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from time to time to consider and report on particular subjects,
Standing Committees have been appointed, consisting of the Members
of each Ward, and of Penge, respectively, to whom subjects of
a local character and involving local taxation in each Ward, and in
Penge, have been from time to time referred, as the Lighting and
Watering of Roads; and also a General Purpose Committee and
Finance Committee. A list of the Members constituting each
Committee, for the last and present years, is given in the
Appendix.
The appointment of the Officers, and the salaries and duties
assigned to the several Offices, having, on the constitution of the
Board, been made provisionally, a Committee of the whole Board
took into consideration in January, 1857, "the appointment, duties,
and emoluments of the several Officers, and the alterations which
should be made in relation thereto." Their Report, however (see
Appendix), was not fully adopted, the alterations being limited
to the discontinuance of one of the Inspectors of Nuisances,
the appointment of a Foreman of the Roads under the Surveyor,
and the continuance of Mrs. Perry as Housekeeper. Again, in
January in the present year, a Committee having been appointed
to enquire into a fraud which was found to have been practised upon
the Board in the supply of Road Material, circumstances were
brought before them tending to raise doubts as to the propriety of
the duties assigned to the several Officers, and the appointment of
another Committee was recommended, "to enquire into the duties
of the several Officers, and the system pursued as regards all the
operations of the Board, with a view to ascertain the precise mode
in which all orders of the Board are executed, and the sufficiency
or otherwise of the checks upon the Contractors and Labourers,
and generally whether the present working staff and arrangements
are such as are best suited to the performance of the duties which
devolve upon the Board." A Committee was appointed accordingly,
and, after a lengthened enquiry, they recommended several important
changes. Their Report, which is given at length in the
Appendix, was adopted by the Board without alteration, and
Mr. Treverton was appointed to the office of Sewers Surveyor at
the same salary as theretofore, and Mr. Duncan to the joint offices
of Highway Surveyor and Inspector of Nuisances at the salary of
£100 per annum and other advantages assigned to the office.
The office of Housekeeper was resolved to be discontinued on the
25th March, 1858, but its continuance has from unavoidable circumstances
been temporarily extended.
Mr. Eagleton tendered his resignation as Treasurer of the Board
in February last, but at their request he retained the office until
the 25th March, the end of their financial year, when the London
and Westminster Bank were appointed Treasurers, and any security
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