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The Vestry were, however, of opinion that the Vestries
and District Boards, being the Sanitary Authorities, should
be made also the Local Authorities in the Metropolis, and
that for the sake of uniformity, the framing of Regulation
should continue to be vested in the Metropolitan Board of
Works, and a communication was addressed to the Lord
President of the Council to this effect. Other Vestries
and Boards took the same course, but the Bill was not
proceeded with.
Of the chief Bills introduced into the present Session of
Parliament affecting the Vestry, the following is a brief
summary: —
Companies Acts Consolidation Bill.—By Clause 215
of this Bill, it was proposed to make salaries and wages only
preferential claims in the case of Companies being wound
up.
It will be remembered that a clause was introduced into
the Bankruptcy Bill of last year in the same form, but that
upon the representation of Local Authorities of the country,
parochial rates and taxes were included among the preferential
debts. The Vestry, therefore, considered it desirable
to apply the same provisions to Companies as to individuals,
and they therefore presented a Petition to the House of
Commons, praying for an extension of the Clause in the
manner suggested, and asked the Borough and County
Members to support same; but the Bill did not reach a
second reading.
Free Libraries Bill.—This Bill proposed, inter alia, to
give Vestries and District Boards the power of adopting
the Free Libraries Acts, and the Vestry therefore approved
the Bill, and presented a Petition to Parliament in support
thereof.