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23
the Conference of representatives of the County Council
and the Local Authorities which met at Spring Gardens
in 1896.
Costermongers.
The subject of the obstruction caused in the
Balham High Road by costermongers has
continued to receive the consideration of the Board.
A deputation from the Balham Ratepayers' Association
attended before the Board, and suggested that their
Solicitor should act in conjunction with the Board's
Solicitor in the prosecution of the costermongers.
The Board were of opinion that this was impracticable,
but at the hearing of one of the summonses afterwards
taken out by the Board the Association's
Solicitor was present and addressed the Magistrate on
the subject of the obstruction and annoyance of
which the Association complained. The Board have
also been again in communication with the Commissioner
of Police, and have urged that the costermongers
created an obstruction to the traffic and were an
annoyance to the inhabitants, and requested that the
police might be directed to remove them, under the
provisions of No. 6 of the Police Regulations for
costermongers. The Commissioner of Police stated in
reply that the obstruction was not such as to justify the
police in taking proceedings, that the number of costermongers
standing in Balham High Road was diminishing
owing to the action of the Board, and that the police
thought that if such action were continued it would
result in putting an end to the complaint, and that
there did not appear to be any specific infringement of
the regulations such as would justify the police in taking
action. The Board therefore continued their action.
481 summonses have been issued. In 163 cases the
offenders were fined small sums, and in 41 cases were
ordered to pay costs only, the remaining summonses
being chiefly not served owing to false addresses. The