The Express.
London, England, 1863-04-03 00:00:00

COUNT OP CONNOR COUNCIL

A Court of Common Council was held yesterday
in the Council-chamber at Guildhall ; the Right 800. the
Loan MAYOR Drag•

TR GOVIIIMICIIT AND TEI CORPORATION.

Mr. LAWLZT gave the following natios of motion, :
" That • special parliamentary committee be appointed for
the purpose of watchinig the several bills now before parlia-
ment or that may be introduced during the present session
which may in any way interfere with municipal govern-
ment, or the revenues, rights, or privileges of the Cltf,with
power to do therein as they may think fit. and to report
thereon from time to time to this court." He then said it
was very important that the matter should be settled at
once, and he therefore asked the leave of the court to pot
his motion at once, luatead of waiting until the next court,
as would be the ordinary course, as if left until then it would
be too late.

The court having agreed to this proposition, Mr. ',swot;
in putting his motion to the court, maid he was thankful to
the court for having complied with his proposition, and
having a deep Jonas of the responsibility devolving upon
that court, he was induced to take tbe Doanee had
adopted. He had no desire whatever to pan over a com-
mittee which was appointed by the court for taking such
stops. But the circumstances of the case were very pecu-
liar. There was no committee of the court in which
the element of submission was not promioeut, and there
was no tramming* to whom the court had simply deputed
the power of watching any eooroschmeota on the
rights and privileges of the City. He thought there should
be • body of men who had no preconceived opinions.
When the Coal, Corn and Finance and the Improvement
Committees brought up a }cut report on Tuesday, they
asked the sanction of the court at once to permit the Me.
tropolitan Board of Works as well as the goverumeot to ride
over them without a show of resistance.

Mr. Deputy Bowe thought the boo. member was not
addressing the court in a discreet =neer.
Mr. LAWLEY said he was about to say, that when the com-
mittee, to whom the court had delegated that particular
work, brought up their report, their action was paralysed by
the declaim of the court in negativing that report. The
Bemembrancer was unfortunately absent through illness
during a time when the police was threatened—and there
would only be a few days interval before that was Misd—
eed they had no parliamentary officer and DO committee to
watch the fourpevey coal dues, which were threatened by
the Metropolitan Board of Works, and be thought a special
committee ought to be formed to-day, with power to do
what was necessary. If they valued their privileges, if
they were to resist the threateoed claim of the
Metropolitan Board of Works to the coal dues,
or to prevent any encroachment on their privi-
leges, it seemed to him that the course which he bad pro-
posed should be adopted, and that they should have such a
body as would make an oppceitroe, and if they were to be
beaten, it should not be until they had shown that they did
not shrink from any difficulty, whatever it might be, if they
thought they could conquer it. On the other hand, if it
was referred to any of their existing committees, it would
meet the same fate as that which befell the joint com-
mittee.
Mr. BIZGOOOH seconded the motion.

Mr. Kowa asked the hon. member if he thought it possi-
ble out of that court to form a committee, none of whom
had any preconceived opinions, sod he hoped that if be
did out quite epee with him he should not be excluded
from the list of true-hearted men. He thought it time that
the corporation should endeavour to obtain a character for
consiatenoy. They had departed somewhat lately from the
roles of oonsistency. They bad now began an antagonism
with the government and the Metropolitan Board of Works,
and he hoped the mart would wall weigh and consider the
situation is which they were placed. They had been play-
ing fast and loose with government, and now they said they
would have all or noon He was afraid, if they did sot
they would get none, they would lose this fourpanny tax.
There was a notice ofimotion before the Metropolitan Beard of
Works that they were not content with their ninepenny tax,
and they wanted the fourpeany tax.
_ _

Mr. Sheet, chairman of the Law akin and Parliamen-
tary Committee, thought that committee was quite equal to
the requirements of the case. He had formed no opinion,
for he was not premed on Tuesday when the report of the
joint committee was discussed, sad therefore he had had oo
opportunity of doing so, ruidisiace he had the honour of being
chairman of that committee, he had had nothing to do with
any other. The oommittes was composed of gentlemen as
well calculated toiled with such an emergencyae any others,
sad he thought it ought to be left to their charge.
Mr. HARTRIDOI hoped the court would adopt the course
proposed by Mr. Laver t 7.
Yr. L. TAYLOR said it was in the power of the court to
order any committee in existence to cony out certain in-
strectioas, and, until the decision which was agreed to by
the majority of the court was revoked, it was
their order ; and it we, in their power, if
the court pleased, to instruct any committee
to carry it out ; but it did not follow that they must ap-
point a fresh committee. He did not see why he should be
excluded from a committee to topsider • question in all its
bearinga He had always looked to the interest of the corpora-
tion, and not to his own, and becoosidered it caste reflection
upon this committee ordinarily appointed to inquire into
law and parliamentary mattere—(" hear," and " no")—a
committee that was free from any 'imputation of having pre-
conceived notions.ln him opinion they could appoint no
committee which would be superior to the Law and Parlia-
mentary Committee, which consisted of sight aldermen sad
• member from each ward, and also the chairman of every
committee of the court. To appoint another committee he
thoughti would be a serious reflection upon them, and be
like to see them resign to a man if such • propceitios
were carried oat. He hoped it would be referred to the
Law and Parliamentary Commutes, and he was sure they
would do all that was necessary.
Mr. Alderman and Sheriff LAWILENCZ said he was sure it
was not the wish of the court to take any action which
would be looked upon as an insult to the committee or to any
member if he wan one of the committee. One circum-

be taken into cnosideretion, in;cl7thiii;i7s
for what purpose was the Parlismeotary Committee con-
stituted; and secondly, whether or nut the circumstances
were of such a character as to require calm consideration
and the greatest care in the selection of a special committee.
But it seemed to him that any one who looked at the exist-
ing committee, sad for what It was firmed, would my that
that was s committee such as should be selected for the
purpose required on the present occasion, and he hoped the
motion would be carried.

Mr. ALIOTT thought it should not be carried. There was
• committee existing whose speekil duty it w•s to look
after parliamentary lumina; and in looking down the u•mms
be did not think there could ben committee that could oom-
mend itself more to the confidence of the court.

Mr. BISOOUGH thought the court would not be going
out of their usual course by selecting a special committee,
as they had dome in 18t6 under similar cucumstanoes.
• .

Mr. Deputy HARRISON goosed as an amendment that it
should be referred to the Law and Parliamentary Com-
mittee. He thought, with Mr. Taylor, that it would reflect
seriously upon the character of that committee if a special
committee were appointed.
Mr. Burs seconded the smeodment.

Mr. finom)saa favoured the motion of Mr. Lawley.

Mr. FRY hoped the motion would not be carried, and
that it would be referred to the existing committee, who,
he was sure, could do the work as well, if not better,
than any other, and he hoped it would be referred to that
committee.

Some further discussion took place, and upon a division it
was ultimately referred to the L►w and Parliamentary Com-
mittee, instead of toe special committee.
Yr. F. K. GLOVIIIR pressated a petition, signed by a bugs
number of the inhabitants of Ludgate-street and vicinity,
prey's( that the court would be pleased to take such steps
as might be considered most advisable in order to prevent
the formation of the proposed viaduct across Ludgate-hill
by the Loodos, Chatham and Dover Railway Company.
Upon the motion of Mr. GLOVER it was referred to the
Improvement Committee to take the necessary steps in the
smatter. _ _

Borne other petitioes having been disposed of and referred
to different commoners, the court adjourned.

THE CITY TIRMINVB or THR NORTH LONDON
RAILWAY IN LivaarooL-eTlLLlCT.—Yeaterday • number of
workmen were engaged in demolishing the houses oa the
west sod north aides of Broadstreet-buildiogs, in order to
clear the site for the City Terminus of the North London
Railway. The position of the intended terminus is on the
north side of Liverpool-street, nearly midway between
Bishopeptestreet and the Ophthalmia Hospital in Blom-
field-street, and fronting the end of New Brood-street,
the distance from the Bank of England, Mansion-house, and
Royal Exchange, being only about two minutes' walk. The
houses in Foster-street, Peter-street, 3/443., about eighty in
number, along the route, which is northward between
Rishopegate-street, ShoMitch, sad Finsbury, are in the
course of removal, while great exertions are evidently being
made to dear the ground which hat been opened between
Hispland-road sad Niohol-ermare, and prepare it for the
eornmencensent of the railway work.. The property through
which this line is being carried consists mostly of bowies in-
habited by the poorer claws.
Some delay of the South Western trains took
place at Bashigatokeyeeterday, in consequence of the great
tradition the Great Western line between Reading and that
station.