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188
being made to the works on their behalf, when, the company
were of opinion, the referees would be able to satisfy the
Vestry that the best possible system was being carried out; or,
in the case of a suggested improvement, the directors of the
company would immediately give instructions for its adoption.
To the company's letter a rejoinder was sent intimating
that your Vestry adhered to the position taken up
with regard to the legal responsibility of the company to see
that no nuisance shall arise from smells from their works, and
leaving it to the company to appeal to the gas referees, if they
thought any useful purpose would be served by their so doing.
That the cause of nuisance is more or less within control would
appear from the intermittency of the complaints, and as the
smells are at times not perceptible to any noxious degree in
the vicinity of the works. No proceedings, whether by indictment
or for an injunction, were taken.
The James-street Area.
The improvement of the James-street area, which, it
was hoped, would have been completed long ago under
the private Act obtained by the promoters, still hangs
fire. The time allowed for compulsory purchase of properties
required for the improvement expired in August last,
and the time allowed for the completion of the scheme will
expire in August, 1901. James-street is in a woe-begone
condition, many of the houses having been pulled down, few
of the old inhabitants remaining. There is great need for a
street improvement in the locality to establish easy communication
between South Kensington and Kensington Highstreet,
west of the parish church. From time to time the
promoters have approached your Vestry with ever increasing
demands for pecuniary assistance, with a view to the carrying
out of some modified scheme; and it is to be desired that an
arrangement of a satisfactory character may be reached before
it is too late. The proposed new street would be so obviously