The Express.
London, England, 1853-02-02 00:00:00

LODGING HOUSES.

The Clerk drew the attention of the court to the sluggish
manner in which the owners of Willis rents, Bishopsgate,
were proceeding to execute the orders in relation to mend-
ing their lodging-houses; and it was finally determined
that the work should be done by the commission, and the
owners sued for the costs.

Sundry official complaints made by Mr. Porter, the medi-
cal officer of the East London Union, as to the bad condi-
tion, in sanitary respects, of houses in Thompson's-reats,
Bishopsgate, were ordered to be referred to the inspector,
with directions that the works required should be forthwith
completed.
Messrs. Powell attended to object to the filling up of u
portion of Whitefriars-dock, that insufferable nuisance, on
the ground of interference with their right of landing on
the spot. The consideration of the questioa was postponed.
The scavenging contractors, W. Sinnott and E. Reddin,
were fined, the former 121., the latter forty shillings, for
neglect of their duty as to the cleansing of certain streets.

ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH COMPANY.
The following report upon the important question re-
specting the Electric Telegraph Companies' right to take
ap pavement in the public streets, without being subjected
to the control of the commissioners, wu read :
. -

Gentlemeo,—l beg to lay before you a notice I have re-
ceived from the European and American Electric Tele-
graph Company, of their intention to open the pavements,
and lay down pipes beneath the public ways of Cornhill,
Poultry, Princes-street, Muorgato-street, Finsbury-place,
and Finsbury Pavement."
" The route intended for the wires of this company
appears to me to be objectionable, inasmuch as '
the line is already occupied on one side of the way by
the wires of another company, and the other side is pro-
posed to be occupied by the wires of the Magnetic Tele-
graph Company. Two sets of wires in the same street, or
the same aide of a street, may lead at a future day to con-
fusion, and may cause an undue amount of opening of the
pavements in one particular line of thoroughfare. I beg to
submit, therefore, as a convenient line, the north side of
Cornhill, the western side of Princes-street, and the eastern
side of Coleman-street and Little Moorfields, and the south

side of Ropemaker-street to the City boundary. I think'
that in all cases the wires should be laid beneath the foot-
way, that the paying. should be laid by your contractor,'
and charged to the company in the usual manner ; and that
upon those conditions only should you consent to the wires
being laid beneath the parings of your jurisdiction. I beg
now to call your attention to the fact, that this company
gives notice of their intention to open the pavements and lay
down wires, instead of asking the consent of the commis-
sioners, as the other companies do. The contractor fee the
wire laying, whom I have seen, states that the powers of their
act render application unnecessary. He also states his
willin?ness to employ the masons and parlors of the
oommissioners to relay the parings, provided they
will do the work at prices which he consents to, otherwise
that it is his intention to relay the parings himself. I sub-
mit that it is imnortant that your honourable court should
at once ascertain the precise powers of this company, and
whether or not it is enabled to depart from the usual form
and rules by which the other companies are bound.—W.
HAYWOOD, StineyOr."
Another report from the surveyor to the commission, In
reference to an application made by the Magnetic Telegraph
Company to lay down wires in the carriage way of Fins-
bury-place, South Moergate-street, Lothbury, and Throg-
morton-street, to No. 10, Broad street, was also read.
Mr. Deputy Lorr complained of the perpetual disturb-
ance of the streets, and it was eventually agreed that the
court did not approve of the line proposed by the European
and-American Telegraph Company, and required the com-
pany to adopt the line recommended by the surveyor.
Several works of improvement in widening streets were
ordered to be carried into execution.

The court having received a copy of rules for the control
of cow-houses in the city, adjourned.

WAGES OP

IN BEE MAnrry's

- -
DOCKYARD, DEVONPORT.—A meeting of the working
shipwrights in her Majesty's dockyard, Devonport, was
held at the Temperance Hall, in that town, on Monday
evening. The chair was taken by Mr. Cripps, and the
hall was crowded with artisans. The object of the meeting
was to petition the Lords of the Admiralty for an increase
of wages, and the following is a copy of the petition agreed
to To the Hon. Lords Commissioners of the Admi-
ralty, the humble petition of the shipwrights employed in
her Majesty's dockyard at Devonport most humbly
sheweth : That your petitioners are labouring under disad-
vantages which, if brought under your lordships' notice,
would , they believe, lead your lordships to take them into
most favourable consideration. Your petitioners would beg
to show that they are now in receipt of wages at 4s. per day,
whilst shipwrights in the merchant service arc in receipt of
from 64. to 7s. per day. Your petitioners believe that they
are called on to be equally responsible far the performance
of their work, and are in all cases to be as arduous in their
engagements, and as respectable in life as those of their
fellow mechanics who are working in the merchant service.
Your petitioners would, therefore, humbly beg your lord-
ships' kind consideration of their statements, and humbly
pray that your lordships may see fit to increase
the wages of your petitioners, to place them on an equal
footing with mechanics of the same calling out of govern-
ment employ.—And your petitioners will ever pray, &e."
After the above petition had been received, a discussion
arose as to the mode of transmitting it to the Admiralty
board ; a few argued that it should be presented through
the master shipwright, Mr. W. Edye, and the commodore
superintendent ; but the majority were in favour of sending
the petition direct to their lordships, through the repre-
sentatives of the borough, H. Tufnell, Esq., and Sir 0.
Berkeley, which it was determined to do. A committee
was appointed, which the chairman said would remain in
office, until either the prayer of the petition was granted, or
their grievances were laid on the table of the House of
Commons. Tkree cheers were given for the petition, three
more for the Queen, and the meeting separated.

BRITISH PERMANENT BUILDING AND BRITISH
PIikKANANT LAND COMPANIES.—The inauguration dinner
of these new companies took place on Monday, at the
Belvidere Tavern, Pentonville ; George Thompson, Esq.,
one of the trustees, presided. Seieral speeches were made
by Mr. Thompson, Mr. Farmer (chairman of the board of
directors), Mr. J. K. Dow, and Mr. Henry Brooke (the
secretary), from which it appeared that the above companies
are just now commencing operations, upon the principles of
the previous British Building and Investment Companies,
which, during a period of seven years, enrolled more than
3,000 members, receiving upwards of 90,0001., and pur-
chased 300 houses in different parts of the kingdom, for
their shareholders, at whose desire the above new companies
have been established, with improvements suggested by the
experience of the previous societies. The health' of the
various officers were drunk with goodwill and suitably ac-
knowledged.

PROPOSED RAILWAYS THROUGH
KILBURN.

A public meeting of the inhabitants and owners of
property in Kilburn and its vicinity was held on Mot day
evening, at the Red Lion Inn, Kiiburn, to take into won-
denition the intended application to parliament for the for-
I mation of certain lines .4 railway to pass throuh the
above locality, and to adopt means for protecting the in-
terests of the inhabitants, lauded and house proprietors.
THOMAS PAUL, Esq., presided.
Mr. Saes moved the following resolution : " That &com-
mittee be formed to watch the progress of the hills now be-
lure parliament, for power to make railroads Wrung' Kil-
burn and its vicinity, and, if necessary, to oppose the same
for the protection of the interests of the inhabitants, land
and house owners, with power to add to the number."
The scheme which it was most necessary for them to
watch was the Great Western and City Junction, which
took in forty-two houses; if this number of dwellings were
removed, the tradespeople of the district would be great
sufferers. There could be no doubt of the necessity of this
line, as it would be a direct communication to the city and
, docks, and thus be a saving to many of the London parishes
through which all the heavy traffic had passed. He had
advocated the station at Kilburn, and they had got one,
, but very few trains stopped at it, and ho trusted that u; is
the proposed line greater convenience ana of tran-
sit would be afforded to the inhabitants of Kilburn. (Hear,
bear. It should be at once ascertained from the directors
whether it wee their intention to place a station at Kil-
burn, and also the exact number of houses it would be ne-
cessary to remove, in order that the interests of the inhab-
itants might be protected. (Hear, hear.) It was to be
hoped that the viaduct would be of an ornamental charac-
ter. It was must desirable that all those ends
should be attained by amicable means, but if ne-
cessary for the proper protection of the inhabitants
further measures would be had recourse to. (Hiar, hear.)
The resolution was seconded by Mr. Haddington, and
c.vried unanimously, and the following gentlemen were
na.med on the committee--Mr. Paul, Mr. Skeet, Dr. Carter,
and Mr. Hadkinson.

Dr. CARTE@ said the several points which he wished to
urge ui'mn the attention of the meeting as connected with
the inteivats of the inhabitants and owners of property in
Kilburn, were embodied in the following resolution, which
he begged !erre to move " That such committee do endea-
vour to obtain compensation for those parties in the village
that will be iinjured by the construction of the proposed
witl:out, if possible, resorting to opposition in
parliament, and also to get the viaducts over the roads so
designed and placro as to be of the least possible injury or
inconvenience to those residing in the village or its vicinity
who may not be strictly entitled to compensation under the
Lands Clauses Consolidation Act."

Mr. J. llootEr seconded ilaTresolutkin, which wu car-
ried unanimously.
It was then moved by Mr. GOODCIiAP and seconded by
Mr. HADKINSON, swil carried unanimously—.• fhat the
commi•tee be authorised to get inserted in the proposed act
of the Great Western and Eact and West India Dock Junc-
tion scheme a clause making it compulsory for that company
to have a passenger station at Kilburn, for the accommoda-
tion of the public to and from Paddington, and also to and
from the East and West India Dock line, and to approve of
the proposed bite for such station." _
' .

A.voie of thanks to the chairman terminated the pro-
ceedings.

WESTMINSTER FREEHOLD LAND
SOCIETY.

Llst evening a public meeting for extending a
knowledge of the objects and eregreu of this society was
held at the Assembly Rooms, Portniati Arms, Milton-street,
Dorset-square J A. NICUULAY, Esq , in the chair.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the mectiug, said lie had
cheerfully accepted the levitation to preside from a desire
to promote the interest of freehold land societies generally,
Approving as he did of the principles on which this so-
ciety was founded, and the character of its management
and the committee, he commended it to the confidence of
the meeting. He believed Mar while the attainment of the
county franchise by skilled inechanf s in large towns was
of great political and national importance, these
gave to the saving and industrious man a greater amount of
interest and better security than any benefit societies or
savings banks could offer. They were not restricted to an
sect, but its benefits were open to all parties. lie concluded
by urging on those present the importance and advantage
of joining these societies.
Mr. kitiOtlETT, the Secretary, entered at length into the
history and progress of these societies and the principles
upon which the IVestminster Society was conducted. Five
estates had been purchased, all of which bad yielded great
advantages to the members, and showed an average profit
of nearly one huedred per cent. on the capital invested,
viz. :—Kent Town Estate (previous to allotment) from 31.
to 51; Holuisdale Estate (ditto) from 31. to 71.; Long
Ditton Estate (ditto) from 31. to 51.; Kilburn
Estate (ditto) from 71. to 201. The plots them-
selves, after allotment, have obtained the following
premiums : Kent Town estate, front 71. to 211. premium ;
Holmadale estate, from 61. to 101. ditto ; Long Dittos
estate, from 311. to 641. ditto. Tho number of voters, in
resptct of property, obtained through this society, was in-
creasing, and must continue annually to increase. In addi-
tion to the fifty-two members who have had the opportunity
of voting at the late West Surrey election, there are, this
year, placed on the list of voters, and unobjected to, four-
teen more members for the Kent Town property, and ele-
ven for the Dolmsdale estate. The result of the purchase
of this latter estate would be the political emancipation of
the borough of Reigate. One feature of this society as
distinguished from some others, was, that a separate fund
was kept for the expense of management, and
every member's pass-book showed what amount
he contributed to that fund, and how much he had paid
towards the purchase of his land. The society had resisted
the temptation of adopting the plan of advancing shares by
lottery, and still continued to make advances in the order of
rotation. He denounced the lottery system as baneful in
its tendency, and believed that a man who won his allot-
ment by chance might dispose of it for much less than its
value not having previously possessed himself of a know-
ledge of its real worth, while by the rotation system be was
enabled to ascertain the time at which he would be entitled
to an allotment—make himself acquainted with its situa-
tion and value, and by such knowledge make arrangements
for the most profitable use of it, either by preparing to
build thereon, to let it advantageously or other-
wise dispose of it. He then illustrated the work-
ing of the Society by the following statement:—
He had been paying on four shares 12s. a fortnight since
September, 1849, which shares would be advanced in re-
spect of four plots at Kilburn this month, paying upon
these shares previously to allotment fur three and a half
years. The plots would, upon a reasonable calculation,
let within one year and a half, or five years from the time
of commencing to pay for them. The payment on the four
shares, including expenses, was 181.8 s. a year, or 821. in the
fire years. The average cost of the plots being 501., the
four plots would cost 2001. Twelve and a half years' sub-
scription would produce 2051., being the cost of the land
and law expenses. If in five years from the commencement
of payment each plot lets at a ground rent of 64. a year, it
will produce 241. a year during seven and a half years of
the time of subscribing, or 1801. more than the payments
during that time. At the period of the subscriptions being
completed the land will have cost only 251. more than had
been received in ground rents, and would leave him in
polemics of an income of 241, a year in perpetuity.
Some questions intense( been answered and members en-
rolled, the thank* of the meeting were voted to the chair-
man, and the meeting separated.