The City are more tender in their treatment of the
Metro- politan Board of Works. On Thursday a deputation of the inhabi- tants of Hackney waited upon the Court of Common Council, to urge that body to assist them in preventing, the destruction of Hackney Downs. It appeared that the Metropolitan Board are entrusted with the management of that open space, but that they are not able to prevent the lord of the manor digging gravel upon it. The Hackney Petitioners expressed their belief that the Corporation (less trammelled, perhaps, or better advised in its proceedings), would be able to supply the defi- eiencies of the Board, and recited the case of Epping Forest -in support of their opinion. The Court, however, allowed them- selves to be persuaded that the feelings of the Metropolitan Board would be hurt even by an inquiry into the facts of the ease, and that it was essential to abstain from offending that body, even at the risk of losing the Downs. We hope the inhabitants of Hackney, thus deserted by the two representative bodies who vaunt their anxiety to preserve open spaces, will help themselves, as the inhabitants of many another suburban parish have done.
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