OUR LOCAL AUTHORITIES. 163 
given them to prepare the Assessment lists of all the properties in 
the Borough. By the Act establishing Borough Councils in 1899, . 
a certain amount of system was introduced into our local 
government. The old Vestry was abolished, as were also those 
bodies elected by them, viz., the District Board of Works, the 
Parochial Guardians, the Commissioners for Baths and Wash-houses, 
the Public Libraries’ Commissioners, and the Burial Boards. The 
duties of all these bodies, together with other work, were thrown 
upon the Borough Council. 
An appeal, however, can be made from the Rating and 
Assessment Committee of the Borough Council to the Union 
Assessment Committee Meeting at the Guardians’ Offices, and con- 
sisting ot representatives of the Guardians and Councillors. 
The total rateable value of the Borough, after certain al- 
lowances are made, is the sum upon which the London County 
Council, the Police Commissioners, and the Asylums Board base 
their precepts, consequently the London County Council are in- 
terested in seeing that no Assessments Committee unduly lowers- 
the rateable value of the property in its area. The rateable value 
of Lewisham has increased from £752,462 in 1899, the year before 
the Borough Council came into existence, to 41,072,532 in 1907, 
this increase being largely due to the rapid house-building that has 
gone on, and the growth in value of business property. 
The area ruled over by the Borough Council is not co- 
terminous, unfortunately, with the Lewisham Union or the 
Parliamentary Borough of Lewisham, so that confusion some- 
times arises on that account. It is third in size of the London 
Boroughs, only Wandsworth and Woolwich being larger. It 
contains 6,991 acres, and extends from Blackheath to Upper 
Sydenham, touching the Boroughs of Woolwich, Greenwich, 
Deptford and Camberwell within the County of London, and the 
Borough of Bromley in Kent. 
It has forty-two Councillors, elected by the voters, in ten 
wards: three wards in Lee, Blackheath, Brockley, Lewisham 
Village, Lewisham Park, Catford, Forest Hill, and Sydenham. 
The election takes place triennially, and one of the first duties after 
election is to appoint Aldermen, either from amongst themselves 
or from outside. There are seven Aldermen altogether, and their 
term of office is for six years, three retiring at the end of one 
triennial period, and four three years later. The Mayor, like the 
Aldermen, may be a Councillor, or may be chosen from outside, 
and is elected for one year only, but may be re-elected. At the 
Annual Meeting on November oth the election of the Mayor must 
take place. 
By the Act of 1899 Lee was combined with Lewisham to form 
the Borough, and in 1904 the civil parishes of Lee and Lewisham 
were also united. The same rate is made and levied throughout 
the whole Borough. 
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