View report page

124
and obstructions: And whereas the pavement of several of
such streets, lanes, ways, and places is rendered more ruinous
than it would otherwise be by the great number of heavy carriages
passing through the same during the sitting of Parliament,
which at that time are not permitted to go the direct
and usual way to the wharfs and manufactories situate beyond
Old Palace Yard:"
The Act sought to remedy these things through the
agency of commissioners, who were thereby constituted
with power to appoint inspectors and other officers for
carrying the act into execution. After a brief operation
extending over eight years, Parliament was again asked to
"alter, explain, amend and render more effectual" the
existing Acts relating to the paving, lighting and cleansing
of the streets in Westminster. One more Act (30 Geo. III.,
cap. 53) was thereupon passed for the objects named, and
for "putting certain streets therein mentioned, commonly
called Optional Streets, under the management of Parochial
Committees subject to the control of the Commissioners
appointed by or in pursuance of the said several Acts."
Twenty-nine years elapsed before the Legislature was
again appealed to; but the Act then passed (59
Geo. III., cap. 23) had for its principal object the
removal of the exemption from poor rates enjoyed by the
occupiers of houses in certain of the "optional streets," and
only slightly affected the parishes of St. Margaret and St.
John. All these and other local acts not calling for special
mention were repealed wholly or in part in 1835 by Act of
5 Will. IV., cap. 18, which created new bodies of Commissioners
for each of the parishes therein named. The
Vestries of St. Margaret and St. John the Evangelist were
severally to meet on the second Thursday in February each
year for the election of householders as Commissioners,
twelve by the Vestry of St. Margaret and eight by the
Vestry of St. John the Evangelist. The qualification was
the occupation of a residence in the parish rated at forty
pounds per annum, or the possession of real or personal
estate to the value of a thousand pounds at least. Besides