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by agreement with the Vestry, the Surrey Commercial Dock Company hear the whole cost
of scavenging, watering, repairing and lighting this road until the completion of the New
Roads authorised by the Act, up to the 25th March, 1898 any necessary repairs were
executed by the Company's Contractor being within his period of maintenance, but the
charge for scavenging, watering and lighting, amounted to £95 6s. 9d.
In June, the Engineer, Sir John Wolfe Barry sent for the approval of the Vestry,
the plans for New Road No. 1 from Swing Bridge Road to Lower Road, near Osprey Street,
upon which I reported fully, the Engineer met the Vestry upon various matters suggested
by me, but upon the question of widening the existing Swing Bridge Road (which will be
raised) from its existing width of 25 ft. to 40 ft., between the iron bridge and the new
bridge across the communication passage between Greenland and Russia Docks, he declined
to agree, and as it was not necessary to obtain the approval of the Vestry under the Act,
he withdrew the plans to place them before the County Council whose approval was
necessary; the point was impressed upon the Council, but after taking the advice of their
Solicitor, who reported that, in his opinion the raising of an existing road did not
constitute the construction of a new road, they suggested that the road may be widened by
arrangement between the Company and the Vestry, and, as instructed, I prepared a plan
showing the proposed improvement which was approved by the Vestry and a copy forwarded
to the Company; the total land required amounts to 761 square yards, and my estimate of
the cost of carrying out this improvement, including the purchase of the land, amounts
to £1526 5s. 0d.
Ventilation of Council Chamber.
In accordance with instructions, the Medical Officer and myself presented to the Town
Hall Committee on the 23rd February, a joint report in reference to the ventilation of the
Council Chamber, as to the existing condition of things and the improvements necessary to
effect a proper and efficient ventilation of the same and to prevent the very high
temperature in the Public Gallery; shortly the recommendations were to greatly increase the
inlets, to connect all the ceiling openings to one main shaft, and to fix therein mechanical
expulsion by means of a directdriven exhaust fan of such a size that the whole of the air
in the room would be changed every fifteen minutes without creating any appreciable
draught. Up to the present the Vestry has not decided to carry out the recommendations.