The London Corporation is evidently alarmed by therrafted of the
Treasury to renew the London coal duty, now paid-te•the Metropolitan Board. They think if this is swept away;,t2feir own duty on grain, which is as much a necessary of life arisel, will also be abolished. They, therefore, propose to 13ring ifr-a, Bill extending their term, although the duty does not expire till 190-2, and declare that without it they can protect no more open spaces, and especially cannot make a park for Pad- dington, or buy the extensive grounds now offered them in Kilburn, in order to make a park for North-West London. They secured Epping Forest, Wanstead Park, Burnham Beeches, Coulsdon Common, and West Ham Park out of the grain duty, and the whole capital value of their lease is now exhausted. The simple answer to their proposal, as to that of the Metropolitan Board, is that all re- grants must wait until London has a Municipality. Till -then, they ought not to be so much as considered. That new representative body will devise means for getting money, and will, we venture to say, find " improvement " its grand embarrassment.
Previous page
