The Express.
London, England, 1856-10-29 00:00:00

CITY COMMISSION OF SEWERS.-ALLEGBD
OAS NUISANCE.

Yesterday a court we; held in the Guildhall.
Deputy Paeonos in the chair. The commissioners as-
sembled very numerously, and eseteral of the officials con-
nected with the City of Leedom Gas Company were present
daring the transaction of business.
Mr. Dew', the chief clerk, read the following report :-
1 "To the Honourable the Commissionen of Sewers of the
City of London,—We, er committee upon general per-
poi's, to whom, on the 23d day of Berember last, it was
referred to consider the report of your medical officer of
health in Telatios to the complaint made by Seperintendeet
Hodpen, of Deimos, from works of the City of London
Gas Company, sod to report our opinion as to the coarse
to be adopted in reference thereto, do muff, that we
have met from time to time upon the inbj.ct, and
have baud the several policemen from whom the com-
plaint originally emanated, sad we have also been
attended by several very respectable inhabitants of the
neighbourhood, and have heard their statements both In
support of and In opposition to the complaint, which we
sands, signed by upwards of 100 inhabitants of the neigh-
. bonshood of the gas-works, expressing their °Milieu that
1 the statetneuts made in respect to the poisonous I fflevia said
to arks therefrom, if not altrgether unfounded, are very
mesh exaggerated. We have bad • report at leogth
from Mr. Childs, the surgeon of the City P•lce ford,
Kathie the healthy condition of the Ird Division of
that force, who are employed in the district in which
the City of London Gas Company's works are situate.
We have also had a report (tom several emit est che-
mists laid before us by the directors of the City of London
Gas Company, who were employed by them to examine
their works. This report, which is dated the 15th
October, 1358, alter detailiog various matters in re-
lation to the works, concludes with these words :
The result of our Inspection is that the City Gas Company
cannot be charged with the neglect of any precaution kaolin
to science for preventing • nuisance to the suighbJurbood ;
and if a nuisance is really occasioned, it is one which arises
from causes which cannot be avoided by the means which
an at present at the disposal of gas manufacturers. It
will be observed that your own medical officer has else
stated in his report "that the company have done every
thing in their power, and y thine which science has
suggested • for the mitigation of the nuisances which's,' in-
sepereble from the bus Bess.'" Under thee, circutneeorgee
we felt it to be our duty to consult both the City soluitor
(who conducted • recent prosecution eeriest this company)
and your own solicitor upon the question of our powers in
the cue, and having laid before them the wlr•le of it e evi-
dence and documents in reference thereto, we desired their
opinion as to the best course to be adopted. From
Mini we have received • joint report, which we
alto lay before you, and alter maturely considering the
whole question, and beteg distinctly advised that. in ither
under your own acts of parliament nor the Nuisances Re-
moral Act have you any jurisdiction in this cue ; and feel.
log that it is rather for the magistracy of the C ty tot rowb-
oats as indictment in inch • cuss se this that for you.
because they have always been accustomed so to do, and
because it is doubtful whether you would he legally justified
in burdening your rates with the Peaty e rt, of such in-
dicroseuts—for those reuans we beg to recommend that
you lay the whole of the evidenee sad documents in this
use br fere the Lord Mayor sea Court of Aldermen, that
they may direct such atrps to be taken in the case as they
may be advised. All wh.ch we submit to tic judgment of
your honourable court.
"Dated th 27th October.
" W. A. Peacock, Geo. Bone, Wm. Christie, leo.
two b"" havingge.vesy nerroar.
Britten, It. B. Whiteside, Thos. Berkley,
G. Aitchison, Edwd. Courier."
EITYTTIII members made comments upon the paper which
Mr. Childs, the surgeon to the City Police Force, upon a
former occasion sent to the court, on the subject of the
alleged nuisance, and some pononalities of the kind e 9 fre-
quently used upon the gas questions before the cornier slots
were Sang from one to uotber in the course of the die-
eusaion, but there was SO novelty. The report was agreed
familybeen raised up against it.
Dr. LITILILDT presented his report. It had referent*
to the houses Imputed during the past week, and to the
Improvements which were necessary for the health of the
inmates. The mortality tatle for the week showed a
remarkably smell proportion of deaths, for tiny only
emoested to 34, which is about 73 per cut. below the
leverage for this attune of the year. The chief ceases .1
death were consumption and infantile diseases. Dr. Lctheby
also presented a report condemning swain rooms situated
our the stables occupied by Mr. :Stride in Bristow-street,
Blackfriars, the efflovia from which were not only excised-
Ugly offensive to the iamites, bat bad caused injury to
health-
The Nast then ad)aarael.

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