Report from Select Committee on Metropolis Sewers : with minutes of evidence, and an appendix.

  • Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Select Committee on Metropolis Sewers.
Date:
[1834]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report from Select Committee on Metropolis Sewers : with minutes of evidence, and an appendix. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    30/276 (page 16)
    Samuel Mills, Esq. 19 March 1834. ^51. Are the officers and servants under your commission prohibited taking any fees or rewards ?—Absolutely. 052. And also from being concerned in any contracts?—Absolutely. 2^.* And in case they are interested in any contract or any work, they are not allowed to vote ?—The officers have no votes, and the Commissioners must with¬ draw in those cases. 254. The Commissioners have no voice in anything in which they are personally interested ?—Certainly not. 255. To what extent are the expenses of the Commissioners for their meetings limited?—It is specially provided for in the Act. I think it is 450/. annually by clause 19, which we never exceed, and generally are within the sum. 256. Do you give public notice of any contracts that are to be made in the execution of the powers of your commission ?—The contracts are always advertised as the Act of Parliament requires for specific works; for the daily works that occur, a standing contract of three years is made or entered into ; and at the end of three vears fresh advertisements are inserted for fresh proposals to be sent in. 257. Are all those contracts entered in a book?—Regularly. 258. Accessible to the public?—Yes. 259. To the rate- payers ?—-Yes. 260. Are the rate-payers empowered to appeal to the quarter sessions, or tcv any authority, from any assessment made by you, or any act on the part of the Commissioners which they deem illegal and improper ?—I am not aware that there is any power of that kind ; they can appeal to the quarter sessions under very par¬ ticular circumstances, but not for an ordinary assessment. 261. The words of the clause are, “ That if any person or persons shall think him¬ self, herself or themselves aggrieved by any rate or rates, assessment or assessments made by the said Commissioners, or by any judgment, order or determination of the said Commissioners, every such person or persons shall apply for relief to the said Commissioners at any meeting of the said Commissioners held within four months next after any such person or persons shall have been summoned to pay any such rate or rates, or have had due notice of any judgment, order or deter¬ mination of the said Commissioners, by which such person or persons shall think himself, herself or themselves aggrieved, and the said Commissioners are hereby authorized and empowered to give such relief in the premises as to them shall seem necessary; and if such person or persons shall not be satisfied with the judgment, order or determination of such Commissioners upon the matters aforesaid, or the said Commissioners shall neglect, within twenty-one days next after such meeting, to judge, order and determine, or to give notice of such judgment, order and deter¬ mination, to the person or persons so applying for relief, he, she or they may appeal to a quarter or general sessions of the peace to be holden for the county of Middle¬ sex, as the case shall be, within four months next after such appeal or application to the said Commissioners shall be made.”—That gives the power of appeal, but I have never known an appeal yet. 262. But the right of appeal exists against any assessment made, or against any order or determination of the Commissioners by which any individuals are affected? —Yes, the right exists. 263. Are you aware of any difficulty arising out of the law ?—There never having been an appeal since the Act passed, I cannot give any answer. 264. Do you annually make up your accounts ?—Yes, annually. 265. And those accounts are always accessible to the rate-payers within the district?—For the payment of 1 s. they are entitled to them. 266. Are those accounts annually printed?—They are annually printed, and a copy is sent to the vestry-clerk of every parish under assessment. 267. They are also accessible to every rate-payer?—Yes, upon the payment of l s. he is entitled to a copy. 268. Have you a copy of your last accounts ?—Yes. [The same was handed in, and also the Accounts prepared under the Order of the Committee.'] 269. Do you give any public notice in the papers of every court held by the Commissioners?—Regularly. 270. Seven days notice in three daily papers?—Yes. 271. The Committee see in the copy of the Account delivered in an item, called Remuneration to persons receiving damage from the sewers; what does that par¬ ticularly