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Mr Baxter was therefore elected to be the Chairman of the
Board and having taken the necessary oaths, he is now exofficio,
a Justice of the Peace for the County of London.
Mr. Baxter having resigned his Chairmanship of the
Finance Committee, Mr. H. J. Fry was unanimously elected the
Chairman thereof in his stead.
At the first meeting of the Board after such election, it was,
on the motion of Mr. Fry, seconded by Mr. Gibbings, unanimously
resolved that a record be placed on the minutes of the Board
of the Finance Committee's high appreciation of the painstaking
and valuable labours rendered by Mr. Baxter, as Chairman of
that Committee during the past six years, coupled with an
expression of the hope that they might continue to be favoured
with his valuable advice and assistance from time to time as
necessity should arise.
At a subsequent meeting, it was resolved, on the motion of
Mr. Fry, seconded by Mr. Newton, that the Chairman of the
Board should, by virtue of his office, be a member of all the
Standing Committees of the Board.
Mr. Henry J. Coles was unanimously re-elected the Chairman
of the Paving and General Purposes Committee, and Mr.
G. J. Newton that of the Sanitary and Sewers Committee for
the year ensuing.
LONDON EQUALISATION OF RATES BILL.
This Bill has passed a second reading in the House of Lords,
and there is every prospect of its becoming law. Its object is
stated in the preamble to be "to make better provision for the
equalisation of rates as between the different parts of London,"
and it provides that the London County Council shall form a
fund, to be called the "Equalisation Fund," by levying a rate of
6d. in the pound on the rateable value of London, and shall
determine the amount of the contribution among the parishes
according to their rateable value as shown in the valuation lists.
It further provides that the Council shall determine the grant
due by apportioning the amount of the fund among the Sanitary
districts in proportion to their population. Shortly after the
introduction of the Bill, numerous communications were received
from other local authorities, some objecting to, others approving
the clauses of the Bill; and, in December last, the Vestry of
St. Luke, Middlesex, convened a conference of delegates from
local authorities to consider its provisions. The Board did not
however, appoint delegates, but referred the matter to the