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102
Telephone and Telegraph Wires stretched over houses and
across streets, and to the uncertainty upon whom the
responsibility would lie in case of accident.
The importance of this question generally engaged the
attention of the London Vestries, and more especially that of
the Metropolitan Board of Works, and the Board were invited
by the Local Authorities to take some action in the matter.
As the United Telephone Company had, in the early part of
the year, a Bill before Parliament asking for further powers,
the Board petitioned the House that before Telephone Wires
were laid in the Metropolis, the Board's sanction should be
obtained, and further, that the wires should be laid to the
satisfaction of the Vestries and District Boards.
The House of Commons considering the growing importance
of the matter, referred it to a Select Committee, who
notified that they would hear three witnesses to give representative
evidence of the views of the aggregate London
Vestries. Thereupon a letter was received from the Vestry
of Lambeth inviting Delegates to a Conference at which to
select three witnesses to represent to the Select Committee
the views of the Vestries on the subject. The Vestry, on
the 7th of April, appointed Mr. Andrew Middlemass, Mr.
John Wilson, and Mr. Matthew Wallace as Delegates to
such Conference.
The Select Committee having taken the evidence of
representatives of the Local Authorities, the Post Office, and
various Telephone undertakings, made a Report to the
House on the 12th of May, explaining the present unsatisfactory
condition of the Law on the subject, and offering the
following suggestions:
That the Postmaster-General should be authorised to
give notice of the intention to erect any Telegraphic Line