The Sun.
London, England, 1865-03-04 00:00:00

Metropolitan Board of Works.

The weekly meeting of the Board was held yes-
terday at the offices in Spring-gardens; Mr. Thwaites,
the chairman, presiding.
Mr. POLLARD read a letter from her Majesty's
Office of Works relative to the Park-lane Improve-
ment Bill. The First Commissioner had expressed
an opinion that a special clause should be introduced
into the bill in order to provide for the protection of
the rights of the Crown tenants in Hamilton-place,
and to this the chairman had replied that the Lands
Clauses Act had been incorporated in the bill for
this purpose, and that at any rate the tenants could
be heard before the committee on the bill. The First
Commissioner now reiterated his wish that a special
clause should be introduced into the bill, as he said
the position of the tenants in Hamilton-place was
very peculiar, inasmuch as their only injury might
be the conversion of their quiet street into a noisy
thoroughfare, an injury -which was not provided for
by the Lands Clauses Act.
Several exclamations were made by members that
a special law was wanted for the West.
Major LYON said the letter must excite universal
surprise, asking as it did that a few persons should
be selected for compensation, which the law of Eng-
land did not give to others. The erection of a rail-
way station close to the Palace of the Queen had no
doubt been a great annoyance to her Majesty, yet
no special law was sought to award compensation
for the injury which the scream of the railway-
whistle had been to the dwellers in Buckingham
Palace ; and how Mr. Cowper could suppose that
such a law would be made for the inhabitants of
Hamilton-place he did not know. The Board ought
to express an opinion that such special legislation
would be unjust.

Mr. TITE, M.P., said he had pointed out to the
Right Hon. F. Peel that the Lands Clauses Act, as
incorporated in the bill, would give inhabitants of
Hamilton-place the right to claim compensation for
any injury they might sustain, and the right hon.
gentleman had stated he was satisfied it would
do so.

Mr. NEWTON was of opinion that if opposition
were thrown in the way of the bill the best thing to
be done would be to withdraw. it. If such a clause
as was asked for by the Hon. W. Cowper were in-
troduced, there would be no end to the expenses of
the Board, for all sorts of injuries would have to be
compensated for in all the improvements which the
board carried out.

Mr. CoLuNsoN moved that a letter should be sent
to the First Commissioner, stating that the Board
would not agree to the introduction in the Park-
lane Improvement Bill of any clause not in the Lands
Clauses Act.
Mr. HEALY seconded this motion.

Mr. FREEMAN said after the experience of the
Board in the Thames Embankment Act, through a
special clause in which Act the Board had been made
to pay very heavily for land, it would be very un-
wise to permit any more special legislation.
The CHAIRMAN said if he understood the feeling,
of the Board it was that they would resist the in-
troduction of any fresh principles such as this ; for,
if the Board agreed to special legislation on behalf
of the Crown tenants no objection could be made to
have special legislation for other persons whose in-
terests might be affected by the board's works.
Mr. MILLER, M.P., said the bill, he supposed,
would go to committee, and if the clause were then
introduced the bill would be abandoned. He did not
however, think that the committee would introduce
such a clause—a clause to give compensation to per-
sons for carriages going past their doors.
The resolution proposed formally was " That in
the opinion of the Board the interests of the parties
affected by the Park-lane Improvement Bill are suf-
ficiently protected by the Lands Clauses .Act, and
that this Board cannot be a party to any special
legislation on the subject.
On the suggestion of Mr. Miller, the last sentence
was struck out, and the resolution to the word " act"
was unanimously agreed to.
Mr. TITE then called attention to the difficulty
hitherto experienced in obtaining a sufficient supply
of granite for the northern Thames embankment,
and moved that a reference should be made to the
Thames Embankment Committee to consider with
the engineer whether some other description of stone
than that used on the northern side might not with
propriety be used for the facing of the southern em-
bankment. The hon. member said his only reason
for introducing the subject was that the works might
be pushed on as swiftly as possible, and he did not
think the northern and southern embankments could
be carried out together if it should be decided to use
granite on both. He showed specimens of a lime-
stone which, he said, was almost indestructible, was
used for great works on many parts of the Conti-
nent, and was cheaper than granite, and advised
that the committee should consider whether this
might be used.
A lengthened discussion arose, in which Mr. New-
ton, Mr. Samuda, Mr. L. Taylor, Mr. Miller, M.P.,
and other members took part, and the chief objec-
tion to the stone was its colour.
Mr. Tin, in reply, pointed to the Customhouse
quay, and the embankment to the Rouses of Parlia.