Since the last report the sum assessed by the metropolitan board of works
upon this portion of the parish has been, for the year 1861, four hundred
and seventy-nine pounds, eleven shillings and eleven pence; but the
vestry have abstained from issuing their order to the board of guardians
for its collection. They have, however, in consequence of the receipt of
the following letter, upon the recommendation of the Finance Committee,
paid the amount for 1858:—
Metropolitan Board of Works,
1, Greek Street, Soho, W.,
17th October, 1860,
Dear Sir,—I am directed by the metropolitan board of works to
acquaint you that they have directed their attention to the subject
of the amounts outstanding on their precepts issued to the vestries
and district boards of the metropolis, and they desire me to apprize
you for the information of the vestry of Chelsea, that having been
unsuccessful in their attempt to carry a measure through Parliament
in the past session for conferring upon the board the necessary
powers to deal with the question of the redistribution of the
Counter’s Creek charges, they have had under consideration the
subject of the payment of the amount due from the vestry on the
precept for the ordinary expenses of the board for the year 1858,
being the sum of £447 4_s._ 2_d._ payment of which was, as you will
recollect, allowed to stand over until the re-apportionments of the
debts of the Commissioners of Sewers had been discussed in
Parliament. The board now feel that the time has arrived when it is
necessary that they should adopt measures for obtaining payments of
the amounts outstanding, and after an attentive consideration of the
facts of the case, and having regard to the arrangement with the
vestry in reference to the parish contributing to the cost of the
Counter’s Creek diversion sewer, the conclusion they have arrived at
as to the most convenient course to be adopted is, that the board
should proceed to appoint persons to make a rate on the parish in
default, for the amount due on the precept, and in the event of the
vestry continuing their objection to the payment, that some ratepayer
should then raise the question of the liability of the parish by an
appeal against the rate, on which a special case might be reserved
for the opinion of the Court of Queen’s Bench. I am directed to add
that the Board have deferred further proceedings in the matter for a
fortnight from the date of their last meeting, the 12th instant, in
order to afford the vestry an opportunity of paying the amount in
question should they think proper so to do; and meanwhile I am to
request that you will be good enough to lay this letter before the
vestry, and to favor me with a reply with the least possible delay.
I am, dear sir, yours faithfully, JOHN POLLARD, Clerk of the Board.
The amount assessed for 1859, four hundred and fifty-six pounds, nine
shillings and one penny, was paid by order of the board on the sixth
December, 1859, before any portion of it was received from the board of
guardians.
January, 1861, the metropolitan board were very pressing for payment of
the amount for 1860 (five hundred and eighteen pounds, nineteen
shillings, and one penny), threatening immediate proceedings if it were
not made before the 25th of that month; the vestry, however, appealed
through Mr Tite against this undue pressure, contrasting with it, the
treatment received by the vestry of Kensington, who were in arrear many,
if not all, of their instalments, and eventually the metropolitan board
consented to receive the amount of the precept for their ordinary
expenses of 1860 less this sum which was included in it. Thus it is that
the sums assessed for the first four years have been collected in the
district, and paid to the metropolitan board; but for the two last, 1860
and 1861, they have not been paid to the metropolitan board, nor have any
steps been taken to collect the money in the district.