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33
necessary only to take £350 a year in the new bath, assuming"
that the receipts and expenditure in respect of the existing
building remain at their present amount. The witnesses called
in support of the proposal were the Chairman of the Commissioners,
the Superintendent of the Baths, and the Vestry's
Surveyor, who had prepared a sketch plan. Two ratepayers
only objected, and at the close of the proceedings the Inspector
stated that he had held many similar inquiries,but did not call
to mind one in which it had been so clearly shown that a bath
would impose so small a burden, if any, on the ratepayers; he
would report to the Local Government Board,who would give their
decision indue course. The Board subsequently intimated that
having considered the report of their inspector they saw no
reason why the proposal should not be assented to, but that they
would withhold their formal decision until they had received
the plan, specification, and estimate agreed to by the Yestry.
The Commissioners asked the pleasure of the Vestry as to
engaging an architect to prepare detailed plans and specification,
and, in the exercise of the discretion given to them by the
Vestry, engagediMessrs. Spalding and Cross, the architects of the
Hampstead and other public baths, to carry the matter through.
The plans, specification, and estimate were submitted to and
approved by the Vestry in July, and immediately forwarded to
the Local Government Board. After an interval of some weeks,
no doubt due to the summer recess, the Board issued their formal
orders authorising the construction of the proposed bath on the
site of 14 and 15, Marshall Street, and the borrowing of £3.000
towards defraying the cost thereof. Tenders were invited by
public advertisement, and that of Messrs. Gould and Brand, of
Kentish Town, was accepted at £5,632 17s. 4d. The work is now
in hand, but certain details, such as the best means of communication
between the stoneyard and the basement, and one or
two questions of lights of minor importance, are necessarily
reserved for further consideration as the works progress. The
Commissioners venture to hope that the bath, although not of
very considerable size, will be so complete in all its details, as to
attract ladies and gentlemen in large numbers.
Three Commissioners (Mr. James Malin, Mr. Styles, and
Mr. Tapping) retired by effluxion of time in January. Mr.
c