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179
LONDON GOVERNMENT BILL.
The Bill introduced by the Government for the creation of
a Municipal Corporation for the whole Metropolis (which
was not pressed to a second reading) received careful consideration.
The Vestry appointed representatives to attend
a Conference called by the Metropolitan Board of Works,,
and another called by the Yestry of Marylebone. At a
special meeting of the Yestry the following resolution was
passed:—
That whilst admitting the desirability of extending Municipal Government
to the Metropolis at large, by a measure that shall .embrace
the duties, powers, and privileges of the City Corporation and
the Metropolitan Board of Works, this Vestry is of opinion that
the London Government Bill now before Parliament is of an
unsatisfactory character, inasmuch as it would practically abolish
the existing system of local self-government without making
proper provision for the administration of purely local affairs by
duly elected local councils, and is objectionable in several other
respects. The Yestry is further of opinion that any scheme for
the Government of London should simplify and unify the system
of local management in the various districts, by abolishing
obsolete, conflicting, and overlapping bodies, and providing for
the administration of local affairs on the same lines throughout
the Metropolis, by elected local authorities possessing precisely
similar functions within their respective districts.
The Yestry subsequently convened a meeting of the ratepayers
to consider the Bill, when a resolution in similar
terms to the foregoing was adopted.
It will be observed that the Yestry approve of the idea of
one Authority being created with power to deal with all
matters affecting the Metropolis as a whole, such as the
supply of gas and water, main drainage, fire brigade, bridges,
markets, and the like, but they considered that the Bill
would cause an unnecessary disturbance in existing arrangements
and lead to a heavy additional expenditure. Another