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13
for abolishing the subsidiary names in and re-numbering
Coborn Road, and for re numbering Antill Road.
The Vestry have also paved and made up several
streets at the expense of the owners or occupiers.
The Vestry has had to put in motion the powers
conferred upon them by the Artizans' and Laborers'
Dwellings Act, 1868, in a few cases, but in all of them
arrangements have been, or, doubtless, will be, come to,
whereby the insanitary condition will be remedied without
the necessity of putting in force the ultimate powers
conferred by the Act.
The Vestry now come to what, in many persons'
opinion, is the most important part of the Report,
namely, a statement of the cost of the things done.
If rumour be true, the Vestry fear that many ratepayers
have already made up their minds that the
Vestry are largely increasing their expenditure, and
these conclusions are based on the fact that the rates
have increased rather than decreased of late. The
Vestry, therefore, are very pleased indeed to have an
opportunity of clearly shewing that these conclusions
are altogether erroneous.
In the first place, the poor rate has been 2s. 5d. in
the £, as against 2s. 1d. in 1876, and 2s. 2d. in 1877.
In the poor rate, as is no doubt generally known, is
included the rate for the Asylums' Board, the Police
Kate, and others, over which the Vestry have no
control. In fact, beyond fixing the rate according to
the actual requirements, the Vestry have really nothing
to do with the poor rate.