The New York herald., 1874-12-28

% First Commissioner Of Works, was afraid
70 risk The throwing out ol the bill by
going as far the Commission OF 1853 had advised
IL VIII be seen that the machinery to be set IN mo-
tlon by his bill was ingenious and elaborate. but
the scope oil all his extensive organization went
but little beyond the ordinary sewerage system OF
the metropolis. The thin end OF the wedge, which
sooner or later must break up The entire impeTtum
In oy teat porIon o ths bin Which vests IL sSs
metropolitan Board OF Works the whole OF the
NAN sewers, including those within he lurisdic-
ton OF the Lord Mayor. IL would be difficult to
oyerrate the importance OF this advance toward
consolidated municipal government. All the
souls OF the English people than what Is IOndly
styled by them 1.-THE parocnlal system,n but which
Dickens mas immOrtazed In satire by the irreve-
rentappeaton OF "Bumbledom." Dickens showed
1t up tremendously In his portraits OF Mr.. Bundle.
matron. But BumDledom survives aud nourishes.
aoew,nstanding ans W. tne popularity OF Oliver Twis
winch ne was member were obliged to DOW down
anu anu worship IT when framing the Metropolis Local
MAI Maaagement bn. the parish Is the unit OF the
system when that bill made law; and Of q COM
Dlnaton OF parochia units the great Board itself is
constitated. , AZ the time the measure was INTRO
duced there were twenty-three larger parishes in
the metropolis exclusive or those within the city,
and Considerable number OF smaller ones. The
latter were grouped and formed into fourteen
parochlal districts. each of winch was invested
with all the functions OF ull.olown parish. Eacn
parish was endowed with the power OF appointing
from the numner Of It's own vestry nen-f e.
elected representatives OF the parisn-a DIS.
try was to send to the Metropolitan Boa Board 'V OF
Works given number OF representatives to take
their seats members OF this latter Board.
SIX OF the larger parishes were to be so repre.
sented by Two members Tor each, the remaining
seventeen Dy one each and the fourteen groups by
one each. AS the Metropolitan Board was to nave
tile control OF the main sewers In the city 1t was.
OF course. impossible TO leave the territory OF tho
Lord Mayor unrepresented in the general con-
clave. Accordingly three seats IN IL were appOr-
toned to as many members nominated by His CIVIC
Lordship and the Corporation. such Is the constr
tuition OF tue MetroDolitan Board or Works. IL Is
not bad so lar as IL goes. aud on the whole the
Boatd has well discharged the duties intruste0 TO
II. The main drainage and the Thames enlbank-
ment are grand ana lasting achievements OF Its
useful action. But there are TWO radical evils in
the system which condemn It beyond redemption.
AT best the whole contrIvance Is costly make
smut, Tne powers OF the Board % are IN no sense
functions conferred on It by the act un-
der der which It was established that IL
work @ It has done only by series OF amending
ana extending acts OF Parliament. Thus, the
had TO be constructed under special enactments.
Again, there Us mutual antagonism between the
Metropolitan Board ana the London Corporation.
Except Tor main drainage the Board Is powerless
to enter and do work IN the clty. II 1t be found
desirable to construct or widen q street rsr,ly
within and partly without the city, and tnat one
OF those bodies does not concur with the otner,
must look on while the Commissioners OF sewers
oppose the Metropolitan Board OF Works, ana tho
Metropolitan Board OF Works retalates on the
engineers and lawyers ana inspectors OF nni-
sances are masing rival plans and specifications
the ratepayers are hnding the iunds.
Then, while by acts passed subsequent
ly TO 1855, the Metropolitan Board is
supposed to nave jurisdiction over all struc-
lures within the metropolis. but exclusive OF those
In the city, so as 10 see that proper precautions
against fire and other accidents and against en-
cr0achments on thoroughlares are taken when
stores and dwelling houses are being built en-
larged, railway, canal gas and telegraph CON-
panles set IL ut defiance ~ means VI private acts
ol Parliament. Purely parochial work Is done by
the vestries and their district boards OF works,
but TO the Metropolitan Board alone ~ conflded
all works OF u metropolitan character. There Is,
however, strong and growing ireling thH& the
members OF the Board should be chosen by the
ratepaycrs direct and not by the vestrIes, who in
too many instances are narrow w-minded cliqnes,
imbued with the most Objectionable spirit Of
Bumbedom. One OF the most curious facts
in connection with English habits and man
ners is that, much the citizens OF London
revere the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Com
mon Council, no city man OF the very first class
Will ever have anything to 60 with tnat oistln-
gushed Corporation. The civic chair Is never filled
by ROtDschild, or Barring or Goschen. The
right honorable the Lord Mayor Is invariably .
third or fourth class city man, while the Common
Council is an assemblage OF pubcans and small
CheesemOngers and persons OF that standing. As
Tor the vestrymen, sidesmen, church wardens and
other parOcnal magnaies, they are, as rule,
little tradesmen, VINO make terribly faulty use or
the letter II, while some OF them would not know
sented to them in the boldest type. viii be
seen therefore. that London stands sorely In need
OF good municipal government But who Will
bell the catY Lord Elcho. conservative men,
plan we reserve lor another letter, but Tor tho
present we may say that IL Is very deierential TO
s.Our time e-hOnOred Institutions Antiquity
makes even abuse sacred in England. and woe TO
the reiormer who lays too heavy hand on great
and glorious traditions