s.; the lastmentioned fine was not enforced in accordance with the suggestion of the Magistrate, as his order was then forthwith complied with. The Public Schools in St. John's were inspected and various sanitary defects were found; these have since been rectified by reconstruction of various closets, more efficient trapping of drains, and ventilation of conveniences. I am, Sir, Your obedient servant, THOMAS G. DEE. Inspector of Nuisances. 85 REPORT OF INSPECTOR T. ASHDOWN. Sanitary Department, Town Hall, Westminster. To the Medical Officer of Health. Sir, In compliance with your instructions I beg to submit to you the following information respecting the sanitary duties performed in the Parish of St. Margaret, from March 26th, 1889, till March 25th, 1890. Premises demolished 51 houses and 1 stable. No. of visits made to ground proceedings 1502 Summonses taken out 17 Visits to Slaughterhouses 5 „ Cowhouses 3 „ Bakehouses 14 Closets open to the public 8 Viz.: At Willow Place 3 Carpenter's Buildings 4 Black Horse Yard 1 Drinking water supplied from closet cisterns 359 Complaints from Inhabitants'Complaint Book 24 Notifications and written orders from Medical Officer of Health 177 Number of notices served to remedy the following sanitary defects, 872 :— W. C.'s supplied from drinking water cisterns 359 W. C.'s without water supplies 96 W. C.'s dirty, defective or not ventilated 275 New Cisterns 3 Cisterns without covers 82 „ or butts foul 63 Overflow pipes from cisterns to drains 54 Waste pipes from sinks to drains 283 Water apparatus defective 78 Dust bins defective or new ones required 187 Rooms dirty 297 Passages or staircases dirty 52 Rooms overcrowded 19 Houses or rooms requiring disinfection 74 Underground rooms illegally occupied 27 Drains stopped 61 Defective brick or pipe drain 176 Defective traps to drains 281 Yard pavings defective 61 Walls of yards or washhouses to be limewhited 13 Stables or Cowsheds dirty or defective in respect of drainage 11 86 Accumulations of refuse 34 Bakehouses dirty 6 Miscellaneous 257 Total 2849 The premises demolished or closed are as follows:— Smith's Rents and Place 31 houses Bull's Head Court 3 „ and a stable. Lewi sham Street 2 „ York Street 9 „ Kifford Court 5 „ Lewisham Street 1 house closed, but not pulled down. No new buildings have been erected. The Public Schools in St. Margaret's were inspected, and various sanitary defects were found. Those have since been rectified by reconstruction of various closets, more efficient trapping of drains, and ventilation of conveniences. I am, Sir, Yours obediently, THOS. ASH DOWN, Inspector of Nuisances. 87 APPENDIX No. 3 SURVEYOR'S ANNUAL REPORT 18891890. Gentlemen, I have the honour to submit my Annual Report upon the works and services executed by the department under my control, together with various improvements and other matters relating to the general business. The quantity of materials used in maintaining and keeping in repair the carriageways throughout the district, including gravel used upon the wood paving in frosty weather, is as follows, :— The roads laid with wood paving about 8 or 9 years ago are in several places in a dangerous condition, but I consider that the surfaces, considering the large amount of vehicular traffic passing over them annually, have worn very well, and the small cost per annum, together with a splendid foundation, warrants an entire relay of some of the principal roads, which will be carried into effect during the next few months. maintenance of street carriageways. Guernsey Granite 1,422 cubic yards. Broken Stones 53 „ Flints 859 „ Hogging 585 „ Gravel 584 „ wood paving. The cost of the roads and annual repairs are appended. 88 Situation. Area. Sq. yards. When laid. First Cost. Cost of Ma:ntenance Per square yard. £ s. d. d. Buckingham Gate 1,274 Aug., 1880 698 15 4 10 Brompton Road and Kensington Road 32 040 Sept., 1880 16,803 0 0 2¾ Parliament Street 1,670 Nov., 1880 1.266 0 0 10 Victoria Street 14,029 Aug., 1881 7,307 17 8 2 Gt. Smith Street 2,079 „ 1,082 17 5 Nil. Marsham Street 1,397 „ 728 16 10 „ Princes Street 1,282 Sept., 1881 668 2 4 „ Gt. George Street 3,494 „ 1,820 5 9 2¼ Bridge Street 2,279 „ 1,182 13 7 1¼ Ditto 341 May, 1889 149 5 8 Broad Sanctuary 7,420 Sept,1881 3,865 0 11 ½ Whitehall 10,111 Aug., 1882 5,608 7 6 4 Strutton Ground 1,039 Jan., 1884 458 0 0 ½ York Street 2,231 July, 1885 1,132 0 0 Nil. Chapter Street 1,796 May, 1886 860 7 5 „ Millbank Street 2.071 „ 997 14 1 „ Great Chapel Street 2.218 June, 1886 1,066 14 0 „ Caxton Street 1,309 July, 1886 551 7 9 „ Palmer Street 520 „ 220 7 7 „ Rochester Row 5,565 „ 2,584 0 5 „ James Street 2,326 Oct. 1886 1,018 5 11 „ Ditto 2,475 Dec., 1887 928 2 6 „ Bessborough Gardem 5,548 Aug., 1887 2,171 7 5 „ Bessborough Street Moreton Street 655 „ 253 18 10 „ Grey Coat Place 1,849 Dec., 1887 698 5 6 „ Totnill Street 4,220 „ 1,582 10 0 „ Broadway Horseferry Road 1,534 Nov., 1889 658 0 0 „ Seville Street 356 „ 152 16 11 „ Warwick Street 262 „ 113 0 5 „ William Street 685 „ 292 0 8 „ Bridge Street.—Complaint having been made of the excessive noise caused by vehicles passing over the granite setts at the foot of Westminster Bridge, wood blocks were substituted in place of the setts. The cost amounted to £150. New Wood Paving.—Wood paving has been laid at Horseferry Road (between Grey Coat Place and Regent Place), Warwick Street, William Street, and Seville Street, at a total cost of £1,215. masons' and paviors' work. Messrs. Mowlem & Co. have carried out the following works, as your contractors, and at the schedule of prices :— Ashley Place Millbank Street Broad Sanctuary Marsham Street Bridge Street Page Street Buckingham Palace Road Parliament Street 89 Bessborough Gardens Bessborcmgh Street Chapter Street Cobourg Row Downing Street Great Smith Street Great George Street Horseferry Road James Street Lillington Street Rochester Row Regency Street Strutton Ground Stafford Place Tufton Street Tothill Street Tachbrook Street Victoria Street York Street Princes Gardens hoarding and road opening licenses. During the year 55 licenses for erecting hoardings upon the public highways for repairing or building purposes were granted, also 168 licenses for opening roads or footways for laying or relaying drains, repairing water pipes, and other purposes, and 4 for laying down straw. The whole of the cost of relaying the surfaces disturbed and the construction of drains were charged to the applicants, as also the cost of straw removal. The asphalte paving in the parish has continued to give entire satisfaction, and has been extended by the laying of the following streets with compressed asphalte at a total cost of £2,682:— Lillington Street Buckingham Cottages St. Ermin's Hill Carteret Street Holland Street and Whister's Ground (now called Monck Street) And the following list give the streets throughout the parish laid with asphalte :— asphalte. Laid by Limmer Asphalte Co. „ „ French „ Limmer „ French „ Limmer „ „ „ Limmer Asphalte Co. „ „ French „ Limmer „ French „ Limmer „ „ „ „ „ „ „ Situation. Artillery Row Artillery Square Bennett's Yard Bessborough Place Boar's Head Yard Brewer's Green Mews Buckingham Cottages Bull's Head Yard Carey Place Carpenter's Buildings Carteret Street Cobourg Row Dean's Place Delahay Street Dorset Place Frederick Street Garden Street Grub Street 90 Hide Place French Asphalte Co. Horse and Groom Yard Limmer „ King's Head Court French „ Laundry Yard „ „ Lillington Street Limmer „ Little College Street „ Little George Street French „ Little Tufton Street Limmer , Lower Garden Street „ „ Monck Street „ „ New P.ye Street New Tothill Street Limmer Asphalte Co. Old P.ye Street „ „ Old Rochester Row „ „ Pine Apple Court Romney Place French Asphalts Co. St. Ann's Street „ „ St. Matthew Street Limmer „ St. Ermin's Hill „ „ „ Ship Court (Horseferry Road) „ „ Stanford Street „ „ Vincent Place „ „ Vincent Row „ „ Vandon Street „ „ Wheeler Street „ „ York Buildings (Grub Street) „ „ street lighting. The 1,381 lamps in the parish have been maintained and properly lighted during the year by the Gas Light and Coke Company and H. M. Office of Works. maintenance of sewers and gullies. All the brick and pipe sewers have been flushed, cleansed and disinfected, and the 3,187 gullies have been regularly emptied and disinfected and flushed with water during the hot weather The following gullies have been reconstructed :— Arthur Street New Street Bridge Street Page Street Brompton Road Queen Anne's Gate Brunswick Place Raphael Street Buckingham Cottages Rutland Mews Cannon Row Rutland Terrace Carey Street St. Ermin's Hill Carteret Street Seville Street Earl Street Victoria Street Horseferry Road Vincent Place Lillington Street Vincent Square Medway Street Vincent Street Monck Street Warwick Street Montpelier place William Street Willow Street 91 Ambrosden Avenue.—Mr. W. Cooke applied for permission to lay a drain at the rear of the buildings in this Avenue, but sanction was not granted. Assent, however, has been given to the laying of 120 feet of 12 inch pipe sewer in the centre of the roadway. The sewer will be properly ventilated by shafts carried up the fronts of the buildings, and inspection chambers will be constructed. urinals. The Chelsea Waterworks Company having changed the supply of water to some of the urinals from the "rental" system to the "meter" system, and thus causing the expenditure to increase about 400 per cent., automatic regulating flush tanks of various makes were fixed to the urinals, and although a sufficient time had not elapsed for an accurate comparison to be made, the result has been extremely gratifying. The following is a list of the urinals erected in the Parish:— Charles Street, Trevor Square. Vauxhall Bridge Road. Grosvenor Road, by Grosvenor Wharf. Horseferry Road, by St. John's Gardens. „ „ „ Grey Coat Hospital. Laundry Yard. Lewisham Street, by "Two Chairmen" publichouse. Little George Street. Broadway, by St. James's Park Station. special works and proposed street improvements. The following schemes being thought necessary for improving the lines of increasing traffic between this and adjoining districts, a plan and an estimate was prepared and submitted to the London County Council, who in all cases have not seen the necessity for recommending any contribution towards such improvements:— No. 1. York Street improvement.—This scheme includes the demolition of several dilapidated houses, and the street would be made a uniform width of 50 feet, by throwing into the public way a strip of land 10 feet wide on the north side, between James Street and King's Head Court, and a strip varying from 10 to 18 feet on the south side between No. 98 and Horseshoe Alley. No. 2. Great Smith Street and Marsham Street.—It was proposed to make this street of a uniform width of 50 feet by throwing into the public way a strip of land along the whole of the east side, and by altering the building line on the west side between the Baths and Orchard Street. No. 3. Artillery Row improvement.—It was proposed to continue Artillery Row in a direct line to Rochester Row by 92 a 60 feet roadway. A direct route would thus be formed between Pimlico and Victoria Street. No. i. Millbank Prison site.—It was contemplated forming a new street 50 feet wide across the ground of Millbank Prison in a line with Earl Street. No. 5. Victoria Embankment extension.—This scheme included the demolition of the houses in Millbank Street, between Great College Street and Wood Street, and the whole of the wharves and houses on the east side. Parts of the public roadway would be given up, and a roadway varying from 60 to 70 feet would be formed between Mowlem's Wharf and Abingdon Street. A portion of the river would be reclaimed, and ornamental gardens laid out between the Embankment wall and the roadway. No. 6. St. George's Place.—The traffic at this spot is enormous, and the narrowness of the roadway causes the traffic to become congested. Only one house is in this parish. The improvement would be effected by widening the road way about 20 feet. No. 7. Ashley Place.—To relieve the traffic of Victoria Street it was proposed to form a new road, 50 feet wide, parallel with Victoria Street, between Howick Place and Ashley Place, and to continue it into Vauxhall Bridge Road. It was contemplated also to widen the entrance from Victoria Street into Ashley Place, and to continue the road in a direct line to Ambrosden Avenue. Caroline Place.—Mr. E. H. Bourchier made application to close this court, and assent was given thereto upon payment of a sum to cover the cost of the paving, &c. The consent of the Justices had not been obtained at the close of the year. Proposed acquisition of premises for street cleansing purposes by own staff.—Having obtained particulars of wharves, suitable for the purposes of street cleansing by the Vestry's own workmen, the Committee deliberated upon the advantages of each, and also upon the obstacles placed in the way, and considered it desirable for the Vestry to continue the arrangements which then existed. The list of the wharves which Committee is as follows:— Castle Wharf Edgar & Lucas' Wharf Mowlem & Co.'s Wharf Bruton & Dyke's Wharf received the consideration of the Ludford's Wharf Henderson's Wharf Providence Wharf Vauxhall Bridge Wharf Improvement in York Street by St. James's Park Station.—The roadway in this street being very narrow an agreement was entered into with the Metropolitan District Railway Company by 93 which a strip of land was handed over to the public, and the roadway widened 6 feet, the width of the footway being increased to 10 feet. Owing to the presence of flood water the scheme for constructing an underground urinal at this spot was abandoned. main roads. The provisions of the Local Government (England & Wales) Act, 1888, enacts that those roads which the County Council declare to be "main roads," such as omnibus routes, and roads leading to railway stations, &c., should be maintained and kept in repair, partially, or in whole, by, or at the expense of, the Council. The Vestry resolved to request the London County Council to declare the following roads "main roads." Whitehall Parliament Street Grosvenor Road Millbank Street Bridge Street Broad Sanctuary Victoria Street Vauxhall Bridge Road Marsham Street Great Smith Street Earl Street Tothill Street York Street Horseferry Road Strutton Ground Regency Street Knightsbridge Knightsbridge Road Kensington Road Exhibition Road knightsbridge green urinal. The urinal, which had rendered the regulation of the traffic at this locality a difficult operation, was entirely removed, and the refuges in the road altered and the roadway widened and paved with wood blocks. A scheme to construct an underground urinal was proposed, but abandoned. I have the honour to be, gentlemen, Your obedient servant, G. R. W. WHEELER, A.M.I.C.E., Surveyor 94 APPENDIX No. 4. Officers of the United Vestry, with their respective Salaries, on the 1st June, 1890. Name. Designation. Date of Appointment. At what Salary Appointed. Present Salary. Conditional Annual Increment and Maximum. Remarks. £ £ John Edward Smith Vestry Clerk 19th May, 1884 200 250 ... From Poor Rate. Clerk to the Vestry 250 250 ... „ General Rate. Francis Charles Long Assistant Clerks 19th Sept., 1879 52 150 £10 to 200 Frederick Augustus Pratten 14th Oct., 1885 90 150 £10 to 200 Ernest William Heather Office Clerks 27th Mar., 1885 60 120 ... George Percy Warner Terry 27th Mar., 1885 30 90 £10 to 120 Walter Shadford Simpkin Junior Clerks 11th Dec., 1889 60 60 £10 to 100 William Henry Clark 26th July, 1886 30 60 £10 to 100 William Henry Terry 26th Mar., 1890 30 30 £5 to 50 (vacant) Office Youth 30 30 £5 to 50 John White Collectors 19th April, 1875 (Poundage) 300 Thomas E. Kettle White 22nd July, 1S79 150 220 £10 to 250 William Edward Waterman 4th Oct., 1881 150 200 • • • William Briant 11th May, 1886 150 190 £10 to 200 William Herbert Brand 22nd Jan., 1890 150 150 £10 to 200 Mr. Brand was promoted from position of Office Clerk, Appointed 23rd Feb.. 1887, salary £80, by £10 annual increments to £120. George Robert Welby Wheeler Surveyor 9th May, 1882 450 450 £50 per ann, travelling expenses Edwin James Winsborrow Surveyor's Clerk 11th Dec., 1889 70 70 £10 to 100 J. C. F. Warrington Rogers Solicitor 12th July, 1872 210 210 ••• The Vestry allow all outof pocket costs, and £78 per annum for clerical assistance. Barnard Holt, F.R.C.S. Medical Officer of Health 25th Jan., 1856 130 250 ... Dr. A. Dupre, F.R.S. Analyst 25th April, 1873 100 100 ... Thomas Lightfoot Sanitary Inspector 18th April, 1873 80 125 £5 to 150 Thomas Ashdown „ „ 13th Mar., 1889 120 125 £5 to 150 Thomas George Dee „ „ 13th Mar., 1889 120 125 £5 to 150 95 APPENDIX No. 5. STATISTICS OF WESTMINSTER, Extracted from the Report of the Census Commissioners (Vols. III. & IV.) for 1881. Saint Margaret. Wards. Area in Statute Acres. 1871. 1881. 1881. Inhabited Houses. Population. Inhabited Houses. Population, Rated Householders. Rateable Value. £ No. 1 (Knightsbridge) 384 868 8,343 934 7,663 952 190,331 No. 2 99 1,216 12,737 1,083 11,445 1,458 113.951 No. 3 121 692 6,492 578 5,322 1,279 192,252 Total 604 2,776 27,572 2,595 24,430 3,689 496,534 Saint John the Evangelist. Wards. Area in Statute Acres. 1871. 1881. 1881. Inhabited Houses. Population. Inhabited Houses Population. Rated Householders. Rateable Value. £ No. 1 58 1,275 11,328 1,287 10,879 1,329 47,623 No. 2 67 1,322 15,051 1,211 13,262 1,341 54.600 No. 3 86 1,118 12,099 1,112 11,355 1,354 54,309 Total 211 3,715 38,478 3,610 35,496 4,024 156,532 The Close of the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter. Area in Statute Acres, 1871. 1881. 1881. Inhabited Houses. Population. Inhabited Houses. Population. Rated Householders. Rateable Value. | £ 9 23 209 23 249 2,393 Saint Margaret and Saint John the Evangelist, constituting the Westminster District. Area in Statute Acres. 1871. 1881. 1881. Inhabited Houses. Population. Inhabited Houses. Population. Rated householders. Rateable Value. £ 815 6,491 66,050 6,205 59,926 7,713 653,066 96 Westminster School Board Division (1881 Census). Inhabited Houses, 25,'274. Population, 229,238. Ecclesiastical Districts or Parishes. Name. Date of formation. 1871. 1881. Inhabited Houses. Population. Inhabited Houses. Population. St. Margaret 545 5,032 464 4,136 St. John the Evangelist 1727 939 10,859 950 10,512 All Saints', Knightsbridge 1849 780 6,676 853 6,984 Christ Church, Victoria Street 1840 467 7,108 349 5,150 Holy Trinity, Knightsbridge (part) 1864 87 801 81 679 Holy Trinity, Vauxhall Bridge Road 1852 710 7,289 718 7,071 St. Andrew, Victoria Street 1856 519 4,765 423 4,382 St. James the less, Upper Garden St. 1861 296 3,262 337 3,283 St. Mary the Virgin, Tothill Fields 1841 715 5,872 686 5,500 St. Matthew, Great Peter Street 1850 650 7,965 529 6,199 St. Stephen, Rochester Row 1850 378 8,190 815 6,030 In Institutions (Census 1881). Registration Sub-District of Saint, Margaret. Hyde Park Barracks 549 Wellington Barracks (New Wing) 496 Wellington Barracks (Old Wing) 429 Victoria Model Dwellings (Soldiers' Married Quarters) 201 Wellington House (Soldiers' Quarters) 159 Westminster Hospital 192 House of Correction 562 Registration Sub-District of Saint John. Grenadier Guards' Hospital 116 Coldstream Guards' Hospital 52 Scots Fusilier Guards' Hospital 44 Hospital for Diseases of Women and Children 16 Millbank Prison 979 97 APPENDIX No. 6. REPORT OF THE CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS, upon their examination of the vestry's accounts, for the year ended ladyday, 1890. 3, Crosby Square, London, E.C. The Finance Committee, 23rd June, 1890. Vestr;/ Offices, Town Hall, Westminste Gentlemen, Pursuant to the order of your Committee we have examined the District Rate Books and Accounts of the United Vestry of St. Margaret and St. John for the year ended at Lady day last, in accordance with the Specification. We find the Summary Statements and Balance Sheet prepared for the elected Auditors to be duly vouched, and true abstracts of the several accounts from the Books of the Vestry. The manner in which the Books are kept continues to be highly creditable. We are, Gentlemen, Your obedient Servants, (Signed) EDWARD MOORE & SON. K 98 APPENDIX No. 7. REPORT OF THE ELECTED AUDITORS, upon their examination of the vestry's accounts for the year ended at lady-day, 1890. To the Vestry of St. Margaret and St. John the Evangelist, Westminster. Gentlemen, We have this day completed the examination of the accounts of your Vestry, in so far as its functions under the Metropolis Local Management Acts are concerned, for the year ended at 25th March, for which purpose we were elected by the ratepayers on the 28th May, 1889. Access has been given us to all the books and documents necessary for our purposes, and we have in many respects made a detailed check of the accounts, particularly satisfying ourselves that vouchers exist for all payments and that all receipts are duly credited; but we presume that the Vestry will, as in the past six years, accept the report of the Chartered Accountants as covering the complexities of the rate collection. The financial department of the Vestry's business has worked, under the evident close supervision of the Finance Committee, with such regularity and system, and everything has been placed so straightforwardly before us, that we have had pleasure in testifying the correctness of the accounts, and in giving our certificate of allowance. In the course of our sittings we noted the following figures as representing the cash transactions of the Vestry for the year :— Balance at commencement of year. Receipts from all sources. Disbursements. Balance at close of year. £ s d. £ s. d £ s d. £ s. d. Poor Rate 5,223 16 4 91,900 11 0 95,725 8 9 1,398 18 7 District Rates 12,082 18 0 68,026 11 5 74,831 7 0 6,178 2 5 Total 18,206 14 4 159,927 2 5 170,556 15 9 7,577 1 0 99 The percentage of irrecoverable rates ("empties" and all other causes), which was 4.84 in the preceding year, was 4.16 in the year under notice. We have made some slight amendments in the specification or suggestions drawn up before the late Westminster Board of Works was dissolved, for the auditing of the accounts, and have adapted the same to the improved and simplified circumstances under which the parochial business is now conducted. We have also prepared, for the guidance of those who may be elected to these duties in the future, a complete list of the books, registers, and accounts which should be produced at every audit. Finally, we desire to express our very sincere gratification at the manner in which the accounts have been kept and presented by the Vestry Clerk. They show a complete and masterly grasp of the whole of the details of a constitutional system of municipal management, and reflect the highest credit upon Mr. J. E. Smith and his assistants; and the Vestry is fortunate in possessing officers who are able to present the accounts in so straightforward and clear a manner. (Signed) ROBERT E. H. GOFFIN, T. BULL, THOS. HY. HOBBS, HENRY T. WHITE, R, MORGAN, The major part of the Auditors elected under the Metropolis Local Manaqemen Act. 23nl June, 1890. K 2 100 101 APPENDIX No. 8. The Account of the United Vestry of St. Margaret and St. John the??? Evangelist, Westminster, of the Monies received and paid on account of the POOR RATE, for the Year ???ended 25th March, 1890. RECEIPTS. EXPENDITUBE. £ s. d. 1889-90. £ s. d. 188990. By Cash—St. George's Union 78,224 1 0 To Balance 5,223 16 4 „ Police Precepts 15,670 2 10 „ Cash—Poor Bate 84,364 8 2 „ Commissioners of Public Baths and Wash-houses 300 0 0 „ Government Contribution 7,416 19 3 „ Election of Vestrymen 12 15 6 „ Treasurer—Interest on Account 119 3 7 „ Borough and County Council Lists Expenses 347 5 1 „ County List Expenses 13 13 3 „ Jury List Expenses 21 14 3 „ Vestry Clerk's Salary 252 10 0 ., Collectors' Salaries 613 11 0 „ Printing and Stationery 24 4 10 „ Costs in re Treasurer's Security 10 17 6 „ Valuation Expenses 78 15 0 „ Return of Overpaid Rates 112 10 0 „ Justices' Clerk's Fees in re Appeals against Valuation List 3 0 0 „ Fire Insurance Premiums on Parochial Offices 20 5 0 „ Informer's Fee re Disorderly House 10 0 0 „ Petty Disbursements 10 3 6 95,725 8 9 Balance in Treasurer's hands, 25th March, 1890 1,398 18 7 £97,124 7 4 £97,124 7 4 102 APPENDIX No. 9. STATEMENT of the RECEIPTS and EXPENDITURE of the VESTRY ???OF ST. MARGARET & ST. JOHN, WESTMINSTER, between the 25th day of March, 1889, and ???the 25th day of March, 1890. RECEIPTS. General Rate. EXPENDITURE. General Rate. 1889-90 £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s d. £ s. d. To Balance brought forward on 26th March, 1880 (Cash Book) 7,320 17 2¾ WORKS AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE. To Balance brought forward on 26th March, 1889. from the Clerk's Cash Book 10 2 11 Street Paving, Repairs, &c. 7,331 0 1¾ To cash received on account of Rate 30,007 15 8 Mowlem, J., &Co., raving works under Contract 4,581 14 3 „ Interest on Banking Account 158 17 1 Wood raving Works 110 14 11 „ London County Council, Loan in respect of paving with wood Horseferry Road, Warwick Street, William Street, and Seville Street 1,300 0 0 Improve Wood Pavement Company, Wood leaving Works under Contract 1,542 14 1 The French Asphalte Paving Company, Asphalte Paving under Contract 17 7 0 „ Commissioners of the Free Public Library, Poundage on collection of Library Rate, &c. 29 2 6 The Limmer Asphalte Paving Company, do 708 8 1 Clerk of the Works for Wood Paving and Asphalte 29 18 6 „ King, John, Rent of land, Wilfred Street 5 17 0 Wages of Foreman of Roads 104 0 0 „ Transferred from Deposit Account to Current Account 1,506 12 0 Vestry of Chelsea, Repairs North end of Sloane Street 8 5 0 „ Deposits under Hoard, &c., Licenses 399 17 8 Vestry of Kensington, Maintenance of Princes Mews, „ Fines and Costs 26 8 6 13th November, 1888, to 25th March, 1889 1 16 6 „ Summonses for Rates 30 14 10 Watering for Road Repairs 53 5 0 „ Purchase of Old Iron 14 5 9 7,158 3 4 „ Removal of Paving from Caroline Place, Knightsbridge 25 0 0 Street Lighting. „ Sundry Receipts 4 10 10 „ Rates on Hoardings used for Advertisements under the Advertisement Rating Act, 1889 110 11 10 Gas Light & Coke Company, Lighting Public Lamps 4,607 10 2 H. M. Office of Works, ditto in Parliament Square 59 11 0 33,619 13 8 Repairs to Public Lamps, &c. 93 19 3 Extinguishing Lamps in Christ Churchyard 6 10 0 4,767 10 5 Public Improvements. Wood, J. C., and Co., Improvement at corner of Wood Street and Tufton Street, inclusive of owner's charges 355 0 0 Hill, R. H., Land surrendered at corner of Caxton Street and Vandon Street 35 0 0 Ditto, Surveyor's Fee, re, ditto 6 6 0 396 6 0 Storeyard, Horseferry Road. Rent Account 68 5 0 Rates, Taxes, and Repairs 26 12 11½ 94 17 11½ St. John's Garden. Rates, Repairs, Plants, &c. 40 11 5 Wages of Gardener and Caretaker 81 18 0 Sundries 8 7 10 130 17 3 Carried forward ½10,950 13 9¾ Carried forward 12,547 14 11½ 103 104 105  £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Brought forward 40,950 13 <1 Brought forward 12,547 14 Hi Christ Churchyard. Wages of Gardener (Repaid by Burial Board) 52 0 0 52 0 0 Sundries. Wilting Street Name Tablets 23 6 5 Removal of Straw from Carriageway 26 8 0 Sundries 26 4 2 Petty Disbursements 12 18 0 88 16 7 Hoard, &c., Licenses. Balances returned to Licensees 122 8 5 Mowlem. J., & Co., Paving Works under Licenses 113 12 0 236 0 5 12,924 11 11½ STREET CLEANSING AND SANITARY COMMITTEE. Street Cleansing, Watering, and Dusting. Cookson, G., Street Cleansing, Watering, and Removal of Dust under Contract, dated 7th July, 1886, continued by the Vestry for one year on 20th March, 188!), less Fines and Deductions in respect of Streets Paved with Wood 8,434 7 0 Rent of Wharf, Millbank Street, less Tax 487 10 0 Wharf, Rates, Taxes, and Repairs 104 6 1½ Chelsea Waterworks Co., Water for Road Watering 548 5 0 West Middlesex Waterworks Co., ditto 84 0 7 Grand Junction Waterworks Co., ditto 32 13 5 9,691 2 1½ Disinfectants 44 8 2 Registrars' Returns of Mortality 11 6 3 Temporary Inspectors 49 8 8 Summonses, &c. 13 15 1 Purchase of Articles under the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1875 4 0 8½ 122 18 10½ Mortuary, Millbank Street. Rates, Taxes, and Repairs 45 14 2 Wages of Mortuary Keeper and Wife 91 0 0 136 14 2 Notification of Cases of Infectious Disease 62 1 6 Uniforms for Inspectors 34 7 0 1 Sundries 1 13 0 Petty Disbursements 5 9 5 103 10 11 10,054 6 1 FINANCE COMMITTEE. Office Expenses. Salaries of Officers 2,920 6 8 Superannuation of Officers 85 18 8 Premiums on Guarantee Policies of Staff 42 11 8 3,048 17 0 Carried forward £40,950 13 9¾ Carried forward 3,048 17 0 22,978 18 0½ 106 107  £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Brought forward 40,950 13 9¾ Brought forward 3,048 17 0 22,978 18 0½ Printing 396 12 8 Stationery 109 18 7 506 11 3 advertising 84 16 0 84 16 0 Establishment Charges. Rent of Offices, &c., Town Hall (5 quarters) 375 0 0 „ ,, Trevor Square 25 0 0 400 0 0 Returns of New Buildings 6 6 0 Broker's Fees and Expenses out of pocket 59 2 8 Unlit of Accounts by Chartered Accountants 58 0 0 Office Expenses and Sundries 20 9 1 Parliamentary and Law Charges 369 14 3 513 12 0 Repayment of Loans Account London County Council 4,739 0 0 4,739 0 0 Interest on Loans. London County Council 566 17 7 Income Tax on Interest 5 16 6 572 14 1 St. John's Vestry Expenses 34 0 0 Return of Rates 81 19 2 Temporary Assistance 33 7 6 Coffee Room Expenses 25 4 9 Parliamentary Papers, Bills, &c. 9 17 7 Rewards and Gratuities 3 18 2 Stamps and Telegrams 40 14 10 Office Youth and Messenger 32 8 0 Stationery, Newspapers, and Books 27 15 11 Petty Disbursements 67 3 8 - 356 9 7 London and County Banking Co. Deposit Account. Amount of Loan for paving with wood Horseferry Road, Warwick Street, William Street, and Seville Street 1,300 0 0 1,300 0 0 Balances, 25 th March, 1890. 11,521 19 11 Balance at Bank 6,437 14 10¾ ,, In Vestry Clerk's hands to meet wages, icenses, and petty disbursements 12 0 11½ 6,449 15 10¼ £40,950 13 9¾ £40,950 13 9¾ 108 109 APPENDIX No. 10. RECEIPTS and EXPENDITURE in respect of the SEWERS RATE, and RATES over which the Vestry has no control. Local Sewers Rate. Local Sewers Rate. 1890-91. £ s. d. £ s. d. 1890-90. £ s. d. £ s. d. To balances brought forward on 26th March, 1889— Balance at Bank 1,413 6 2½ By Cash—Butler, George, Sewerage Works under contract, one quarter to 25th March, 1889 436 12 2 Balance in Vestry Clerk's hands to meet Flushers' Wages and Drainage Licenses 4 13 8 ,, Neave, John H., Sewerage Works under contract. three quarters to 25th December, 1889 1,269 19 4 1,447 19 10½ Public Urinals, Maintenance, &c. 193 18 3 To Cash received on account of Rate 1,514 3 6¼ ,, Wages of Sewer Flushers 705 7 0 „ Deposits under Drainage, &c , Licenses 640 2 5 ,, Water for Flushing Sewers, &c 70 14 0 Flushers' Tools and Repairs to ditto 34 10 7 „ Four Quarter's Dividend on £631 11s. 7d. Consols 17 6 4 „ Allowance to Mrs. Clark, Widow of Clark, Gullyman, as per resolution of Vestry on 12th March, 1890 15 0 0 2,171 12 3¼ ,, Balances returned to Licensees under Drainage Licenses 117 14 0½ ,, Butler, G., and Neave, J. H., Sewerage Works executed under Licenses 429 1 1 3,272 10 5½ Balances, 25th March. 1890. Balance at Bank 336 3 0¾ Balance in Vestry Clerk's hands to meet Flushers' Wages, Licenses, &c. 10 12 7½ 346 15 8¼ £3,619 12 1¾ General Rate for School Board Account. £3,619 12 1¾ To Balance brought forward 26th March, 1889 2,321 18 5¼ General Rate for School Board Account. To Cash received on account of Rate 24,306 17 5¾ Sir Thomas Chambers, amount returned in respect of the School Board Election Expenses 1 16 11 Amount of Precept for the half-year to 29th September, 1889 11,968 3 10 Ditto ditto half-year to 25th March, 1890 13,563 6 5 To Balance overdrawn 25th March, 1890 960 3 8 In respect of the Government Property in the Parish 2,059 6 3 £27,590 16 6 £27,590 16 6 Consolidated Rate. Consolidated Rate. To Balance brought forward 26th March, 1889 1,740 3 5¼ By Cash—London County Council Precept, levied by late Metropolitan Board of Works for the quarter ended 25th March, 1889 7,246 6 3 To Cash received on account of Rate 6,387 9 1¼ ,, In respect of the Government Property in the Parish for the same period 627 12 10 ,, Balance at Bank 25th March, 1890 253 13 5½ £8,127 12 6½ £8,127 12 6½ Montpelier Square Rate. Montpelier Square Rate. To Balance brought forward 26th March, 1889 20 0 4 By Cash—Amount of Precept for the year 1889-90 55 0 0 To Cash received on account of Rate 31 13 1½ To Balance overdrawn 25th March, 1890 3 6 6½ £55 0 0 £55 0 0 110 111 APPENDIX No. 11. STATEMENT OF BALANCES??? AT LADY-DAY, 1890. ASSETS. LIABILITIES. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s d. To Balance at Bank as per Cash Book 6,064 1 2½ By Balance General Rate 6,437 14 10¾ „ „ „ Library Rate Cash Book 114 1 2½ „ „ Wages 0 10 9 6,178 2 5 „ „ License Account 6 1 5½ To Cash in Clerk's hands to meet wages, &c 22 13 7 ,, Petty Disbursements 5 8 9 ,, Balance at Bank on Deposit 751 15 1 - 6,449 15 10¼ Amount of Barlow Bequest invested in the purchase of £631 11s. 7d. £2 15s. per cent. Consolidated Stock 615 0 0 ,, Consolidated Rate 253 13 5½ ,, Sewer Rate 330 3 0¾ Balance overdrawn on General Kate for School Board Account 900 3 8 ,, Flushers Wages 0 19 9 „ „ Montpelier Square Rate Account 3 6 6½ ,, License Account 9 12 10½ 346 15 8¼ ,, Library Rate 114 1 2½ By Balance at Deposit Account— Balance of Loans unexpended ... 451 15 1 Retention Money under Contracts 100 0 0 In re Cannon Row Urinal 200 0 0 751 15 1 Bequest of Jonathan Barlow for maintenance of urinals 615 0 0 £8.531 1 3½ £8,531 1 3½ STATEMENT shewing LOANS raised in respect of Wood Paving and Asphalte, and amount outstanding at Lady-day, 1890. Date of Loan. By whom Loan advanced. Rate of Interest. Amount of Loan. Amount paid off. Amount remaining due. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. 8 Oct., 1880 The Clergy Mutual Assurance Society 4 5 0 16,000 0 0 10,000 0 0 ... 14 „ 1881 Ditto ditto 4 5 0 7,500 0 0 7,500 0 0 ... 20 Dec., 1881 The Metropolitan Board of Works 3 10 0 11,100 0 0 11,100 0 0 ... 29 „ 1882 Ditto ditto 3 10 0 6,800 0 0 6,800 0 0 ... 18 „ 1885 Ditto ditto 3 10 0 7,000 0 0 4,608 0 0 2,332 0 0 15 July, 1886 Ditto ditto 3 10 0 2,800 0 0 1,401 0 0 1,399 0 0 15 „ 1886 Ditto ditto 3 10 0 2,400 0 0 1,029 0 0 1,371 0 0 31 Oct., 1887 Ditto ditto 3 10 0 6,000 0 0 1,715 0 0 4,285 0 0 30 Dec., 1887 Ditto ditto 3 10 0 5,600 0 0 1,868 0 0 3,732 0 0 22 Nov., 1889 The London County Council 3 10 0 1,300 0 0 1,300 0 0 £66,500 0 0 £52,081 0 0 £14,419 0 0 In addition to the amounts outstanding on account of Loans the Vestry are liable in respect of three Bonds dated 13th day of February, 1890, given under Seal to the Limmer Asphalte Paving Company, each Bond to secure payment of £670 10s., the hrst of such payments to be made on the 1st December, 1890, the second on the 1st December, 1891, and the third and final payment on the lst December, 1892, with interest at 4½ per cent. per annum, payable hall-yearly. 112 113 APPE???IX No. 12. GENERAL STATEMENT of the LIABILITIES of the VESTR???d MONEYS owing to the VESTRY on 25th March, 1890. LIABILITIES. £ s. d. £ s. d. MONEYS OWING TO THE VESTRY £ s. d. £ s. d. To amount of Quarterly Claims, due Lady-clay, 1890 7,026 0 ??? Balance at Bank 6,064 l 2 ,, Improved Wood Pavement Company, in respect of Wood Paving Amounts due and retained, viz.:— ,, on Deposit 751 15 1 Parliament Street 50 0 0 Cash in Clerk's hands for Petty Disbursements, Wages, and Licenses 22 13 7 Buckingham Gate 50 0 0 6,838 9 10 100 0 1 Recoverable Arrears of Rates :— ,, Officers' Salaries, &c. 200 0 ??? General Rate 299 6 3 „ Interest on Loans 102 0 ??? Sewers Rate 9 11 5 „ School Board for London, moiety of Precept, due 25th March, 1890 7,475 15 ??? General Rate for School Board 201 11 2 Consolidated Rate 44 5 8 554 14 6 Cash, two quarters' rent of land in Wilfred Street (less tax) 2 18 0 Interest due from Bankers on Current Account 20 0 0 Ditto ditto on Deposit Account 12 0 0 614,903 15 7 £7,428 2 4 We, the undersigned, being the Auditors elected under the Metropolis Local Management Act ???8 & 19 vic., cap. 120), hereby certify that we have examined and audited the General, School Board, Consolidated, Sewers, Montpelier Square, and Library Rate Accounts of the United Vestry, the period between the 25th March, 1889, and 25th March, 1890, and having found the several accounts correct in every particular hereby certify the same in token of our allowance thereof. We have also checked in connection with the foregoing the accounts of the several collectors, submitted to us. in respect of the rates above-mentioned, and have found such accounts to have been accurately kept. Dated this 23rd day of June, One ???ousand eight hundred and ninety (Signed) ROBERT E. H. GOFFIN, T. BULL. HENRY T. WHITE, Auditors. L 114 APPENDIX No. 13. TABLE I. SUMMARY STATEMENT OF COLLECTION OF RATES IN THE SEVERAL WARDS, For the Year ended 25th March, 1890. Ward and Collector. DIVISION I. DIVISION" II. DIVISION III. DIV. IV. Amount of Rate with "Additions" made during the year. Amount Collected. Irrecoverables, as set out in Table II. (With Compositions.) Percentage of Irrecoverables. (Omitting Compositions). Poor. General. Total. Poor. General. Total. Poor. General. Total. Poor. Genl. £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ St. Margaret — No. l 26,238 18,183 44,421 25,109 17,401 42,510 1,075 757 1,832 4.055 4.118 Mr. A. Aldin. No. 2 18,786 13,020 31,806 17,149 11,785 28,934 1,570 1,087 2,657 7636 7.637 Mr. J. White. No. 3 19,667 13,454 33,121 18,478 12,648 31,126 1,161 777 1,938 5 899 5.772 Mr. W. Briant. St. John— Nos. 1&3 13,568 10,095 23,663 12,738 9,321 22,059 785 586 1,371 4.275 4.414 Mr. T. E. K. White. No. 2 11,427 8,172 19,599 10,890 7,662 18,552 532 394 926 2.707 2.956 Mr W.E. Waterman Government 7,420 4,985 12,405 7,416 4,906 12,332 3 25 28 .038 .513 Total 97,106 67,909 165,015 91,780 63,723 155,503 5,126 3,626 8,752 4.686 4.760 Average 4.101 4.235 TABLE II.—ANALYSIS OF "IRRECOVERABLE," on the poor and General Rates for ??? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Ward and Collector. Empty for whole or part of year. Alteration of Assessment. Compositions with Owners of Weekly Property. Allowed or excused by Committee. Exemptions. Properties pulled down. Miscellaneous. Removal without payment. "No Effects," Commitment, &c. Total. Amount. Per centage. Amount. Per | centage. Amount. Per Centage. Amount. Per centage. Amount. Per centage. Amount. Per centage. Amount. Per centage. Amount. Per centage. Amount. Per centage. Amount. Per ccntage. St. Margaret— £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ No. 1 Mr. A. Aldin. 1,090 2.45 360 .81 19 .01 ... ... 112 .25 120 .27 61 .14 20 .04 52 .11 1,815 4.08 No. 2 Mr. J. White. 1,485 4.66 633 1.99 229 .72 30 .09 31 .09 167 .52 ... ... 83 .26 ... ... 2,429 7.63 No. 3 Mr. W. Briant. 1,701 5.13 132 .39 2 .006 36 .108 ... •• 30 .09 31 .09 7 .02 ... ... 1,937 5.84 St. John— Nos. 1 and 3 Mr. T. K. White 675 2.85 196 .83 347 1.46 18 .08 ... ... ... ... 26 .11 30 .12 79 .33 1,024 4.32 No. 2 Mr. Waterman 355 1.81 84 .43 376 1.91 4 .02 ... ... 56 .28 7 .03 41 .21 5 .02 552 2.81 Government ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 28 .22 ... ... ... ... 28 .22 Total 5,306 3.21 1,405 .85 973 .58 88 .05 143 .08 373 .22 153 .09 181 109 136 .08 7,785 4.71 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 The Poor Rate for the year was made on a Rateable Value of £'750,928. The Poor Rate was 2/6½ in the £, the General Rate (Local) 10d., the General Rate (School Board) 8d., the Consolidated Rate 2d., the Sewers Rate ½d., the Library Rate id., in all 4/3½ in the £. The Montpelier Square Rate, levied on a small area, was 2½d. in the £. NOTES ON TABLE II.:- COLUMN3 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.—These amounts are irrecoverable from causes which are unavoidable so far as the Collectors are concerned. COLUMN 3.—These amounts represent for the greater part, cases where the original Rate is superseded by larger amounts given in charge on Provisional Valuation Lists during the year. Such larger amounts are included in the " additions." COLUMN 4.—These being statutory allowances made by the Vestry are not calculated in the total in Column 11. The two columns, 4 and 11, make up the total in division iii. of Table i. COLUMN 5.—A very small portion only of this is excused on account of poverty. It includes such cases as where a public-house or other hereditament is rebuilt, during which a partial occupation of land by a temporary structure is continued, and a part only of the Rate is charged, as ordered in each case by the Committee. COLUMN 6.—This does not include Government occupations, but represents premises occupied by Ambassadors and Foreign Ministers, and other places exempt by statute. COLUMN 8.—Includes losses through death. COLUMNS 9 and 10.—These represent what may be considered the actual "losses." Approved by the Finance Committee, 26th June, 1890 116 APPENDIX. No. 14. STATEMENT PREPARED AND SUBMITTED FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF THE DISTRICT AUDITOR OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (H. LLOYD ROBERTS, Esq., Barrister-at-Law), ON THE SUBJECT OF THE TREASURER'S SECURITY. 1. By the Act 25 Geo. II., cap. 23 (hereinafter referred to as "the Local Act") it is enacted that "the Churchwardens, "Overseers of the Poor and Vestrymen of the Parishes of St. "Margaret and St. John the Evangelist in the City of West"minster are required to assemble and meet together "to ascertain the monies or rates to be assessed within the limits "of the said two parishes for the relief of the poor" By Section 2 it is enacted " that the said Churchwardens, Overseers "of the Poor, Vestrymen and other inhabitants shall assemble "and meet together in the said Parish Church or Vestry Room "of St. Margaret within twenty days after to make one " general and equal pound rate or assessment for the relief of the " poor." 2. By Sec. 6 of the Local Act it is provided "that the said "Churchwardens and Vestrymen of the said parishes shall "choose and appoint one or more fit person or persons to be "collector or collectors of the said rate or assessment and "such collector or collectors shall make up and render to the said "Churchwardens as often as thereunto required a full and true "account of all monies so collected and to pay over such "monies remaining in their hands to such person or persons as "the said Churchwardens and Vestrymen shall authorise and "appoint to receive the same." The Overseers are not mentioned in this section nor in Section 7 which enacts "that the said "Churchwardens and Vestrymen shall if they think fit, appoint "one or more Treasurer or Treasurers for the receipt of the "monies to be collected by the said rate or assessment" 3. By the Act 18 and 19 Vict., cap. 120 (hereinafter called "the Act of 1855 "), Vestries were constituted in certain parishes, including St. Margaret and St, John the Evangelist, Westminster, 117 which two parishes were placed in Schedule B to the Act, and were united into a District for the purposes of that Act. The two parishes occupied this status until 25th March 1888, up to which date the provisions of the Local Act, as already quoted, were observed. 4. On 26th March, 1888, the Act 50 and 51 Vict., cap 17 (hereinafter called "the Amendment Act "), came into force. By Sec. 12 of this Act it was provided that the Act of 1855 should "be read and have effect as if the parishes of St. Margaret and St. "John, Westminster, had been named in Part II. of Schedule A "of the said Act, and were to be considered as one parish "and the Vestries of the said parishes shall from that date become "and be a body corporate by the name of the United Vestry of the "parishes of St. Margaret and St. John the Evangelist, Westminister." Section 2 of the Amendment Act incorporates the Act of 1855 as amended by any subsequent Act. 5. Among the Acts amending the Act of 1855 was the Act 19 and 20 Vict., cap. 112, which in Sec. 3 enacts that "all the duties, "powers and privileges (including such as relate to the affairs of the Church or the administration of money or other "property applicable to the relief of the poor) which might have "been performed or exercised by any open elected or other "Vestry under any Local Act or otherwise . . . shall be "deemed to have become transferred to and vested in the Vestry "constituted by the said Act of the last Session." It is submitted that the duties and powers so transferred comprise those in the Local Act above quoted, including the appointment of a Treasurer. The Churchwardens and Overseers, in so far as the poor rate is concerned, are in no way an independent body, and have no separate power or jurisdiction. The Churchwardens are by Sec. 2 of the Act of 1855 made ex-officio members of the Vestry, and the Overseers have been for more than thirty years nominated by the Vestry from among their own members. If they were not appointed from among the Vestrymen they would be unable to vote in the Vestry at which the rates were made. The facts therefore appear to be identical with those in Vaughan v. Imray (28 L. J. M. C., 28), where, by a Local Act, the Hector, Churchwardens, and others were constituted the Vestrymen of the parish, and were empowered to make poor rates; and it was held that the power of making poor rates possessed by the old Vestry 118 was transferred to the new Vestry, and that the rates made by the latter were valid, the Overseers (unless members of the Vestry) not being entitled to vote. G. Section 18 of the Amendment Act enacts that "it shall be "lawful for the United Vestry of the Parishes of St. Margaret "and St. John the Evangelist Westminster, at any Meeting held "for the purposes of the Act of George the Second" (the Local Act) to pass resolutions as to the payment of collector's of rates. It is obvious, therefore, that the Legislature recognised the powers under Section 6 of the Local Act as being transferred to the United Vestry, and it is submitted that the powers under Sec. 7, in relation to the appointment of a Treasurer, have in like manner become transferred by Sec. 3 of the 19 and 20 Vict., cap. 112, as quoted at the commencement of the last preceding paragraph. 7. As the time approached for making the first poor rate after the passing of the Amendment Act, the opinion of Counsel was taken as to whether that rate should be made as formerly or otherwise. After reviewing the changes and reciting the provisions of the Local Act, in conformity with which the rate had been made until the passing of the Act of 1855, Counsel said "that Act is "now to be read as though the United Parishes had been a single "parish mentioned in Schedule A, and as the United Vestry is "by Section 8 of the same Act, as explained by 19 and 20, Vict., "cap. 112, sec., 3 to be taken to constitute the Vestry of the "parishes and to have superseded and taken over the powers of "the Vestry as previously constituted, it follows in my opinion "that the United Vestry is now to make the poor rate for the "United Parishes."—Mr. Alexander Glen. 8. Guided by the foregoing circumstances "the United Vestry," as constituted by the Amendment Act, have since 2Gth March, 1888, performed all the duties previously performed by " the Churchwardens, Overseers, and Vestrymen" under the Local Act. The following extracts from the Minutes of their Proceedings in relation to the Treasurer's Security is submitted for the information of the Auditor :— At the Ventry Meeting on the 10th October, 1888. Report of Finance Committee. 4. Consequent upon the dissolution of the District Board of Works the Committee have had again under consideration the matter 119 of the Treasurer's and the Bankers' security in respect of the Poor Rate and the General Rates respectively, the question having been provisionally reported upon in connection with the conversion of the stock from 3 to 2¾ per cent. The security given by Mr. Joseph Crosthwaite upon his appointment as Treasurer in June, 1880, was £10,000 in Consols in respect of the Poor Rate; the London and County Bank at the same time being appointed Treasurer in respect of the District Rates, and giving security to the Churchwardens and others on behalf of the Vestries in the sum of £5,000 in Consols. The District Board in March, 1878, appointed the London and County Bank, Treasurer, on the Bank investing £5,000 in the name of the Board in their corporate capacity, by way of security. The total investment was thus £20,000. The Committee recommend that under the altered constitution of the Vestry Mr. Crosthwaite, as Treasurer of the Poor Rate, give security in the sum of £10,000, and the London and County Banking Company, Limited, as Treasurer of the District Rates, give security in a like sum of £10,000, both amounts to be invested in Consolidated 2¾ per Cent. Stock in the name of the Vestry in their corporate capacity, and the stock receipts to be deposited in the inner safe in the strong room as the Bye-law No. 44 directs. 5d. Resolved—That the acts, proceedings, and recommendation of the Finance Committee as now submitted in paragraph No. 4 of their report be and they are hereby approved and adopted; that Mr. Crosthwaite, as Treasurer of the Poor Rate, give security in the sum of £10,000, and the London and County Banking Company, Limited, as Treasurer of the General Rates, gives security in a like sum of £10,000, both amounts to be invested in Consolidated 2¾ per cent. Stock in the name of the Vestry in their corporate capacity, and the stock receipts to be deposited in the inner safe in the strong room as the Bye-law No. 44 directs; and that the affixing of the Common Seal to the "Form of Bequest" when received be hereby authorised. At the Vestry Meeting on the 14th November 1888. Report of Finance Committee. 4. In connection with the adjustment of the Treasurer's security to meet the altered constitution of the Vestry, the Committee find that it will be necessary to obtain the transfer of the sum of £15,126 l1s. 8d., 2¾ per Cent. Stock, now standing in the names of Messrs. W. Sugg, J. Harris, W. McKewan, and the late Mr. Stewart Helder, to the Vestry in its corporate capacity, 120 for which purpose the London and County Banking Company, Limited, have forwarded a form of Letter of Attorney. The Committee are also informed that in order to effect a transfer of the £5,000 Consols from the name of the late Board of Works to that of the Vestry, a special letter of request from the Vestry, under Seal, accompanied by a copy of the Act of Parliament, must be lodged at the Bank of England. The Committee recommend that the necessary signatures to the transfer of the first mentioned sum be obtained, and that the Common Seal of the Vestry be affixed to a letter requesting the transfer of the last mentioned sum of £5,000 to the name of the Vestry. The London and County Banking Company have suggested that inasmuch as the Vestry have Consols already standing in their name, confusion will be avoided by designating that account as "Account A" and the account to be created by the above transfers as "Account B," and have enclosed a form of request to be sealed by the Vestry with that object. The Vestry having however resolved on the 10th October, that the security consist of ,£20,000—£10,000 to be given by Mr. Crosthwaite, as Treasurer of the Poor Rate, and £10,000 by the Bank, as Treasurer of the General Rate, the Committee recommend that the Common Seal of the Vestry be affixed to a request to open accounts as under :— £ s. d. Account "A '' (Barlow Bequest) 2J per cent. Consols 631 11 7 Account "B" (Poor Rate Security) ,, ,, 10,126 11 8 Account "C'' (General Rate Security),, ,, 10,000 0 0 5d. Resolved—That the acts, proceedings, and recommendation of the Finance Committee as now submitted in paragraph No. 4 of their report be and they are hereby approved and adopted, that the necessary signatures to the transfer from the names of Messrs. W. Sugg, J. Harris, and W. McKewan, to the name of the Vestry in its corporate capacity of £15,126 11s. 8d. two and three-quarters per cent. Stock be obtained, and that the Common Seal of the Vestry be affixed to a letter requesting the transfer of £5,000 from the name of the late Board of Works to that of the Vestry. 5e. Resolved—That the Common Seal of the Vestry be affixed to a Form of Request to open Accounts as under :— £ s. d. Account "A " (Barlow Bequest) 2¾ per cent. Consols 631 11 7 Account "B" (Poor Rate Security) „ „ 10,126 11 8 Account "C" (General Rate Security),, ,, 10,000 0 0 121 At the Vestry Meeting on the 12th December, 1888. Report of Finance Committee. 5. That in order to give effect to the resolutions of the Vestry, on the 14th November last (5 D and E), in re adjustment of the Treasurer's Security, the Committee have instructed the Solicitor to prepare the necessary Declarations of Trust. The Committee recommend that they be empowered to affix the Common Seal of the Vestry to the Trust Deeds in the matter of the Treasurer's security, when finally approved. 6e. Resolved—That the acts, proceedings and recommendation of the Finance Committee as now submitted in paragraph No. 5 of their report be and they are hereby approved and adopted, and that the Committee be empowered to affix the Common Seal of the Vestry to the Trust Deeds in the matter of the Treasurer's security when finally approved. (The Deeds referred to in this resolution were settled by Counsel.) J. E. SMITH, 7th February, 1890. Vestry Clerk. 122 123 APPEN???X No, 15. STATEMENT of RECEIPTS and EXPENDITURE for the year ???ed 25th March, 1890, in respect of the Churchwardens and Overseers TOWN HALL???CCOUNT. RECEIPTS. EXPENDITURE. 1889-90. £ s. d £ s. d. £ s. d. To Cash received on account of Lettings, Rent of Offices, &c. 2,326 15 1 ???89-90. By Cash—Wages 357 10 0 To Balance due to Treasurer 161 6 1 ,, Occasional Labour 75 8 6 432 18 6 ,, Gas Account 188 2 0 ,, Water 45 19 0 234 1 6 ,, Furniture, Utensils, &c. 98 11 6 ,, Repairs and Improvements 1,341 18 7 1,440 10 1 ,, Coals and Coke 38 8 0 ,, Washing 14 1 8 ,, Oilmen's Goods 18 5 4 ,, Printing and Stationery 17 4 10 ,, Newspapers 3 19 0 ,, Awning Account 23 9 0 ,, Clocks, Winding, &c 5 2 9 ,, Chimney Sweeping 6 10 0 ,, United Telephone Co. 21 1 0 ,, Rates and Taxes 103 17 1 „ Uniforms 19 13 6 „ Purchase of Cooking Apparatus 50 5 0 ,, Preparation of Contracts 15 1 4 ,, Interest on Over-draft 6 1 0 ,, Clerical Assistance 10 0 0 ,, Police and Porters 15 0 0 ,, Sundries, &c. 12 11 7 380 11 1 £2,488 1 2 £2,488 1 2 (Signod) GEO. JAS. LOUGH, M. HOLMAN BISHOP, H. O. HAMBORG, Churchwardens of the United Parishes. J. B. BARNES, J. BROWNE MARTIN, T. W. DAVIES, Z. A. BERRY, / Overseers ? of the \ United Parishes 124 APPENDIX No. 16 SUMMARY STATEMENT of CONTRACTS entered into and existing during the year ended 25th March, 1890. Date of Contract. Name of Contractors Address. Nature of Contract. For what Period. Amount of Contract ! Amount ! Security. August 26th, 1880 Improved Wood Pavement Company, Limited 2, Queen's Buildings, 46, Queen Victoria Street, E.C. For laying and maintaining Wood Pavement at Buckingham Gate 11s. per square yard for 3 years, and for a further period of 12 years after the rate of 10d. per square yard per annum £50 October 8th, 1880 Improved Wood Pavement Company, Limited 2, Queen's Buildings, 46, Queen Victoria Street, E.C. For laying and maintaining Wood Pavement in Parliament Street (the narrow portion of Whitehall) 10s.5d. per square yard for 3 years, and for a further period of 1 or 2 years at 4d. per square yard per annum £50 Continued for a further period of ???ten years, 13th january, 1886 (6 N) February 17th, 1881 The Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England 10, Whitehall Place Agreement for letting land for Urinal in Little George Street, Westminster Terminable by six months' notice 1s. per annum June 3rd, 1885 The French Asphalte Company 27, Comhill, E.C Maintenance of Asphalte Paving For ten years 3 in. Portland cement concrete and 1in. compressed rock asphalte at 6s. 6d. per square yard £500 May 28th, 1886 Improved Wood Pavement Company, Limited 46, Queen Victoria Street For laying down Wood Pavement in and maintaining and keeping in repair the Carriageway of Rochester Row Three years' free maintenance and for one or two years at 4d. or ten years at 10d. per yard super. after the expiration of three years 9s. 3d. per yard super. for 6in. blocks upon 9ins. of concrete June 30, 1886 John Mowlem & Co. Grosvenor Road, Millbank For laying down Wood Pavement in and keeping in repair the carriageways of Caxton Street and Palmer Street Three years' free maintenance and for one or two years at 3d. or ten years at 10d per yard super. after the expiration of three years 8s. 3d. per yard super, for 6in. blocks upon 6ins. of concrete £500 July 30th, 1886 Improved Wood Pavement Company Queen's Buildings, 46, Queen Victoria Street, E.C. For laying down Wood Pavement in and maintaining and keeping in repair the carriageway of Jaines Street Three years' free maintenance and for one or two years at id. or ten years at 10c/. per yard super, after 8s. 9d. per yard super for 6in. blocks upon 9ins. of concrete £500 February 9th, 1887 The French Asphalte Company Limited 27, Cornhill, E.C. For asphalte works the expiration of three years Free maintenance for ten years At schedule prices May 31st, 1887 The Improved Wood Pavement Company Queen's Buildings, 46, Queen Victoria Street, E.C. For laying wood pavement in Bessborough Street and Bessborough Gardens Three years' free maintenance and for one or two years at id., or for further term of ten years at 10d. per yard super. 7s. 9d. per yard super. for 6in. blocks on 6in. concrete £1,000 June 17th, 1887 The Limmer Asphalte Paving Company 85, Gracechurch Street, E.C. For asphalte works Free maintenance for ten years At schedule prices £1,000 125 126 127 SUMMARY STATEMENT OF CONTRACTS—Continued Date of Contract. Name of Contractors. Address. Nature of Contract. For what Period. Amount of Contract. Amount of Security. October 28th, 1887 The Improved Wood Pavement Company Queen's Buildings, 46, Queen Victoria Street, E.C. For laying wood pavement in Tothill Street, Broadway, James Street (between York : Steeet and Victoria Street), i and Grey Coat Place For three years 8s. 9d. per yard super. for 6in. blocks on 9ins. of concrete £2,000 March 5th, 1888 Wightman & Co. 104, Regency Street, Westminster. S.W. For the supply of stationery and the execution of printing For three years from 26th March, 1888 Printing at 15 per cent below schedule prices. Stationery at 12½ per cent. below schedule prices. March 7th, 1888 John Mowlem & Co. Grosvenor Wharf, Millbank, S.W. For Masons' and Paviors' work For three years from 26th March, 1888 7½ per cent. below schedule prices £1,000 july 24th, 1888 The West Middlesex Waterworks Company 19, Marylebone Road, N.W. For supply of water for watering the roads in a portion of Knightsbridge part of the parish For three years from 26th March, 1888 Five shillings per annum for every hundred square yards of roadway watered September 27th, 1888 The Limmer Asphalte Paving Company, Limited 85, Gracechurch Street, E.C. For laying with Asphalte the carriageways of New Tothill Street, Dacre Street, Raikes Buildings, Grub Street, Old Pye Street, St. Matthew Street, Stanford Street and Wheeler Street Free maintenance for three years At a schedule of prices £500 November 15th, 1888 The Chelsea Waterworks Co. 35, Commercial Road, Pimlico For supply of water for watering the roads in the parish For three years from 26th March, 1888 £513 15.s. and 30s. for each stand post, per November 22nd, 1888 The Improved Wood Pavement Company, Limited Queen's Buildings, 46, Queen Victoria Street, E.C. For laying wood pavement in King Street Free maintenance for three years annum 6in. blocks on 6in. concrete, 8s. 5d., 6in. on 9in. 9s. 9c/., 6in. on 12in. 10s. 9c/. £300 November 22nd, 1888 The Improved Wood Pavement Company, Limited Queen's Buildings, 46, Queen Victoria Street, E.C. For laying wood pavement in Dacre Street Free maintenance for three years 6in. blocks on 6in. concrete, 8s. 9c/., 6in. on 9in. 10s., 6in. on 12in. l1s. £300 December 24th, 1888 The Limmer Asphalte Paving Company, Limited 85, Gracechurch Street, E.C. For laying asphalte in a portion of Bessborough Place, Coburg Row & Gun Terrace in lieu of Dacre Street Free maintenance for three years At a schedule of prices January lst, 1889 The Gas Light & Coke Company Horseferry Road, Westminster Lighting Special Lamps in Parliament Street and Whitehall For the year January 17th, 1889 The Improved Wood Pavement Company, Limited Queen's Buildings, 46, Queen Victoria Street, E.C. For laying wood pavement in the margins of Bessborough Gardens in Vauxhall Bridge Road Three years' free maintenance, and for one or two years at 3d., or for further term of ten years at 9d. per yard super. 6in. blocks on 6in. concrete, 8s. 5d., 6in.on 9in. 9s. 9d., 6in. on 12in. 10s. 9d. per yard super. £200 January 23rd, 1889 Hamilton and Co 98, High Street, Wandsworth For the supply of Carbolic Acid Disinfectants For one year, from 26th March, 1889 At a schedule of prices March 11th, 1889 John II. Neave 54, Fulbam Park Gardens, S.W. For general works and repairs to Sewers, &c. For three years from 26th March, 1889 At a schedule of prices £500 128 129 SUMMARY STATEMENT OF CONTRACTS—Continued. Date of Contract. Name of Contractors. Address. Nature of Contract. For what Period. Amount of Contract. Amount of Security. March 20th, 1889 Cookson, George Gloucester Street, Albert Embankment, S.E. Street cleansing, watering, and dust removal services For four months from the 25th March,1890, and to continue at the same rate for any term after required by the Vestry. Determined on the 25th March, 1890 £3,000 (four months) £1,000 March 25th, 1889 The Grand Junction Waterworks Company 65, South Molton Street Supply of water for watering the roads in Kensington Palace Gardens For one year from 25th March, 1889 ¾d. per square yard (£32 13s. 5d.) April 4th, 1889 The Improved Wood Pavement Company, Limited Queen's Buildings, 46, Queen Victoria Street, E.C. For the maintenance and repair of wood paving For one year from 26th March, 1889 Gin. blocks on 6in. concrete, 6s., 6in. on 9in. 7s., Gin. on 12in. 8s. per yard super. August 8th, 1889 Improved Wood Pavement Company, Limited Queen's Mansions, 46, Queen Victoria Street, E.C. For laying wood pavement in Horseferry Road (part), Warwick Street, William Street, and Seville Street Three years' free maintenance, and for one or two years at 3d. or for further term of ten years at 9d. 6in. blocks on 6in. concrete, 8s. 6d., 6in. on Sin. 9s. 9d., Gin. on 12in. 11s. per yard super. £500 September 13th, 1889 Limmer Asphalte Paving Company, Limited 2, Moorgate Street, E.C. For laying asphalte paving in Lillington Street, St. Ermin's Hill, Monck Street, Buckingham Cottages, and Carteret Street per yard super. Free maintenance for three years At a schedule of prices £1,000 December 25th, 1889 The Gas Light & Coke Company • Horseferry Road, Westminster Lighting Public Lamps Until further notice Common Gas, 2s. 2d. per 1,000 cubic feet, and 18s. per Lamp per annum for lighting, cleaning, repairing, &c. February 12th, 1890 Hamilton & Co. 98, High Street, Wandsworth Supply of Disinfectants For one year from 26th March, 1890 At a schedule of prices March 25, 1890 Mowlem & Co. Grosvenor Wharf, Millbank Maintenance and repair of wood paving For one year from 26th March, 1890 New 6in. blocks,. new foundations, &c.' 6in. concrete, 5s., 9in. 5s. 6d., 12in. 6s. 6d.; April 29th, 1890 Cookson, George Gloucester Street, Albert Embankment. S.E. Street Cleansing, Watering, and Removal of Dust For one year, from the 26th March, 1890, to 25th March, 1891 wood-pavement on present foundations 3s. 4d. per yd. super. £9,000 £4,500 M 130 APPENDIX No. 17. THE FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY AND THE PUBLIC BATHS AND WASH-HOUSES. Re/port of Finance Committee, submitted to the Vestry on 10th April, 1889. Acting under the authority conferred upon them by the Vestry on 24th October last, the Committee have conferred with the Commissioners of the Free Public Library and the Commissioners of the Public Baths and Wash-houses, sitting together, upon the question of improving the existing establishments or erecting neAv buildings. The Committee, as the result of the first conference, requested the two Commissioners to meet on the subject of devising a scheme for the improvement of their respective buildings, and, if deemed expedient, for the concentration of the two establishments on one site. The Committee asked the two Commissions to state their joint views in writing, and have since received the following communication:— To the Finance Committee of the United Vestry :— In pursuance of the resolution of the Finance Committee of the Vestry, dated 8th November, 1888, the Commissioners of the Free Public Library, and of the Public Baths and Washhouses, have to report— That they have met and unanimously decided to recommend the advisability of erecting a new Library and Baths and Washhouses on adjoining sites as per plans now submitted. They have further ascertained that the approximate cost for the Library will be £12,000 And for the Baths and Wash-houses £20,000 Total £32,000 The plans prepared by Mr. F. J. Smith, Architect, have been carefully considered and approved of by the Joint Commissioners, and they recommend that the Vestry be asked to contribute towards the cost of the scheme by placing at the disposal of the Joint Commissioners the balance remaining in hand from the sale of the parochial properties. Dated this 25th day of march, 1889. (Signed) FRED. ROSE, „) W. L. JOSEPHS, Chairman of the Library Commissioners. Chairman of the Baths Commissioners. 131 The plans referred to in this communication have been submitted to the Committee and explained in various details by the Architect, Mr. F. J. Smith, who has since handed in the following notes thereon:— April 4th, 1S89. Gentlemen, In submitting the scheme for the proposed New Free Public Library, and remodelling the Public Baths and Wash-houses, I beg to lay before you the following particulars:— Firstly, as regards the Library: the removal of the Library has become imperative by the requirements of the Church House Committee, who has expressed its desire to terminate the present short lease, and to occupy the premises without alteration. It therefore became necessary to seek another site, and the most appropriate one is that adjacent to the Public Baths and Washhouses, thus forming one large Parochial Freehold. The portion of property so to be purchased is held on short leases, and consent has been provisionally obtained for their acquirement, as also the consent of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, on the grounds of its being required for a public benefit and improvement such as is contemplated. The area thus acquired for the purposes of the Library is 5,090 square feet, and, in addition, 600 square feet, which it is proposed to throw into the roadway, and thus initiate a public improvement which has long been sadly needed, in consequence of the narrowness and dangerous bend in the roadway. The accommodation provided in the Library is much in excess of the present, both as regards storage for books and reading rooms. The ventilation and lighting will be on the most approved principles, and the increased height of the rooms will add greatly to the comfort of the large and increasing number of visitors. The supervision on which so much depends has been specially considered, and is so arranged that the staff can see into every room, and beyond this, that with the increasing numbers, no addition will be rendered necessary to the present staff. Secondly, as regards the Public Baths and Wash-houses, they were the first erected under the Act some forty-five years since, and have become dilapidated and altogether unfit for the present requirements of the inhabitants, for whose benefit they were intended. These it is proposed to entirely re-model, and to supply with modern and the most approved appliances. The additional area proposed to be taken is 3,310 square feet. With this increased area it is intended to form first and second class swimming baths of ample proportions, the first class being 132 feet long by 31 feet wide, and the second class 62 feet by 32 feet, provided with all requisite dressing boxes, and other accommodation. There are 8 first class slipper baths for women, and 20 for men; and the same number of second class baths for women and men. Arrangements have been made so that women can use both first and second class swimming baths on certain days, if required. M 2 132 The entrances to the first class baths are in Great Smith Street, and those to the second class baths in St. Ann's Street. Each department having its separate entrance, one pay box serving in both instances. The Laundry department, which is entered from St. Ann's Street, has accommodation for 92 washers, with a drying house for each person. An ironing room is adjoining, with four mangles, ironing stove, and ironing tables, having a separate exit into St. Ann's Street. It is proposed to utilize the present boilers, and provide additional power. The present chimney shaft, which is badly erected, and is in a dangerous condition, it is proposed to re-erect upon improved principles, having internal cylinders, surrounded by ventilating fines, which will act as upcast ventilators, thus carrying off all steam and vapours. The whole of the swimming baths, slipper baths, and laundry will have top lights, and perfect ventilation, which is so essential, will be so ensured. The two buildings, though conjoined, are perfectly distinct, there being no communication between them. The party walls are carried up so as to prevent any annoyance arising. Board Room accommodation is provided in both establishments, together with apartments for Librarian and Caretakers. The basements in both buildings are well lighted and ventilated, and afford good storage and other accommodation, together with lavatories; the latter are also provided for each department throughout. The elevation is of a suitable character, and appropriate for the purpose intended. This building, being set back, will be the first step in forming an improvement in Great Smith Street, which will eventually become one of the leading arteries of the City, and will tend to the further development of this portion of the parish. I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, Your obedient servant, FBAS. J. SMITH. Having regard to the care and completeness with which the details and provisions of the scheme and plan have been studied by the two Commissions, and concurring with them in the desirability of erecting the two buildings on adjoining sites, so as to form practically one block, The Committee unanimously recommend that the Vestry approve the plans of the proposed new Public Library, and Public Baths and Wash-houses now submitted, and sanction and allow the expenditure proposed, to the extent of £12,000 as regards the Free Public Library, and to the extent of £20,000 as regards the Public Baths and Wash-houses. 133 The Committee find, that the amount of Consols now standing to the credit of the parishes is £11,700, which, according to the letter from the Local Government Board, dated 30th May, 1885, is available for such purposes as they may deem to be of permanent benefit to the parishes. Being of opinion that the erection of a freehold property of such value, and for the personal use and advantage of the parishioners, might be regarded as fulfilling that condition, The Committee recommend that the Vestry make application to the Local Government Board for the issue of a sealed Order consenting to the appropriation of the parish stock to the extent of £10,000 towards the cost of the land and buildings, such sum to be apportioned in moieties of £5,000 severally towards the Free Public Library and the Public Baths and Wash-houses. All which your Committee beg to submit, (Signed) CHAS. C. PIPER, Chairman. Proceedings of the Vestry. It was moved by Mr. Churchwarden C. C. Piper, and seconded by Mr. F. Rose, That the acts, proceedings, and recommendation of the Finance Committee as now submitted in paragraph No. 3 of their report be and they are hereby approved and adopted; and that the Vestry approve the plans of the proposed new Public Library, and Public Baths and Wash-houses now submitted, and sanction and allow the expenditure proposed, to the extent of £12,000 as regards the Free Public Library, and to the extent of £20,000 as regards the Public Baths and Wash-houses. That the Vestry make application to the Local Government Board for the issue of a sealed Order consenting to the appropriation of the parish stock to the extent of £10,000 towards the cost of the land and buildings, such sum to be apportioned in moieties of £5,000 severally towards the Free Public Library and the Public Baths and Washhouses. An amendment was moved by Mr. T. Horn, and seconded by Mr. J. Margrie, That the consideration of the report and scheme now submitted be adjourned to this day month to admit of a closer examination of the plans by members. Upon the amendment being put to the vote, it was carried unanimously, and Resolved accordingly. 134 Proceedings of tlLe Vestry, Sth May, 1889. The Vestry proceeded, pursuant to adjournment on the 10th April, 1889 (10 C), to resume the debate upon the following motion, moved by Mr. Churchwarden C. C. Piper, and seconded by Mr. F. Rose, with reference to the report of the Finance Committee, and of the Joint Commissions of the Baths and Wash-houses and the Library, submitting a scheme for the erection of new buildings, for the purposes of both Commissions, in Great Smith Street That the acts, proceedings, and recommendations of the Finance Committee as now submitted in paragraph No. 3 of their report be and they are hereby approved and adopted; and that the Vestry approve the plans of the proposed new Public Library, and Public Baths and Wash-houses now submitted, and sanction and allow the expenditure proposed, to the extent of £ 12,000 as regards the Free Public Library, and to the extent of A'20,000 as regards the Public-Baths and Wash-houses. That the Vestry make application to the Local Government Board for the issue of a Sealed Order consenting to the appropriation of the parish stock to the extent of £ 10,000 towards the cost of the land and buildings, such sum to be apportioned in moieties of £5,000 severally towards the Free Public Library and the Public Baths and Wash-houses. Copies of the Report referred to, already entered upon the minutes of the meeting of the Vestry on the 10th April (10 C), had been again forwarded to members, and were laid upon the table. The plans referred to in the report of the Finance Committee were exhibited in the Council Chamber and examined by members. The Vestry considered the letter from Sir Walter de Souza, dated 15th April, adjourned from the meeting of the Vestry on the 24th April, containing the following paragraph:— "I see by the Westminster Times that your project of Public Baths has been temporarily deferred. I may mention that it will probably be the intention of the London County Council to establish Baths and Wash-houses all over London, and to acquire at a valuation all existing baths, &c." Sir Walter de Souza, one of the County Councillors for West" minster, was present by invitation of the Vestry at its meeting on the 24th April (13), and on the request of the Chairman, explained the position of the matter at the London County Council. He stated that an abstract resolution had been passed laying down the principle that at some time—no specified date could be given—the Baths and Wash-houses in the metropolis should be under the control of the Council, and that those which 135 were then in existence should he taken over at a valuation. He had learned from the mover of the resolution himself that no practical progress beyond the mere passing of the resolution had been gained. It was moved by Mr. J. Fergusson, seconded by Mr. J. Lane, and Resolved unanimously—That the cordial thanks of the Vestry be given to Sir Walter de Souza for his attendance and prompt information in this matter. Debate on the original motion being resumed, An amendment was moved by Mr. C. Stone, and seconded by Mr. T. Rintoul, That in the opinion of this Vestry the information now before it is not sufficient to enable it to form an opinion on the merits of the scheme for the re-construction of the Public Baths and Public Library. Debate ensuing, Mr. Stone asked leave to withdraw his amendment. It was moved by Mr. W. Davis, seconded, and Resolved—That Mr. Stone have leave to withdraw his amendment. The amendment was withdrawn accordingly. A second amendment was thereupon moved by Mr. J. Margrie, and seconded by Mr. A. Wright, That the Scheme be referred back to the Finance Committee to confer further with the two Commissions, with a view to issuing advertisements for plans from architects, and for tenders for the work. Further debate ensuing, The mover of this amendment asked leave to withdraw the same. It was thereupon moved by Mr. W. H. Baker, seconded by Mr. T. J. White, and Resolved—That Mr. Margrie have leave to withdraw his amendment. The amendment was withdrawn accordingly. It was moved by Mr. T. J. White, and seconded by Mr. J. H. Pugh, That the debate be now adjourned to this day month. Upon the motion being put to the vote, there were For it 20 Against it 25 136 A division having been demanded and taken as the Bye-laws direct, there were For the Motion—22. Bennett, W. J. Birch, W. A. Bond, Dr. T. Broughton, G. Fergusson, J. Hearne, E. Hiscox, J. W. Horn, T. Josephs, W. L. Margrie, J. Palmer, C. Pugh, J. H. Rintoul, T. Smith, C. S. Smith, II. Sterling, Col. J. B. Stone, C. Sweeting, C. Tucker, F. J. Verity, D. White, T. J. Wright, A. Tkller—Mr. J. Margrie. Against the Motion—30. Adams, T. Baker, W. H Barnes, J. B. Berry, Z. A. Bishop, M. H. Bonwick, W. Butler, T. Chappie, G. J. Cocks, T. Cohen, S. H. Davis, W. FitzGerald, A. Geisel, J. J. Gibson, J. Hamborg, H. 0. Hayler, -J. Honeysett, C. Horne, E. Kent, J. King, Z. Lambert, F. W. C. Lane, J. Martin, J. B. Nicholls, G. Piper, C. C. Power, W. M. Rose, F. Steel, C. D. Tallents, G. W. Wright, C. (St. J.) Teller—Mr. W H. Baker. The Chairman thereupon declared the motion lost. Objection being taken under the 41st Bye-Law to the vote of Mr. Hamborg being taken, Mr. Hamborg made a statement. The Chairman directed that the vote of Mr. Hamborg be taken It was moved by Mr. J. H. Pugh, and seconded by Mr. T. J. White, That the Vestry do now adjourn. An amendment was moved by Mr. W. II. Baker, and seconded by Mr. W. Davis, That the question be now put. 137 Upon this amendment being put to the vote there were For it 25 Against it 12 and it was carried, and being put as the substantive motion, was carried and Resolved accordingly. The original motion was then put to the vote when there were For it 26 Against it 13 and it was carried, and Resolved—That the acts, proceedings, and recommendations of the Finance Committee as now submitted in paragraph No. 3 of their report be and they are hereby approved and adopted; and that the Vestry approve the plans of the proposed new Public Library and Public Baths and Wash-houses now submitted, and sanction and allow the expenditure proposed, to the extent of £12,000 as regards the Free Public Library, and to the extent of £20,000 as regards the Public Baths and Wash-houses. That the Vestry make application to the Local Government Board for the issue of a sealed Order consenting to the appropriation of the parish stock to the extent of £10,000 towards the cost of the land and buildings, such sum to be apportioned in moieties of £5,000 severally towards the Free Public Library and the Public Baths and Wash-houses. N 138 APPENDIX No. 18. ST. MARGARET AND ST. JOHN.—BATHS AND WASHHOUSES. No. 1 Account, as per Cash Book. Receipts and Expenditure of the Commissioners from March, 1889, to March, 1890. 1889-90. RECEIPTS. £ s. d. 1889-90. EXPENDITURE. £ s. d. Balance 1.008 11 7 Wages 813 11 0 Bathers and Washers 2,204 4 2 Petty Disbursements 24 6 0 Soap, &c 40 17 8 Superannuation 76 0 0 Received from the United Vestry of St. Margaret and St. John 300 0 0 Soap and Soda 30 13 5 Water 296 13 7 G as 81 7 4 Coals and Coke 449 0 3 Lead, Oils, and Chemicals 5 19 0 Income Tax, Rates, and Insurance 11 2 9 Stationery, Printing, &c. 33 8 8 Clock Winding 3 10 6 Salary 50 0 0 Ironmongery 17 19 1 Repairs, &c. 90 14 6 Turnery 10 0 4 Towels 23 19 2 Scrubbing Boards 6 0 0 Transferred to No. 2 Account 270 14 5 Ditto ditto 15 10 10 Balance 1,243 2 7 £3,553 13 5 £3,553 13 5 Examined and found correct, 23rd May, 1890. T. BULL, THOS. H. HORRS. Auditor. 139 No. 2 Account, as per Cash Book. Receipts and Expenditure of the Commissioners from March, 1889, to March, 1890. 1889-90. RECEIPTS. £ s. d. 1889-90. EXPENDITURE. £ s. d. Balance 21 1 8 Income Tax on Interest 1 5 3 Transferred from No. 1 Account 270 14 5 The Clergy Mutual Assurance Society, Half Year's Interest 20 14 5 Ditto ditto 15 10 10 Ditto, Seventh Instalment of Loan 250 0 0 Ditto, Half-Year's Interest 15 10 10 287 10 6 Balance 19 16 5 £307 6 11 £307 6 11 Examined and found correct, 23rd May, 1890. T. BULL, THOS. H. HOBBS, Auditors. 140 APPENDIX No. 19. PUBLIC LIBRARIES ACT, 1855, Statement of Receipts and Expenditure by the Commissioners for Public Libraries for the United Parishes of St. Margaret and St. John the Evangelist, Westminster, for the year ended 25th March, 1890. RECEIPTS. EXPENDITURE. March 26, 1889, to March 25, 1890. £ s. d. March 26, 1889, to March 25, 1890. £ s. d. To Balance at Bankers, 25th March, 1889 „ United Vestry of St. Margaret and St. John the Evangelist, on account of Library Rate 45 5 6 By Rent, Taxes, and Insurance, at Chief and Branch Libraries 1,530 0 0 260 7 10 ,, Cleansing, Fuel, Lighting, &c. 136 7 6 ,, New Books 166 10 9 ,, Rent of Offices, 3, Trevor Square, and Cottasre. 7, Lancelot Place 62 0 0 ,, Newspapers and Periodicals 162 8 9 ,, Bookbinding and Repairing Books 111 10 8 „ Waste Paper 3 7 3 ,, Stationery and Printing 36 16 6 ,, Fines, Cards and Lost Books 75 8 0 ,, General Repairs and Cleanmg to Chief Buildings 13 15 0 .. Catalogues 11 4 6 89 19 9 ,, General Repairs and Cleaning, New Book Case, &c., to Branch Buildings 23 19 2 ,, Salaries of Officers and Cleaners 37 14 2 613 7 7 ,, Petty Disbursements 4 9 1 ,, Preparing Rate41889-90 10 0 0 ,, Collectors' Poundage, 1889-90 19 2 6 — 29 2 6 1,558 14 11 ,, Balance at Bankers, 25th March, 1890 168 10 4 £1,727 5 3 £1,727 5 3 9thMarch, 1890, HENRY E. POOLE, Secretary & Librarian. I hereby certify that I have compared the entries in the above Statement with the Vouchers and other documents relating thereto, and that the regulations with respect to such Statement have been duly complied with. I here by further certify that I have ascertained by Audit the correctness of such Statement, and that the amount expended by the Commissioners from 26 th March,1889,to 25th March, 1890, as included in such Statement and allowed by me at the Audit is One thousand five hundred and hfty-eight pounds fourteen shillings and eleven pence. As witness my hand this 22nd day of May. 1890. T. barclay oockertoist. Asst. District Auditor.