The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-28 00:00:00

The Open Spaces near the Metropolis.

At the adjourned meeting of vestrymen for the parish of
St. Leonard, Shoreditch, held last night in the School-
roam of the New Tabernacle, Old-street-road, under the
presidency of J. Bayley, Esq., senior churchwarden, the
usual business having been disposed of,
E. WALKER, Esq., rose to move the following resolution,
of which he had given notice at the previous meeting :
" That a communication be made to the vestry of Hackney
parish, and also to the board of works for that district,
asking if they are prepared to co-operate with this vestry
in making some effort to get the sanction of Parliament or
otherwise to enclose, plant, and maintain the London-fields
as a public park and place of recreation, upon the basis of
this parish bearing part of the costs which may have to be
borne by the local boards, and whether either or both parties
will appoint a committee to meet a committee of this parish
upon the subject." Mr Walker said he considered it un•
necessary to say much in support of the proposition. The
value to the public health of such a spot of open land, and
:he advantages that would accrue if made into a park were
unquestionable. There were 40 acres of open land, the
freehold rights to which were of a very insignificant charac-
ter—so insignific int that when put up to public auction no
one would make a bid for them. Therefore the cost of pur-
chasing the freehold rights would be but very trifling—so
trifling as not to be for one moment compared w:th the
general advantages that would accrue from the fields being
saved from the builder, and converted into a public park.
The parish of Hackney had had the matter under conside-
ration for some time, and he hoped that the vestry would
treat the matter in a liberal spirit. It might be said that
those fields were not in the parish of Shoreditch, but he
would remind the vestry that they were adjacent to it—
(hear)—and hence the benefit of a park would be felt by all
residing in the parishes contiguous, (Hear, hear.) The
question of Finsbury Park had been mooted for the lest 10
years. and at the present time, though a portion of their
rates had been subscribed for it, the fact was as far from its
aecomplishment as ever. (Hear,) Let them, if they could,
so far stretch their imagination as to suppose Finsbury Park
completed and open, they would find that it was over four
miles from Shoreditch, and hence out of the reach of the
poor, for whom it was specially intended. (Hear.) As a
mere question of health it was important to secure as many
open spots near the parish as possible, that the fresh air
generated might be wafted into the close courts and alleys.
Mr JACLSON seconded the motion. There could be no
doubt as to the public utility (f the proposed step. The
builder had already tried to encroach upon that space, which
ought to be at once secured.

Messrs Owen, Yarrow, Fell, and Sargon, supported the
motion, ard considered that the work should be set about
immediately,

Mr PIERCE thought this the most foolish and outrageous
proposition that had ever been submitted for consideration.
Let Hackney, which was a much richer parish, do the work
itself. Let them pave their own parish, and attend to other
local matters, without going out of their way to incur !x•
pence which would be a more special benefit to an adjoining
parish.

Mr FuEEMA.N condemned such short-sighted policy as
that recommended by Mr Pierce. It was acknowledged
that they had poor people living in their courts and alleys
who could not get enough fresh air, and he considered that
a proposition which would secure an open spot, nearer even
than Victoria Park, where they.might inhale the fresh air
they so much needed. The cost, he thought, would be
trifling as compared with the public benefit conferred.
Dr BARER, M.D., said, in a sanitary point of view, the
prop3sed improvement, if carried out, would be a great
public benefit, and tend to diminish fever rnd plague, and
be generally conducive to the health of the parish.
After some further discussion, the naotion was carried by
a large majority.