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Standing Orders of Parliament, and the project was abandoned
before the first reading of the Bill.
VENTILATION OF DISTRICT RAILWAY INTO
STREETS.
In the year 1881 the Metropolitan District Railway Company
obtained Parliamentary authority, in spite of the opposition of the
Metropolitan Board of Works and the Corporation of London, to
form ventilating shafts to the railway in the Victoria Embankment
and other public places. The Local Authorities objected to the
manner in which the Company proposed to exercise their powers,
and the subject was referred to an arbitrator (Captain Galton)
appointed by the Board of Trade in accordance with the provisions
of the Act of Parliament. Some modifications in the plans of the
Company were made by the Arbitrator, but it was evident that
even the amended plans would cause no slight disfigurement to
some of the finest thoroughfares in the Metropolis. The matter
was brought under the notice of the Vestry on the 8th March, and
having regard to the fact that the Company were practically
proposing to appropriate public property to private purposes,
without the slightest compensation, and even to the public detriment,
although by legislative authority, a resolution was unanimously
passed asking the Metropolitan Board of Works to use
their utmost endeavours to prevent the erection of the proposed
ventilators. A copy of this resolution was also sent to each of the
Borough Members of Parliament, with a request that they would
support any opposition to the carrying out of the plan of the
Railway Company. At the same meeting two members of the
Vestry were requested to attend a conference of representatives
from various Local Authorities in the Metropolis with a view to
concerted action being taken in the matter.
BILLS IN PARLIAMENT.
Among the Bills that have received attention during the year
are the following:—
Ballot Act Continuance and Amendment.
Bankruptcy.
Bankruptcy (No. 2).