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181
On the 18th February, 1896, the General Purposes and Works Committee reported
receipt of a letter from Mr. C. 0. Took, offering without prejudice, on behalf of Mr. Chicken,
to pay an amount of money as might be agreed upon in respect to the fence erected by the
Vestry on the land in question, and also a further amount in respect to the paving
provided he is allowed the use of the land, and upon the Vestry agreeing to refund the same
should any one successfully lay claim to the land at any time, and that they had referred
the matter to the Clerk with the view to Mr. Chicken entering into an agreement to pay an
annual rental and to give up possession of the land on short notice.
Resolved—That the action of the Committee be adopted.
On 24th March, 1896, the Surveyor reported that in accordance with the resolution of
the Vestry, and after notice to Mr. Chicken, he had early that morning boarded up the fence
enclosing the land, but that at 7.30 a.m., a person named Harry Chicken, residing at the
"Duke of Edinburgh" P.H., No. 1, Forsyth Street, wilfully and maliciously broke down and
destroyed the fence so erected, doing damage to the extent of .£2 4s.
The Clerk reported that upon the Surveyor being about to entirely fence in the ground
notice was given to Mr. Chicken to remove eight vans belonging to him, which were on the
vacant land, and upon default they were moved by the Vestry's men and placed in the roadway,
but as they could not be allowed to remain there, a second notice was served by the
Surveyor, under the Metropolis Management Act, 1855, giving Mr. Chicken notice to remove
the vans within. 12 hours, in default of which the same would be removed by the Vestry at
his cost.
Resolved—That the matter be left in the hands of the Clerk to take immediate action.
The matter remained at this stage at the close of the year.