PORT OF LONDON AUTHORITY The river Thames holds the secret of London's greatness. Let us for a moment, therefore, consider the chief authority which controls this greatest and richest highway of commerce in the whole world. The most important stretch of the Thames, from Teddington Lock down to the mouth of the river, some 69 miles in length, is under the care of the Port of London Authority-a body set up by Parliament as recently as 1909, to take over the docks and warehouses (formerly worked by private companies) and the general management of the port and river. Great dock and storage extensions have been effected by the Port Authority, as also the deepening of the river so as to accommodate the very large steamers of the present day. It is a matter of interest to the whole nation that the Thames should be maintained as the premier port of the world, and the Port of London Authority, in whose hands this duty is now placed, are fully determined, not only to preserve, but also to augment the ancient fame of the river. THE THAMES CONSERVANCY Up to 1909, the Board here named was the chief ruler over the river. But since the establishment of the Port of London Authority the duties of the Thames Conservancy are confined to the upper reaches between Cricklade and Teddington. Over this portion of the river the Conservancy regulates the navigation, the weirs, registration of boats, prevention of pollution, protection of fisheries, etc. The control of the Lee, which flows into the Thames at Blackwall, and has a navigable waterway of about 50 miles, is in the hands of yet another Board known as the Lee Conservancy, which performs for that river, duties similar to those undertaken on the main stream by the Thames Conservancy. The prevention of pollution of the waters of both rivers is highly necessary in the interests of public health, inasmuch as London derives the largest proportion of her water supply from these two sources. Too MANY COUNCILS And now if you care to make a list of the municipal authorities briefly described in the preceding pages, you may be surprised at their number; and you may probably come to the conclusion that the metropolis is over-supplied with Councils and Boards. What, then, would you say of Outer London (see p. 251) in which are to be found some further 142 Local Authorities, all empowered to dip into the pockets of the ratepayers ? Probably you will agree that London suffers from an excess of municipal bodies-all of them, of course, having their separate offices, clerks, inspectors, etc.—and that there is urgent need for a reduction in their number and for greater simplicity in the local government of the Capital City of the Empire. The government of any city should be such as its inhabitants can easily understand. At present, the average Londoner is unable to comprehend the municipal administration of his city. He is dismayed by the multiplicity of Authorities and bewildered by the intricacy of their relation one to another. Much of the lack of interest displayed by Londoners towards their municipal government is due to this inability to follow its workings. Some process of simplification that would render London's system of government intelligible to the ordinary citizen is therefore to be desired. It seems absurd for the local government of Outer London (see p. 251) to have no organic connection with that of the metropolis. "Outer London," in spite of its artificial boundaries, forms an integral part of the Capital. The dwellers there have common interests with the rest of London. The towns and townlets in the belt just outside the metropolis are linked together and to London by innumerable ties. Their industries depend on London. A vast number of their inhabitants come daily into London to earn their living. The railways, tramways, bus routes, are all planned to converge upon London. Their main drainage system and water supply are generally the same as those of the metropolis. In short, these outlying districts are as much a part of London as the fingers are part of the body. Is it unreasonable, therefore, to suggest that their chief municipal services (e.g. education, maintenance of highways, main drainage systems, tramways, water, gas, and electricity supply, and relief of the poor) should be brought into harmony and controlled by some Central Council? How, for instance, can any common line of action or common standard of poor relief be secured, when 50 Boards of Guardians act independently in 50 separate Unions as at present? How can any uniform policy of road-maintenance be guaranteed when there are more than 100 Authorities charged with oversight of the highways in Greater London? Or how, again, can equal educational advantages be ensured over the whole London area until the schools are placed under a Central Authority? In another matter of great and growing importance, viz. townplanning, London would also benefit from some form of central control which would prevent the erection in the suburbs of thousands of gardenless houses, crowded together in narrow streets which in the future are not unlikely to develop into slum areas. Any proposals for improving the municipal administration of London ought, however, to be framed so as to recognise the diversity of her local needs. London is so huge that Local Councils will always be wanted as well as a great Central Council-the latter to control the greater services above mentioned, the former to take charge of the smaller and purely local affairs. Here we must leave the matter, as the subject is altogether too controversial for discussion in a small text-book, and the foregoing paragraphs must be viewed simply as furnishing food for thought and discussion, and not in any way as laying down the lines upon which the development of London's internal government ought to proceed. London's government will be what her citizens make it either good or bad. Let each young Londoner, therefore, strive to become a good citizen as well as a good patriot. The endeavour to promote the efficient government of the city in which we live, is as essential to the welfare of our country as the wider patriotism which has of late been so magnificently exhibited by the youth of our nation. In the hope that a stronger local patriotism and a deeper personal interest in the civic institutions of their glorious city may be evoked in the rising generation of Londoners, the present chapter has been added to this volume on English Citizenship. We will conclude it with a passage from the memorable speech of His Majesty King George V. when on July 17, 1922, he opened the new Hall of the London County Council. Alluding to "the development of that sense of citizenship so difficult and yet so imperative to cultivate," His Majesty uttered the following impressive words :- The local government of every great city is a municipal problem most difficult of solution. Opinions differ as to the machinery of local administration and the best methods of obtaining the best results, but it is universally recognised that the root of all good government is a live and active civic spirit." QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION AND RESEARCH 1. How can you distinguish by his uniform a member of the City Police from a member of the Metropolitan Police ? 2. Name the bridges over and tunnels under the Thames from Kew to Gravesend. Which of these belong to and are kept up by the City Corporation? 3. What authority is there for saying that Panyer Alley off Paternoster Row is the highest ground in the City? 4. Give some account of the New River. To whom does it owe its construction and where will you find his statue ? 5. Where was Hungerford Market mentioned in Chap. 35 of " David Copperfield; where also stood Tyburn Gallows, and Temple Bar ? 6. What connection had Chaucer with the City of London? 7. Name any of Wren's churches in the City, also any that survived the Great Fire. 8. Locate Bread Street and say with what famous poet it is associated. In what City church is this same poet buried ? 9. In what churches are buried Miles Coverdale, Rahere, Sir Walter Raleigh, Judge Jeffreys, Samuel Pepys, and Samuel Richardson (founder of the English domestic novel) ? 10. Where is Nelson's tomb, and where the coat he wore at Trafalgar ? 11. Where is " London Stone and what theories are propounded as to its origin? 12. In what museum in the City-open free to visitors-are deposited most of the "finds " made of the ancient Roman Londinium ? 13. Explain the letters L.S.B. found on some of the older elementaryschool buildings in London. 14. Where is the Guildhall, and what valuable educational facilities does it offer free to all-comers ? |