unds which might be necessary for these purposes. They took notice
that there were several houses within the city and liberties, partly
erected over the ground of other proprietors; and others, of which the
several floors or apartments belonged to different persons, so that
difficulties and disputes frequently arose amongst the said several
owners and proprietors, about pulling down or rebuilding the party walls
and premises; that such rebuilding was often prevented or delayed, to
the great injury and inconvenience of those owners who were desirous to
rebuild; that it would therefore be of public benefit, and frequently
prevent the spreading of the fatal effects of fire, if some provision
were made by law, as well for determining such disputes in a summary
way, as for explaining and amending the laws then in being relating to
the building of party-walls. They therefore prayed that leave might
be given to bring in a bill for enabling the petitioners to widen
and enlarge the several streets, lanes, and passages, and to open new
streets and ways to be therein limited and prescribed, as well as for
determining, in a summary way, all disputes arising about the rebuilding
of houses or tenements within the said city and liberties, wherein
several persons have an intermixed property; and for explaining and
amending the laws in being, relating to these particulars. A committee
being appointed to examine the matter of this petition, agreed to a
report, upon which leave was given to prepare a bill, and this was
brought in accordingly. Next day a great number of citizens represented,
in another petition, that the pavement of the city and liberties was
often damaged, by being broken up for the purposes of amending or
new-laying water-pipes belonging to the proprietors of water-works,
and praying that provision might be made in the bill then depending, to
compel those proprietors to make good any damage that should be done to
the pavement by the leaking or bursting of the water-pipes, or opening
the pavement for alterations. In consequence of this representation,
some amendments were made in the bill, which passed through both houses,
and was enacted into a law, under the title of "An act for widening
certain streets, lanes, and passages, within the city of London and
liberties thereof, and for opening certain new streets and ways within
the same, and for other purposes therein mentioned." [536] _[See note 4
H, at the end of this Vol.]