View report page

16
the London Telephone Service had been referred by the House of
Commons to a Select Committee for enquiry,'the Council proposed to
hold a Conference of the Metropolitan Local Authorities, on the
subject, so as to prepare evidence to lay before the Committee. The
Conference was fixed for Tuesday, the 14th June, and delegates were
accordingly appointed by the Vestry. Evidence was subsequently
given before the Select Committee by representatives of the County
Council Conference, and the question stood over to the ensuing
Session of Parliament.
With regard to the relationships between the National
Telephone Company and this Vestry, it may be well to state the
action taken by the two bodies:—
On the 28th June, 1898, the Vestry passed a resolution directing
that six months' notice be given to the National Telephone Company,
Limited, to remove the cables laid in Marshalsea Road, in accordance
with the terms of the Agreement with the Company; and notice was
given accordingly. At the next meeting, the Vestry called the attention
of the Company to the inconvenience caused, and the seriousness
of the delay, in consequence of the Sanitary Officials being unable
to communicate promptly by telephone with the Metropolitan
Asylums Board, in cases of infectious disease requiring removal to
hospital.
At the request of the Telephone Company, the District Manager,
had an interview with the Electric Lighting and Dust Disposal
Committee of the Vestry, on the 23rd September, and requested that
the notice with regard to the Marshalsea Road should be withdrawn,
and that the Vestry would consent to the laying of telephone wires
in Old Kent, Waterloo, Westminster Bridge, and Borough Roads.
Atter volunteering certain information on behalf of the Company, he
was requested to supply numerous other particulars, more especially
as to the arrangements made between the Company and the other
I arishes in the Metropolis. On the basis of the information thus
supplied, the Committee recommended the Vestry to consider any
offer from the Company, based upon the way-leave granted by the
parish of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields to the Company, for which
£15 per annum and £1 per 100 feet is paid. The Company
declined to accept the offer of the Vestry, but offered to pay 2s. per