View report page

68
order by the local authorities in whose districts they were situated.
The London Government Act, 1899, threw the duty of
maintaining these thoroughfares upon the respective Metropolitan
Borough Councils. Some of the Borough Councils who had been
in receipt of contributions being of opinion that they should be
continued asked the Local Government Board to determine the
amount, if any, which should be paid by the County Council. The
Board held an Inquiry with regard to the applications and having
carefully considered the matter have come to the conclusion
that no contributions should be made. None of the roads in
Wandsworth were affected and the decision of the Board is in
accordance with views put forward on behalf of this Council at
the Inquiry.
Openings
Roads.
117. The Committee appointed at the Conference convened
in by the Metropolitan Paving Commitee on the subject
of the inconvenience and damage caused by the breaking
open of streets by public Companies and others, asked the Prime
Minister and the President of the Local Government Board to
receive a Deputation in support of the proposal that the Government
should introduce a bill into Parliament embodying model
clauses for the better protection of local authorities with the view
of such clauses being made applicable to all undertakings involving
interference with the public streets. The President of the
Local Government Board stated in reply that as the Government
could not hold out any hope of legislation on the question during
the current session he did not think it necessary to trouble the
Deputation to attend at present. The Committee will endeavor
to arrange for the proposed Deputation to be received in the
autumn in order that the views of the Conference may be impressed
upon the Government before the details of any Bill dealing
with London traffic are settled.
118. The London County Council has also had the matter
under consideration and has suggested that such Council should
be empowered to make regulations to govern the breaking up of
streets. The County Council is now in communication with the
Borough Councils on the subject.
Metropolitan
Paving
Committee.
119. The usual day of meeting of the Metropolitan Paving
Committee being inconvenient for Alderman Lorden
owing to the Council and Committee meetings on
the same day, the Council has appointed Alderman Hewett as it
representative on the Committee in his place.