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64
The Local Government Board replied to the following effect on the
'28th January, 1913 : —
" As regards the medical staff of the dispensary I am to state that
the Board are willing to accept the proposals contained in your letter on
the understanding that if at any time the Board are advised that the staff
proposed is not adequate to discharge satisfactorily the work of the tuberculosis
dispensary, such alterations or additions will be made as may be
necessary.
With regard to the management of the dispensary I am to state that
the Board assent to the proposal that the Borough Council of St. Pancras
should appoint one-third of the Committee of Management, with the
Medical Officer of Health of the Borough an ex-officio member.
As regards the financial arrangements to be made in the event; of the
tuberculosis dispensary being handed over to the Borough Council I am
to state that the Board could not undertake to reimburse the dispensary
authorities any portion of the capital cost of the tuberculosis dispensary
beyond the grant which the Board are now prepared to make. This
grant will, subject to the consent of the Treasury, and to a satisfactory
agreement being made with the Borough Council, amount to £375.
The dispensary authorities should negotiate with the Borough Council
as to the precise conditions on which the tuberculosis dispensary would be
handed over in the event of the authorities failing to maintain it to the
satisfaction of the Board, and the Board will need to be satisfied that any
agreement which may be made in this matter will be legally enforceable."
It will be seen from the correspondence that the Local Government Board
stipulated that an agreement should be entered into between the Dispensary
Authorities and the Council as to the precise conditions on which the Tuberculosis
Dispensary would be handed over to the Council in the event of the
Authorities failing to maintain it to the satisfaction of the Board; also that
the agreement would be legally enforceable.
The Trustees of the Dispensary submitted a draft agreement, which was
carefully considered by the Council's Solicitors, Messrs. Davenport, Cunliffe
and Blake, and amendments were made which brought it into agreement with
the conditions made by the Council. A copy of this agreement as amended
was submitted to the Local Government Board, and a reply was received,
dated the 27th February, 1913, stating that the Board would be prepared
to accept the agreement in the form proposed.
The agreement as finally approved by the Council on the 19th March, 1913,
reads as follows :—
An Agreement made the 11th day of April, 1913, between
Adolphus Edward Bridger, of Foley Lodge, 5. Langham Street, Portland
Place, in the County of London, Gentleman, John Poland, of Home
Cottage, Seal, in the County of Kent, Gentleman, and Herbert Peter
Bodkin, of 23, Gordon Street, Gordon Square, in the County of London,
Solicitor, Trustees of the St. Pancras Dispensary, 39, Oakley Square, St.
Pancras, London (hereinafter called the Trustees), of the one part, and
The Council of the Metropolitan Borough of St. Pancras, in the