Report to the General Board of Health on a further inquiry as to the boundaries which may be most advantageously adopted for the borough of Morpeth, in the county of Northumberland / by Robert Rawlinson, Superintending Inspector.

  • Rawlinson, Robert, 1810-1898.
Date:
1851
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report to the General Board of Health on a further inquiry as to the boundaries which may be most advantageously adopted for the borough of Morpeth, in the county of Northumberland / by Robert Rawlinson, Superintending Inspector. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Constitution of Local Board considered. maintain all the highways throughout the district; and the local Board will have full power to regulate common lodging- houses, vagrants, &c. Any landowner may also avail himself of the knowledge of the surveyor and the general powers of the local Board, for purposes of main outlets for land drainage ; but that all works and regulations within the towns will be paid for by the owners of property benefited, and the rate- payers resident therein. A short abstract of the rating clauses is contained in my first Report, page 4. With respect to the recommendation made in the first Report, as to the election of the local Board, should the Act be applied to the whole parliamentary borough, the following letter was laid before me, suggesting an alteration in the numbers to be elected by the ratepayers of Bedlington and the other dis- tricts :— Dear Sir, Newcastle, 15th Feb. 1851. I have again read over Mr. Rawlinson's Report on the sewerage, supplying water, &c, to Morpeth and Bedlington, and I am of opinion that, if an Act of Parliament can be procured for this purpose, based upon the regulations stated in Mr. Rawlinson's Report, it will be be- neficial both to the owners of property and the inhabitants in general. But I do think that the number of Commissioners is not equitably proportioned. Bedlington will pay upon a rental of 13,131/. with a population of 3155, and will only have three commissioners; whilst Morpeth will pay only upon 6141/. with a population of 3441, and will have six commissioners. And as it is probable that what is termed the Morpeth district, having other three commissioners, will generally be influenced by the Morpeth portion of the Board, it is evident that the interest of Bedlington will be entirely swamped. I think that a more equitable arrangement would be, Morpeth to have five commissioners, Morpeth district two, Bedlington five. It would be well to make, the rate payable by the owners of the property and not the occupiers. If I am well enough 1 hope to have the pleasure of meeting you at Morpeth next Saturday. I am, dear Sir, yours truly, W. Woodman, Esq., Nich. Longridge. Morpeth:' With respect to the relative number of members to serve upon the local Board, the only desire is, that an efficient com- mittee should be chosen to conduct the necessary business. As each district will have to pay by rate for the works done in that district, there will be no inducement for one section of the Board to swamp the interest of any district, although repre- sented by a minority at the Board. ' The following preambles of the consent by the council of Morpeth, and of the owners and ratepayers, with the certified analysis of each district as returned by the overseers, show that the requirements of the Act have been fully complied with, the