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given to it by the Metropolitan Board, aided by the exertions
of Mr. E. Dresser Rogers, the Vestry's representative
at the Board: by the valuable assistance of
Mr. M. Wallace, Mr. G. C. Whiteley, Mr. J. Walter,
and Mr. W. B. Hurst, and other members of the Vestry,
and by the cordial co-operation of the Vestry of Lambeth,—the
Parish may be congratulated on having
acquired a Park for South London.
On the 18th of February, on the motion of Mr.
Alfred Watton, it was resolved:— "That in the interests
of East Dulwich it is necessary that a fire Engine
Station be provided, and that the Vestry do support
such resolution by application to the Metropolitan
Board of Works." The Board were, accordingly,
strongly urged to comply with the Vestry's request,
but they were compelled to reply, as on previous
similar occasions, that—"without expressing an
opinion whether or not it may be found necessary, at
a future time, to establish a station at East Dulwich"
—they were not, at present, in a position to increase
the number of Fire Brigade Stations in the Metropolis.
In 1883 their expenditure exceeded the
statutory limit of income by £7,222 18s. 9d. and the
Board had to ask Parliament to ratify their action in
incurring this extra expenditure. At the same time
the Board had before the House of Commons a Bill
to repeal the restrictions in the Metropolitan Board of
Works (Loans) Act of 1869, (which limit the portion
of the Consolidated Rate applicable for Fire Brigade
working expenditure to one halfpenny in the pound
on the gross annual value of the rateable property in
the Metropolis,) and further, to enact that the Fire
Insurance Companies should, in future, contribute
1
Fire Station
at
East Dulwich