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29
The Sanitary Committee again devoted a great deal of time to
the investigation of the numerous second, or repeated applications,
and other special complaints against the Contractors, and the result
was that penalties, amounting to £871, were inflicted during the
year, Mr. Edward Jackson being fined £31; Mr. John Williamson,
Jun., £44; Mr. J. Rendell, £26; and Mr. W. T. Williamson, £770,
who has brought an action, which is now pending, against the
Vestry in connection with this matter.
In closing my review of what I shall call (because I confidently
hope that it will be) the final record of the dusting of the Parish of
Islington by the Contractors, I cannot but express my decided
opinion that in every respect, and especially as regards the almost
fabulous number of applications, the Contractors exhibited a total
disregard of the obligations involved in their contracts, which were,
during the whole period, most obviously, and even scandalously
evaded. One would think that the utmost bounds of the consciences
of these Contractors must have been reached in contemplation of
the provoking and persistent negligence they were displaying
towards the inhabitants, and the burden and reproach they were
thereby imposing, I sincerely trust for the last time, upon the Vestry
and their officers.
I had indeed anticipated that the indifference of the Contractors
would increase in view of the prospect of the whole of the work soon
slipping from their grasp, and I did not look for any improvement
during the continuance of their reign; but I could scarcely have
believed it possible that business men could have gone so far as they
did; and from this reproach I regret that I cannot except any of the
Contractors named in the table, which, when compared with those of
former years, will convince the most sceptical of the righteousness
of this condemnation. To have been liberated from another year's
tyranny (of the same, or of a worse character) in respect of even
two-thirds of the Parish, is a matter for very great thankfulness. We
can even afford to be grateful to the Contractors themselves for
suddenly precipitating so great a boon by their imprudence in
the following of evil counsel to their own hurt, and demanding in
their tenders at least an increase of rather more than fifty per cent.
upon the prices of the previous year for the work still remaining to
them in Islington. No doubt, from the fact that the Vestry had