View report page

35
T. Ritchie, M.P., the Right Hon. J. L. Wharton M P and the
Right Hon. K. B. Woodhouse, M.P., or any three of them.
Commissioners have also been appointed to supervise the
necessary local enquiries and prepare orders and schemes under
the Act. These are Sir Hugh Owen, G.C.B., formerly the
Secretary to the Local Government Board, Sir Samuel Johnson
Town Clerk of Nottingham, and A. T. Lawrence, Esq., Q.C.
It is understood that it will be the duty of the Commissioners
to report to the Committee of the Privy Council above referred
to.
The first election of Borough Councillors is to take place
on the 1st November, 1900. or on such later day as may be
fixed by the Lord President of the Privy Council.
On and after the appointed day, therefore, the St. Saviour's
District Board, in common with the administrative Vestries and
other Boards of Works in the Metropolis, will cease to exist,
and the powers and duties of the St. Saviour's Board, together
with its property, debts. and liabilities, will be transferred to
and taken over by the Council of the new Borough. The Clerk
thereof to be elected by the new Council will be called the Town
Clerk, and will be charged with the duties relating to the registration
of electors, hitherto performed by the High Bailiff in
the Borough of Southwark. He will also have all the powers,
duties, and liabilities of Overseers in regard to the preparation
of Lists of Voters and Jury Lists.
The Borough Council will be the authority for administering
what are known as the " Adoptive Acts," and a scheme
under the Act may transfer to it the duties now fulfilled by any
Commissioners of Baths and Washhouses, Libraries, etc.
A scheme under the Act will likewise provide for the
expenses of the Borough Council to be paid out of the general
rate and for the discontinuance of separate sewers and lighting
rates, but provision is to be made for protecting the interests of
owners and occupiers of any hereditament which is exempt from
anv rate or liable to be assessed thereto at a less amount than
other hereditaments, and the incidence of the sewer rate as
between landlord and tenant is to be maintained as at present,
every tenant, who, if the Act had not been passed would have
been entitled to deduct against or to be repaid by his lamdord
any sums paid on account of the sewers rate is still to have
that privilege.
* The " Adoptive Acts " are the Baths and Washhouses Acts,'
1896, the Burial Acts, 1852 to 1885, and the Public Libraries ,
and 189^5.