The Express.
London, England, 1863-12-12 00:00:00

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METROPOLITAN BOARD OP WORKS.

The weekly meeting of the board was held
yesterday in the board-room, Spring-gardene. Mr.
TensawES resided.
The Cler acme:mead that a communication had been
received from the veatry.clerk of St. James's, Westminster,
eocloeiog the following resolution, passed by the vestry :
" That the several testimonials and letters of Mr. Nicholay
be Rent to each vestry and district board inviting them to
concur with this vestry in urging upon the Board of Works
the propriety of nicking further inquiry as to their engineer's
connexion with the controstor,urgiug the board to suspend all
operations coder Mr. Furness's contract, and if possible to
annul the same to order to proceed to re•advertisiog for ten-
ders, public confidence not following the board in its recent
CMIIIIO. Of the subject of the engineer's 001111e11011 with
the costaactor, this vestry desires to expri ha its opinion that
the report of the Main Drainage Committee on the mini-
neer's connexioo with a contract for the execution of works
at Odessa is most unsatisfactory, and that a copy of this
resolution be sent to the Metropolitan Board of Works."
It was also stated that a deputation was appointed by the
vestry to attend at the board and support the resolution.
The deputation wee introduced, and Mr. Beale, on the part
of the gentlemen composing it, spoke in support of their
views.

The CRAIRSIAN—We cannot but regret that so intel-
Emmet and respectable a vestry as St. James's were not
better informed on some questions than they appear to
ham been. It is perfectly clear that this board did
all that public men could do to inquire most searchingly
into the questions that were raised. Every inquiry that
was possible was made into the circumstances that tran-
spired, and the board took the only course they could
take. Some credit mart be given to men sodeavouring to
discharge their duty. There are circumstances connected
with this, as with kindred transectines, which the hosed
cannot discnes in public. We are in posisesion of informa-
tion that we cannot state to the public, and some confidence
must be placed in the decision of a hoard having only one
object—the interest of those they represent. It is im-
pcoilde for the board to Mete every influence that
guided them in the decision to which they came. They
were obliged to look at all the circumstances—to weigh
them, and to weigh also the consequences ; and I hops the
vestry will feel that this board is as competent to (OM a
judgment oa all these circumstances as the vestry itself.
So far es further inquiry may be deemed necessary the
board would have no possible objection to the fullest inquiry
being made. I am satisfied that on inquiry the result world
be that at which the board has arrived. lam sure the
vestry would give the board credit for being in posiessioe of
information to justify the conclusion at which they have
arrived. The board did not ecomt the tender of Mr. Furness
on the recommendation of the engineer ; they accepted it
000trary to the recommendation of the engineer. Of that
there an be no coseitioo.
The deputation then withdrew.
Mr. W. W. SMITH, the solicitor to the hoard, preesated
the draft of a bill to be submitted to parliament for the pur-
pose of obtaining additional lands for the embankment of
the southern side of the Thames, the principal feature in it
being the acquisition of lead near Stangete, Weetmineter.
Thin gave rise to a loos diaciimion, it being argued no no.
side that this land Iran nee,mtakry for the purpose of obtain.
iog proper approaches to the land already secured to the
beard under the authority of a former act of parliament ;
while on the other side it was argued that the obtaining of
this land would merely be for the accommodation of St.
Thomas's Hospital, proposed to be erected there ; and if it
was really required, that the governors of that hospital
ought to introduce the bill. and carry it oo at their own ex.
name, and sot at the expense of the ratepayers of the me-
tropolis.
A division took place on the question of the board pro.
ceedieg with this bill, and the motion was carried by a ma
*ill of 21 to 7.

The rest of the Valium wu unworthy of a report, and the
board adjourned.

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