The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-09 00:00:00

Metropolitan Board of Works.

The usual weekly meeting of the Metropolitan
Board of Works was held yesterday at the office in
Spring-gardens ; Sir John Thwaites in the chair.
FINANCE.
The financial statement showed the following
cash balances in the hands of the treasurer :—Cur-
rent accounts, £200,244 13s. 3d. ; deposit accounts,
£l47,ooo.—total, £347,244 13s. 3d.

SOUTHWARK-PARK.
A deputation attended the Board from the vestry
of Rotherhithe to present a memorial on the sub-
ject of the formation of Southwark-park. The de-
putation was introduced by Mr. Judkins.

The memorial stated that the inhabitants had
viewed with great satisfaction the steps which had
been taken by the Board for the formation of a
park in the parish of Rotherhithe, and they sug-
gested, as the site of the park would require to be
raised, that the formation of the park should be pro-
ceeded with simultaneously with the main sewer
works about to be executed in the parish, and so
the refuse earth, &c., from the sewer works could
be obtained for raising the surface of the park
where required, and making and forming roads
therein, which would materially reduce the expense.
At different periods there had been severe ravages
of cholera throughout the district, and that disease,
in the opinion of medical men, was much fostered
by overcrowding and want of free air, and as this
country was again threatened with a visit of that
terrible scourge it was hoped that no time would
be lost in perfecting every intended improvement.
They prayed that the Board would forthwith pro-
ceed to layout and form the park with the least pos-
sible delay, as it was believed that when completed
it would tend most materially to improve the health
not only of this low-,lying parish, but also of the
neighbouring districts for which it was intended,
containing a population at the last census of 230,000
inhabitants, which had since been increased to
300,000, independently of the persons who would
avail themselves of the park from the northern side
of the River Thames as well as from the populous
districts on the south side of the river, now served
by the Charing-cross Railway, one of the stations
being in close proximity to the proposed site of the
park.
Mr. PERKS, one of the deputation, addressed the
Boardin support of the memorial, urging that nine-
tenths of the inhabitants near the site of the pro-
posed park consisted of artisans and labourers with
small means, who were unable at any time to take
their wives and families into the country to obtain
fresh air or for the purposes of recreation, and as the
Board had purchased the land they did hope that
the works would be carried out with the least possi-
ble delay. He also wished to draw the attention of
the Board to the fact that in the years 1849 and 1854
the parish of Rotherhithe suffered most severely
from the ravages of the cholera, and the painful re-
collection of those events had ever since tended to
keep the vestry alive to every possible sanitary im-
provement. The parishioners thought the existence
of several market gardens in the midst of a large
population to be highly prejudicial to public health,
for in the summer months there was a large amount
of manure collected upon them, together with a vast
quantity of decaying vegetable matter, from which
gases were thrown off whieh they could not but con-
sider to be highly prejudicial to the public health.
The CHAIRMAN said that they all concurred in the
necessity of a park for this district, and they had
taken steps for its formation as soon as possible. Ile
wanted to know what more the deputation required.
Mr. PERKS said they wished it to be proceeded
with without delay.
The CHAIRMAN—We shall do so, but it will not
do to rush into arrangements which might prove
prejudicial to those whose interests we wish to serve.
As soon as we get the fee simple of the land we
shall proceed with all possible speed.
Mr. PERKS said the deputation were quite satis-
fied with the answer they 'had received.
The memorial was referred to the Streets Com-
mittee, and the deputation retired.
THE NEW FIRE BRIGADE.

A report was brought up from the Main Drainage
Committee on the subject of the proposed new Fire
Brigade for the whole of the metropolis. It was
very lengthy, and went into a large number of very
minute details, defining the number of fire districts
in the metropolis, and the staff by which the duties
were to be carried out. The following are their
general recommendations :
" The appointment of four medical officers for the
Fire Brigade— viz., one for each of the four districts
of the metropolis. That the medical officers be paid,
as at present, at the rate of 20s. per annum for each
man in their respective districts, that sum to include
medicine, surgical appliances, and attendance of
every kind, and that each of them be required to
reside in the district to which he is appointed. That
the medical officers be required, as a general rule, to
give their personal attention to each case brought
under their notice, to attend the meetings of the
board or committees whenever required, and to fur-
nish such certificates and returns as may be found
necessary. That Mr. C. F. Browne, the medical
officer of the present establishment, be appointed to
the southern district, and examining surgeon to the
whole brigade ; and that, in addition to the 20s. per
year for each man in his district, he be paid 10s. 6d.
for the examination of; each selected candidate.
That advertisements be inserted in the Lancet and
Medical Times, inviting candidates for appointment
as medical officers in the other three districts. That
the arrangement at present existing with the Lon-
don District Telegraph Company, for telegraphic
communication between the different stations, be
continued for a period of six months from Jan. 1
next, pending final arrangements. That the pre-
sent contracts for the supply of horses for the en-
gines be continued, determinable, as now, on three
months' notice, and that it be referred to the solici-
tor to prepare the necessary document for that pur-
pose. That the present payment of Is. for calls, or
notification of fires, be continued. That the exist-
ing stations of the present establishment, marked
green on the plan now submitted, be maintained by
the Board, with the exception of that inWell-street,
Oxford-street."
The whole of these recommendations, with the
exception of those appointing Mr. Browne as medi-
cal officer to the brigade, and the insertion of ad-
vertisementsforiurtinhtehe Lancet and Medical Times, were
agreed to.
Theyr
cwoenrsei
dreerfaetrri
oedn
u pback to the com-
mittee s
presented
t
A report waPa
submitting then e from the Streets Com-
mittee,estimates of the net cost of
the approaches to the Thames Embankment, the
widening of Park-lane, and the formation of the
embankment of the Thames at Chelsea, and the bills
for carrying out the same ; and also the bill for
carrying out the improvement of High-street, Ken-
sington ;
and recommending that such bills be de-
posited as requiredmb.py., P amrloiavmedenas an amendment.
Mr. MILLER,
that the subject be deferred for a fortnight, and that
in the meantime the plans and estimates be distri-
buted among the members.
Mr. FREEMAN said the Board had had an inter-
view with the Government, and had undertaken to
carry out these three works if they were allowed to
have an extension of the coal duties for ten years ;
and if there was to be any alteration in that ar-
rangement the whole thing would fall to the ground.
The amendment was negatived, and the report of
the committee carried by a large majority.
The routine business was disposed of and the
Board adjourned.

The business men of Detroit are taking active
measures to break up the immense traffic in smuggled goods
at that place. The Government force is considered in-
adequate to the work. It is estimated that from $5,000
to $lO,OOO worth of goods are smuggled daily, and the
business is said to be brisk all along tho line.