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211
MAKING UP STREETS.
On the 19th June, 1890, I presented the following Report on the above
matter:—
New Streets Surveyor's Department,
Vestry Hall, Walham Green,
19th June, 1890.
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen,
In accordance with the instructions contained in the following Resolution, I
beg to submit herewith my report thereon:—
"That the New Streets Surveyor be instructed to make a report to the
"Vestry on the advisability of the Vestry making up all New Streets with
"their own workmen."
The present method of dealing with this work is to submit it to public
competition. The persons tendering are invariably those living in the
immediate neighbourhood, and in almost every case the lowest tender is
accepted.
There are 150 of these roads now ordered to be constructed in Fulham, and
assuming them to cost £500 each, this involves an outlay of £75,000.
Fulham is at present only about two-thirds built over—there being about
615 acres of land eligible for building purposes ; and I am informed that a great
portion of this land will shortly be built upon. To develop the whole of this
land would necessitate the formation of at least 350 New Streets.
From these facts it will be seen that the subject of the resolution is worth
very careful consideration, inasmuch as there will be about 500 New Streets to
construct, involving an outlay of—say—a quarter of a million pounds sterling.
I have not had any special points submitted to me to report on, other than
the advisability of the Vestry doing this work with their own workmen.
I will, therefore, consider (1) Whether the present method is more costly
than the one suggested ? (2) Would the work if dealt with by the Vestry be
any better in construction ?
There is no doubt that the first point, viz.—whether the present method is
more costly than the one suggested—is one that the resolution may have
implied, and is the one which in my mind ought to suggest itself to the Vestry
sooner than any other point, in favour of carrying out this work with their own
workmen.
If this work can be dealt with more economically and as effectually, it will
not only benefit the owners of houses and land abutting upon these New
Streets, but will, in an indirect form, benefit the parish.
There is no possibility of carrying out this work at less cost, unless the profits
obtained by the contractors can be put in the pockets of the persons who are
called upon to pay for the construction of these streets.
The question has yet to be solved whether the Vestry can deal with this work
as economically as a contractor; and, for the sake of argument, I will assume
that the nett profits of a contractor would be 5 per cent. on this class of work;