The Express.
London, England, 1846-10-19 00:00:00

CITY POLICE COILDIITTEE.-

SYsTIXATIC AND ERTAMOVIS FILAVD.—T. Wafts, of 212,
Upper Thames-street, who has hitherto pared as a " respect-
able" butcher, was on Saturday summoned by Mr. Knott,
one of the active inspectors of weights and measures for the
City, and by whom it was stated by Alderman Copeland
thousands of pounds were saved to the community by their
activity in preventing the gross abuses that had been proved
to exist to an alarming extent bT tradesmen defrauding the
hard-working poor, by using weights and measures deficient
of the legal quantity, thereby surreptitiously gaining to
themselves a profit far exceeding what they are entitled to,
and thereby defeating the fair and honest trader. In the
present case the defendant was summoned for having in his
peleeleiOn and use a weighing-machine one ounce deficient
against tke purchaser, and also for using abusive language to
the ofilcer.—Mr. Knott, in proving the deficiency, saidthat the
machine was used for the purpose of weighing mutton chops,
and email quantities of meat, so that the poor (of which there
were many in that neighbourhood) were deprived of one
ounce out of four. On his calling on the defendant and
tingre-
with him, he abused him very4mesly, and told
him to do his best or worst, and be off.—Defendant denied
he made use of the words imputed to him; he was not
aware the machine was wrong, as he had been out of town,
and he was sure his servant would not wilfully have used the
scales in that state.—Mr. Knott produced a letter from Mr.
Raymond, one of the inquest of the ward, showing that
defendant's scales had been found wrong in August last, and
exonerating the officer in what he had done.—Alderman
Kelly, after consulting Sir J. Duke, strongly animadverted
on the conduct of tradesmen generally inficting such gross
oppression upon the poor. It was the bounden duty of the
magistrates to protect the poor from the extortions of trades-
men; the present was a gross ease, inasmuch as defendant's
man first attended the summons and stated that defendant
was out of town, but upon his Insisting neon the defendant
• he was at once found. In addition to the offence,
e officer was abused and insulted. The defendant was
then fined as. and cost.

TIIII S cIrHoiaLD NULIANCI. —Mr. R. G. Paget, of
Wed Smithfield, was summoned for obetractiug City Police-.
disjoint White while in the execution of his duty.—The
complaining officer stated, that on last Monday morning he
was stationed at the corner of Giltspur-street, to prevent
vehicles passing into Smithfield, it being market morning.
The defendant, who was driving a hone and cart, persisted
in paring.-Sir J. Duke: Well, Mr. Paget, what answer
have you to make t—Defendant : Why, that I have a perfect
icteto Ram to my premises without being obstructed by the
. By what right do you step an inhabitant going to
residence ?—Sir J. Duke: You must be aware that in
any district a local magistrate can close a street, if the public
convenience require it.—Defendant : With all due submission
to the bench, I contend that you have not the power to stop
me.—Spray, an inspector a polies, said the practice had
been adopted for the last five years.—Defendant: But why
not have a board up announcing the stoppage I—Sir J. Duke:
Is there not one up I—lnspector : No, there is not, air.—Sir
J. Duke : Then there ought to be ; the public demand such
an t.—After a short consultation, Sir J. Duke
ammouoeed that the sumo= was dismiss& In the swum