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45
the tramways between Westminster Bridge and Tooting.
At the conference it was stated that the Council wished
to experiment on the Westminster and Tooting line
with various systems of electric traction, and would
make a formal application to the Local Authorities for
permission to do so; that at present it was intended to
try the conduit system in the more crowded thoroughfares,
as for instance from Westminster to the Plough,
Clapham ; and to try overhead wires on other parts of
the route. Shortly after the conference the Council
petitioned Parliament for a suspension of Standing
Orders, to enable them to introduce a Bill to obtain
power to work tramways by electrical power, and for
that purpose to erect and maintain on, in, over, or under
the surface of streets, such posts, wires, cables, and
apparatus, as might be necessary or convenient fcr the
working of the tramways, and to make and maintain
openings and ways in streets. As this proposal would
destroy the veto which the Highway Authorities now
have with regard to the use of such systems of traction,
the Board and the Lambeth Vestry opposed the application,
which was refused by the Standing Orders Committee
of the House of Commons.
Combined This subject is still receiving the attention
Drainage. of Vestries and District Boards. The
London County Council at their request introduced a
Bill on the subject, but the Board regret that it has
been again dropped. In view of the present unsatisfactory
state of the law it is hoped that a more successful
attempt to deal with the question will be made next
Session.
Removal of furniture, &c., placed on publicway after ejectments The Board have had under consideration
the subject of their powers and duties with
reference to the removal of furniture, &c.,
which has been placed (usually by the
police) on the public way in connection with the