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18
Mr. Churchyard's Case.
In the early period of the year, Mr. Churchyard, a Builder,
submitted a plan for the construction of a 40-foot road, leading
out of London Road, Fulham, which was approved by the
Board ; but, upon the matter coming before the Metropolitan
Board of Works, that body declined to sanction the plan, upon
the ground that the road as then laid out would form a cul-desac,—there
being no exit into Dawes' Lane.
Upon this decision being communicated to Mr. Churchyard,
he stated his intention of laying-out the land in twenty-feet
courts, under the provisions of the Act, and he has now commenced
building cottages upon the site.
The Board much regret that the plan for a forty-foot road
was not agreed to, as the erection of cottages upon such a site
will certainly not tend to increase the value of the surrounding
property; and the Board fear an opportunity of improving
this locality is now lost.
Inundations.
The Board are sorry to have to record very serious inundations
caused by the overflow of the River Thames within the
district, producing great distress and suffering among the
poorer classes exposed to its effects, and exceedingly heavy
pecuniary loss to others by the destruction of articles of merchandise
and furniture ; and by the wide-spread devastation
of growing-crops belonging to market-gardeners.
Thames River (Prevention of Floods) Bill.
A Bill has been introduced into Parliament during the
present Session by the Metropolitan Board of Works, with the
avowed object of enabling the Vestries and District Boards to
carry-out or to cause to be carried out such works as may be
necessary to prevent the overflowing of the said River Thames
within the limits of the metropolis.
After careful consideration of the clauses of the Bill, it appeared
that, under its provisions, almost unlimited powers of
control over Vestries and District Boards were sought to be
vested in the Metropolitan Board of Works, in relation to the
carrying-out such works as they might deem necessary or sufficient
for the purpose of protecting the metropolis from floods
or inundations,—such proposed works being of an entirely undefined
character; the Metropolitan Board being empowered