The Sun.
London, England, 1842-01-10 00:00:00

PRICE 5d

THE OXFORD-STREET WOOD
PAVING. .

On Saturday, at 'the meeting of the Marylebone Ves-
try, Mr. Soden in theehair, another numerous 'deputation
of the inhabitants of .Oxford-street, headed by Messrs.
Underwood, Belli 'Jackson, and Oreen,: waited upon the
Vestry for the purpose of presenting a memorial, signed
by fifty-eight inhabitants of Oxford-street. resident in
that part where the wood paving is already laid down,
detailing at considerable length the advantages which
had not merely accrued to themselves in their business.
but to the public generally, since its introduction ; and
praying the Vestry, in addition to non-confirming the
minute for postponing the, further consideration of the
question of wood paving for three years 'to give their
neighbours, the inhabitants of the remainder of Oxford-
street, the same advantages as themselves. ,
Mr. BELL, in support of the memorial, said, out of the
whole . number of, inhabitants in that part of Oxford-
street where the wood paving was.laid down that he had
called on, there were but six who had not signed the
memorial, and that arose simply from their being either
at. the time from home or out of town.
Messrs. GREEN and Ustntftwoon having also offered a
few observations insupport of it, the . deputation with-
drew.
Mr.,JosEpu then rose to move the non-confirmation of
the minutes. He shouldnot dwell long upon the matter
himself, although it was understood it was the intention
of those who were opposed to wood-paiing to speak
against time, in order to tire persons out, • and thus gain
a majority for the confirmation of the minute.-'—(Hear,
hear, and cries of " No.") He would simply show the
board why they ought not to confirm a minute, having
for its, object the prevention of the further progress of
wood-paving for thr years. .In the first place, such a
resolution was not o upon the face of it absurd, but
4
for a fluctuating boar like that vestry to make a retro-
.
spective:resolution which was to be binding for three years,
was absolutely illegal.—(Hear, and" Oh.") What was the
fact ? Week after 'week, and year after year, the vestry
had had deputation upon deputation, praying them to
carry out the wood-paving in Oxford-street, and, singu-
lar to relate, throughout the whole of that immense pa-
rish they had not had a single rate-payer come up in op-
position.—(Cheers, and " Oh.") If such a resolution as that
proposed were that day confirmed, he (Mr. Joseph) would
predict; that before half the period of three years had
expired public opinion would force that which the Vestry
now denied. Wood-paving, as a principle, was progres
sing day after, day and week after week, slowly, but
surely, 'throughout the metropolis and the large provin-
cial towns of the country, and the experiment in Oxforcl
street still existed in testimony of the entire falsehoods of
the arguments set up against it by its opponents.--:-(Hear,
hear.) ' With these reasons he would move that the mi-
nute be non-confirmed.
Mr. FREEMAN seconded the non-confirmation.
Mr. littas supported the confirmation of the minute.
One argument why the Vestry of St. Marylebone should
not consent to such an outlay as the introduction of wood
into Oxford-street calls for, was, that it was notorious
that whilst the south side of Oxford-street costs the pa-
rish of St. Marylebone, to keep it in repair, upwards of
2,0001 per annum, still the inhabitants only contributed a
moiety of that sum ; and that Vestry, in'addition to hav-
ing lost already upwards of 20,0001. by having their
acquaintance, would, if the wood paving were carried
out, lose an additional six or seven hundred pounds an-
nually.—(Cries of " No, no," and " hear.") They were
a perfect incubus upon Marylebone ; and unless
they came forward to pay their scot and lot with the in-
habitants of the north side of Oxford-street, he did not
see why that Vestry should incur expense for their plea-
sure and indulgence. Such a proceeding to gratify about
200 persons would be a perfect robbery on the remaining
13,800 ratepayers.—(" Oh, oh," and ` Hear, hear.") He
Understood it had been asserted in his absence on Satur-
day last, that the reason why he was so strong an oppo-
nent of wood-paving was because he had been foiled in
his wishes to purchase the patent of the Count De Lisle.
—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear," and laughter.) Gen-
lemen in making such an assertion had given him credit.
for a great deal more capital and much less capacity
than he possessed.—(lronical cheers and laughter.) He
should like to know where the gentleman who made such
a statement got his infOrmation.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. FREEMAN—From Mr. Claridge and Mr. Hodson.
of Salisbury-street, Strand.—(Cries of " Oh, and chair.")
Mr. BIERS denied the truth of the statement, but ad-
mitted that he had been asked to be a shareholder and
to advance 5001.—(Great laughter.) He was of the same
opinion then as now, and would therefore have nothing
to do with the matter.—(" Oh," and cheers.)
Mr. FltrinEaT at great length followed on the same
side, and reiterated the arguments he adduced on the
previously Saturday in opposition•to wood pavement and
i A favoitr of granite. He produced also some fresh
blocks 'of wood from Oxford-street ; those from the
centre being 51 inches, and on the sides 51; inches, the
original size being six inches when laid down. This, he
'confpnded;littitttbrord paring a faihwe, Wasp:melt .as the
projectors declared it would not wear away half an inch
i in ten years, whereas it had worn away to that extent
in a year and a half.
Mr. GIBSON very warmly supported the non-confirma-
tion. He contended it did not matter whether the wood
was a failure or not to that Vestry, as under the terms
proposed the responsibility would rest entirely with the
Company, and not with them. All the cry raised by the
opponents of wood paving was fallacious. They pr.
tended so much about the interests of the 1318,0'
o. other.,
rate-payers, whilst, at the same time, they -..,,...._
their pockets.—(Loud cries of " Orde" ' ~- „"ew.Pic,king
•. 1 Chair ! ' and
7,nintained his position,
some confusion.) Mr. Gibson,.
for it was proved that the 7:nod paving, let alone the
saving in the cleansing, could be had for Id. per yard
cheaper than the preaCint Macadamized road, and yet the
Vestry refused to eirry it out.—(Hear, and "Oh l' )
Lord NUGENT ridiculed the idea of carrying out such
a motion as that proposed, and declared that if it were
confirmed the - Vestry would be completely stultifying
themselves in the eyes of the public.
Mr. HUME was as fond of innovation as any man, but
he liked to have some proof that such innovation was
good. In this instance he thought tliere was not sufficient
to justify the Vestry in an outlay of some thousands of
pounds upon a material the durability of which had not
been properly and flikrix tested.
Mr. GL.A.zrEat. (amidst loud cries of " Question " and
" Chair"? sp!ia the argument of Mr. Hume refuted itself.
—(" Oh, ' and " Hear.") There was not only no outlay
whatever, ', but the parish, if the wood paving were
adorited, would gain from 500/ to 7001. per year.
Mr. FOSTER, at great length, entered into a disquisi-
tion on the perishable nature of wood, subject to constant
concussion as that must necessarily be which was placed
in the portion of a road, and
Mr. COCHRANE, in 'opposition, adduced the opinions of
about twenty scientific men to prove that concussion and
traction preserved rather than added to the decay of wood.
Messrs. Thomas, Clapp, Grange, and other vestrymen
also addressed the Vestry on the subject, when •
Mr. JOSEPH, in reply, said he was compelled to refer
to the unfair and strenuous endeavours of the opponents
of wood paving throughout the debate ; to keep votes
who were favourable to them the vestry-room door was
perfectly besieged, and vestrymen almost prevented from
going out, unless they could pair off with some one.—
(Hear, hear.)' He had always considered the Hon. Gen-
tleman, Mr. Hume; a friend to popular representation.
—(Hear, hear, from Mr. Hume.) Well, then, here
wore 400 ratepayers asking for that which would be a
benefit to the parish and the public at large, and with-
out .a single voice of a ratepayer, excepting a certain
.•
parts in that Vestry, against it ; and he would ask,
ought they to be refused ?—(Cries of " No, no," and
" Yes, yes.") The cost of Oxford-street for the last
year, 1841, had been 3,0201., and if the wood paving
had been carried out, it would 'not approach anything
like that sum. He therefore hoped that the Vestry
Would not confirm a minute which would shackle them
t'tir a space of three year.

Thequestion.wt.t.'s where put, amidst a great degree of
confusion, from the Chair, and the non-confirmation of

the minute declared by the Chairman to be carried.
• • Cries of " Divide, divide," were heard in every quar-
ter ; and, on the Chairman' granting a division, the fol-
lowing most extraordinary and disorieefal 'scene .'en-
siled. A vestryman. advanced in years; happened to hold
up his hand in favour of the non-confirmation of this mi-
nute, for the adoption of which he had voted on the pre-
vious Saturday.
.As the diviion was taking place this
poor old vestrymen was pounced upon, in the first place,
by one ‘of the anti-wood paviors, named Hawkins, and,
with the: assistance of Mr. Thomas, the barrister, and
one or two others, he was literally being dragged from
his seat, on the " wood-paving-side," to the opposite
side of the vestrproom. In vain the Chairman called
to order. Although. the. " row" had scarcely begun,
Mr. Joseph, seeing " the position of the '• unfortunate
vestryman, rushed from his seat at the bottoth of the table
accompanied by Mr. Gomm and several on the same side
of the question as himself, to his rescue. A general con-
flict now took place for the possession of the body of the
undecided vestryman.—(Cries of " Shame, shame," re-
sounded from all parts of the vestry.) The Chairman's
hammer performed its office to no purpose, and the rate-
payers who crowded the gallery gave vent to their dis-
approbation by hissing and hooting the whole affair.
The Chairman ultimately succeeded in obtaining some
degree of order, and the vestryman was called upon to
decide for himself. He chose to be in favour of the wood-
paving, and Messrs. Biers and Joseph were appointed
tellers ; and on the numbers being declared, there ap-
peared, the Chairman giving his vote in favour of non-
confirmation, for the non-confirmation
.of the minute, 27 ;
for the confirmation, 26 ;—Majority against the propo-
sition for postponing the continuation of wood-paving in
Oxford-street for three years, One.—The vestry then, in
great confusion, broke up, after another discussion of
nearly four hours.

HANOVER, DEc. 30.—The person arrested on
suspicion of having committed the assault on Mr.
Lutcken, was set at liberty on the 28th, as he persevered
in denying the fact, and pretty satisfactorily proved an
alibi, and as there was no evidence against him but that
of the girl, which for many reasons was not thought
deserving of implicit credit.
LONDON AND BIRMINGHAM RAILWAY.--.-It
appears, from the Railway Times of Saturday, that the
shareholders of the London and Birmingham Railway-
Company have recently presented to the Chairman, G.
Carr Glyn, Esq., a piece of plate, of the value of upwards
or sixteen hundred pounds, as a token,of their approba-
tion of the manner in which he has presided over the
affairs of the railway during the last five years.