The Sun.
London, England, 1856-11-07 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS.

Sir Benjamin Hall, the Chief Commissioner of 1
Public Works, is far from satisfied with the dilatory
manner in which the members of the Metropolitan
Board of Works are discharging the duties of their
/Ace. His dissatisfaction seems to be fully justified
by the facts. The Metropolitan Board wastes weeks
and months in the finding of mares' nests and on
the decision of foolish squabbles, and at the twelfth
hour they rush to Sir Benjamin Hall's offices, and
require his immediate sanction for plans which they
have beers discussing for an indefinite period. They
deal, in fact, with the Commissioner of Public
Works pretty much as the Commons are apt to do
with the Peers towards the close of a session. From
the beginning of February until the end of June, as
we have often seen, the Peers are left without work,
and then, during the last week of the session, a pro-
fusion of bills is shovelled into the Upper House,
which must receive immediate sanction or undergo
immediate rejection. Discussion and consideration
are out of the question, for time fails, however
anxious the Peers may be to proceed with the busi-
ness without unnecessary delay. Now this is as
nearly as may be the position of Sir B. Hall with
reference to the Metropolit6n Board of Works.
From the commencement of the summer until the
present moment, when we are beginning to feel the
first pinches of the approaching winter, the elected
of the people have been frittering away their time'
in the idlest manner. Were it not that we are
prepared to make the largest allowance for the
shortcomings of machinery which has just been put
into gear for the first time, we should be compelled
to pronounce the experiment a failure. We have
heard or read of little else than of recriminations
between the members, of conflicting theories, of
plans carelessly prepared and angrily discussed,.
and, in short, of a practical comment upon the
canons of the great science of " how not to do it."
Such delay as there has been must be entirely re-
ferred to the Metropolitan Board of Works. They
have, however, hit upon a scheme at last for dis-
posing of our sewage, and, as most even of our
London readers must have been long since sickened
of attending to the discussions of their elected
rediles, we will in two words say what it is. It is
proposed that the outfall of the sewage shall be in
Halfway Reach, at a point of the Thames below
Erith. The points of discharge will be two and
a-half miles below the metropolitan area on the
south side, and three and a quarter on the north
side of the Thames. The calculation is, that by
the play of the tide the sewage may be brought
within a quarter of a mile of the metropolitan
boundary at the most unfavourable period of flux
and reflux. Besides this there are to be various
outfalls into the .Thames between Vauxhall and
Deptford to carry off the surface storm water,
which may be looked for on 20 or 30 days through-
out the year. Such is the scheme which has
ultimately been marked by the approval of the
Metropolitan Board of Works. Its defect is in-
completeness, its merit economy. We are so
wearied out with delay that we would willingly
acquiesce in any arrangement which would free us
from our pollutions, so that it contains within
itself the germ of better things. If this project is
capable of extension, so that the fitting on of so
many more miles of pipe will at a future day
remove its sewage so far away from this huge
overgrown town that it can he productive of no
farther mischief to the inhabitants; Or if, which
we rather hope, the formation of tanks at a eel.°
distance from London and the profitable employ.-
ment of the sewage for agricultural purposes be
consistent with the scheme of the hoard, let us
adopt the half-way measure at once, and carry it
out afterwards. The immediate recommendation
of the proposition is that there is a difference of
expense of 2,000,0001. in favour of the outfall at
Halfway Reach as against the outfall at Sea Reach.
But to return to the dispute between Sir Benjamin
Hall and the Metropolitan Board of Works.
As soon as the sewage question was disposed of
at the meeting on Tuesday last between Sir Ben-
jamin Hall and the board, Mr. Marrable next
brought forward the plan for the Covent-garden
improvements. The Parliamentary notices must
be given on the 15th of the present month, so
that the interval between the 4th and 14th, a
period of ten days, is all that is left to the
Chief Commissioner of Public Wqrks for con-
sideration of the subject. Even if he were to
give to it his undivided attention in so short a
period, there can be no time left for c&isultation
or reference. A dry negative or affirmative is all
that is left to Sir B. Hall. What renders the
matter more aggravating is, that in the beginning
of July he had forwarded his plans to Mr.
Thwaites and his colleagues, and requested them
to undertake the works themselves, but, saving a
formal letter of acknowledgment, had heard
nothing more of the matter until the other day.
The next grievance is precisely similar in kind,
although involving a greater expenditure. It
arises out of the plans for the Southwark im-
provements. Upon this point there seems to
have been sore feeling and jealousy, as well as
the dilatoriness which tainted the two former pro-
ceedings. There is to be a continuous street between
Southwark and Westminster bridges through
Stamford-street and the York-road. The expendi-
ture involved is estimated at 300,0001., or there-
abouts.
The Metropolitan Board of Works have
not yet made a plan, and, when made, Mr. Thwaites
said, " The Board would certainly, as a matter of
courtesy, lay it before Sir B. Hall, but there was a
doubt whether it was requisite to do more than
give the Parliamentary notices, the sum being
above 50,0001." Sir B. Hall loftily retorted that
if such was their opinion they had better not send
their plans to him at all ; he could only say he
thought they " were bound to do so under the
act." There remain but. five days, and then the
Parliamentary notices must be given. The Metro-
politan deputies admitted the time was short,
which is true enough. Finally, Sir Benjamin pro-
mised that if the plans were sent to him by Monday
next he would postpone all other business aud at-
tend to them, " but he must really request the
Metropolitan Board to let this be the last time they
would allow such delays to occur." Thus repri-
manded and " wigged,'' the depu:;atiou withdrew.
Sir Benjamin Hail this time 'las just cause of
complaint. The Metropolitan Board have been
conducting their affairs like a tempestuous vestry.
They have endeavoured to avoid decision and res.
sponsibility by all means in their power, and leava,
at last thrown the Commissioner in to serious diffi-
culties by their dilatoriness and disputes. We will
not say that there is not testiness and. a little
harshness on this side ; but, even if this be so, it
constitutes no excuse for the shortcomin,ts of the
Board. Mr. Thwaites and his collearruteshave not
been placed in their present positioncfor the pur-
pose of thwarting and vexing Sir Benjamin Hall.
The position of those two offices with respect to each
other involves a certain amount of rivalry and ill-
feeling, as a matter of course. We want some en-
gineering improvements made in our town, and we
elect a number of laymen to decide, under the ad-
vice of an engineer, how the improvements shall be
carried out. The next step is to require our depu-
ties to submit their projects to another official per-
son, with an engineer of his own and an official staff of his own. The deputies are thin-skinned,
- the official person prone to find fault—for, if he does
not find fault, what is the use
putes arise. Added to all this there liras th.; iannedlinseatdioisn-
common to all mankind to put off till to-morrow
the business which can be avoided to-day i
slfo
nthe
re
ikfetrapolitanßoardrequire the Chief C
Ja
er si
to decide the question of the London a
gallop, they themselves had decided it at agecanintear
after the absolute waste of half a year. we should
be sorry to see the principle of self-government ii3ts
to our metropolitan improvements m
any future carelessness on the part of our reprci
sentatiVes. We do not anticipate much advantage
from their suggestions, for no 'doubt a competent
engineer would perform all the necessary work in
the time which they waste in talking about it. It
is, heiVever, a great matter that the inhabitants of
the metropolis should be brought to acquiesce easily
in the necessary changes and improvements. The
,principle of popular representation ought to secure
this result, and therefore we trust that it may see.
ceed in this instance.—Times.

/v arrayed in the height
FASHIONABLE FaGGING.—A
of existing fashion precen's an interesting spectacle.
dress, piled tier above tier, renders her an
example of
Beauty in tiers of muslin. This peculiar arrangement of
of
female Chstame affords facilities for the introduction ~.f
D" pattern, which would probably become popular.
Each tier might be figured with the representation of
the porithetes of a man-ot-war, carrying guns. Thus de-
corated With the semblance of decks, the little " craft"
might sail down upon the spectator with striking e.ifct.
In this umatical trial a. young Imly might exhibit herself
at a fanny dress ball in the charr.x.er of the Saacy A re-
th.tiers—untess it may be objected that to come it, in
Ccalitey'phrssealogy, sc, strong as thi?, would be un4u,t*
abioy:to the character of the weaker vassal.--Punch.
N:l34?TtsatAL :A.ISEIP.—In one of our suburban vil-
Ltges, -seven " blessed babies" were to have been cbrist-
enid on Saturday. In seven households clariAtening fes-
tivals were in preparation. Cakes were
made—company
invited; but through some misunderstanding the priest,
who was to have supplied the place of the incumbent,
never came, and after the patience of the seven assern-
blages wer.e b alteJ, the seven unblessed babes
vr,,re
W
taken bows, with heavy blessings on the clerical absen
tee; - The "Wingingng hinnies ' and the tea were robbed of
theirliaveur by the failure of the arrangement. Bit Rix
of the innocents have since been christened, fife
seventh no tidings have been beard ; and it niaT,
Tristram St-,a,nr_ly, hare cause to rue fcr ever the blunkl,,.
which befall it on the threshold of lite.—Garesh„4 Ob.
Server. ,

COURT 011 COMMON COUNCIL.

Yesterday a court (the last of the Mayoralty) was held
for the despatch of public business.
THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE.

Mr. Alderman CUBITT brought up a report from the
police committee, to whom certain matters had been
referred in connection with the Commissioner of Police.
The committee stated that while they could not ent:reiv
concur in the conclusions or inferences drawn by the
Commissioner from the facts which he had submitted,
nor admit that any obligations bad been incurred by
the corporation which had not been met, yet, in consi-
deration of the long and efficient services of the Com-
missioner, the committee begged to repeat the recom-
mendation made in their report of June last, "that the
desire of the Commissioner should be complied with by
an allowance being made to him of 2001. per annum in
lieu of his being provided with a residence, such allow-
ance to commence from Christmast last."

Mr. Alderman Cfnatrr moved that the report be re•
ceived, and that the Court agree with it.
Mr. ABRAHAM said he did not agree with the commit•
tee in their report, and that a worse principle could not
be adopted than that of allowing the Commissioner of
Police to reside five or six miles from the City. The
chief magistrate, in the person of the Lord Mays r,
always resided in the City, and no distinction ought
therefore to be made in this respect with regard to the
Commissioner. He concluded by moving by way of
amendment, "That the report of the committee do lie
upon the table."
Mr. ROWE seconded the amendment.
After .a short discussion,
The. amendment was put and carried by a very large
majority.

A division then took place, when the numbers werg—
, For the amendment B2
Against 2B
Majority —.54
The original motion having been negatived,
The amendment was put as an original motion, and
carried.