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now to make the execution of any great Improvement impossible by
annexing a condition, compliance with which would be hopeless—
except, perhaps, in the more opulent parts of London. The Vestry have
arranged to produce before the Committee of the House of Commons,
the evidence of competent witnesses from this and neighbouring
Parishes, not only as to the existing necessity for the Improved Approach,
but that the necessity becomes rapidly more and more urgent by the
continual building of houses and manufactories at the Eastern end of the
Parish and the contiguous Districts. The Vestry felt it advisable to concentrate
its effort on the Improvement at the Western end of the Parish,
and not to press, for the present, the formation of the New Road across the
Green from St. John's Church to the Western end of the Approach Road.
The Bill, promoted by the Metropolitan Board, seeks for power to make a
direct communication by way of Old Street, Clerkenwell, and Bloomsbury,
to the West of London, and the Vestry are supporting this Improvement,
as well as that which is to this neighbourhood of more immediate
importance, the much-needed widening of High Street, Shoreditch.
TRAMWAYS.
At the date of the last Report, three separate plans for Tramways, which
would pass through this Parish, had been deposited by (1) the promoters
of "The North-East of London and Columbia Market Approaches Bill;”
(2) the promoters of " The North-Eastern Metropolitan Tramway Bill;"
(3) "The North Metropolitan Tramway Company." The last named
Company applied to the Board of Trade for a provisional order under "The
Tramways Act, 1870;” but the Board of Trade ultimately decided to leave
the scheme to be dealt with entirely by Parliament. The before-mentioned
promoters (1) and (2) amalgamated their schemes, and the Vestry presented
a petition to the House of Commons in favour of the amalgamated
scheme. The promoters of the amalgamated scheme agreed to insert
clauses in their Bill providing for payment to the Vestry on
account of the paving laid in the Hackney Road, for laying paving
in the roads and streets between and outside the lines of rail, and
for various other matters. The North Metropolitan Tramway Company
refused to come to any satisfactory terms as to clauses with regard
to payment for the paving in the Hackney Road; and it became
necessary to appear by counsel before the Committee of the House
of Commons. The Vestry of St. Luke's being interested in a similar
way, appeared in like manner, and the result was an intimation by the
Committee that the Company should come to some terms with the Vestries.