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from them was dispensed with, the Board passing a Resolution to
the effect that the credit of the Bank was a sufficient security for
the due performance of the office.
With reference to the appointment of a Scavenger—as to the
desirability of which, considerable difference of opinion exists—
tenders were issued in accordance with the recommendation in the
Report of the Committee of the whole Board (see Appendix), but
as only two were sent in, and each of them requiring the payment
by the Board of £10 for the performance of the duties of the
office, neither of them was accepted; and, upon several complaints
being made to the Board of the non-appointment of such an officer,
the subject was again considered, but ultimately adjourned for six
months.
The Board were appealed to in reference to the position of the
Office of the District Surveyor of Lewisham; it may, therefore, be
well to state shortly the course adopted by them. Complaints
having been made to the Metropolitan Board on the subject,
they passed a Resolution to the effect that the office was not conveniently
situated, and requested Mr. Badger to procure an office
more centrally situated; but he protested that no public inconvenience
was occasioned by the position of his office, upon which
they invited the suggestions of this Board, who reported that,
although as a general rule the more centrally the office of a District
Surveyor was situated the better, they were not aware that the
position of Mr. Badger's office was attended with inconvenience to,
or had been complained of by, the public. The direction for the
removal of the office was therefore not insisted on. It will, however,
be seen that the Board not only have acted, but are prepared
to act, on one consideration only, namely, the public convenience.
THE HIGHWAYS.
A marked reduction from the previous year has been made in the
expenditure upon this head. The amount contained in the former
statement of receipts and expenditure represented the expenditure
of fifteen months, and in the subjoined table a reduction of onefifth
has been made for the purpose of comparison with the expenditure
of the twelve months preceding the 25th March, 1858.
Expenditure from lst January, 1856, to
25th March, 1857.
£ s. d.
Labourers' Wages (4-5ths) 724 12 1
Material (4-5ths) 1596 17 3
Expenditure from 25th March, 1857, to
25th March, 1858.
£ s. d.
Labourers' Wages 473 19 5
Material 1447 9 9
The difference in the quantity of material used upon the roads
during the same relative periods has been almost as great:—