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provisions for maintaining the power they possessed of
controlling the use of mechanical systems of traction
which would interfere with the surface of streets vested
in them, but the House of Lords Committee declined
to amend the Bill as desired. The Committee also
declined to alter the provisions of the Bill, as desired
by the Board, so as to retain the control now
exercised by them with respect to the nature of the
paving outside the rails of the tramways, and its
provisions with respect to the opening and reinstatement
of trenches in the streets where there are no
tramways for the purpose of laying cables, &c., for the
conveyance of electrical power from generating stations
to tramways. Considerable amendments were, however,
made to the Bill by the London County Council
after its introduction owing to the representations made
by this Board and other local authorities. Amongst
these were provisions to the effect that no overhead
system of traction is to be used in any district without
the consent of the Local Authority, and such authorities
are to be heard by the Board of Trade before any
system of electrical traction is sanctioned and before
the regulations are made under which the system is
worked. The Lambeth Vestry was the only other road
authority which opposed the Bill in the House of Lords,
and the Board regretted that so few of the local
authorities were willing to incur the expense and
trouble of appearing before Parliamentary Committees
for the maintenance of their rights and interests in such
matters.
Amongst other amendments made in the Bill was
one to the effect that the reconstruction of the Westminster
to Tooting line of tramway for electrical
traction should be completed not later than the first of
January, 1903. The Council settled in confe rence with