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contrary will be the result. Some areas belonging to the former
class may contribute 2d. in the £ and receive 4d , while others may
contribute 4d. and receive 2d. There is reason to believe that
Shorediteh will be found to be near the average, so that the
arrangement will be neither gain or loss to the ratepayers. The
other feature is the change of the incidence of the metropolitan
burdens from the Sewers Rate to the Poors Rate. This appears
to have been an oversight in the framing of the Act, but the effect
of it is in all those cases where the landlords had agreed to pay the
Sewers Rate, to Transfer from the landlord to the tenant a yearly
rate of about l0d. in the £. Of course there is nothing to prevent
landlords from still making the allowance to the tenants if they
please. Some landlords may do so, but it is optional, as the Poor
Rate is a tenant's and not like the Sowers a landlord's rate. There
is reason to believe that the Government see the hardship of this
ohange, and meaDS may be found during the present Session to
provide a remedy.
MAINTENANCE OF MAIN ROADS.
A very important item of Local Administration in the
Metropolis, consequent on the passing of the Local Government
Act, will be that of the maintenance and the arrangements to be
made for the cost of maintaining the Main Roads. The Acts of
Parliament whioh authorised the County Justices to contribute
towards the cost of keeping up these roads had very little application
to the Metropolis, as only those roads whioh were disturnpiked
after 1870 were so dealt with ; but by the Aot of last year the
London County Council may contribute towards the oost of
maintaining all main roads in the Metropolis. It would seem to
be left to the County Council to decide which are Main as distinot
from Local roads, and this the Council will probably do upon the
application of the various Vestries and District Boards. When
this has been done, the Vestries and District Boards may claim to
retain the management and repair in their own hands, and the
County Council may require the Vestries to continue the maintenance
as at present. The general opinion of the Vestries seems to