The Express.
London, England, 1863-07-18 00:00:00

STREET MUSIC LN THE YETROPOLLS.
_ .

Mr. BASS roes " to call the attention of the Secre-
tary of State for the Home Department to street
music in the metropolis, and to mom that it is
expedient to remosider the law on this matter at the
earliest cop wtonity." The hon. member said that the
nuisance caused by bands of wandering musicians in London
was making such alarming progress that it was necessary
the law on the subject should be wore deinitely known
than it was at present. From early morning until late at
night many pate of the town were • perfect garden of
discords. (Laughter.) Only the other day he observed •
band retired on the door step of Sir Richard Mayne.
Parleg on to Eatonequare, he found another band oa the
south side ; a third on the north side, a fourth in Eaton.
place, and a fifth was in front of the bore of the Home
Secretary. (Laughter.) Those bands could be all beard at
the same moment they ware playing different tunes in
different keys, and what with their blasts and counter.
blasts, sad shrieking', the effect, as might noddy be
imagined, was most annoying to all who experienced it. It
was preposterous to contend that three bands could be of
any advantage whatever. That they were& great hindrance
to the serious business of life there could be no doubt. The
case of Hr. Babbage—(•' hear, bear," and laughter) —was
well known. That gentleman retired him that a fourth
part of his time was consumed and wasted by the hindrance
to business oseasiored by those bands. Within • few days
he bad beet interrupted 182 times by them. (Laughter.)
Hon. gentlemen might laugh at such • statement,
but it was really the case that ninny ;Teatimes
were driven from tows by those noisy perform-
aeon. Now, who were they who were thus
becoming such • nuisance? They were a set of
foreigners hired by persons who made torture
from their blowing their wind away. (Laughter.) The
musicians themselves were In fact mendicants, and in that
view they ought to be unstable to the law. He wee
assured by Sir Richard Mayne that the late Lord Griming
complained to him that on a particular occasion the annoy-
ance of one of those bends while he was engaged in writing
an important despatch was the means of his making • very
serious error in it. (Laughter.) Having left the house at a
late, or rather early hour this =emir, he (Hr. Saes) had
• been awoke, by the horrid music of one of those bawls,
out of his Bret sleep, and afterwards, while rimed
with his correspoodence, he was disturbed by four
different bade, from which he could not escape, although
he west to various parts of the house. He might be told
that people enjoyed the mush or it would sot be paid for.
(Hear. hear.) But it was no proof bemuse it was paid for
that it was enjoyed. In this great town money could
always be found for any nuisance, and the truth wee that
the hands were paid to be got rid of. (" Hear, hear," and
" No, no.") He could not suppose that any pores sop-
=the bands either on account of the excel.
of their music or because they assisted in
teaching good music, and he could only therefore
conclude. and •he believed, that they were destined the delectation of nursemaids and children. (Laughter.)
He was informed by the Home Secretary that the law was
doutitful—that some magistrates decided or we, and some
another. They could not agree rto what was ' reasonable
amuse" at ocasiplalat. That Wag so, be the be had