The Express.
London, England, 1847-10-21 00:00:00

THE REGISTRATIONS.

CITY OP LONI4O7I.—Mr. M'Christie sat yesterday
for the
.purpose of revising the accounts of the overseenin
connexion with the registration. The court was very full,
and, owing probably to some intimations which had fallen
from the barrister during the progress of the revision, a
rather severe audit appeared to be expected by overseers,
vestry clerks, and parochial authorities in general. The
learned gentleman prefaced his investigation with a state-
ment of the principles by which he should be guided in the
process of auditing. He said that, in the accounts laid be-
fore him, the highestcharges were made for printing that any
respectable printer could venture to make; but, where the lists
had been made with reasonable care, he should not disallow
such items. It appeared that overseers were not salaried
officers, but in nearly all the parishes there were officers
generally known under the name of vestry clerks, who were
paid for the express purpose of giving legal advice and assist-
, ance to overseers and portals authorities in all parochial matters.
There were many charges made fur duties performed by
vestry clerks which he could not allow. It was said that, as
many vestry clerks received their appointment before the
passing of the Reform Act, it would be very hard to throw
upon them any additional dutiesconnected with the registra-
tion. If the, were required to perform all those duues, he
(Mr. M'Christie) doubted whether many vacancies in the
office of vestry clerk would arise in consequence. At all
events, such charges as he saw before him, including
sums of three guineas, and even five guineas, for
consultation, were prepoaterota. In some cases, long attor-
flies' bills had been handed up to him. Amongst the charges
were the following For perusing the act, 105. ;" " at-
tendance on collectors, 6s. Bd. ;" " attending overseers for
their signatures, 6s. 8d.," &c. Of such charges ho could
not legally allow sixpence ; though in many cases they
amounted to more than double the expense of printing
the lista. In one bill there was the following charge : " Paid
for a cart and horse going round the parish with notices of
list." He did not think even the facetious Pundi could
have suggested anything more ludicrous. There were also
many pounds charged for the trouble of the beadle in affixing
the notices as provided for by the set—a duty for which no-
thing beyond the regular official salary could fairly be de-
manded. The learned gentleman, having declared his in-
tention to strike off all charges in the nature of attornies'
bills, and all such charges as did not belong simply and
strictly to the preparing of the lists, then proceeded to dis-
pose of the accounts seriatim[. Amidst strong protests from
different vestry clerks, he struck out many heavy stems for legal
services, declaring that, in the capacity. which he sustained,
he should not feel justified in sanctioning such expenditure.
In the case of the parish of St. Botolph, Aldgate, the follow-
ing account was presented.
Preparing list of voters (740 in number) ,C 7 it 0
Paid printer
Preparing lists of claims and olgootions (I 7 la number)

27 6 0
Of this sum, oa recount of the defective manner in which
the list was made up, which had caused the dieranchisement
of several voters, the learned gentleman only allowed 205.,
declaring that, but for some misgivings u to the extent of
his power, be would not have allowed even that.
The following is a tabular list of the result of the revision :

CLil64.
lama pi*"...n,fte.
14
Liner .„. ...... 4 1 1 4
110n50b01d...... 100 369 6 63
Tot& 164' 36 I R 7.1

withdrawn.
NO 1117-
T
laws.
1-3-0 ! 7.11 438
MI 30 3133
.1 TlBB
1 —j
31 II nos

Of the large number of names *resod from the lists on ob-
jections, it appeared, on examination, that the majority con-
sisted of names appearing as new, the numbers being as
under :
Erased ea obis:non. by Liberals. Conerrratises. Double.
Of names an present register
Of new =Me.

Tote 4lO 1,030 330
The following shows the result of the revision as regards
the relative strength of the two parties •
Liberal. Cooserratiros
Cla low allowed 164 7
Do. disallowed (Cam) 67 (Literal), 369
(V seetained
T. by both parties
Do. do.
Do. do. M
both ed
puti.Oase. 410
1 )
364 (Liberal) 396
do. by 31 31

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