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ment entertain the opinion that the road authority is responsible for
the manner in which these wires are stretched across public
thoroughfares, although it is not at all clear upon what this opinion
is based. The Telegraph Acts do not apply to any wires except
such as belong to, or may be laid by, the Postal Telegraph Department,
and it is therefore assumed that the powers (if any), possessed
by the Vestry in regard to overhead wires are derived from the
vesting of streets in the local authority.
Having learned that the Vestries of the neighbouring parishes of
St. Marylebone and St. George, Hanover Square had appointed a
Joint Committee to consider the subject, the Vestry of St. James
requested to be allowed to join in their deliberations, and appointed
three members to represent them upon the committee. The Joint
Committee of the three Vestries, believing that existing legislation
does not give local authorities power to regulate the fixing of overhead
wires, even supposing the authorities have power to remove the wires
altogether (which is doubtful), recommended the appointment of a
deputation from the City Commissioners of Sewers and all the Metropolitan
Vestries and District Boards, to wait upon the Home Secretary
and request him, on the part of the Government, to initiate legislation,
conferring on local authorities the necessary powers of inspecting
and regulating the erection of overhead wires. This recommendation
was adopted and the co-operation of other Metropolitan authorities
was accordingly sought, and very generally given.
Some delay arose in the appointment of a day, by the Home
Secretary, for an interview with the deputation, and eventually Sir
Charles Dilke, President of the Local Government Board, received
the deputation on behalf of the Home Secretary, on the 25th June.
The deputation was introduced by Daniel Grant, Esq., M.P.; and
Sir Arthur Hobhouse, a member of the Vestry of St. George,
Hanover Square, stated the views of the Vestries on the subject;
Mr. Endean, of St. Marylebone, Mr. Shaw, chairman of the City
Commissioners of Sewers, and others, also speaking.
Sir Charles Dilke, in reply, said (according to the report of the
interview which appeared in The Times of June 27th), that the