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23
Number of additional street lamps put
up from 1st January, 1856, to 25th.
March, 1881 55
Present mileage of the streets and roads
under the jurisdiction of the Vestry 19¾ miles.
Letters were also received from various Vestries and District
Boards, expressing the opinion that no change will be satisfactory
that has not for its object the retention by the ratepayers
of full control over their local affairs.
Owing to other and more urgent business, no Bill for the
reform of the government of the Metropolis has been introduced
into the present session of Parliament.
As it may be interesting, in connection with the above Return,
to know what has been done and reported as the Vestry's work
since its formation, the Returns previously made, the Original
(1870), and Supplemental (1874), are hereunto annexed. [See
end of the book.]
Printing Minutes.—On the 28th April, 1881, a resolution
was passed that the minutes of the Board and Committees
should be printed and forwarded to the Vestrymen before each
Vestry Meeting for one year as an experiment. The system was
commenced with the new Vestry after the Ward Elections in
May, and while it has involved a considerable amount of extra
work upon the staff, has been of great convenience to the
members of the Board, who, by having the subjects of the
business to be brought forward at the Board in their hands on
the previous day, have been enabled to bring to bear upon the
several questions a larger amount of personal deliberation and
consideration than could otherwise have been the case, with
results which cannot but be beneficial to the Parish generally.
The cost of the printing of the Minutes is about £70 per annum.
Note.—So well were the Vestry satisfied of the convenience
and advantage of having the minutes and report printed that at
the expiration of the first year's trial they resolved to continue it.