The Express.
London, England, 1853-11-18 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 18, 1853.

CITY CORPORATION COMMISSION.

Yesterday the Commissioner's met in the Privy
Comical Chamber, Mr. bohemian in the chair.
Mr. *eland presented a memorial from Croydon, piped
by 200 hounholdets, the only resident magistrate, and the
two chareltwardeas, complaining of the unjust and heavy
coal duff, s.
Mr. U. L. Keeling examined-1 am a partner in the firm
of Keeling and Hunt. lam connected with the fruit trade.
1 mite es speak of the tow levied by the meters on fruit im-
pend inn abroad. They, without being called en, insist
emmessarieg the fruit imported. If I receive a cargo of
MM` several bags, all of equal weight, the crown is satisfied
mfr messuting two bags. But the City meters demand 2d.
eni snob bag. Sometimes all they do for this is to see the
Imp liken out. Their services are not required either by
the importers or the sender, the buyer or that seller. In this
way I have to pay 161. 13s. ed. beyond what I med. They
lee, the duty on all kinds of Outs, except Brazi-
lian. I do not know why they eta not charge
the duty on this kind of nut,. They charge the
duty ear app:es and 012i'lL11. They did charge the
metage on oranges, under the old duties when oranges
wore measured. The duty is now levied on the bushel.
When the reduction of duty took place a clause was lotto-
ffiensi into the Customs Acts, enacting that no metage was
Mlle shamed eider the new duties, and the consequence
11110 that they did not since levy the duty on oranges. Were
it sot for the City meters we would not measure the whole
wage of fruit. In the nine months which elapsed between
the month of October, 1851, and the month of Jane, 1852,
our firm paid 2eS/. ls. 11d. in the shape of City dues. We
paid upwards of 183!. for metage, 221. for Lord Mayor's
dues, and V. for Corporation dues. TOOSO are all small
charges, but the great objection to them is this, that we
have a cifficulty in risking our foreign correspondents un-
derstand why it is that there is n difference in the sales of
cargoes coining, lepton by railways and by the port of
London. The difficulty is still further increased when
them foreign correspondent' find that there is the same dif-
ference between sales effected in the port of London and
any of the outports.
Mr. Lewis—Does not this tend to drive away trade from
the port of Leaden r
Witness—Certainly. There are four meters in the City,
to whom the corporation have sot( this right of metage. I
believe they derive 5,0001. from the metage of fruit and
potatoes. I don't know what they have paid for this privi-
lege. They claim the right of measuring, and they some-
times do measure the whole cargo. I think the charge of
metage is unneetmary, and not required. We have paid
2,00C1. in nine months to the fellowship of porters. We do
nut complain of the charges, but I think we should have the
option of employ deg our own m, n.
Mr. E. Hales, corn merchant, in Bush-lane' examined—l
have carried on business for 25 years in the City. I come
here to complain of the dues levied on corn. I was a mem-
ber of a committee appointed about eighteen months ago,
which retook nted the feeling of the corn merchants in the
City on this subject. We presented a memorial to the cor-
poration, es,tieg them to reduce the metage and porterage
charges, and to levy them in a uniform way.
They are now levied in twenty-five different ways.
The report which the committee presented stated that the
corporation of London, under charters granted to them in
i former times, claimed Use right of massuting all cora deli-
leered within the city and port of London, and charging
for such admemarentent ,• that the total 'menet of the
charge for measuring and porterage Muce the reduction
made on the 3rd of May, Ida, avenged 4d. per quarter
lex-ship, and 2:d. per quarter ex granary. That corn was
measured at Wakefield, Bristol, Plymouth, Portsmouth,
Lyra, at the rate of 14. per quarter, mid there was no rem
son why it should not ha measured at the same rate in the
other pats of the United Kingdom. That the captain and
crows ..1 vessels assisted in unloading all other kinds of
goods, including flair, except c =m, and that consequently
the practice of the corporation imposed a burden en the
merchants and consignees of corn which tended to divert
Wildness from the port of London, and that in fact a very
large quantity of corn was now brought to London by rail
chiefly to avoid the heavy charge of metage. 'that the
effect of the existing practice was evident from the
fact that from twenty thousand to thirty thousand
quarters of grain were on!y a few years since measured
weekly ex-granary in the port of London by sworn meters,
whilst not more than 2,000 quarters were now so mem
eared. That the merchants ant factors engaged in
the corn-trade, if left unfettered, could procure re-
, sponsible parties to perform the whole fur lid.
per quarter from ship, and Id. per quarter from
minify. The committee, however, wishing to deal
liherally, proposed that in lieu of the Id. and 2id. now
levied, the charge should be reduced to 2d. per quarter on
heavy grain sad lid. on light grain ex ship, and lid. on
heavy grain and Id. on light grain ex-gratiary, to be paid
by the importer or seller, thus avoiding the trouble and ex-
pose of collection from buyers is all parts of the couutry.
That the anamiten were assured the corporation made •
peek nee= alien 15.000!. to 20,000!. from this source,
whist. teem if ovoid be sustained in point of law, was
ems .
gelmipla and prejudicial in effect
eneweeng ha last, to a tat on grain, in the
mug part of the United llingdom. A
fen took place on the subject. The last
nermennaties we received is dated on the 14th of Abmil.
Weill not press the matter further, because of the appoint-
seentet this commi•sion. But we are fully determined to
pursue the course followed by Messrs. Comb* and Delafietd.
We will not refuse payment altogether, but we will refuse
the exorbitant charges h. retofore made. I believe the fel-
lowship of porters is falling to pieces of itself. The charge
for porterage in the London Docks is ld. per quarter, in the
fellowship of porters it is 34. We do not object to the
metags by the corporation, but we object to the high charge
mode. 1 think there would be some advantage in an inde-
pendent certificate, such aa that of the corporation, even
though it war paid for at a somewhat higher rate ; but the
charge now made is too high, and the system is too com-
plex. I believe the complexity was introducal for
the purpose of mystification at first, but the corpora-
tion I believe en now anxious to simplify the system,
The porters received Id. per quarter for the work per-
formed, and the City received id. also, or rather more,
for doing nothing. I believe the corporation have set aside
the fellowship of porters in the river, ant we may now
employ any porters we wish. We would rather unload in
the river, but the captains of vessels come into the docks,
and there we camset employ our own porters but the porters
el the dock companies. We have thus to deal with the
monopoly of the City and the docks.
The Chairman—ln your memorial it is stated that there
le a charge in Liverpool of 2d. for metage and porterage and
a Ift:_y_for weighing ; who pays this ?
It lel charged to the consignees. I think that
ens &sold be seid by ensure and weight combiaed. I
Web that pangs should be left to private individuals,
eel to nOli performed by Semi independent and re-
party. The an sterehants in London
Catn et nine a liberal payment for the latter. I think
the Wade wish that the City should have the metage of corn.
wadi have the metsge voluntary ; but I think nine-
Inaba af the tank would have their corn tonsured by an
Iniffipendlost meg, even if the charge was somewhat more
ilea Weight dela. I would have the wastage of foreir
=erieZ. ThereSz, need
agree
; bubst th no third ye wifhotlen,
lie trek wadi fer an independent metage. The wit-
en reed tars from corn dealers in the country,
eimplainieg of the exorbitant charges for restage by the
Wsties.
.T. HAWIZT examined—l have been a merchant in
the City for 26 years, and was:Governor of the Benito( Eng-
land. I have never been connected with the corporation.
The loading merchants of the City are not generally con-
nected with the corporation. I think this arises from the
merchants not living in the City, and else from the extent
of their business. I think it would be desirable to have the
great commerce of the City connected with the air-
Mat:. I don't think the great merchants would wil-
I:to say part in the corporation as it exists at present.
I think if the system were changed the great merchants
might be induced to take part in the corporation as they
do now in Use fairish business of the parish in which they
maids. I Welt the magisterial duties and the pageantry
which surrounds the corporation prevent the great mer-
chants from seeking corporals office. I don't think the
hospitality of the Lord Mayor is altogether unnecessary
and undesirable, but that hospitality might be conducted
in a lass ostentatious manner. lam opposed to the annual
dinner at the Cfniiilhall, which I think is an unnecessary
meow I lave bush at the Guildhall dinner when Iw u
pewee eine Beg& of England, and although I had what
might le essinwel • plan of honour, I could not hear a
ward of the open* men by the ministers on that occa-
sion. I Wok It weelithe well to confine the hospitality to
She Ilensien-leese. With respect to the Lord Mayor's
Ilheser, I Mink it le a great nuisance to ell the linden of the
City penally, end is only wished for by idle boys and
men. vibes altered latterly in its character. But I think
it has helms move ridiculous every year. It has become
allegories* lately. I think the Lord Mayor should appear
la such a manner as to create respect among his fellow
admen. I think the Lord Mayor should exercise decent
hid even splendid hospitality. I think that the corporation
=he so improved that the great merchants would not
eesept corporate officer. I don't see why the I
dieeffienehmtld be elected for life. I think the duties of
lie empreadoe are by no means useless. I would have the
mepieeders et Leedom distributed in some such way as is
&see Is Pule, where the city is divided into different
arrondissements, each under its mayor, and which meet to
gather for the purpose of conducting the business of the
eity. I weed not like to see the corporation swept away
till a better epees wu provided. I would extend the cor-
ral:tea over the whole metropolis. I believe the magisterial
sides metropolis are well performed, and I think those
duties need not be connected with certain corporate offices.
I think, Indeed, the two duties should be disconnected.
But the improvement of streets, paving, lighting, and
sewerage, would be best conducted by a corporation. Ido
not think that, as merchants, we want any corporate super •
vision or direction. The more we are left to ourselves, as
sierehaats, the better. Any interference with us, on the
pert of the corporation, would be rather prejudicial. I
thiak *erste no reason for dividing the City into two tor-
beam. It might stand as one of several corporate
It in the metropolis. I think the sewage, drainage,
and supply of water ought to be under one management.
I think the overcrowded wrote of the bridges over the river
shows the inaptitude of the corporation for promoting the
welfare and convenience of the City. There is, I under-
stand, a negotiation for the purchase of Banda, ark-bridge,
but 'hers is a difference whether the purchase money should
be 250,000!. or 300,0001. I thiak it is the business of the
government to see that the approaches over the river should
be sufficient. I believe the inhabitants of the metropolis
would cheerfully consent to any amount of taxation for the
purposes of real improvement.
Mr. Lewis—Might there not be a board of works for the
whole metropolis ?
Witness—l think there might. With respect to chem.