The Express.
London, England, 1858-07-16 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, JULY 18, 1868.

SUPERANNUATION BILL.
Mr. J. WILSON asked whether it was *intention of the
comsat to prmsed with the flaparannuation Bill during
FORGE ani
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER must de-
cline giving • deckles answer for a couple of days.
TILE EXPLOSION IN THE WESTMINSTER-ROAD.
Mr. BOWYER asksd whether the attention of govercunint
had been called to the dreadful accident which had recently
happened over the water, by which • large number of person*
had been seriously inured. Hs wished also to Mow whether
it was intended to bring in a bill to prevent the manufacture
of dangerous rubstanote within • certain distance of inhabited
hectare ?

—Mr. iVALPOLB said that his &Mention had been called
to the accident alluded to, but was not aware whether the
legislature could interfere In the matter. The subject should,
however, receive his beet consideration._

• terminate a Nation of affair.so unaelidectory end fraught
with so much dagger to the public health. The fine Tim-
non that arises is when are we to find the areas, end what
shall be the by which the remedial measures
which are sorely called for may be applied—and
bon we tun to amide whether it is a local or a national
question ? At the Ant glance it appears that the inhabi-
tante of • great city should be responsible for the purity of
the river that washes its walls. But, on the other hand, it
isnraed that the position of this city is very peculiar. It isnot
merely a city in her Majesty's dominions, bat it is the metro-
polis of her Majesty's dominions. It is the city of paramount
metro-
polis is the its of the court, of the parliameet,
of the halls of jeathm, end the centre of adminis-
tration for the whole empire ; and it is alleged
that where so much of national interact is included, aadso
many national institutions are placed, the expense of reme-
dying this great Mammonism, partakes of a national oh*.
rooter, and should be defrayed by the nation at large. But
then It is argued that the very circumstances that are
brought forward to substantiate this claim upon the national
resources tend, if fairly considered, to prove exactly the con-
trary ; and it is contended (the house will my whethm, in
their opinion, with equal force) that if the court, the
chambers of the two houses of the legislature, the courts of
law, and the offices of public administration, are to be found
in a city, the wealth and importance of that city must
necessarily have been largely contributed to by those circum-
stances, and that they are amongst the chief canals of the
splendour and power of London. Theo one naturally ask@
one's self the question—Are we not to trust to that squat-
deal intact* whisk le as efts WNW theft lilt* ea
which we ere all so proud of, as one of the eharseterkilks of
oar present state of society ? If not, then we have to ask
toarselves what I. the value of the principle, if it is so
limited in its application, and ought it to be so limited f If
it is the duty of a city of 300,000 inhabitants to deism its
streets and keep pure its river, why should not the same
principle apply to a city with • population of some millions ?
And what becomes of your principle of local adrnialstration,
of which you are so proud, and in which you have so much
confidence, if, when a great trial like this arises to teat its
efficiency, you at onoe give it up, and, abandoning all hope
of relief from that source, you declare this a car
which mast be dealt with by the nation, and can
only be met by the aggregate resources of the
country at large. Ger, beer.) Her Majesty's government
hoeing comidered mustica without prejudice, and with
an earnest dein to make a proposition which shall be ade-
quate to the mnergemoy are of opinion that his is an expendi-
ture which met be met by local resources, that It is • local
thoonmalence that we are required to remove, and we must
devise the means by which a competent remedy shall
be ferakthed and obtained from the remains of the local
amount& (Hear, hear.) But it may be said that, although
this is a mond position, it must be borne in mind that this
metropolis, with the exception of a very smell portion of it,
has been only within a very brief spew of time brought
within the operation of the principle of local government ; that
the municipal mintinistration of London —a city not only the
of modern times, but, as far as within any records,
greatest
gree
ter than any ancient city that ever existed—is new ;
that, except with regard to • very small part of the metropolis,
the municipal authorities of London era really in their in-
fancy ; and that nothing is more remarkable in connexion
with our municipal government than the contrast between the
nominal extant of their powers and the feebleness of their
means. We have looked into the conduct of the Metropolitan
Board of Works,which, not much'more than two years *goons
instituted by parliamentesapowarful and efficient municipality
of this greet city. That body has undoubtedly not born very
fruitful in works—(" hear, hear," and laughter)—but you
must recollect that the period of ice existence has been but Mid;
and that although you have invested them with great and
Important dubs, you have not joined to the fulfilment of
thous duties adequate power.. The question is can you
invert that body, which I. in the natural position of the
municipality of this metropolis, and therefore • body to which
ran ought to appeal to remedy any great metropolitan
grievance—can you place them in a position that will render
theta equal to the occasion, and isnot thaw with powers
ouflicent for the purpose before us ? That le what we have
to consider. Generally speaking, where thole Is • imposi-
tion of a great city like London, the metropolis of an ancient
, we and that they are in pommel= et large estates ;
consequently when any special call upon their
mimes, they, ham; the funds to carry out, my work
may deem' destrehle. Bat in this ease we
dhave the
dertit...._= aVik responsible
power,
blot
gnat
oileemi of the asssmary power of
mmeamilmalie honk aid Pm tale reason—By the
=lof am are cmparallaa of this eity key appear to be
ama thhasteasof Imp resources. They posers the
prohr of wag ho an =lath intuit the blalibets whom
sails flisffidilliallne• /Ila thus mahatma illmory se •
rats, ho item hi a• mem of
large may be ibb MOW 11( the Mgt illiskal=mlohoo
pryer* to these his immelselt--thom are ao mesas so 11110110
tisfectory whoa vary tonsihrable auras are wanted than
what are called hag pewee. (Heir.) In ordinary caeca •
corporation that to Invest • large amount of capital
In public works M net anticipate that it will have to fur-
nish that capital set of its yearly income. If it pommies
large estates it as eerily rates Ws matey at a moderat rats
of interest, and me obtain the MOMS of carrying out the works
and efficiently azarelaing its fuoctious, but when you have
only rating powers you have a kind of security upon which no
pee. will be willing to advisee any very large sum. Yee
sl#t obtain advances of ma stemets, bat at a high rate
of lama upon it no that ; het That hold set supply the
amiss amain the edam, new base nA I find that
the lisighten Bard e( Web ham shin the subject of
the parasitise of tits Timm sail km min drainage of the
malropolis gnat attaition ; they have dental much time to
its htmettgatka ; they have availed thimmires of the expe-
rtise*, the maim the Information, and abs practical know-
ledge of the Writ autheetths on the sehjen ; they have
ved at resift, sml they de sat In any way shrink from
the reiponsthility of the duty which devolves upon than if
parliament will place them ia • position to adopt the reme-
dies they bare matured. Theesprediture asesseary to carry
oat tlis object in view—yin, te ttaw sad petrify the river
and to complete the main &Wasp at Landaa—le unqah
notably very great. It cannot be -Mime'-' at much leas them
three millions of mosey. lawhetwimistheeorporation termini I
this difficulty ? The pion hi* bur Majesty's ministers
have determined to propose be the eensiderathe, and they
hope ultimately for the -edispilan, tithe biro, is this. In
the firer place, that we ahead kola Mop thr placing this sew
1 corporation in poseetics of a atuaihalie hamii—not of a
transient character. mar, delay sia minimal haracter, but
that they should have dor • anaidffebis amen ef mere an In-
come in their power Adel shell amble theta le carry out albs
objects that are disked. What we promo le that He-
wett should interfere ma herpes a rate emu the 'teats
of the metropolia, whirl liar be a spacial mei Ike purifying
the river and tin main drainage—a ate which
shall form a fund le theme objeells rely, and which
shall be satiate la Witham hi in imam is the
main sewerage rale of the mehrepas. We gropem that it
shad be • cafe amide to effeet them two objects ; that it
shall supply the asisseary fund required for this great
expenditure, whisk as I have said, we do sot
place at km then three millions, mg BIM seder
annagemente to be made and conditions to be saterthed to
by am competent authorities up to the tanduatien of the
purled daring which it is Is he WA, • ilsidog dm& dial
be homed, whlolt, at the gime awe an br ethiallmises
seam shall extinguish the whale debt. Bo that at the and
of aim time the river
the
d Mimes shall Wm bees completed at
an
he
of net has thea S,OOO,llOOL_
_tad ebt M-
OWN' he bellagig awl this sunit guided We think
If thet ma be mesimplisked It lea be aAnalithistea volution
ef the iron-' pert MIMI quietism We me Yard that
a moo el sh IMO lben Si is the peed ler burly peers will
to sallialma es maryiste the hoods al Se kali bakav of
the sr thepalls, sat at the sem time prima a sial&g
feed wash will entirely liquidate the debt which
tbs Hotgepoillaa Board of Watt TR have in-
hred. II ceder M being about Ws sash iii mph
bee hem she to the wpm math, imisbota. sad the am-
item *Mk la hod in in my milk calk* of • hell-
Uhl kin. It le ask an kph le • man of id
pails money or matiltrathg ty &Amoral grist_ aaylomerdat
OM azpshilare, bat that gm hall mat the loor as voi
ham In
la the habit of laskiing in ortelbuind tt:
weds In miry pert of ther Ildeplem (Oirsiebe
is hure OM don I. a set thery to edam* by whisk p.-
es sithe is Mora at • miedenee nele et Mired to
say hamsten at as balsa d idiom, ids aphies
of limb •• saw instleelliers cif • vela thareeter,
end that lbw eivesses me by Chasms troldway repaid.
Hut that marthiry which fa brim ea the Nalsamoar Bill
Leon Osmaisdansis' ammo it tee Mid to mat the

--
prang Inn Wk 4 tee pagan b aCerreepeaMa sot of e
mob* idler, bet of ea asabesees ehireeter. The home
va ow that If we avid the Mottepolltatt Bawd of Works
vita the peva al rabbi a throspeany rite for 40 years,
egg* trig profuse rawastkiiii awe than 140,0001.
• par. the ecependea ilea•big In pommies
et 0 elatileable. thy* set • pammeat, Lamm,
veil have k la la peer to Ma ilea mew required.
li=er Mashy woe M 116 peat Yea of the In-
el
seaty
*Welk whisk have brio apilleg et their
exceed see lb*
le byways mai ask ef at-
' dame haw em aail twilit teal a,
er es the marfay pablis is They weld net
elle le Lad may le the Metrepelltan Board of Wale meat
It that bead hod poaem a rate • revenue of 140,01 ME a
780 agt WI lad maim& they night be sethasi
milk*. meemellp. We pewees thee the pevemeneet AA
Tbith: pmpietal orpraipl trell blase ea the own
the Xdropellka Bend ef WIIIIII wpm te Wee iv
as alba amalgam Os lib emaillea ear?.
iiiihae gratesment shall peporop/•404 Morn sr I"
art Wand of, ray apigmaga, perehal the
148, INV
Board of Watt Mee • maw el
Innlink ler arty Pt the
imagled a the ma ; Mau= so air
em
the ploy pelt el the treseeetios Is osawits4 the
weld pert of the ahem bang maw re osaleel it
111• Treeery, ve shall moan not slily thn Weak
ef the nosey, but the repeat eavep I nay WI the
plane—et 68 mak* feed. We peeper that ate anis
limit be rased at a rale of latere a nal easealles 4Mr seat,