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the Qualification of Vestrymen, the making, assessing, and collecting of the Parochial Rate,
&c., they obtained the opinion of Mr. Mellish, Q.C., thereon, which will be found in the
Appendix hereto annexed. (No. 3.)
The Vestry presented a petition to the House of Commons through John Locke, Esq. M.P.,
untying for the repeal or modification of the seventh section of "The Representation of the
People Act, 1867, so as to enable Owners of small property to compound for Parochial Rates,
as heretofore.
Memorials have been presented by the Vestry to the Lord Lieutenant of the County of
Surrey, urging the appointment of Charles Churchill, Esq , and Cyrus Legg, Esq., as Justices
of the Peace for the County, to act in conjunction with John Mews and Henry Sterry, Esquires,
in transacting the Parochial business of this parish, requiring the assistance of Magistrates.
The Vestry memoralised the Secretary of State for the Home Department against the Bills
introduced into Parliament last Session, entitled "The Municipal Corporation (Metropolis) "
and Metropolitan Municipal Government." The first-mentioned Bill, having for its object the
establishment of a Central Municipal Corporation, in lieu of the Metropolitan Borad of Works,
and the latter Bill the establishment of Municipal Corporations in the several Parliamentary
Horoughs in the Metropolis, in lieu of the Vestries and District Boards. Ultimately the firstmentioned
Bill was withdrawn, the promoters not having complied with the standing orders
of the House of Commons, and the latter was negatived without a division.
The Vestry presented a petition to the House of Commons through John Locke, Esq.,
MP., in support of " The Metropolis Gas Hill.
The Vestry of this parish having arranged to co-operate with the Vestry of Bermondsey
in carrying out an improvement at Jamaica Level, they have agreed with Mr. Back, the
leaseholder, for the purchase of his interest in the portion of the Mill-stream and banks from
Union Bridge southward, to Swan Bridge, for the sum of £50, and the Vestry are also in
negotiation with Sir William Gomm, the ground landlord, for the freehold of the said site,
for the purpose of throwing the same into the public way, the Vestry of Bermondsey having
for the same purpose purchased the site of the old Toll-house, Jamaica Level, and as soon as
the preliminaries aro settled the improvement works will bo carried out jointly by the two
V entries.
Upon the rebuilding of the houses, destroyed by fire, in Rotherhithe-street near Lavenderlane,
the Vestry arranged with the owner (Mr. Chambers), to set back the same about two feet
for the improvement of the street at that spot, which has been done at a cost to the parish of
£71 10s. 0d.
The Metropolitan Board of Works having, on the 1st of July, 1867, under the provisions
of the "Fire Brigade Act, 1865 " taken possession of all the fire-escapes in the Metropolis,
the two fire-escapes in this parish have since that time been under the control of that Hoard,
and this Vestry have been relieved from the payment to "The Royal Society for tho Protection
of Life from Fire "of the contribution (£160) towards their maintenance, such contribution
being covered by the amount paid by this parish to the Metropolitan Hoard of Works for the
purposes of the before-meutioned Act.
Measrs. Hyaas and Son having applied to be allowed at their own expense to extend the
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