The Express.
London, England, 1866-05-26 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN BOARD OP WORKS.

The usual weekly meeting of the members of this
board was held yesterday, at their offices, Spring-gardens ;
Sir John Thwaites in the chair. Tenders were opened for
deepening and re-contracting the Counters Creek newer,
from Royal-crescent, Uxbndge-road, to Bromley-road.
They were as follows :—J. Wainwright, 22.9471.; J. and L.
Williams, 19,0001. ; J. Niblett, 19,500/. ; J. Thsckeray,
15,8.0/. ; Hill and Piddel, 20,500/. ; and Edward
' Hurst, 18,7001. They were referred to the finance com-
mittee. Mr. New-ton brought forward s motion, of which
Le had given notice, on the subject of the supply of gas to
the metropolis, in which, at great length, he urged the
necessity of an early consideration of the question, as he
said the existing gas companies were applying in the pre-
sent session of parliament for very extensive addi-
tional powers, which, if obtained, would aggravate the
nuisance of which the ratepayers of the metropolis
had long complained. Thirteen existing gas companies
realised immense profits, but still the price of gas to the
consumers was very high, and the quality was not of
the best illuminating power. These thirteen gas com-
panies had each its own set of engineers, directors, clerks,
auditors, accountants, and other officers, and they ab-
sorbed a large amount of the grata income, but if they
were consolidated into one body, either under the control
of this board or the corporation of the City of London, the
ratepayers of the metropolis might be supplied with gas
of a better quality and much cheaper to the consumer'.
He instanced the case of Manchester, where the gas was
supplied by the municipality at ;is. 2d. per 1,000 feet, and
. of a much higher illuminating power than that supplied
to London. He did not think that the board contem-
plated, or would parliament sanction, any confis-
cation of the interests of the existing gas com-
panies, hut he believed that the time was come
when the board or some other body should take
those companies under an equitable arrangement. His
object was to obtain information, so that when the time
came fora bill to be framed that board would be in a
position to give an opinion as to what ought to be done.
There was one great object to be borne in mind, and that
was the necessity of removing gas works altogether away
fleet London. He moved, " That the report of the select
committee of the House of Commons on the Gas Metro-
polls Act. 1860, be referred to a special committee of this
board for consideration and report, and that the com-
mittee be saithorised to confer with vestries and district
boards." Mr. Legg seconded the motion. Mr. Miller,
11. P., said he thought the right wsy of beginning would
be for that board to address a letter to the Home Secre-
tary, to inquire whether it was the intention of the Home-
office to act upon the ree.onmiendations of the committee.
If the Home-office replied in the affirmative, then they
would no doubt work with the board, and it would be
time enough to go into the minutia proposed by Mr.
Newton. After some discussion the motion was put and
agreed to. The solicitor presented a draft bill for the ex-
tension of the coal and wine dues, leans, and special im-
provement rates. The routine business was then pro-
ceeded with, and the board adjourned.

THE FEMALE ORPHAN ASYLUM AND THE INDUS-
TRIAL DWELLINGS COMPANY. —A special general court of
the guardians of the Female Orphan Asylum was held yes.
teriLly at the Asylum, Westnanster-road, for the purpose
of considering an offer made by Mr. Alderman IN atcrlow
on behalf of the Industrial Dwellings Company, for the
lease en purchase of the Rresent asylum and the grounds
attache I thereto. Mr. btone presided. Mr. Booth, the
secretary, read the minutes of previous courts and com-
mittees, from which it appeared that the corporation of the
asylum, which now contains 151 children, had decided to
remove the institution into the country, and had put.
chased, for 14,500/. the mansion and 22 acres of
Ertl at Beddington-park, near Croydon, which had
adapted for the accommodation of two hun-
dred children, and was to be opened on the

27th of June next by the Duke of Cambridge. Having,
therefore, no further use from that date for the present
asylum buildings and grounds, the committee had /slyer-
, tised them for sale or lease, they being the freehold pro-
', perty of the corporation, and an offer for the lease and
purchase having been made to the committee, they had
resolved to convene this special meeting of the guardians,
to recommend such offer to their adoption. The chairman
said the offer made by Mr. Waterlow, on behalf of the
Industrial Dwellings Company, was as follows :—To take a
lease of the whole property for 99 years ; the first year to
pay a peppercorn rent, the second year 5001., the third
year rdor., and the fourth and every succeeding year
1,0001., with the option of purchase within seven years
for the sum of 25,000/. The committee had tried to get
better terms, but not being able to do so they recommended
the above offer to be accepted. Mr. Mortimer then moved,
"That the offer of Mr. Alderman Waterlow be accepted,
and that it be referred to the committee to carry out the
necessary details." This was, after some discussion,
carried by about two to one.
THAMES ANGLING PRESERVATION SOCIETY. —The
twenty-seventh annual meeting of the members of this
society was held yesterday at the London Tavern ; Mr.
.Samuel Whitbread, M.P., in the chair. Mr. W. H.
Brougham, the Honorary Secretary, read the report of the
Sub-committeo of Pisciculture, from which it appeared
that the young fry removed from the apparatus at Hamp-
ton to the receiving ponds at Sunbury amounted to :
Salmon, 14,500 ; salmon trout, 910 ; Great Lake trout,
350 ; common trout, 20,720 ; chary, ombre, cheva-
lier, 1,300 ; and in addition to these 1,000 Great
Lake trout have been sent to the Royal Lake,
at Windsor, making an aggregate of 38,780. It also
stated that trout had been turned into the river at Penton
Hook, and also with some salmon into the stream below
Sunbury Weir, and they had been taken in small nets,
the fish having much improved in size. Mr. W. H. Ffen-
nell, in proposing the adoption of the report, said that he
had much pleasure in doing so, and could not express
sufficient surprise to find so many gentlemen subscribing
• such large =MR for the encouragement and benefit of a
• sport which was for the delight of others. The salmon
went down to the amend returned, but the trout was local,
and if the river couldbe kept clean and preserved, the salmon
• would flourish. The trout would have to be properly pro-
. tooted in the spawning season, more particularly against
the dace who always infested the ground during the
spawning, and were great destroyers of the ova. He
limped the society would persevere in their efforts, more
• especially in the propagation of the trout. Mr. Frank
. Buckland remarked upon the greet benefit the society
- would receive from the system which has been adopted of
- having wholly paid keepers.. Mr. S. Ponder only desired to
say how beneficial the pusung of the Thames Navigation
Bill would be in placing the jurisdiction of the river in the
hands of one board. The usual complimentary votes to
the chairman, the hon. secretary, and the executive, closed
the business.