The Express.
London, England, 1864-11-14 00:00:00

UTILISATION ule METROPOLITAN SEWAGE.

A special court of Common Council of the City of
London was holden on Saturda , at the Mansion-house, for
the purposeof taking into ao tion a reportot the Coal,
Corn, and Finance Committee of the Corporation upoc the
subject of the utilisation of the sewage of the metropolis,
this matter having been referred to them upon the requisi-
tion of a public meeting of inhabitants of the City.
The LORD MAYOR presided for the first time since hie in-
stallation to that office, and he prefaced the proceedings by
making a few observations expressive of the satisfaction he
felt at being appointed through the suffrages of his fellow
citireas to the proud position he occupied. He at the same
time expressed a hope that he should receive the same kind-
ness and consideration that had ever been accorded to his
predecessors in preserving order and decorum during the
debates in the court. (Hear, hear.)
Therepmt that was the subject of this meeting has already
been made public. It was to the effect that the committee,
fully aware of the great importance of the subject, not only
to the ratepayers but to all claws of the community, bad
attentively considered it in all its bearings, and had been
favoured with the assistance and advice of Lord Hobert
Montagu, M.P., and Dr. Brady, M.P., both of whom had
acted as chairmen of committees of the House of Commons
upon the utilisation of metropolitan sewage, and they had
collected all the information in their power, and the molt
they bad arrived at upon the present state of knowledge of
the subject was that nothing should be done at present,
but further and thorough investigation should be instituted
without further delay, either by the sanction of parliament
or of the imperial governmset.
Mr. Deputy BONE, the chairman of the Coal, Corn, and
Finance Committee, io moving that the report be agreed to,
said that he should not have taken upon himself on behalf
of the committee to came the court to be assem.
bled on the present occasion, but it was consi-
dered absolutely necessary to do so oa account of
the course which it was believed was about to be under-
taken by the Metropolitan Board of Works. He believed
it was contemplated by that body either on Monday or
Tuesday next to decide upon some plan for the use of the
metropolitan sewage, and the committee having regard to
the facts declared before the committees of tSe House of
Commons, and the extreme importance of the subject not
only to the ratepayers of the City but to those of the
whole metropolis, felt that there was not sufficient data to
act upon, and that more information should be obtained
before any decision was arrived at upon so important •
subject. (Hear, bear.) With this view the committee felt
it to be their duty to mote the present report without any
delay, and be trusted that for the reasons be had stated it
would be agreed to by the court. (Hear.)
Mr. H. A. Isaace wooded the motion, and in doing so
said there could be no doubt of the importance and value
of the sewage of the metropolis, and he thought that no
scheme for disposing of it ought to be carried out that did
not promise to obtain the full valve of the commodity.
After a long discussion the motion was put and carried
unanimously.
Mr. LattLEY then moved that the committee should be
instructed to take the necessary steps to obtain a royal
oommeaion ; and this led to some discussion.

Mr. RICHARDSON observed, in the course of it, that in his
opinion a question of such importance had been played with
too long, and he said he was glad that the corporation of
London had at length come forward, and be hoped the
jobberiee that had been so long going on in reference to the
question would be put an end to, but he thought this could
only be effected by having a royal commission.
The COMMON SERJEANT, who was appealed to in the
course of the debate, expreemid his opinion that it would
not be prudent for the corporation to apply to the govern.
meat to issue a royal commission, as they had no power to
control the scope of such a commission, and the result might
be to materially affect the principle of local self•govern-
meot.

Mr. Lawley upon this withdrew Ms motion, and another
resolution euipoweriug the committee to coder with the
government and to take any other steps they might deem
advisable in the matter, was agreed to, alter which the
court adjourned.