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conformable both with the provisions of the Act,
and with practice, for the Company to await an
expression of wish from that Board before undertaking
to make an alteration in the present system,
and therefore leaving it to the vestry to place
themselves in communication with the Local
Government Board.
This course the Vestry accordingly took, and in
February they received a communication from the
Local Government Board, forwarding a copy of a
letter from the Company stating that steps will be
taken for carrying out the extension of the system
to the whole of the parish.
Local Government Act, 1888.—The Local
Government (England and Wales) Bill received
the Royal Assent on the 15th August, 1888.
The Act has constituted County Councils
throughout England and Wales, and has replaced
the Metropolitan Board of Works by a London
County Council directly elected by the ratepayers.
The Bill originally proposed to constitute subsidiary
bodies to be called District Councils throughout
England and Wales, with the exception of the
Metropolis, but time would not allow of that portion
of the Bill being then dealt with, and the proposed
legislation as to District Councils was omitted.
With the exception of two or three points hereafter
referred to, the Act does not directly affect
the local authorities of the Metropolis. The
principal of these points is with regard to Main
Roads. Sec. 41 of the Act extends the provisions
of the Highways and Locomotives Act, 1878, to
London, and Main Roads in the Metropolis will in
future be maintained and repaired by or at the cost
wholly or partially of the County Council. As the
question of what are Main Roads has given rise to
much difficulty, the Vestry of Chelsea convened