FATHER OF LONDON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17428, 12 April 1922, Page 7

FATHER OF LONDON COUNTY COUNCIL.

SIB JOHN BENN DEAD. (Bv Cable-Prea* Ateociatioa-rCopytifbt.) (Australian and N.Z. Cobl* Association.) LONDON, April 10. The death is announced of Sir John Williams Bonn, "father" of tho London County Council, in his 72nd year. Sir Johs Williams Bonn, Bt., was born at Hyde, Cheshire, in 1850. Ho sat in tho Houso of 'Commons ae Lib-, oral member for St* Geotgo's from 1892 to 1896, and for Dovonport front 1904 to 1910. He unsuccessfully contested Dcptford in 1897, Bennondsoy in 1900, and Clapham in IDIO. Sir John Bonn, who was knighted m IDOG, and created a Baronet In 1914, was known as tho "father" of the London County Council, having been _ a member of that groat body since ita creation in 1888, and chairman in'l9o4* 05. When ho was entertained, test year by his colleague* in recognition.of his long services in local government, Sir John Benn dealt interestingly vita tho early work of the Council and the courageous scheme and policy that hav« mado London to-day very different irom the London of 33 years ago. "When Mr Ritchie by a stroke, of fh* peri brought the London County Council into existence by tho Local Government Bill of 1888, the confusion of London government," Sir John said, "almost beggared description. Sttttto duties had certainly been centralised and placed under the chargo of & body called the Metropolitan Board of Works. That body dealt with. Such matters as drainage, protection frote fire, and so on. But, for, th* -fmi Bumbledon reigned in Lohdon k *Ucj' m was left .to the Council to bring j«|l}M: sort of order into the general* MB?" fusion.", ; \ «'' Apart from tlie acquisition 'W?"'A»' tramways, which were coatroJUisA thirteen companies, and were hoiftitk trams, and which were awjuifedy electrified, and developed, the early -CoUttwl did much ;to improve in othet - wajra, the means of communication In London, notably fiy the rebuilding, 6Jf Bat-' tersea and other jbridgea, ana by the construction of Blackwall and hithe tunnels. Amongst other itnpojv tant works performed by, tha CouacSL in its early days, Sir J'iOtin/ttteatftti»d, under the heading of' piiDWC Ijeajthi tie' development of the j asytunut ■' tattifc, ■• various housing themes,-jam .the in* quisition of land for And' tls* ffipmMu ment of parks and open ap)lofa; t . ■.'- The early Council would remembered, Sir John wonderful improvement which in sight of completion-in the Strand. "Those," h* said, ( *l»i remember the character of the, distrs6fr,| in the neighbourhood of Holywell tfumifr, Clare Market, Wych street. precinct* of Drury lane, trill fippriHre, ate the marvellous transformation Vfa£w,i has already taken place. The tt&dttt&i was courageous, and the 1 result;,^ 1 magnificent. A hundred feet Kttttv«j oughfare, Kingsway, and Aldwych <4tt£jg its serai-circular bate, has addedfttrttyfe' ly to the architectural beaoty «wpj* don. But what about the finance oxthe scheme, some may layP a Tins figures are already most pronrising:*;' The ratable value of the dunk *l?4 ; dealt with, twenty-eight acres, , wfti ' £92,000 a year. Already that has Imhsi turned into a revenue of £177,000, aittk when tho buildings in Aldwych and Kingsway are completed, •as 4hey 'trill be at no remote date, the rateable value will reach certainly not less ':'$$»)&• £366,000 a year, so that generation the ratepayers will be possessed of a magnificent property free of cost. As a collateral result of thescheme the appreciation of property *iu{;" tho district has been ~onorinous,<"-: - : ; .£.;t &