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duced to believe it to have been private property for upwards of
half a century, and that the exorcise of such rights over it might
have been claimed at any time within such period.
The neighbourhood has of late years so rapidly urhanised as
to have given such right a considerable value, and it has been
recently proposed to enclose the whole of the ground, ignoring
any public right over the footpath which has immemorially
existed along the boundary of the old enclosure. This, however,
the Board arc prepared to maintain; and, although, upon high
legal authority, they regard it as altogether impracticable to
continue the open space in its former state, they have been
engaged in very protracted negotiations with the owner of the
Estate and the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway Company,
by which they still hope to ensure a great public improvement.
West Hill.
Along the same line of road the Board have determined to
make another improvement, and remove a source of considerable
danger by lowering a sudden rise in this hill;
Other minor road improvements have been effected during
the year, and a very considerable addition to the comfort of the
inhabitants in the extensive work of kerbing and channelling
footpaths and laying down asphalte and tar pavements, full
details of which are contained in the annexed report of the
Highways Surveyor.
While zealous in effecting improvements in this District, and
in obtaining a fair contribution from the Metropolitan Board
towards the cost of carrying them out, this Board have yet felt it
their duty jealously to watch the gigantic schemes for Metropolitan
improvement which have been promoted by the Metropolitan
Board, and in particular to oppose to the utmost the
Metropolitan Street Improvement Bill, introduced in the Session
of 1872, by which an estimated outlay of £2,000,000 was to be
incurred. The Board acted in concert with the Vestries of St.
Pancras, Camberwcll, and Islington, and the District Board of
Fulham, in opposing the Bill, which was also opposed by other
Vestries and District Boards, but without success.