Sentence:  Mr. Cooke at once began a tirade against the residents of Asquith for <WSD>permitting</WSD> a sandy and generally disgraceful condition of the roads. So roundly did he vituperate the inn management in particular, and with such a loud flow of words, that I trembled lest he should be heard on the veranda. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To allow (something) to happen, to give permission for. (from 15th c.)