View report page

25
The Clerk thereupon wrote the following letter, a copy
of which was in the hands of all the members of the House
of Commons on the next morning:—
Copy.]
Vestry Hall Clerkenwell,
58, Rosoman Street, E.C.,
July 7 th, 1884.
To the Right Hon. Sir Charles Dilke, Bart., M.P.
Sir,
LONDON GOVERNMENT BILL.
This morning the Sanitary Committee of this Vestry had their
attention called to your speech made in the House of Commons on
Friday last, as reported in the daily press of Saturday, wherein
you are reported to have said as regards Clerkenwell:—
"His honourable friend (Mr. Torrens) knew the constitution
"of the Clerkenwell Vestry, and the effect of his speech and vote
"might be to leave that Vestry as it was. His honourable friend
"knew that Chairman after Chairman of the Sanitary Committee
"had again and again reported in favour of Sanitary Reforms,
''and that their reports had been vetoed year after year by a
"majority of the Vestry who were interested in the class of
"property which the Sanitary Committee would interfere with.
"All who had held the Chairmanship of the Sanitary Committee
"for years past had testified to the harm done by the action of
"the majority of the Vestry. The Sanitary Committee had now
"been repressed, and there was no one left to protest against the
" management of the affairs of the parish."
******
"The Home Secretary has spoken of some parishes as constituting
a positive danger to the whole Metropolis; and he
"(Sir Cbarles Dilke), on his official responsibility, maintained
" that that was the case. He maintained, with regard to the
" Parish of Clerkenwell, that its sanitary condition was not only a
"disgrace, but a danger to the whole town, and the Vestry was
" not to be trusted with such a position. Medical Officers of Health
" had testified that it was well known they had much difficulty in
" performing their duties when so many of those who employed
" them were directly or indirectly affected by the discharge of
" these duties."