New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-24

rroyor.r,s are 70 he made 10 the president OF
the borough He will lay these application. u
fore the Board Of Local Improvements, 'ntnoi
viii include all the members OF the Munic'paI
Assembly residing in the Senate district VI
districts affected by these schemes Inc pro
posed charter will In this way Prov,oe dstrirts
two local boards in as many Senate uis'rN's
which can take the initiative in local improve
ments and make recommendations either 10 'ne
Municipal Assembly or to the Board OF fupnc
improvements These twenty-five local boards
are also charged with moral or superV'so,S
duty in promoting the welfare or tnelr o,s,
tricts by calling the attention or the poiice' .n
judiciary the Charity Commissioners or the
Street Department TO any matter that requires
action They will be district boards FOR the con-
sderation OF local Improvements ana grieVauce,S
and will be armed with advisory powers IN each
instance. .ho
When these twenty-five local boards or tne
five horoughs OF Greater New-York are con"
pared with the forty-two parish councils Oh
metropolitan London-there will be forty-three
when the city Is reduced to the same ieNr,-
several striking contrasts are oHereu t.
former will be committees OF ,he Mill,
pal Council with the president OF the oorousn
as a member ex-officio The latter are iarss
elective councils. each with n membership VI
over a hundred. chosen In the parlshes anu a..
ing independently of. although IN an l-Ies"-
lated state Of INSTRUMENTATION TO. the Lohuom
County Council. The former. moreover VII
exercise purely advisory functions, taxing we
initiative in recommending local Improvements
without having power to carry them into execu-
tion and hearing grievances without peihs
vested with authority for enforcing reuresS vi
reform The latter, the contrary, are re-
sponsible for many of the details or locai au-
ministraton. such as the paving and ngh.lns
Of the streets; the cleaning or roadwa!s anu
collection of garbage. sanitary measures, anu
the ARRANGEMENT Of all details OF local assess
ment and taxation. AS sub-municpal agencies
of local government the London parish coun-
ellis are Incorporate more important ana en-
Gent than the proposed local boards in the hve
boroughs OF Greater New-York can ever pe'
DISsIMILAR MUNICIPAL SYSTEMS.
1t must not be forgotten. however. that the
functions OF the London parish councils are
performed in American cities by administrative
departments under the direction Of the Mayors
and Executive Commissioners. with UNIFORM
fax rate and system of assessment the IMAM
cial administration of Greater New-io DIX Will
be entirely removed from the supervision OF 'ne
TWENTY-FIVE local boards. and the detaiIs oi
street cleaning paving and lighting ana sam
tary inspection and garbage-coilectioh VIII oe
managed by large administrative bureaus Ia"
English and American systems or muh'''p''
Government are essentially different. ana each
requires Characteristic sub-muIic'pai,, , Inc,
chinery The London Of the future VIII nar &c
a Lord Mayor, not for a single square Hiiie VI
territory but for the entire metropolis !s' ne
will he official dignitary wllhour ,nen viii
govern London through the operation ol a
series of grand committees ana IL VIII avqoriv
the cooperation Of large numper vi Popuo' -,
elected parish councils charged WIN man! VI
the details Of local government win Hu
nicipal dictator like the Mayor OF Greater NV
York there will be centralized admihis.r s
for which he is directly responsive; me nu
nicipai Assembly will exercise supervisory au-
thoritv over the budget and control al DE,
tails Of legislation. and the functions OF !pca,
boards will naturally be advisory. ra'her ina"
executive. . ~ ~.
The necessity for a distribution OF powers De
tween central and local authorities Is obvious!
less imperative in Greater New-hork IMAM ~ ~
| Netropolitan London; yet the experiment, vi
governing a united city Of 3,OoOVo WIN
| highly centralized system and without ONE,
sub-muncipal instruments for securing eHcien.
administration for local areas than adVlsor!
| boards for hearing grievances and considering
| the expediency Of local improvements. IS one
which must he watched with deep interest anu
H'1 "i'"N"' ""'' ~ f.