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38
January of two Councillors to represent the Westnnnster
Electoral Division of the County of London resulted as
follows, the returning officer being the vestry clerk of the
parish:—
Sir Walter de Souza, Kt 1,539
Vernon J. Watney, M.A 1 ,482
John Coppen 1,415
Hon. Ashley G. J. Ponsonby, J.P 1,184
D. de Pinna 455
W. L. Josephs 88
The new body first met on the 31st January as a Provisional
Council, and on the 21st March the County
Council held its fiist meeting as such, instead of on the 1st
April, "the appointed day" of the Act, under an Order
issued by the Local Government Board, in consequence of
the determination on the part of the moribund Metropolitan
Board of Works to carry our certain costly works
to which they considered themselves to be committed. The
Council entered upon its duties under favourable circumstances.
It had been directly and popularly elected, and it
superseded a Board which, however much the metropolis is
indebted to it for good work done and great improvements
effected, had passed out of existence under the shadow of
a Special Commission of Enquiry, and in a manner not
attended with dignity. The eager anticipation with which
the administrations of the Council was looked forward
to in most parts of the metropolis may, perhaps, have been
somewhat disadvantageous to the Council, for however
much other parts of the metropolis may have benefited
under the new regime, it must be conceded that during the
year to which this report relates, the ratepayers of Westminster
cannot be congratulated upon any such result. On
the contrary, so far as local interests, as represented by the
Vestry, are concerned, the change has been the cause of
some disappointment, if not also of some disparaging comparison
with the old Metropolitan Board.