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13
the School Board; but as the latter is materially
affected by the method in which the former are purposed
to be worked out, the Vestry have carefully
watched, and will continue to watch, all the proceedings
of the School Board.
In 1871 an act was passed, intituled "The Metropolis
Water Act, 1871," with the view of making the companies
provide a constant water supply, but they were
to be compelled to do so only when certain regulations
to be made, as provided for by the Act, had come into
operation, and were complied with.
The Companies were to propose the regulations,
which were to receive the sanction of the Board of
Trade, who were empowered to hear the Metropolitan
Board of Works on the subject.
The Companies accordingly prepared regulations to
which the Metropolitan Board objected on many points
before the Board of Trade ; but the latter, in some of
the most important ones, as to the description of fittings,
&c., adopted the views of the Companies. The result
of this is that, in consequence of the enormous expense
to which owners of property would be put to provide
the fittings to enable the Metropolitan Board to compel
the Companies to give a constant supply, that Board
have refrained from so doing, and the Act has, to a
great extent, become a nullity, and the public deprived
of a great benefit.
It should be mentioned, that the Metropolitan Board
has consulted the various Vestries and District Boards
on the course which, under the circumstances, they
should adopt; and this Vestry and a Special Committee,
having gone most carefully into the matter, entirely
adopted the views of the Metropolitan Board, as beforementioned,
a course also almost unanimously adopted
throughout the metropolis.
During the year occurred that unparalleled event,
generally known as the "Gas Strike."
The facts connected with it are sufficiently in the
memory of every one to render any recapitulation of