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to alter Valuation Lists of Parishes by means of a fiat, thus
reversing the accepted form of procedure, and throwing upon
Parishes the onus of resisting an order of the County Valuation
Committee, instead of requiring the Committee to establish
their case, as any other appellant would have to do. The
Vestry, while not averse to a well considered amendment of
the Valuation laws, were of opinion that the Bill prepared
by the advisers of the London County Council was retrogressive
in principle, unnecessarily costly in execution, and
calculated to work considerable inequality and injustice.
They accordingly addressed a communication to the Local
Government Board urging the Board not to permit the Bill
to proceed further in the House of Commons. Representations
on the subject were also made by the Vestry to the
London County Council and to the Hon. W. F. D. Smith, M.P.
The main features of the Bill were almost unanimously
condemned by the Conference before mentioned, and it was
ultimately withdrawn by the Council. An amended Bill to
meet the resolutions arrived at by the Conference has been
introduced on behalf of the Council this Session, but it did
not come before the Vestry until after the close of the year
to which this Report relates. The Bill is now awaiting its
second reading.
VESTRY PROPERTY.
Vestry Hall.—The Vestry Hall and offices were cleaned
as usual during the summer recess, at a cost of £15. The
Vestry resolved to provide additional lavatory accommodation
for the members by erecting a new lavatory in the
rear of the building, in accordance with plans prepared by
the Vestry's surveyor, and accepted the tender of Messrs.
W. Scrivener & Co., to carrv out the work for the sum of
£368.