View report page

13
reading, and inasmuch as there is practically no opposition to the Bill
on its merits, it is considered pretty certain to become law.
The London Gas Company, which lights the remaining portion
of this District, has also agreed to certain terms proposed by the
Board of Trade. These are practically the same as those contained
in the Gas Light and Coke Company's Bill, and the Board of Trade
is preparing a Bill for Parliament embodying them, which will
doubtless pass the Legislature and become law.
Tottenham Court Road.
At the south-west end of Tottenham Court Road is a narrow and
ill-ventilated Court, called Bosiers Court, consisting, until recently,
of very old and dilapidated Houses ; those fronting on Oxford
Street needing to be pulled down. The Inhabitants of the immediate
neighbourhood memorialized this Board to join with the
adjoining Parishes of St. Marylebone, St. Pancras, and St. Ann's,
Soho, in purchasing the east side of the Court, pulling down the
Houses, and appropriating the space to widening Tottenham Court
Road, the traffic at this spot—the j unction of three great thoroughfares—being
at all times very great. Accordingly, this Board proposed
to the Metropolitan Board of Works to purchase the property
in question, and appropriate the ground whereon it stands to the
purposes above mentioned. The adjoining Parishes made similar
applications. The Metropolitan Board, however, declined to assent
to the proposal, alleging that the plan was not a Metropolitan
improvement; but offered to contribute one-half of the cost of the
same, providing the above mentioned parishes and this Board undertook
to bear the other half. Thereupon memorials were presented
by their several Parishes and this Board, and a deputation, consisting
of members from the same, attended the Metropolitan Board, and
urged it to bear the entire cost of purchase, on the ground,
amongst others, that this Board has no power to take property out
of its District for improvements. No formal resolution has been
communicated by that Board, but as it was believed that it would
decline to alter its previous decision, the subject was allowed to stand
over in case any fresh circumstances should arise, and induce the
parishes again to bring the subject under the consideration of that
Board. Since then, the old buildings have been taken down, and
the site built on.