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4.
to the superintendence of the rate collection, the checking
of the accounts, the negotiation of loans, and the supervision
of the office staff, the committee have considered and
reported upon the relative merits of the alternative methods
of repaying loans—that of equal annual instalments of
principal, with interest on the outstanding balance, and
. that of principal and interest combined, by way of terminable
annuity.
The committee also conducted a prolonged correspondence
with the Charity Commission and the Corporation of
London with reference to the Duchess of Somerset's
Hospital charity at Froxfield, Wiltshire.
WORKS AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE.
This Committee have held twenty-four meetings during
the year, at the first of which they appointed Mr.
Thomas Horn, their Chairman, and Mr. Joseph BrowneMartin,
their Vice-Chairman. No attempt can here be
made to give even the briefest sketch of the multiplicity
and diversity of the matters which come under the consideration
of this Committee. Nor does this appear to be
necessary when it is remembered that at every meeting of
the Vestry the Committee present full and explanatory
reports upon questions of wood and asphalte paving,
drainage, lighting, obstructions, street nomenclature, street
refuges, sewer ventilation, vaults, hoardings, urinals, electric
lighting, new roads, and other matters.
The question of open spaces, which comes within the
purview of this Committee, has been dealt with in several
reports, with special reference to the importance of obtaining
the reservation of a portion of the Millbank prison site
as a recreation ground for Westminster. The matter was
pending at the close of the year. In the course of their
negotiations upon this scheme, the Committee waited as
a deputation upon the Right Hon. G. J. Shaw-Lefevre,