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(i) HOXTON SQUARE.
Further negotiations have been made with the Trustees of this Square but the
Trustees referred the Vestry to their letter of October 2nd, 1896, which required the
Vestry to close the entrance to the Destructor Works in Hoxton Square as a condition
of transferring the Square to the Vestry. The Lighting Committee were of opinion
that this requirement could not be conceded owing to the exigencies of the work, and
the Parliamentary Committee agreeing with this the negotiations dropped. Efforts
were made to induce the London County Council to insert clauses in their General
Powers Bill to acquire the Square and hand it over to the Vestry, but the Parks
Committee of the Council were of opinion that such a course was not advisable and
that further negotiations with the Trustees should be tried. It is certain that the
transference of the Square to the Vestry as a recreation ground would be the best safeguard
against any annoyance from dust carts, and I am in further correspondence with
the Trustees on the subject.
(k) MUNICIPALITIES FOR LONDON.
Upon receipt of a letter from a Conference of certain Metropolitan Parishes
enclosing draft memorial to Her Majesty's Government praying for the introduction of
a Bill in the ensuing Session of Parliament to effect an improvement in the status of
local governing bodies, the Vestry on the recommendation of the Parliamentary
Committee on the 18th January, 1898, passed the following resolution.
\
"That this Vestry re-affirms its decision of agreement with the Royal Commission
of 1894, which reported in favour of unification of London with the London
County Council as its Municipal Body, and firmly believes that the sub-division
of the Metropolis into several separate Municipalities would be disastrous to
its good government and a great injustice to the poorer Parishes."
(l) SUPERANNUATION (METROPOLIS) BILL.
The vexed question of Superannuation of Officials of Local Authorities was again
brought before Parliament by the introduction of a Bill, upon which, on the 29th
March, 1898, the Vestry passed the following resolution on the recommendation of the
Parliamentary Committee:—
"That this Vestry considers the passing of the Poor Law Officers
Superannuation Amendment Act, 1896, was a gross injustice to the
overburdened ratepayers, the great majority of whom are unprovided for
in their old age, and hereby most emphatically condemns the Bill to
amend the same, so as to extend its provisions to the Officers of Vestries
and other Parochial Bodies, and instructs the Vestry Clerk to prepare a
petition to the House of Commons against the Bill. That other
Metropolitan Vestries and District Boards be asked to take similar
action, and the Members of Parliament for the Borough be requested to
strenuously oppose the Bill."