The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-08-11 00:00:00

wiiaft ~ r _ - Emperfat Varliament. HOUSE OF LORDS.—Tfivasosir Their lordships met, at eleven o'clock. The Earl of Shaftesbury sat as speaker. MUNICIPAi.CORPORATIONS BILL. The first evidence 'aeard this day was respecting DOVER. Mr. Ledger,.town-clerli of Dover, examined by Mr. Knight. Witness stated that he -cis accidentally in London and unex pectedly called upoin to give evidence at their lordships' bar. Had been ten years town-clerk of Dover; virtually au appoint ment for life ; the mayor is chosen by the freemen of the borough, by open poll, four persons being preciously named by - the mayor and jurists. The report of the commissioners is in accurate in its account of the mode of electing the mayor, as the jurats never vote for the mayor. There are altogether about 2,03) freeoten, resident and non-resident. and 1.103 persons capable of voting at elect'ons. Freedom is acquired by birth, by the marriage of freemen's daughters horn within the tovtn, by apprenticeship to a freetnan served within the town, and by the possession of a freehold of £7 per year within the town. with residence. The freemen by birth preponderate greatly in numbers over the rest. The administration of justice is well attended to at Dover. That part of the police which is under the direction of the magistrates is well conducted; part of it is under their direction, but is governed by a local act of parlia ment. I here were but three criminal cases at the last sessions, and the poPulati,mof Dover and its limits (in which are in eluded Margate and llroadstairs) amounts to 35,00,). The po lice established by the local act is under the direction of com missioners appointed by the act. There is a property qualifi cation required for the commissioners. There are 118 com missioners for different purposes; of these 103 are elected by the ratepayers in general; .35 of these go out of (nee annual.y. Each annual election is a scene of party strife, and the effect of this system of annual elections has been to set neighbour against neighbour, and friend against friend. Great discom fort has been the consequence, ands general regret among this body of respectable inhabitants. If such a system were adopt ed in corporate affairs it would be a curse to the town. It has been practically proved by the operation of the paving act. Some years ago there was an inquiry before the House of Cam mons. When the municipal corporation commissioners visited the town, a resolution was passed decla-ing that the corpora tion were perfectly ready to follow up the investigation into its affairs begun by the committee of the House of Commons, but that the members of the corporation were of Opinion that the commission was illegal, and they refused to produce their hooks and papers; this resolution was ordered to be communicated to the commissioners. There are persons of different political opinions among the members of the corporztion. It is untrue, as stated. in the report, that the admission into the governing body was exclusively cogoed to the members of one particular party. It is not true of apajority of the substantial and peace able inhabitants, that there is a want of confidence among them towards the goveruing body. If the report means, /13 it seems to mean in one part of the statement, that the corporation ex ercises the influence of the Lord Warden, the Duke of Wel lington, .it states that which is distinctly false. The Lord Warden exercises no influence whatever, direct or indirect, over the corporation or in its elections. -The witness here stated the different o ffi ces in the gift of the corporation, of the, warden of the Cinque Ports, and of the harbour commissionei s. Some of the patronage named in the report is in the gift of the Lord Wardeu, and the commissioners. But the present Lord Warden has never, as imputed, exercised his patronage iu favour of an' member of the corporation. It is not true that a belief exists among the respectable inhabitants that the justices have granted or refused licences from improper motives ; nor is it true that they have so refused or granted licenses. The ma jority of the respectable inhabitants is satisfied with the corpo ration as it now exists. By the Duke of WV LiNGTON.—I know the commissioners of the harbour. (At the desire of the nobl e duk e h e enumerated them, at the head of whom was his grace.) There are persons of all political opinions among the pilots. They are not all of the prevailing opinion of the corporation. By the Earl of RADNort.—lf the mania were excepted which prevailed in common with other towns in the kingdom just be fore and after the passing of the reform act, Dover has not generally been more than usually excited by political elections. By Mr. KNIGHT.—The majority of houses are under Eli/ Eight-tenths of the rates are paid by inhabitants occupying houses of above £lO a-year, so that the majority was composed of the parties who paid only two-tenths. MARLIWROUGH. Mr. Thomas' Merryman, town-clerk, examined by Mr. Knight.—Wituess first heard that he was to be examined on the previous day. The governing body consists of thirteen persons —the mayor and council. The mayor and two of the council are justices; the justices are appointed by the mayor for one year; the council elect each other when vacancies occur in that body; they sire selected from the most substantial part of the burgesses with the strictest impartiality; the police is under the control of the mayor an 4 magistrates, and is equal to the necessities of the town; borough sessions are held in the town; justice is administered in a manner decidedly satisfactory to the respectable inhabitants. The population of Marlborough is 3690. There are not more than six or eight persons of property and respectability who are opposed to thecorporatioit , decidedly not ten. I ant not aware of any instance of - improper conduct on the part of the magistrates being established. The report in thie respect is incorrect. There does not exist among the inhabitant% any general feeling of dislike towards the corpera lion. 'I L I do not mean to say that there is no such feeling, but it is.cotibinfid to few inhabitants. Among the eight or ten persons opposed - to the corporate body are the following :—Mr. Wood man,' a solicitor, he is a radical; Mr. Reeve, a brewer, he is another; Mr. Bryant, who is a violent radical ; and a Mr. Brayley. The witness mentioned some other names, but he was not acquainted with those gentlemen, and only knew their political opinions from general report. I was in the room when the commissioners were there—all the time. Mr. Woodman merle statements to the commissioners, who took them down. No person from whom the commissioners derived informatiou was sworn. My father, who was mayor, remarked that he had not ),ern sworn, and Mr. Bingham, the commissioner, said that lie bad not sworn the witnesses anywhere; such was the im pression which his laugusge left upon me. The report of the cominissiouers contains much matter not stated or entered into in public. I cannot say of my own knowledge how the com smssioners obtained their information, as I was present all the time they were publicly examiuing into the matters connected with the borough. Mr. Woodman, in common with most of the professional men of the county of Wilts, had some knowledge of Mr. Biughatn, who attends"the sessions. I did nut see them standing or walking together. I do not know where the com missioners got the statement that before the p .ssing of the reform act the election had been iu the hands of the patron of the bor nigh fur the time being; how they got other information detailed in the report I ant unacquainted. lam not aware of any documents ia the possession of the corporation, showing that in the reign of James I. the inhabitants were all burgesses. I believe that nu such documents exist. The statement in the leport, as to controversies between the common council and the burgesses, as to the right of election, is contrary to the evidence given before the commissioners. The polls now in existence show the reverse. The statement had been before made before the committee of the House of Commons, and I referred Mr. Jardine, one of the commissioner; to the report to show the reverse. The legitimate objects of a Municipal iutluence have been properly pursued by the corporation ; and the statement in the report denying this is not true. There is a paragraph in the report referring to one of the corporations as the steward of the Marquis of Ailesbury ; that paragraph must refer to my father. He is not Lord Ai;esbury's stemsteimard . My father did not state that a person opposed to Lord Ailesbury would not be elected a burgess, and Lord Ailesbury's steward was not there. The voter's brought into the registry in respect of property brought into the new borough do nut exceed 20; the rest are those who are voters in respect of some property in the old limits *of the borough. Some of them are, and some of them are not, Lord Adesbury's tenants. It is decidedly untrue that the sub serviency of therorporatien of Marlborough to political purposes lots exeicised an injurious influsnce on the town. The report states that the commissioners could not find any instances within two centuries in which the corporation as a munic.pat institution had been of value to the town. Some years ago the corporation, out of its own funds, built a school-house, repaired the sessions-house, and altered the shambles, by which the cor peration lost about 5,50 a-year. These things, or at least the matters relating to the school and the shambles, were stated to the coiumissionere. I have never known or heard of any ge neral corruption among the members of the corporation in the application of the corporation funds. The corporation is trustee fur the public school founded by King Edward. The Marquis of Aitesbury appoints the master of the school_; he is lord of the manor within which the borough is situate. He is a considera ble proprietor within the limits of the borough. The present marquis takes a very great interest in the town, and Lunch to the advantage of the town. He permits the poor to collect wood - and fuel in his wood; that is of great advantage to the poor of Marlborough. There is not a single institution of the town which would not be injured by the withdrawal ut his good will and good feeling towards the town. if tie were to sell his estates in the town, the circnuastanse would be regarded with almost universal regret. NORW ICH. &Ir. Booth.--I have been alderman of Norwich for fifteen years. The, governing body of the corporation consists of a ' maynr, alderman, and common council. The rccorder is not a member of the governing body. The witness then pioeeeded to describe the 'organization and administration of the corpora tion. There are 2,600 freemen. The population of Norwich is about 61,000. Since I have been a magistrate I have had no reason to belie4e thit . the affairs of the town could be managed with greater irepartiality. The aldermen are elected for de, the council only hold their office annually. Those who have - nerved the office of mayor are magistrates for life. The mayor and one or two magistrates sit every day in the Town-hail. 'No informations have ever been brought against any mugist rate on account of malversations in his office as far as I recollect, and I have lived in Ole town all my life. Their conduct has always given general sp.tisfaction. Except dining the warns period of a political election, Norwich is e very quiet place, and the po lice perfectly adequate to the maintenance of the peace ef the town. I do not concur in the correctness of the. opinion eh pressed in the report of the commissioners that Sir J. Scarlett's scoters burnt their own booths. The proceedings in the Conti of Conscience and the Guildhall Court have always given per fect satisfaction. There is no desire among the people of l•lor wich that the appointment of the steward of the Guildhall Court should be taken nut of the hands of those who now exercise it. The property intrusted to the keeping of the corporation is well managed. 'I tie incense is about £2.200. It has a few hundreds of surplus after paying all expenses. The mayor is allowed CU) per annum; but, owing to contingent expenses of the post, the mayor generally is not of pocket £6OO during the time he .is in office. The sheriff is also on the average £250 out of . pocket in the year. A statement of the , receipts and expenditure or the corporation is annually printed. ( Here a printed state. ment,was exhibited.) One hundred Copies are printed, and one copy, furnished to each member of the council, and copses may ' be prochred by any person curious to obtain the information. contained in the statement. This statement contains an ac count of all the charitable funds, as well as others belonging to the eorporation. Wetherili said that he wished to put this statement in as evidence of the manner in which the corporation adminis tered their funds. The witness continued.—Before the printing of these accounts they are inestigeted by a committee of auditors appointed ge nerally hy the different bodies in the corporation. I never knew a shilling spent by the 'corporation out of their funds during a contested election. The inhabitants are perfectly satisfietl with the administration of their affairs by the corp orat i on . Id o n o t think the _present mode of auditing the accounts could be ins . proved. lam net aware of any abuse by the corporation of the powers granted it-by charter. I 'think' that, an iint:rovement might be suggestedoriz.. having the mined elected for three years inetenoi! of.. one ; -The council .are elected nearly in the same manner: as the .common conned of . .totidon. No change of 'circumstances has niteied the - usefultrees and efficienci of our earporatinn tie en'instru)neni of local e'uernment. I can nig. s test nu improvement in einy of itOleP,irtments, witbihe former exception. I never recnllect any "default on the part of th e treasurer, who receives no salary. Offeitiqiave been inside to the bankers of Norwich to keep the accounts of' the colniation . on the Lurie terms on which they are kept, and refused. The report states that there is a balance in the hands of the trea sorer, the interest of which is applied to his own use; but it does not state that nut of this balanee the treasurer has to main tala a clef:. The statenient ie a very unfair one. Sir C. Wetherell.—la it not a atone unfairly cast at the head of every alderman of Norwich? Witness.—Yes. Lord PLUNKKTT (to the witness.)—Do you mean to swear to the justice of the metaphor ? Lord 13watt:strata thought the question was intended to be a leading question, and therefore oughtnot to have been put. Sir C. Wetherell, professed his desire to perform his duty with justice to all, and without offence to any. Lord BROI:GHA'M.--71. air sure you do. Sir Charles. The witness continued.-1 du not recollect the commissiciner remarking in strong terms on the way iu which the accounts are kept. 1 never knew an instance in which the cur ()orate or charity funds have been misapplied. There is no such company as the Weavers' Company. No company whatever has existed for fifty years in Norwich , so that the statement of an appoint went by the aldermen of a person in the Weavers' Company for political purposes cannot be true. The statement is unfair. The property of the widows' trust has not been considered re coverable for a century at least. The difficulty of its recovery was acknowledged by the charity commissioners. The repot t of the municipal 'commissioners with regard to this bust is an unfair representation. There is, its fact, no money to give at the present moment. The committee of management of the charity estates have no salaries allowed them. They perform their duties without any remuneration, like the other manageis of the funds. We have an hospital at Norwich culled the Great Hospital. which contains upon an average 173 old men and wo men. There are at present iu it 81 women, of whom 27 are the wives and widows of freemen. Out of 51 freemen at present in the hospital, 31 are Tories and 20 Whigs. Of the 27 women, 15 are the wives of Tories, and 12 of Whigs. There are six scholarships belonging to the corporation at Corpus Christi, the foundatiou of Archbishop Parker, in right of the corporation. There is a graminar-school at Norwich, in the patronage of the aldermen exclusively, confiirinably to the instrument of founds lion. The salary tif the master is £B'.) per annum. The corpo ration expressed - their readiness to submit their accounts to the inspection and examination' of the commissioners. They di rected the town-clerk to supply them with this information; but two protests were drawn up against the proceedings of the com mission on the part of the corporation. The council proposed to be elected by the bill, in my opinion, will be less efficient than the existing council. It would be more controversial and less satisfactory. By the Earl of RADNOR.—I was not aware that the explana tion-I have given with regard to the balance in the treasurer's hands is stated in the report. Mr. Ilarvey.—l ant au alderman of Norwich: have been one for half a century. I can confirm the correctness of the state ment given by Mr. Booth with respect to the mode in which the corporate trusts are performed. Never knew any maiversation on the part of the mayor, whether of one political party or of the other. Tl•eir political differences of opinion have never biassed their administration of justice. During the time I administered the charities no alteration whatever was made in the mode of administering theta..• Mr. Preston' (the recorder of Norwich).—l have been re corder fur foUr or five Years; I atteridedahe sessions at Norwich tor 25 years. The judges have decided that I have a capital jurisdiction, but I have never exert ised it. The commission of crime in Norwich has very much diminished within the last nine years. 8J or 90 prisoners upon an average are tried in one year. I stn satisfied that the administration of justice has given universal satisfaction. No person in my station dare swerve from the strict administration of justice. 'The juries in Norwich are composed of persons of ail political parties, and are most impartial in their dccisious. 1 recollect no instance during my time, or that of my immediate predecessor ( Mr. Alderson), who was of different politics from myself, in which a verdict has been biassed by political considerations. I waited on the commissioners out of respect to gentlemen holding the King's commission, and attended their sittings for six or seven &vs. I recollect an investigation as to tl.e conduct of Mr. Alderman Itackham. I went to the commissioners and told them that he was in London, and that it was desirable nut to go into the investigation. Upon this a dispute arose, and I never_ attended the commissioners' room again, because the commis sioners declined to accede to my suggestion. I recollect the case of Alderman Turner. He was indicted for bribery iii a local election. I did not try the case. Four persons were in dicted. I adjourned the grand jury for a fortnight, and in the after indictioeut Mr. Turner was included. I thought that the rich and the pour ought not to be dissevered. But the case was ultimately tried lieforeanothertribuual, because I had discharged , the previous grand jury, and I doubted whether I had jurisdic tion to empanel a new one. What the report contains in regard to this matter is untrue. I have £26 lUs. a-year in lieu of a field which is attached to my office. Mr. Joseph Causeby proved the number of hnuses in Norwich to be 14,201. and of these only 3,692 at and above £lO value. It being now I o'clock, the period • aepoitited for the adjourn ment of the evidence, counsel were oreered to withdraw, and appear again at the bar at 6 o'clock, for the further prosecution of the evidence. The house adjourned during pleasure. The Marquis of Clauricuide postponed the second reading.o, the Litman catholic marriage bill; anti the Marquis of London derry his motion for an address to his Majesty, praying his Majesty to rescind the order in council respecting the suspen site' of the foreign enlistment act. Shortly after six o'clock the corporation inquiry was resumed, and counsel again called in. Mr. Newton, an alderman of Norwich, was called to state some additional particulars respecting that city. Heard the evidence given here, and concurred with it generally. Was present at the sittings of the commissioners in November last; attended five or six days. Drew up a remonstrance to the cont. etissionet s as to the course they were pursuing. This was served on Mr. Long, one of the commissioners, some time early in December. The remonstrance was signed by five magistrates, two aldermen, and 30 common-councilmens Witness had before this remonstrated orally st veral times, as to the course the com missioners were taking His reason was, that they were receiv ing evidence which no court of justice would receive, and that there was an evident bias against the corporation. 'l'hey also took evidence of what happened in the Menu e of those who had been dead many years, and who had no one present to defend their memory. Th e _protest or remonstrance was signed by wit ness and others. Witness signed it conscientiously, and not from party motives. A passage in the report, page 2494, re lating to Mr. Turner, who was described as Mr. Alderman Tur ner, though he was not so at the time of the transaction to which the passage alluded, was read to witness, and he said that it contitined a must unfair statement as to Mr. T.•rner. It de scribed him as having compromised an indictment brought against him fir giving a bribe by payment of £5O, though the commissioners were informed that the said Mr. Turner was not the person who had committed the alleged offence, and ghat he had paid the £5O only as the costs to which tie would have been put in bringing the action to trial Witness added that he con sidered this representation as to Mr. Turner was most incorrect and that the commissioners were informed of the exact particu lars before they published the report. The protest was then put in and read. Joseph Crosby was next examined.—The nuntber of houses in Norwich is 14,201, or which 540 are rated, and the number rated at £lO and upwards is 3692. If rated under the proposed bill, the number under ER) would be four to one, or thereabout. ROCHKSTER. . Mr. Lewis, town-clerk of It uchester.—Has held the office of town-clerk for two years and a half. Has resided in Rochester 50 years.. The number of freemen is about 4(X). The aldermen and the ussistants were ehesen for life, and taken from the intim respectable class of freemen. Justice was administered by four aldermen, and administered to the general satisfaction of the in habitants. Formerly non-freemen were obliged to pay at title time 305., at another £3. annually, hot carrying on wail busi ness in the city; but this fine had not been levied for the last three years, nor bail there been more than one sale of fieedorn of the city, which only took place to people in business, during the same period. The charge for freedom varied. It bad been £3O at one time, enema, ds 1:20, more recently £lO. The last charge was £lO. The corporation revenues wire managed under the direction or the common council. No part of corporation jiropert hut eser been applied for the benefit of individuals. l'he freemen had no such preperty. There were several valu able charities; one derived £lOtX) a year from freehold estates. There was a school for the children of freemen exclusively, called Sir T. Williamson's school, possessing an income et OW per annum. If freemen were abolished, heetpprehended that the grant would revert to the donor. He attended the pub lic sittings of the commissioners, - Mr. Ellis and Mr. Maude, in the Guildhall for the seven days. Everybody who chose came forward and made his statement..TherXguituation was on oath, which was administered by the commissioners. lie had pro tested openly against the evidence they were receiving, as not being according to any rut g of law; they attended to hearsay, conjecture, belief, and supflesition, as contradietinguished from facts known. In answer to his objection, Mr. Ellis said he need have no apprehension, for that be would not put in his notes any evidence that was improper. lie had read the report, but the evidence was not there stated; it only contained the state ment of the conclusions at which the commissioners had arrived. He was not prepared, accordingly, to state that any part of the report was actually founded on evidence such as he had de scribed. The learned counsel read a passage from page b5l, in which it was stated that great rancour and exasperatiote pre vailed in the political parties on either side. The witness de nied the truth of the statement so far as the corporation were concerned. Great scurrility, rancour, and violence hart been directed against the corporation. The analysis of the chamber lain's accounts was delivered in by him on oath. It was drawn up ac cording to a scheme given him by the commissioners, to which he added some columns, thet eby making the account more precise and full. There was no conceal'nent—none enjoined by the committee appoieted to assist him, as suggested in the re port; there was none contemplated or intended. The nun her er houses under LIU in the tett isheetif St. Nicholas and St. Mar garet. the most considerable in R.'icheSter, was thtie; 'they pate use-fift h of the rates. The number of £lO houses and upwaids was 417; thee paid four-fifths of the rates. The evidence given by a Mr. Snidlev was omitted in the report; he was opposed to the majority . of the corporation, and favourable to the views of the cononissumers. He coneiuded his testimony by raying, "The corporation have used me ill, but I am bound to say they are honest." 'this was not stated in tie report. The corpora tion contained men of different iiolitics. In answer to Lord Radnor, he said that if the commissioners had held the scaler with an even hand, they would net have listened, to much ot' the evidence they bed heard. Their demeanour was courteous and gent lemannie, but they admitted that to be tendered to them as evidence which was notoriously unlike any any thing that could ha properly received as such. 'The freedom of the corporation was frequently, almost always purchased; the price varied from £lO to 1230; it has risen as high at £4O. I paid £4O for my freedom. The price is now down as low as £lO, there having been ne purchasers since the reform act. There are about ItX,O freemen resident and non-resident. We consider all to be mm resident who live without the original boundaries of the borough; according to that definition 600 of the freemen ate non-resident, but 200 of the 600 live within seven miles of the town. I have not known honorary freemen at any tin.e made in contempla tion of an election for member of parliament.' To Lord Asti BURTON.—A proposition for investing the cor poration with the power of making a rate would, I ant sure, be exteediegly nupopular. HENLEy-oN-THAMES. Mr. Cooper, town-clerk of Betties -on-Thames.—l have filled the o f f i ce which I now hold siuce - the year 1819: From my knowledge of thy borough, I ate enabled to say that the best class'of .residents are members of the corporation. ' I have never hettid, and I do not believe, there ever have been Made any complaints respecting 'the administration of justice: A con siderable portion of the property of the corporation is.for rha s ritable prirposes.• This amounts to £l,OOO a-yeas, andisepplied to various purposes of public charity, under the directien of the corporation, the greater part being for purposes connected ex clusively with the established church; a part of it may be, and has been, applied to the repair of the church. It has rarely occurred that we have ha.l a church rate. Sometimes a century has elapsed without ti church rate. We have occasionally bad discussions as to the ,expediency of s u s ma ll a community as a minsicipat institution at t i ll; and '6)1181(1m:10)1m ours hav i ng h, iv ; been explessed,aseo the. utility of it, lint I think 'that the majority of the inhabitants consider that cdtr'bornitgli, magistrates - Would beat di;charge the duty 'of udwiiiisterihg justice, and be more competent than the Inagikttritle• ft.ir . the counts , at large, to take ctignizanee of the petty offences most frequentieithin outjueistlietion. , VEH ING-ATTE-BoWER: • • Mr. Tyrrell stated that be was agent for Mr. Macintosh, who lately purchased this manor from the crown, with the privilege thereto annexed, at the price of £72,000; that by reason of a very ancient attO peculiar larisdivtien the lordship of that manor I'Jl LIVERPOOL STANDARD. carried with it the right of appoiutior, two magistrates of the signer has quoted many different things, "and seemed to raise a borough; the tenants and inhabitants appoint a third. Those doubt where no reason for doubt existed. magistrates are highly respectable. Very soon after the above- • Lord BaOu6nasi.—lf you wet e charged before a court of mentioned purchase a . considerable advance was offered on the justice and acquitted at once because the charge was nut proved, origittal piice, on account of this privilege of appointing the and it was thought not worth while to go into the cease, would magistrates, and the effect of the bill now before their lordships you not be satisfi.d, unless allowed to go into evidence in order would: very mat erially prejudice the lord of the manor, the to prove your innocence ? feoffees, and tenants on the estate,and totally deprive toe lord of Witness.—ham not sure that I should. (A laugh.) the power of appoluting the two magistrates ae above stated. i i.LANELLY. At present there is no power to levy town-rates; such a power • Mr. Raby.—l am a resident of LlannellY. The corporation would be highly prejudicial to the lord, and to the tenauts and is nut invested with any jud i ci a l power, or power of police. A inhabitants. The privileges of appointing the magistrates con- magistrate resides withiu four miles of the borough, and adrni siderably iucreases the value of the mauur. This would be en- nisters justice at the sessions. We do not want a towu-coun tirely destroyed by tho present bill. The borough includes a cii. Llanelly is a ho- ough by prescription. 'Lord Cawdor is l a rge tract of land. Should consider it a great hardship upon lord of the manor in which Lianelly is situate. The steward the landholders to be subjected to the proposed biil. selects the jury - out of the 44 burgesses. They become bur- Mr. Thomas Baxter was called to answer some questions put gesseS by prsseuttnent of the (cut court to the steward as tit and to him in regard to the proposed power of levying rates. properpersons to do suit and service. The head of the corpo- Evidence was then given on the case of ration is presented and sworn in the same manner. In IBJ7 ST. ALBANS. !there was air enclosure act to enclose the lands. The burgesses Mr. Blegg. the town-clerk, examined by Mr. Knight.—Has had no common property beyond the common right o'er Load been town-clerk eight )ears. The mayor and twelve aldermen Cawdor's land. The abstract of the act, us set forth in the re constiinte the governing body, selected from the leading and port, is accurate. The funds derived under this act of parlia principal inhabitants. A new court-house was built some veers went have been applied as directed bv,the act. There is nu ago, in respect of which a debt of £l,OOO was contracted and misapplication of the corporate funds. The effect of tne act is charged upon the borough -rate, for the payment of which, how- that the private rights of the burgesses have been mad, to con ever, not being a corporation debt, no pi ovisiun was made under tribute to the public good. A material benefit has been con the present bill. The corporate jut : mine amounted to £l7O per ferred by this means on the poorer burgesses. The report states :annum. The charity property vested in the corporation, which that the coinmissioner had not received a full statement of the produced at one time £4 per annum, is now only £7O; it, that accounts. That was the case when he left the town; but we salaries to the secretary 'and treasurer to the charity trustees, i were taken by surprise. The accounts of our town were sent two new officers to be appointed under the hill, would absorb the I to him, and he acknowledged the receipt or them. whole of the charity estates. He w a s the only witness ex- By Lord RaciNolt.—The number of the inhabitants of the emitted before th e co m mis s i oners . The examination was public. I borough is about 4,(100; of the whole parish about 8,000. We Previously to th e arr i va l o f t h e co m m issiouers he had prepared have obtained an act this session for lighting the town. The answers in writi ng they had circu aced. lie read them over to corporation pay the expense of th.s out of their funds in order the commissioners, who at the end of each answer inquired of to save the town. those present whether there was any observation to be made or a question to lie put; no question was asked, no observation was m a de, until' the end of the inquiry, when several of the in habitants. present stated that they were highly gratified at the result, and they had no complaints whatever to make. He had uo doubt that was the prevailing feeling. The commissiouers also stated publicly that the investigation bad altogether greatly redounded to the credit of the corporation. No such observa tion, however, was to he found in their report. The corpora tion comprised • men of all shades of politics, and there was no desire whatever among the respectable class of the people fur any-change in the borough management. His salary as town clerk was only £5 a-year ; he was also clerk ru the magistrates, chamberlain, and treasurer to the corporation. As treasurer he received 236 per cent. on the amount of rent: realized. The offices would be valueless if sepatated; and if annual eiection were introduced, no respectable int:li‘ /dual would be found to uodertake them. The compensation clause in the bill would not et all meet the case of St. Alban's in many respects. ,At the conclii‘imi of 'this case counsel were ordered to witir draw, i.nd the house having resutued,'theiuquity was or dered to be proceeded with at eleven to-morrow: Adjourned at half-past eleven. HOUSE OF COMMONS—Tutunsrmy. At the early sitting several bias were advanced a > tage. At the second sitting Mr. P A TTEN, the iihairinan of the orange lodges committee, announced that he had received a letter front the Duke of Cumberland, whichrtthe committee had added to their rep irt, and would be printed, so as to be in the hands of hon. members early on Mouday. Loid J. RussELl. gave notice, that he would to-night bringon his motion that it be an instinction (tithe committee no the con &act of Geneial Darling, that the committee do not extend their inquiries to the court-martial on Captain Robison. The Soucyrolt-GIiNERAL gave notice, that he would to-day move for leave to bring iii a bill to continue the inquiries into the state of public charities which have nut been completed by the commissioners. Mr. C. BA KU LA Y inquired if it was the intention of the Chin• cellor of the Exchequer to introduce any measure this session for the relief of the small licensed victuallers? Mr. S. It IcE was understodal to ausaer, " Certainly.," There IVFI7I another discussion respecting witnesses who re fused to answer questions put to them by the Yarmouth cont mince, which ended in three of them being admonished to en swer the questions, and a third, Mr. Prentice, being committed to Newgate. The ground of their refusal was, that they ought not to be called upon to criminate themselves. The remainder of the sitting was occupied with the discussion of a motion of Mr. Piumptte, that the evidence at the trial by court-martial of Captain Acheson be laid on the table. The motion was negatived by a majority of 54 to 27. HOUSE OF LORDS.—FRIDAY. The Earl of SHAFTESBURY sat as Speaker.: Ills lordship took his seat on the woolsack at eleven o'clock. MUNICIPAL uOCPORATIONS BILL-BATH. • Philp George...--I ant the town-clerk of Bath. Have heen so twar,y eighteen )ears, and have resided there all the time. The population of Bath under the new or parliamentary boun daries is 50,000, under the old 25.000. The corporation 0113 tt h consists of a mayor, ten aldermen, and twenty common council men. The charter is expressed in latin. There are twelve justices of the peace in Bath; they are chosen from the alder men and common councilmen. There is a Guilnhall magis trates sit there daily; the mayor and three or four aldermen generally preside. Our police, within the jurisdiction of the mayor, amount to 120 police-ntlieers. There are besides con stab es. elected by the common council. This force has always been adequate fur the preservation of the peace of the town. I recollect an attempt at riot in the town after the Bristol riots. I An attack was made on the White Hart, and a great deal of property was destroyed. Immediate arrangements were made to suppress the riot ; they succeeded. No military aid was re quired.' I cannot believe that any alteration is necessary in the police force. The inhabitants are satisfied with the existing polite and judicial arangeinents; I never heard any complaint on that score. 'There is a quarter sessions at . Bath: Felons are capitally indicted at county sessions. We have no felonious jurisdiction in the totvn. We have local acts for lighting and paving the town. The qualification for a commissioner for these objects is the possession of EIUO a-year in freehold pro perty, or pet soual property to the woman of £3.0110. The qua lification under the pnlice board is a EtiO freehold, nr property to the amount of g , This is under an act of parliament. The income of the Bath corporation is £ll,OOO a-year. Sir C. Wetherell.—Have the corporation any liquid pro perty? Do the baths belting to them? (A laugh.) Witness —They do. I think the property vested in the baths is noire efficiently managed than it could be under any other imaginable system. 1 kilos'. ref no abuse in the adminietratien of justice or police, and 1 think the corporation is a most useful instrument of local government in Bath. The property of the corporation is applied to useful politic objects, such as repairs and improvements. The corporation gave £l,OOO towards the repairs of St. Anne's church, ±:500 towards that of St. NI ichaers. and £2(X) fur another. They spent £6,0e0 under the Bath im provement act. This was entirely their own property. They sai rificed X. 60 or £lO a-year iu rental on this occaeion. 1 coo scientiouely believe that the corporation invariably consult the accommodatino and enjoyment of the citizens. The improve ments effected by the corporation have suet the approbation of the medical men of the city and visitors. \VV hen the corpota lion coniuneeioneis arrived in Bath, we communicated all our papers and documents to them, and they expressed satisfaction the rout. Our accounts are audited by a committee of three ap ponited by the corporati o n. 'I lies- are subsequently submitted to a comuteu hell, pulnicly convened, and to which every mem ber is summoned. After being audited they are signed by the menthe's of the courted present at the hall, The Bath com mons belong to the freemen. Their value is about 1:5(.10 or £OOO a-year. The proceeds are annually divided us a fieehol.l among the freemen. The value fluctuates front to £6 per sere. The freemen acquire their freedom by election or ap prenticeship. Those elected by the corporation have to pay a fine of from £lOO to £2OO. About 91) out of the 121) freemen come in by epprenticeship. These pay no fine. The appren ticeship is for e. term of seven years, and the apprentices must set ve all that time in the city. The charity funds are managed on the same terms as our own, They 'are equally adventa geriusly conducted. The works that have been carried into effect by the corporation wound require, if paid by the town, a rote of 10s. in the pound to be levied on the inhaiiitante. No rate is new levied except under local acts for watching, light int, &v. No step.is taken t o li m i t th e num b er o f f re emen. Lotd VEKULA M.-1 cannot tell whether there is any pre mium on apprenticeship bonds. By Lord 13'0,unit/sm.—There are only twenty non-resident freemen. The election for members of parliament used, before the reform act, to be only in the select body of thirty. 1 rcco lect that considerable discontent was expressed on this account. E petition was presented to parliament from the freemen a, large praying for the same privilege. By . C. Wetherell.—At the time of the riot in the town the inhabitauts cordially co-operated with the magistrates in sup pressing it. They manifested the utmost readiness th do so. On being appointed town-clerk 1 gave up me a distinct under standing a gleat part of may professional practice. 1 have re, eused business in consequence; I cannot say to what amount. There is an allowance of £l,OOO a-year to the mevor. Mr. Gunning.-1 um a barrister, and an inliabhant of the town, and a member of the coporation. Ido net think that the corporate body proposed to be established by this bill would be an improvement, but the contrary. In fact, 1 cannot suggest any improvement on the pres e nt s y s t em . Th e mag i s t ra t e s ful fil * their functions to the entire satisfaction of the inhabitants. I was in Bath during the riot, and can bear testimony to the ready co-operation afforded to the magistrates by the inhabi tants for suppressing it. years John a . F e r rn . o c y ; t u h n e n ( I , m ra , t ri p r o - f a B t - 1 7 1 . .— Re Had en b t e i e r n ely fif t t . e a e n h carrel with the preceding Witness. Counsel w• re then informed that witnesses could not be heard except in cases is which the boroughs had petitioned for a hearing. POOI.E. The Town-clerk of this borough; on' his examination, stated The corporation consists of 9',) ,burgesses, self-elected. The• e are a mayor and four magistrates. The corporation has pro perty to the amount of £S) a year. The population of Poole is about B,(YJO. The magistrates discharge their duty eflizient ly. I have heard no complaint against the rnanageinent of the affairs Of tne borough. The burgesses are elected fur life; that is by andient custom. Poole has an admiralty jurisdiction. Kitty persOus, merchants and shipowners, and others, who are mon of considerable property. are in , ,mbers cif the corporation. He did not believe the substitution of a town-council for the present corporation would be for the benefit of the inh tbitants of the towu. The 9) burgesses . paid £2,70( a year to the imposts of the town, and the remaining iuhabitants about £100). He believed generally the corporation 114 given satisfaction, but, as might be well supposed, there were some malcontents. By Lord BilouGia sn.—The great majority in property and influence, and indeed the great numerical majority of the were in favour of the corporation. Why, then, do you suppose the present corporation would not be re-elected? —Because the inhaoltants of the suburbs would form part of the new constituency. . Wherefore should these inhabitants be adverse to the cor poration ?—They form a new interest. Yes, but you said. did you not, that there Was a numerical majority of the inhabitants in favour of the corporatiou?—Yes, of inhabitants within the anc'ent boundaries. Why should you suppose that a different feeling would exist among the inhabitants the moment you passed the' ancient boundaries?—Withiu the old boundaries the inhabitan s paid thirteen shillings in the pound%. ‘ withuut they only paid two ur three shillings in the pound. Is that the eason the inhabitants of the old town like the corporation so much better than the other people ?—( Hear, and a laugh.)—l can only say that they kre different classes of peo ple, and belong to different interests. The town-clerk was there, but it was not intended to examine him. Ills bill last year amounted to £1,70j, £I,OOO of which was fora bill about a bridge. This bill had passed both houses, and was approved of by the majority of the inhabitants. Mr. Bond, a barrister, was the recorder of Poole. Another witness deposed to the fact that the change would be prejudicial to the town. EAST RETFORD. Mr. N ewton.-1 am the town-clerk of East Retford. I am not appointed for life. The appointment is general. The sa lary is twenty guineas a-year, with tees, which amount perhaps to £5l) a-year. I am also solicitor to the corporation. The governing body consists of 2 bailiffs, 12 aldermen, a lord high steward, a deputy-steward, and recorder. The recorder's ap pointment is genera l. Th e sen i or b a iliff i s ap p o i n t e d by the ' aldermen. The burgesses are 200 in number. About li)0 of these are non-resident. Freedom is acquired by servitude, birth, and redemption. The majority of treemeu consists of the BRIDGEWATER. two first classes. The senior and junior bailiffs are the two re- Mr. Trevor (we believe) deposed that he hail been the town• sident magistrates. [ have heard no complaint among the in- clerk for meny years. The administration of justice MIS per habitants with regard to the administration of justice and po- fectly satisfactory. Was at Bridgewater when the commission lice. The town is well regulated, and very quiet. I was in the eis came there. They sit in public. In this borough they did town when the commissioners arrived. It. is not true that bur- not rate houses under £lO houses, sit that the constituency was gesses were made in anticipation bf an election in December. very little altered by the reform bill. There was not, to his 1192, and 1797. This fret stated in the report is untrue. The knowledge, any impropriety or pat ti ility displayed in the elec evidence produced was, t het they were so made for the sole . pur- tion of overseers or other officers. Messrs. Rosette and Rushton pose Af adding respectublity to the body. 'That statement was were the conitnissioners. Knew a Mr. Everette he hail been made upon oath. The charity vommissioners'shad visited the chairman of the 'Hilaire! union there, when it was in a stare of loWn'before the corporation cominissioners, and made a report activity. Knew Mr. Lovibuud, au attorney: he had heard him of the charity funds, from which it appeared that they Were dis- say he was a member of the political union. These used sat tributed without reterence to party feeling. • This fact is not near the commissioners on one side. The officers of the corpo stated in the report of the commissioners of corparation inquiry, ration sat on the other side. Luvihund held a large brief, one though it was stated and proved to them. Redemption freemen of 2el or 30 sheets, and suggested many queititias • which the are made occasionally for the purpose of a ddin g respectability cetamissioners putun cross-examinatione Questions were given' to tha-btely. I have known nu instance§ of Bribery or corrup- i n to th e c o mmissioners in writing, and put vet belly by the thin among the freemen. The statemeet in the report that an e mnin i ss i o ne t s. An objection had been taken to questions alderman had obtained a situateen eheas g h the Duke of New- being suggested irtheraiise's Was exemineil, and in many parts castle, and always voted for the duk e ' s c a n aid e te, was untrue, of his evidence hail been examined as an accused person. One That alderman hail been deed three tir four years bethre the questioned he was asked was, if 'he had not altered the body of commissioners came to the b o rou g h. Th ere i s a statement in a warrant after it had been signed by the magistrate? Thus he the report impeaching the jraulici ,l co nd uct of the juitior bailiff, was as asked, in fact, if he had not been guilty of something and especially that the commissioner had seen the junior Whitt' like f org e ry . The commissioners apologised for putting the atel a criminal stuffing coil rolling toge t h e r o n the door. It is question to him; and told him he need nut answer it uuless he not true as respects the general habits o f th e junior bailiff,. Mr. liked. He did not shield himself front answering as he might Slanev is the bailiff alluded to; he is a mal t or respectable ha- hive done, but deuied the fin t. So did the mayor also. •He bits. "I should say it was untrue as regarded the junior -bailiffs was exa mi ne d as t o other charges, all tif which he rebutted to generally. The statement that the magistrates hold no quarter the satisfaetien of the c rammissiouers. The comm i ssioners told sessions in the borough is untsite. The witness spoke to other hint so The els urges reflected deeply ou his personal character, statements contained in the report as being also untrue, such as end if established' would have beeu sufficient to exclude him letting the corporation property at an undervalue. With the from society: Respecting the various charges made against the exception of four public dinners in th e ye a r, th e corporation amrporationel feel myself hilly warranted in saying that not one Kinds ire applied to public purposes. hh e amo unt is about of them is founded in feet. When the two commissioners re £lso. The-income of the co rp ora ti o n. i nc l u di ng th e schen!, is tired to their, inn they were accompabied by two inhabitents of about £1,200 a-year. The whole of the estates were valued the town..those persons were members of the political union. some ye its since, and the rent paid by the alderman alluded to Mr. K night.—The King's commissioners aecemopvaenntleindeti:yt.pol in page 1.873 of the report is let under that valuation. It is let laical utliouists?—Ye s . at the full value of the land. The alderman is a solvent nein, The w it ness t h en procee d e d —The, respectable part of th e and has always paid his rent. The commissioners inquired iuto town never h ave comp l a i ne d o f its municiPel a the charities, particularly the grammar-school. liiive never heard it said that they particularly desired any This witness was examined as io the fact that one of the ma- speculative changes in the government of the town ; there gistrates had, as was stated in the report, been found struggling might be a few who ent e rt a i n wis hes of that sort, but lam quite on the fl air with a criminal which he contradicted as altogether sure that the great b u lk an d respectability of the town desire tut void of foundetion. BOSTON. change, that they are quite satisfied, and 'have reason to be so. • Mr. Keurick.—l am town-clerk of Boston. The corporation ooeceseen. consists of the mayor, recorder, twelve aldermen, anti ten coin- Frederick Fisher.—l have been 12 Years town-clerk of Don molt-councilmen. The freedom is obtained by birth, appren- caster. The date of the charter is so rir hack as the year 1193. tiseship, and purchase. All the sons of ablermen and council- Formerly the town sent me m b e rs t o Parliameut, but tin petition men are entitled to take tip their freed o m. if leirn whilst their was relieved from that exp e n se . Some centuries have passed parents hold these offices. There are about 450 freemen, of F away since Doncaster w its ee p rehe nted in the Howie of Com whom 4(X/ are resident. The justices are the recorder, the de- mous. The income of the corporation is upwards of £ll.OOO putt'-recorder, the mayor for the time being, and four aldermen. a-year. There are mayor, recenier. 12 alderineu.eown-clerk. The aldermen are selected feint the two first classes in the town, a wash common-couneilmen. The valuation or the municipil and justice is administered by them to the eutite satisfaction of property amounts to £312.4'28 9s. 41.; the greater part of that the substantial classes. The police is under the superintend- was accemulated by good mattagenieut and ec meaty. In the once of a person front London, and is on the same fetaing. It year 1731) their property was worth only £26 823. anti it then is well regulated, and suffi c i en t f or t h e repose. I am thirty- owed a debt of £3,000; it now certainly c wiras a debt or £91,(x)0. ~ ,ix years or age, and have lived in Bost o n twenty years. The The cleaning and improvement of the "own are paid out of the revenue of the corporation is £6,0,10 a-year; part of it was de- corporation funds, and so likewi s e the expenses for supplying rived by charter form Philip and Marv, and part of their pro- water. The corporatitin has given as touch as £20.0J0 for Mi. perty was purchased fron t H enr y VIII . f or £1 , 610 15 s . 4.1. by proved accommodation at the races Theirdoine so was a very the corporation. The corporation within the lest few years useful assistance to the property sif the town, without its bei 1 ;4 have expended in irnprovetneutsepwards o f £51,550 in the erec- or the least se r vi c e to the corp o ration themselves otherwise than tion of the iron bridge, the caltleenarket, the g a ol, the free in commen with their neie.hhours as inhabitants of the place. school, and other public buildings. They spend their revenues The co•poratien have always been in the habit of applying lam ge in no other War, except in law ex p enses, c h ar iti es , remunera- sums fir the public benefit. Since 1780 they have expended lion to their officers, &c. £25,224 17s, 81. in general improvements, and in particular lin- By Lord Lye eicuusse—They have had no dinners for the arovements £21,886 18s. 2 , 1 , as, for example, its the Infirmary, last seven years. They have some c h urc h patr o na ge . Part of .the Dispensary. anti various o her public works and objects. the grant by Philip and Mary was to be applied iii rep tiring Sir C. Wetherell.-1 perceive that the commissioners, in met beautifying the chur c h. Th e inhabitants are perfectly sit- their report, starae th it the average expenditure of the corpora tisfied will ihe management of the church patronage. The wit- tion annually, from 1822 to 1832. amounts to £12.815. Now ness then enumerated the various funds belontritig to the ,corpte you know what they say is out always gospel--is this statement ration, and the way in which they had been expended, and said correct ? that they had been administered to the satisfaction of the inter- Witness said it was furnished by himself, anti then went on taunts.. The politics of the governing body of the corporal hats to slate that the law expenses an.ounted to an average of only fluctuated from time to time; when I first knew Boston the £lB2, exe:usive of salaries. iairlseration included many of what I call men of tiberal opinions. Lord Buoue it AM.--An unfortunate circumstance for the at- Nut a shilling of their funds is applied to election purposes. The tornies. Your expenses will be somewhat greater in the present members for the borough are Mr. Brownrigg a d Mr. Wilkes. year? Neither of them is a Boston person. Messrs. Long and Buckle . Witness.—l am afraid they will, my lord, were the commissioners; the tatter was mere active titan the A noble Lotto.—During the last month they must have been termer. In page '2,167 it stated "The political character of this 'greeter. corporation is visible in all its parts, and iu all its operations,'' Witness.—l think the present is the best plan of corporation hilt in toy judgment it i s incorrect; lam not aware of any foun- government, and that of Doncaster is the best corporatitio in dation for it. I do not believe the statement " that freemen ISmsland. (A laugh.) The continuance of the races at Don- Wete admitted on the eve of an election, and the fees of wholes caster is a matter of great imeortauce—if they were removed shin paid by the 'ruling body," is true. I have known many in- property would fall 50 per cent. in value. There are in the town stances where the subordinate officers of the corporation have '2.050 houses; only 218 are above the value of £lO, and no voted for the wing candidates. doubt there are litany of the inhabitants of that town who would By Lord tyN nu uusT.—Mr. Wilks is a London attorney, and like to find themselves in the situation of trustees to that pro is more than a white perty, £300,(X10; the 278 lotuses pay more than the whole of the Mr. KNIGHT.—More than awhig ?—do you mean a dissenter? others. In my opinion it would be by no means well to int MIA WitlleSS.—So I have understood. the disposal of so much properly to such a body us that which Lord LyNntio t sT.—l (I() not allude to a perion's religion. would he ele c ted under the new measure. I can undertake to Witness (in c ontinuation.)— I was examined before the cum- say that there have been no complaints which such a measure missionets, and stated to them what I have stated to-diy. It appears calculated to remedy. was precisely to the same effect. SHRs.WSRDRY. Lent Lye on unse.—ls there anything derived from this gen- Mr. Peel.—ln Shrewsbury, the corporete officers are the tleman's evidence in the report ? mayor, twenty-four aldermen, and forty-eight a ss i s t an ts. Theme Mr. Keie t hr.—l see nothing; there is no knowing what are . 1.000 r e sident burgesses or freemen. There are seven ina foundation these gentlemen have for their assertions. . gistrates. They are found to be enough for the purposes of the The witness went on to speak to other facts in contradiction limough. Our property amounts to £5OO a-year; it is applied, of the statement contained in the report. amoeg other things, to the repair of four bridges, the.ancieut By the Earl of Re Ph oit• —•1 here are many substantial and walls of the town, and some conduits. There are other expendi restieetable p e ople in Boston opposed in politics to the corpu- lures for public works. The whole or time funds of the corpraita ration. tion are well and thirty administered. Justice is also well ad- At four o'clock the further examination of witnesses was post- ministered. The report admits this. He attended before the polled till six o'cli ck. commissioners. who stated that the 'result of the inve:tiga ion The bills bef o re the h ,use were forwarded a stage with but was highly cr editable to the corporation, and must be satisrac very little continent en their nature or objects. tory to all parties;• they also paid a contlit t n h in t t l t h it e t the di ff erent Lord BRo t G iiA sa presented a petition praying for a repeal of ( dei c er s of th e corporation fur the great readiness with which the duty on newspapers. they had fnrnished the various documents which they requira ed. At 6 o'clock (their lorrishipeintermediateradjorttned during One or twit persons expressed en op ini on pleaeure) Sir L. Shadwelt sat as speaker. was unpopMar, assigmng as their reason the sys e ,f• el - stuereireh coil Porateettesi I DILL—BEDFORD , Lord Bitoueitem moved that counsel be called to the bar. good terms with the majority of the respectable inhabitants; election which prevailed. The corporatitin was „n ex c eedin g Sir C. W e th ere ll proceeded to examine the town-clerk of although the dissenting interest was against them, there was no Bedford. The witness having been swto'n deposed,—l am town e feeling at all personally hostile to the members of the cot porn clerk of Bedford. I have been 19 years in that situation. The thin. Th e b o undary commissioners under the new corporation "'rPoration consists of it mayor, run indefinite number of Alder- bill had visited Shrewsbury shout three weeks ago, leaving men. 13 comni e n-couneiltnen, a rerorder, deputv-recorrier, and certain d oc uments, addressed to the palish officers, calling fir 2 chamberlains. The govt.' Meg leilly is 32. We have five ma g i c - returns of the number of inhabited houses, • fec. He • had no (rates, in tile Illa or. acting as inegito rates within th e hoe. farther knowledge of their proceedings, and not ice of their visit nneh. They are appointed under thh great seal, anti do not a c t, was sen t t o no One in the boron) h. Information was not even because they are members of the carperation. I have reason to of girded on the subject to the corporation, In his opinion it !Wilk that their duties are properly performed. I 'never h a d would b e altogether unjust, as well as locally inconvenient, to any reasuo to form a contrary opinion. The 'corporati o n h as a s ter th e prevent b raundaries. No alteratimein the governing property to the amount of £550 to £SGO a. year. I'never heard body, such as that proposed by the bill, would give any satisfac any complaints or the way in which that properly was managed. tiou to the bulk of respectable and substautialiuhisbitants. There is a small portion of landelot belonging to the corpora- Roc:HESTER. . tion, worth aleitit £7O a-year- It belongs to the freemen, inde- Captain Burton, R.N., examined by Mr. Knight.—Had been Pendant of the vorporetion, and is considered extrem e ly b ene fis, ) (th is resident in the city of Rochester, and was perfectly satie end to them. There is a very important charity called hire B e d- ti e d %Willie administration of •justiee and 'the local govern ford charity. The annual value Is about £ l3 - 000 - That charity ment as directed by the corpnration. No-change was required, is fur the support of. schools and other beneficial purposes. nor would it be beneficial to the piece. . • . There are several schools ou that foundation—a gramma r- Mr. Allen, eleven years a resident and whmilly unconnected school, an English-schnol, a preparatory etnnniercial school, a with the corporation, concurred in this statement. national school, and a gals' school. There are also exhibitions KIDDKIIMINSTER. ler young men going to the University. There are likewise an A difficulty arose as to whether such a petition had been pre . hospital fur children. donations to persons goings nut to service, inarriao imstiert s, and various other pertervereeteheseemeeleari- sewed to the house as admitted of testing evidence. A con htersatfon ensuettein the mese of which" "sh . 4 ,e‘ tattle kind, to which these funds ate devoted. This - charity was The Duke of WELL INGTowcalled the attention of the house Irately phihed under particular regulatiena by an act of piano 'them to the advanced period of the session. The noble duke said. it meld. Ihe body of govern ors amoun t s ID 32. A mongst being absolutely necessary that this bil l should be taken into are the lord-lieut euant. or the county, th e f our niembets for the county and town, &c. The meeliees of the 'trustees' Wereossible (hear, hear). he entreated them not to spew' their tune heid in a building belengi ne t o the churity, Complaints had' consideration ;and d e cided on by their lerilibips as speedily as p In hearing further evidence than was requisite, when they might been made, and eturied itho thanvery, hut not with respect i to the ,general mode itt whi c h t h e c h ar it y wa s conducted. itdstehlecr be applying themselves t o the consideratien of the hilt Hear, hear,) A great d ea l o f light had been thr o wn contested The pones wer e o f a im it ate' al nature, and did mrat upon t h e subject by the evidence already given at the bar, Which e affect the eetreral management of the charity. As the trust is did not appear to stand in need of any further corroborittion by new censteuted, they have 18 trustees. Oue 'true' of the hill a dditional cases. Under those c ii c iiin s tances, he should suggest, would be to place the trust in a town teemed of from 18 to 24, that the counsel might be able by an early hour to-morrow to in addi.iim to the 18 trustees already existing, with the addition . or the Lard-Lieutenant o f t h e county, the four mem b ers , an d conclude the whole of what they intended to lay before the house, (Hear hear.) After that the !sense shitual proceed to the master and usher of the giarnmar-school. The rating of take into eonsidera houses gees as low as to h o u ses o f E 2 a-year. Th ere f ore a t en - tion the further proceedings with the bill. It was absolutely impossible to suppose that Otis inquiry ever ant of two years and it half iesidence with a £2 house would r this bill t o vote f or t h e ft ustees o f t hi s charity could have been intended t o be gone into for the purpose, by have a right unde of £l3 000 a-year. 1 thi n k t h at the adm i n i strat i on o f tins causing a great loss of time virtu a lly, and by a sidexind, to de feat a bill on this most importiint subjeet. (Hear, hear.) charily . would be much better as it is than under the terapulaily 'llie Earl of Fa emittrs' maintained that their lordships elected body under the propes t d bill. I think it was the inters- were bound in justice to allow sufficient time to all the eorpti. Lion of the hounder of the charity to have some of the trustees rate bodies who had petitioned to send up their witnesses to be not subject to popular election. Of the present popular trustees examined at the bar. six go out every year. They are callable of immediate re-elec- At the close of the conversation, lion. The _pepulation of Redford is between 6 , ceo and 7,01 X). Lord BeouGicsie asked it' Sir C. Wetherell had any wit. I can't say how many houses in the titan ale rated at ansi above nesses risen Live; pool in attendance ? £lO a-year. I have never heard of any party exclusion from Sir. C. WILTHEiiELL said he had some, but they were not the trust, • Witness described the mode of auditing the acconnts foithcoming at the presen t nraomeut. ,of the charity, which seemed very strict. He added, I don't Tee house then 10o'clock ti ll 11 to-morrow adjourned at •kuow of any improvement that could be suggested for manag- (Saturday). ing the charity. I thi n k i t w ill b e affected for the worse if this HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FRIDAV. bill passes. Same petitions were presented. Fxamiii . let by the Earl of I{ ADNOR.—There is a qualification On the motion of nr. CALLAGHAN, Mr. Alexander Dean, a necessary fiir the trustees of £2O a-year freehold, or renting witness, who had been summoned before the timber duties' premises of the yearly vales , of £d), and paying bona fide rent. , committee, and who, at the close of his examination,' hail been The mayor, who is a trustee, is elec ted by the freemen, iraz arrested by Willi•nn Thompson, an o ffi cer of the sheriff itt whom about 90 are resident. The master and ushecof the Middlesex; wa s b . ught to the bar, together with the sheriff's grationar-school are appointed by the heads of one of the col- office) NI "'.:' r Dean was discharged out of the custody of the loges in Oxford. Re-examined by Si r C . W et h erell-1 have hear d some arties sheriff ' on the groutel that he was privileged from arrest as a p' witness attending a committee of the house. i in Bedford object to th e management of th i s char i ty un d er this with act. They are politicians, • ' ' MUNICIPAL cORPoRATIoNs BILL.—WHAT WILL s Sir C Wetherell.—' neat, if they arepoliticians,l (1 . 'n't want . o • „ coremoes no? , to hear their epittions. e • . Lard JOHN ILUSSELI, proposed, that for the remainder of the . Wit uess.—Theyare all politit•ianai at both sides: " ' ' session Hiders of the day shall have precedence of motions - on usvEN . ittv: ' ' • I.uPsda3•s and Thut sties s. . . Mr. Button, the toWn-clerk of this letroagh. examined.—'Saw -Mr Hume said be quite agreed ip what had fallen from the twit genilemen at Deventi yon Friday last, who Whitt there to noble lord. as to the propriety of some art a ugement being made. settle the . NEW Bouts ee ti ies OF THE tioliot•GA l -, ' • Ile should_ be glad, however, to know what was the present The Earl of nAnNoR objeetcd.to th e examination of; this wit- prospect as to the tertmeation of the session, supposing, as maw ResS on 'the ground that no. petition had been presented from . alleged, that the Municipal reform bill should be tejeeted . • it, the town of Daveutry praying to be beard. i • , another place. (Hear, hear.) In that case, he (Mr. Hume) . Lord Brougham, Lord'Ellenborough, and the Earl of Devon j should feel it his business to submit the propriety of a call of the took the same view of the question. I house (hear) to determiue what measures should be taken. As A li UN DE L. Mr. Holmes.--1 belong to the corporation of Arundel; it consists of 12 burgesses and a mayor. I have been mat or se veral times. lam well acquainted with the documents Geionw ing to the corporation. I recollect Mr. Maule, the commis sioner, coming down to Arundel. The corporation drew up a protest, which was presented to him, alleging that the commis sion was illegal, but nevertheless expressing their willingness to produce their documents out of r es p ec t t o hi s majesty. The conlinissioners communicated t o the corporation oiny two grounds of complaint, stated to be b roug h t b y t h e i nhabitants against them, but they never gave th e colporation au opportu tiny of rebutting these charges. One of these charges was, that u man had never been summoned to serve un-the jury. Now this man was a gaiter-maker, in very humbie circumstances, who had no man ut:der hint, and by an award of the judges in former times, by a by-law (Attie corporation, and by an ;maid under an act of Elizabeth, which limited the jury to principiCs only, he was not eligible. This I told to the commissioner, and requested him to go with me and see the man, but he decli ne d , saying his chaise was at the door, and h e h a d no time. Th e second ground of complaint was, that there was a statement 'that the corporation lands stele let at an und ue value. 'their valuejt was said, was £4 an acre. I told him we had four valuations, and that the highest was 5l s. an actes bat was a valuation made by the commissioners of tuxes. The lands were not let at that sum. Since then two leases have expired. We advertised to let the lands by auction, and they were so let. The commissioner was fuinishca with explanations. but l i e did ncit notice. them in the report. I think Myself unfair v treated in the report. In tae report it was• said that a dissenter had been invited to clinic into the corporation two days betnie; but he declined. 1 toid the commissioner that the cheuinstance had happened, nut two days before, but two years before.' 'lbis' is. a mistatement. There P piece of land belonging to the corporation of which the corporation has the niabagenient , This land iscalled the "Burgesses' Brooks." The tepieseir-' . Winn in the•reptirt is unfair. '!'here is nu deficiency iu .the performance of their duty on the part of the magistrates. 'I he county magistrates have always a coacurteut jurisdiction. .There is no borough-tare in Al nude!. By. Lord 11 MD on.—The commissioner promised me to corn , inunicate to theiphahisains of 'the' to. n' all that we had com municated to him. Theie wasp dispnte -about the right we, chil i - fle d. •e*Ling • burgesses., was -a . tm.4ltll,eia b itb etas u judgment of 'a court of law op that very question...lbis' 1 produced to the .commissiOner, and asked him not to cominu; nicale it to the inhabitants until they hail made - the:4i charge. He said he should let. them know it in Order to save titre yutl 'never)! unnecessary allegations...On the subject of the-bur gesses' brooks, I consider myself ill4feated in the report. Lord BaouGii A si.—Why, the conclusion of the committee is in favour of the corporation on this very subje c t. Witncss.—l think we ware lU-treated, because the commis- usi Al f. to the thinnesi dale hous4 &this advanced period he could's.: nothing; it was desirabitieVen tic that many important b i ll s should be gone through with. This houie was,..i2owever, the great council of the nation, and ought to be summoned in casa the measure to which be had alluded %Vag rejected etset.vhere, and he therefore hoped no course of arrangetneut would be adopted under the . supposition - that-the session was nearly at an end. ( Hear, hear.) Lard J. Russia'. observed, that in the event of the bill befog thrown outelsewhere, he agreed with the bun. member for Mich dlesex iu thinking that an extraordinary course of proceeding •• would be required on the part of this house. With that course the mofiou which he had made could not interfere, as it rould easily be set aside in case'of urgency tirof necessity. (:Hear.) ;. • Rosnocx said, that at this- late peri,d of the seAtion it would be as well for this house to adjourn for six weeks, while the farce was proceeding in another p.ace. (Loud cries of "Chair," " Order.") Tue SPEAKER rose, and said the observations which had just falieu from the hon. member for Bath ought nut to have been matte. (Hear, hear.) , The report of the Irish church bill was brought up and 'grata to._, Th. militia staff reduction bill w a s re a d a secon d ti me . The house adjoufued at three o'clock. HOUSE OF LORDS.—Saruaner. The lords met at eleven o'clock this morning. Prayers were read by the Bishop of Briltol. The Eat! of Shaftesbury took his test on the woolsack_ Counsel were callmd iu, an.l Mr. Knight appeared. snes:Wsscay. Mr. Miller examined —1 am ii•deputy recorder of Shmwss bury; I ant a barrister of twenty sears' standing; I aura resi dent proprietor within the liberty, and have been „perfectly acquainted with the_ affairs of the corporation twenty years. The borough magistrates vary ; there is about an equal number of gentlemen and tradesmen. Justice was done in sessions and out of sessions with great integrity, clearness, and satisfaction to the public. 1 speak of my experience as counsel at the bar; but 1 have been deputy recorder myself fur the brat two years, of which time it does not become me to speak. The corporate - body have power to levy a rate for watching and lighting; but this affects the old liberty only, and not the new parlimneutary borough, which auu!d be saddled with a rate if this bill passes, as well as the expense of maintaining the county bridges, which is a very. serious disadvantage. 1 cannot vouch for the truth of that consequence, however. Tne Free School bears the high est character. Believes that it has gained more prizes. scholar ships, and honours than any two schools in England for the last ten years. The head-master is Ur. Butler. The right of free dom is hereditary. Am one of the burgesses. My descendants, born and unborn, have a right to partake of all the advantages of this school. Consider the . power of educating my children these their .best patrimony: in the first place they have the right of gratuitous education ; in the next pace toe exhibitious, of which there me seven or eight, affsol halt a maintenance at the university. Ant one of the trustees of the school. Siuce it got out aim almost intennitable ehencery shit the excess bf income has been about - £BJO a year, wills Which they have reunited two new exhibitions. Expect to be able in found an other in the course of three or tour years. Know tisveral instances in which decavel tradesmen's sons would have gone without education but for this school, where they got exh.bi. tint's. No distiuctien is mode bet area the s ich and the p the gentleman and thetradesman—all boys have a fair chance. St. John's College, Cambridge, appoints the head master. ' If this bill tresses, thinks that a question wirl be raised of the right of evsry inhabitant of Shrewsbury to send their rhi,dren to the • school, and the preponderance of my opinion is, that it wilt give them the right to send their children; and I know that that. is the opinion of the inhabitants. This amounts to an expeetatieu ou the part of, I will not say the town classes, but on the part of many of the higher . chisses. For instance, a great many gentlemen with large tatniiies cone front Ireland for the express purpose of the advantages of this school; but they pay Dr. Butler. This class writsd suppose that, as they rent houses in the town. this bird will Bite them the right of sending their children frees A' great number of the inhabitants of the town • were not burgesses, and when they - had - large families they pea -1 tinned the corporation to he made burgesses. The corporation a hiattert them till they found out the reason of their applica tion, amid then they refused to admit them-merely for the sake of getting education for nothing. The existence of the scheel, independent of edueat ion, was of great advautage to the town. I calculate that it occasions, directly and indirectly, an expeu dsture of near, £30,000 a year in the town. There have been a b ou t 3,k) boys iu the school, and I know the expense of their education is net less than 1:100 each, independently of those who are resident. Gentlemen of the first station itt Etsg:aud seed their sons there. There are at present in the .school the sons of two chief justices—Denm an and Tindal. 1r all the children of the inhabitants were let in, it would be in possible for any master to manage the school, and it would certainly destroy the adequate prevision or Dr. Butler. The salary he receives from the corporation is inadequate. Lord RA DN Wt.—What is it ?—About £lOO a-year. It would be ruinous to the town it the school %Tete turned into nue for writ tog and arithmetic. There are plenty of such schools which are largely and liberally supported. 1 here are seine church livings in the gift of the corporation. The last living that was vacant was St. Marv's. There were three candidates, two of whom were connect ed with the corporation, and the other, who was me, was elected to the living. As he was to preach to the boys of the school, the great object of thecorporation was to find a sound, orthod o x, honest man. There area great many is corporate(' g sills or companies in the town, but the corporation has no power over them. They have a general cent rot ever ilie town, and missy summon the wardens of these guilds to du cer tain acts of suit o; service, but they have no control over their internal coucerns. The latest date under which these guilds wet e inctop :rated is the reign el Queen Anne. My ovation re lative to the control of the corporation over these companies was adverse to that of the commissioners. The commissioners asserted the corporation had a coat rol over them, but aa a lawyer I differed from them. The commissioners found fault with cer tain fines imposed by these guilds for admission, and 1 said we had nothing to do with that. I cited some cases of " the King v. the Carpenters' Company," and "the King v. the Mercers Company," which were tired in the Court or King's Bench, and whims able lawyers must know something of, in support of my op libel that the corporation had no control over them. I said that, under existing circumstances, these guilds were a scandalises nuisance in the than; and I accompanied the de claration with this statement, that they bad been established ip the infancy of commerce, and had eutlked their use, and were now a scandalous nuisance. I now complaiu of the manner in which that statement is given in the report, because the com missioners omitted my preceding observations. • Mr. Knight: Is it a correct account of what took place?— Witness: It is not. Mr. Knight : You mean to say, on yinr oath, that it is not a it and accurate report?—Wituess 1 do; it is unfair and iu- act orate. • Lord BeouGn 414.—D0 you mean to say that the report is dis honest ?—Witness : God fin bid, my turd, that I should apply that term to the report. I have uothiug to do with the motives the commissioners. Mr. Knight.—Certainly not; I do not mean that vonshould espies@ any opinon as to the motives. What sort of juries do you, get ? —Witness : excellent. Mr. Knight. —Do you think the severance of the boundaries of the boroutrh would lessen the rerp,:etability of the juries?— Witness: I do. Mr. Knight. Then justice is at present administered in Shrewsbury to the satisfaction of the public?—Witness: I do s on my conscience, believe they are perfectly satisfied. Mr. Knight. —And you think the respectability of the jusiese would be lessened by this alteration in the boundaries?—Wit ness: I do; there will not be the same number to chrsate from. Lord BeouGnast—Must the children of dissenters at your. schools go to the established church ?—Witness : Most certan ly if they . are boarders; but if not, they may go with their parents to a dissenting place of worship. Lord BROOGHAIII.-16 the catechism of the, church of Eng. laud taught at the schools to all the scholars, whether the chit /hen of dissenters or otherwise? Witness.—The catechism of the church is, to the best of my belief, taught at the schools to the • children of dissenters as well as to the cuildren of metaberrs of the church. 'Lord BBOUGHAM.—DO you then suppose that a parent who is a baptist Call conscientiously send hi s c hild to a school he taught the church clitechistn, - when he disapproves of itt Witness.—l am no casuist, toy lord. (A laugh.) Lord HeoLGH A 01.—No, but pet haps you can tell me whether you, being a churchman, could conscientiously send sour to a baptist school, where time is a foundation? Witness. I would not on any account. Lord Banennsm.—Just FO; and of course von could not suppose that a baptist dissenter could couscientiousi) send his child to a school where the church catechism is taught? Wit ness.— M y bird, 1 cannot-answer fits others. ' Lord BROUGHAM.—Do you think that it would be practicable to have a system of religion taught at these schools which could meet the apprehation both of churchmen_ stud all classes of dissenters? Witness.—My lord, Ido nut think that religion is such an accommodating thing as that • such a system cottid be taught. Lord Bitouniss Al.—Exactly so Had you asked me the ques tion, I should have returned the same answer. Lord ItatnNott then put several questions to the witness re lative to the alleged discrepancy between the compliment' the commissioners paid to the corporation at. the exammat ton ; end the observations which appeared in their report, but the answers contained nothing of importance. Mr. Lonsdale: examined by Mr. Knight —ls a barrister and. town-clerk in Shrewsbury. Considered the proposed admin. , * of the boundaries of the borough ohjerriondble. There are twiCs newspapers in Shrewsbury. The Shreirsbary Chsanicle is violently liberal or radical in its politics. The editor's name -Mr. John Watton.—Several atirer„giteslions Itere .put tu. the w i irwss , a s also to another witness, Mr. Young, but they elicited uothiug of importauce. HER EPOR if. John Juhnson, examined by Sir Charles Wetherell.—ls town clerk of Hereford. There "wa, no particular complaint made that freemen by birth, servitude, or marriage were improperly excluder!, but there was a sort of s everal complaint. Uffered to produce to the commissioners the teas ate of any particular man's being rejected. The statements in the repot t of the conimissioners respecting the exclusion of freemen in certain cases die not fair alter the offer made to the rommisatouers. Did not believe the town-clerk who was his predecessoror'any other of the members of the mayor's court vi ere capable of doing in justice front political mutives. Thought such animpntatiou calumny. EV:Mitt D. There are eighteen mernhet6 of the council, six of whoa') Zo out annually, and their places are supplied by popular elect At these electi , ,ns there is a great deal of animosity and strife. It is notoriou6 that there h is been bribery in'io for as other par poor fre e m en . If the whole pan ties have paid the rates of the her of officers of the court were elected yearly, he thought the place would he the scene of much couteution and uproar. Did not think that if this hill passed the court'would be respectable. as no qualification is necessary. . A 1,r4 WICK. • Robert Dun examined.—ls the town-clerk. .The freemen acquire iheir right by birth and servitude. Th - e freemen de rived their grants of property from the Devesen family. Free- men are exempted from tolls. Thinks those who are not free mpn pay tolls In the market. The Duke of Northumberland is the Lord of the Lordship of Alnwick Moor. Does aid knot O f any way in which the rights of the. present freemen; if emits guished. could be transferred to others. The corporation does not send any member to parliament ; but did at one. period, but that was long before the passing of the reform act. There is 00 power of rating at present in the borough. Earl RA Drum —What is the popclatiuu ?--Witness Ids xis or seven th.:usand. Anther witness, whose nam e wa s n ot asked, was then ex amined by Sir ories Wetherell,—All the ft eernen, except eight or nine, petitioned against this hill. Thlt bill wotild raise the number of freemen from 21X) to &X) or 900. The Duke Northuolierland's castle and Inuits Wevuld be brought by this hill within the muni c ipal boundaries, and would Ile liati.e to be taxed by the common council. There is a clause .exclutiiiiit a duke, a margin?, or a boron from the council (a laugh): does not think that the admission flatly of these classes of noblemen would be injurious. the inhabitants hare no, right tos shoal over Inc gr.unds belonging to the duke, which are to be made municipal by this considerflie Duke of 144thumberland a natural person, and not belerging- to is body darfot - star-• (Laughter.) t: 4 u elassest I are reside chosen In gist C. Crates is ill , tice is thane are ,shat, c fill tiality sh nolitital couserca tion are gratis wi Rlevage, poration Ti Pus with duet miwa Its t iyalx dor fro 1 the • thft he, Re: prn • uu ktvid . ortk ntht tib,)l POU You its 1, `Pain Rod stitA anx . you Ifirt bt•a :tdt) 1) e COP •4'411 atlci