The Sun.
London, England, 1853-06-23 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER IMPROVEMENTS BILL.

Mr. E. Denisou has reported from the committee on
Group X. of private bills, that in the case of the West.
minster Improvements Bill they had examined the alle-
gations contained in the preamble of the bill and
amended the same by making some verbal amendments
in order to make it consistent with the provisions of the
bill, and had found the same as amended to be true, and
had gone through the bill and made amendments there-
unto.

Mr. E. Denison further reported from the said com-
mittee, that the powers sought by the bill now reported
to the house would certainly enable the commissioners
to effect several desirable improvements in Westminster;
but they are unanimously of opinion that the general
scheme of improvements, as laid before your committee,
is far from being so comprehensive or complete as it
ought to be.
In 1814 evidence was given before a committee of your
honourable house, by several most respectable persons,
to the effect " That the effluvium which arose from the
churchyard of St. Margaret's was highly prejudicial to
the health and comfort of the inhabitants near that loca-
lity, and that further burials ought to be prohibited."
In 1842 evidence was given before a committee of the
Health of Towns, confirming the evidence previously
given and reported to your honourable house. Dr. Mil-
man (the then rector) stated the impropriety of allowing
further burials to take place in St. Margaret's Church-
yard.
In 1844 a committee of your honourable house heard
the opinions of the inhabitants of Westminster ; also of
the right honourable gentleman the present Speaker of
the House of Commons, Mr. Vardon, Dr. Reid, and
others, all of whom agreed as to the impropriety of more
burials being permitted in the same churchyard, and
these opinions were strongly supported by the report of
that committee.

The report of the said committee (1844) also contains
the following important paragraph :
" The incongruity of this church in its style of architec-
ture and close proximity to Westminster Abbey, have
been frequently noticed and lamented ; and this incon-
gruity, great as it is at present, will undoubtedly appear
much greater when the New Houses of Parliament shall
be completed. An opinion is indeed entertained by several
persons that it might be possible to remove this great ar-
chitectural anomaly, by improvements in St. Margaret's
as it stands at present, that it might be enriched in design
and rendered pure in detail. But while on the one hand
the expenses attending so extensive a change might per-
haps be scarcely inferior to those required from complete
reconstruction, it seems to be far more generally considered
that the effect could not be compared to that of an open
space clear of any buildings in front of the Abbey and the
Houses of Parliament.

" Your committee have no hesitation in expressing their
unanimous recommendation that the church of St. Mar-
garet's should be removed from its present site, and they
have reason to think that a new churchyard or cemetery
in some less populous situation, might be purchased at a
very moderate expense, and that it might be possible to
obtain a portion of land, not far distant from the present
site, where the church could be rebuilt, in a great measure,
from the present materials. Before, however, any conclu-
sive opinion could be formed upon this part of the ques-
tion, it would be proper to consider the most suitable posi-
tion of the church, in reference to the congregation, since
it now stands at the extremity of an extensive parish.
Your committee felt that it would be premature to enter
upon this and other points until the preliminary question
respecting the present situation of St. Margarets had been
determined upon by the house.
" In conclusion, your committee venture to express
their hope that the entire ,unanimity with which they
have arrived at this recommendation may dispose both•
the house and the Government favourably towards the
object they have in view."
Your present, committee beg to report, that they una-
nimously agree in the opinion expressed by former com-
mittees :-Ist. That no more burials ought to be permit-
ted in St. Margaret's Churchyard. 2d. That the church
itself ought to be removed. And your committee
take leave to add, that in their judgment, until St.
Margaret's Church is removed (and for which a suit-
able site might easily be procured) the full and best
effect of the new Houses of Parliament will be ma-
terially curtailed, and the general improvements very
incomplete. They therefore venture to express a hope,
that Parliament will aid and assist the Westminster
Commissioners in carrying into effect these most desir-
able alterations and improvements.

CHATHAM ELECTION. - The polling commenced at
Chatham yesterday morning, at eight o'clock, and for a
short time Admiral Stirling had a small majority.
Through the intervention of the gallant admiral the
whole of the labourers and artificers in the dockyard
were granted a holiday. The polling was very brisk
during the first two or three hours, and by 11 o'clock
nearly the whole of the voters had polled. At the close
of the poll the numbers were :
Vern0n...................................... 610
Stirling . ..................................... 597
-13
Majority for Vernon ...............
This has been the closest contest that has ever taken
place in the borough of Chatham.