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The Vestry
Of
The United parish of st. Margaret and st. John
the Ebangelist, Westminster.
ANNUAL REPORT
For the Year ended Lady-day, 1800.
IN a report presented to the United Vestries in November,
1876, the Finance Committee stated that "it must be
"apparent to every one who has considered the subject that
"the present mode of conducting the parochial business is
"not only very costly, but very circuitous and unsatis"factory.
By a judicious consolidation it is believed that
"much time will personally be saved to the Members of the
"Local Authorities; and also by consolidation greater
"efficiency would be obtained in the executive, uniformity
"in the accounts secured, business more promptly des"patched,
economy promoted, the rates more speedily
"collected, losses avoided, and interest on outstanding
"moneys saved." All that was accomplished towards
reaching so desirable a standard, however, was the union of
the then separate offices of vestry clerk and clerk to the
District Board. It was left for the public spirit of the
local administrators of 1887, with the assistance of Parliament,
to complete all that had been foreshadowed eleven
years previously. The transition from the old to the new
system having taken place—and taken place, it may be
said, without the slightest suspension, impediment, or other
inconvenience—it may safely be left for the verdict of the
ratepayers as to whether the advantages expected from the
much-needed simplification and consolidation have been
realised. The steps taken to secure these advantages were
D