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13
excess of the Plumstead District, the rateable value of the
District at 1884 being £564,439, or £238,867 in excess of
the Plumstead District.
On the 9th November, 1883, the Memorial was presented
by this Board to the Metropolitan Board of Works. A
Memorial was also presented by the Plumstead Board of
Works, both asking the Metropolitan Board to take the
necessary steps for procuring power from Parliament to
remedy the evil complained of by the joint Boards, and
giving to each Board the right of electing a separate
Representative. These Memorials were referred to the
Works and General Purposes Committee of the Metropolitan
Board, and after long delay the only answer that
could be obtained by this Board was that, in the face of the
London Government Bill, introduced into Parliament by the
Government, they did not feel that any measure introduced
by them upon the subject would have any chance of success.
Mr. Hughes then proposed to this Board that he should
prepare a short Bill with the object of giving separate representation
to this Board and the Plumstead Board, and also
giving increased representation to some of the other Vestries
and Boards of London who had applied for the same, and
this Board at once adopted such suggestion. The Bill was
prepared, and the several Members of Parliament representing
the several Districts interested in such Bill, met at
the House of Commons, and received a deputation of gentlemen
upon the subject, when the Bill was explained to them
and their support promised. Subsequently Viscount Lewisham,
M.P., promised to take charge of the Bill in question,
and such Bill was accordingly read a first time on the 24th
April last, the Bill being backed by Sir Charles Mills, Sir
Trevor Lawrence, Mr. James Stuart, Mr. Grantham, and Mr.
Boord. This Bill was subsequently largely amended in Committee,
by increasing the number of new Representatives at
the Metropolitan Board of Works from six to thirteen. These
amendments were accepted by Viscount Lewisham, and the
Bill duly passed on the 6th July, and before this Report was
printed had received the Royal assent.