The Metropolitan Board of Works (Loans) Act 1869 (32 & 33 Vict. c. 102) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that consolidated and amended enactments relating to the ability of the Metropolitan Board of Works to borrow money. The act created one consolidated stock charged on all securities raised by the Metropolitan Board of Works and established one fund for doing so.
Background
The Metropolitan Board of Works was authorised by various acts to borrow money, and had incurred debts of £5,000,000 (equivalent to £583,393,372 in 2023) under those acts by 1869.[1]
It was necessary for the Metropolitan Board of Works to borrow a further £10,000,000 (equivalent to £1,166,786,744 in 2023).
Passage
On 23 June 1869, the Committee on Board of Metropolitan Board of Works (Loans) in the House of Commons was appointed. The Committee met and reported on 24 June 1869, resolving to that:
That it is expedient to enable the Metropolitan Board of Works to raise a portion of the Loans authorised by the General Improvement Acts, the Main Drainage Acts, the Fire Brigade Act, and the Thames Embankment Acts, by the creation of Consolidated Stock, and to authorise the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt to make Advances on the security of such Stock.
That a Stamp Duty be charged on every Certificate of such Stock equal to three times the amount of the Stamp Duty which would be chargeable on a transfer of the Stock specified in the Certificate.
That a Stamp Duty of Two Shillings and Sixpence be charged on the transfer of every full sum of One hundred Pounds of such Stock, and for any fractional part over and above that amount.
That it is expedient to enable the said Board to raise further Sums for completing the Works authorised by the said Acts, subject to the provisions contained in those Acts respectively.
Section 50 of the act repealed 21 enactments, listed in the third schedule to the act.[1] Section 50 preserved existing securities, rates and charges and protected all pre-existing rights, actions and proceedings from being affected by the repeal.
"An Act for the better Local Management of the Metropolis."
So much of section one hundred and thirty-five of the Metropolis Management Act, 1855, as provides that the sewers and works therein mentioned shall be completed on or before the 31st of December 1860; so much of section one hundred and eighty-three as relates to the mode of borrowing by the Metropolitan Board of Works, and sections one hundred and eighty-four to one hundred and ninety-one, both inclusive, so far as respects the Metropolitan Board of Works.
"An Act to alter and amend the Metropolis Local Management Act (1855), and to extend the powers of the Metropolitan Board of Works for the Purification of the Thames and the Main Drainage of the Metropolis."
Sections four to seven, and ten to twenty-two, all inclusive, and section twenty-six.
"An Act for embanking the North Side of the River Thames from Westminster Bridge to Blackfriars Bridge, and for making new Streets in and near thereto."
Section thirty-seven, and sections forty-two to forty-six, both inclusive.
"An Act for making a new street from Blackfriars to the Mansion House in the City of London in connexion with the Embankment of the River Thames on the northern side of that river, and for other purposes."
So much of section twenty as incorporates section thirty-seven of The Thames Embankment Act, 1862; and sections twenty-two and twenty-three.
"An Act for the embankment of part of the river Thames on the south side thereof, in the parish of Saint Mary, Lambeth, and for other purposes."
So much of section twenty-one as incorporates section thirty-seven of The Thames Embankment Act, 1862; sections twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight, and twenty-nine.
"An Act for empowering the Commissioners of the Treasury to guarantee, and the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt to advance, the sums mentioned to be borrowed for the Embankment of the Thames and Improvement of the Metropolis, and for other purposes connected therewith."
"An Act for extending the provisions of The Thames Embankment and Metropolis Improvement (Loans) Act, 1864, and for amending the powers of the Metropolitan Board of Works in relation to loans under that Act."
So much of section twenty-eight as incorporates section thirty-seven of The Thames Embankment Act, 1862; so much of section twenty-nine as relates to the mode of borrowing, and sections thirty to thirty-two, both inclusive.
^ abcdefgCommons, Great Britain House of (1869). The Journals of the House of Commons(PDF). Vol. 124. pp. 270, 277, 281, 282, 294, 301, 313, 333, 336, 344, 348, 356, 362, 367, 373, 382, 383, 384, 388, 391, 392, 393, 395, 398, 415, 417. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
^ abcdeLords, Great Britain Parliament House of (1869). Journals of the House of Lords. Vol. 101. H.M. Stationery Office. pp. 571, 572, 575, 587, 605, 606, 608.
^Ilbert, Courtenay (1901). Legislative methods and forms. University of California Libraries. Oxford : Clarendon Press; London and New York, H. Frowde. pp. 72–73.