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49
statutory duty. In reply the Council suggested the cooperation
of the Vestry's inspectors with the district
surveyors. The Vestry declined to accept responsibility
in a duty imposed by the Legislature upon the district
surveyors, especially as (no reports of any practical utility
having been received for the last two preceding half-years),
the advantage derivable from the suggested co-operation
was questionable.
Fire Prevention,
&c.
A fire-escape and watch-box have been placed
in Regent Place, Horseferry Road, by the Council
during the year.
In consequence of a communication from the London
County Council in January, the Vestry have caused a
warning to be circulated amongst ratepayers, by means of
the demand notes, against unauthorised requests for money
by "volunteer" fire brigades and soi-disant firemen in no
way connected with the Metropolitan Fire Brigade—the
men of the Brigade being strictly prohibited from soliciting
money for any purpose.
Millbank
Prison Site.
The projected removal of the Millbank
tentiary has naturally given rise during the
year to some speculation as to the manner in which the
Government would utilise the large area of land when
cleared. The Vestry expressed a desire to see a continuation
of Earl Street being effected across the site to the Grosvenor
Road near Vauxhall Bridge (see page 51); a reservation of
a portion of the site as an "open space" was advocated by
the Earl of Meath, Chairman of the Metropolitan Public
Gardens Association; and in February the Vestry were
informed by Sir Walter de Souza that the London County
Council would probably apply to the Home Secretary for
the purchase of eight acres of the site for the erection of
industrial dwellings at a price estimated at £5,000 per acre
or about 1s. Gd. per foot, the Council proposing to erect
eight blocks of buildings, each to contain 400 people,
G