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super, of the almost new paving to be taken to ; and the remaining
£3,000 to be a contribution towards the expense of the proposed
widening of the narrow part of St. John Street, provided such
improvement be proceeded with by the Vestry within 5 years;
and the Vestry then gave their consent to the scheme, but the
Metropolitan Board of Works, some of the adjoining Parishes,
and many of the large ratepayers of this Parish opposed it, and
it was consequently withdrawn.
Dusting, Slopping, &C.—The most important feature
of the year in relation to the Vestry's work is the inauguration
of the new system of doing the dusting, slopping, &c., of the
Parish by the Vestry's own plant and staff. This work had
heretofore been done by contract, except that the Vestry had
for many years employed its own staff of sweepers for street
cleansing, contracting for the removal of the sweepings at per
load. The question of the desirability of undertaking the
whole of the work, as a matter of efficiency if not of economy, had
been mooted from time to time, but had as often been deferred
owing to the insulated position of the Parish, and the consequent
difficulty of obtaining the necessary outlet for the parochial
refuse by rail or river. The question, however, received tangible
shape by a resolution proposed by Mr. Brailey, on the 20th November,
1879, that information as to results be obtained from other
Parishes who had adopted the system. In consequence of this information
these operations "were commenced by a reference to
the Committee of Works to endeavour to obtain suitable premises
as a Wharf and Stabling, and to report on the details of the
requirements. A portion of Phoenix Wharf, Commercial Road,
Lambeth, was ultimately taken on lease from Mr. W. Stubbs for
29 years from the 25th of March, 1880, at a rental of £615 per
annum, with a premium of £500, and stabling and sifting sheds
were erected, but the work was not commenced until the last
days of May, and was not in full operation until the middle of
July, and it is therefore only to be expected that the cost in the
first year should somewhat exceed an average year's expenses in