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loot ion of lifa and property in the Metropolis, and the
Board were communicated with accordingly; but they
replied that they were not in a position to go into the
general estimate of the amount and extent of its requirements
for the purpose of making the requisite extension of
the Fire Brigade. The Vestry then adopted the view
expressed by the Vestry of St. Mary-le-Strand, that instead
of an unlimited power of rating, the present limit of a
halfpenny should be extended to a definite penny.
Summary Jurisdiction Repeal, &c., Bill.—This Bill
proposed to assimilate the procedure for the exercise of
jurisdiction conferred on Justices by the various Summary
Jurisdiction Acts. It will be remembered that in 1880
some of the Middlesex Magistrates declined to continue the
old procedure, on the ground that they were precluded
from doing so by the Summary Jurisdiction Act of 1879;
that a friendly action was brought against Mr. J. B. Price,
one of the Magistrates, in the Queen's Bench, for the
settlement of the point, when it was decidcd that the Summary
Jurisdiction Act of 1879 did not apply to the
recovery of rates. It appeared that Clause 7 of this year's
Bill would have the effect of abrogating the decision in this
case, and in that event, rates would become civil debts,
and the enforcement of them would become subject to all
the provisions of the Summary Jurisdiction Acts.
The Vestry were of opinion that the present method of
procedure is simple and works well, and they therefore
communicated with the Borough Members and others, with
the view of getting rates exempted from the provisions of
the Bill. Other Local Authorities took the same course,
and the necessary Clause was inserted before the Bill
became law.
United Telephone Company's Bill.—This Company
introduced a Bill for the purpose of obtaining power to lay
wires under or over streets in the Metropolis. Owing to the