The Express.
London, England, 1866-09-29 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURTS.

SOUTHWARK.
Peter James, a respectable looking man, 70 years of age,
was placed at the bar, before Mr. Burcham, charged with
embezzling various sums of money belonging to the London
Flour Company, Commercial-road, Lambeth.
Mr. Hinkling, the managing clerk to Mr. Bhms,
for the prosecution, and on opening the case said
he only prepared with witnesses in one case ; therefore,
after producing them, he should ask for a remand.
Mr. Healey, the barrister, who was retained for the pri-
soner, did not object to a remand, but at the Mlle time
he should be able to show that his client had nest commit-
ted the offence imputed to him.
Mr. Edward Conway, cashier to the London Flour Com-
pany, said the prisoner was one of their travellers and
collectors. It was his duty to collect orders and return
moneys on behalf of the company, and pay over the latter
every evening to witness. The prisoner never accounted
for 181. 10a. received from Mr. Staney.
Mr. Burcham asked if he had a regular salary!
Witness replied in the negative. He was paid by corn-
John Staney, a baker, carrying on business at 198,
llackney-read, said he was a customer of the London
Flour Company, and on the 18th of July last he paid the
prisoner 18/. 10s. for flour received, and he gave the receipt
produced.
Mr. Hinkling said that was all the evidence he was
prepared with that day ; and he now asked for a remand.
He, however, did not object to the prisoner being released
on bail.

Mr. Burch= remanded him until Thursday next, act-
cept!ng the prisoner's sons as sureties for his appearance

on. that da:

THE CHOLERA.

The following ie the official return of deaths from
cholera and diarrhoea registered on Thursday, Sept. 27 :
Cholera. Diarrhoea.

West districts
North districts 2
Central districts
East districts 8
South districts 9

Total in London

i

METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORK& —The first
meeting of the board since its adjournment for the vaca-
tion took place yesterday at the board-room, Spring
Gardens. Sir John Thwaites in the chair. The Finance
Committee submitted for the approval of the board a
statement showing the annual value of the property in the
City of London and other parts of the metropolis, esti-
mated according to the estimate or basis on which the
county rate is mewed, or according to a like estimate ;
together with the sums to be assessed thereon in re-
spect of the Metropolis Main Drainage rate of 3d.
in the pound, 1860-7, and recommended that the ne-
cessary precepts be sealed and issued. Mr. Roche said
that though he should have to pay his fair proportion
of any rating, still he liked to Bee a fair assessment,
and he considered that mere assessing of the City of
London at 1,400,0001. was most objectionable, for the gross
estimate of the rateable value of the City of London Union
was 1,767,0001., and surely it was an anomaly to rate a
city at 1,400,0001. when one-half of it was worth 1,700,0001.
It appeared that they wished to call upon one portion of
the city to pay an amount because they did not know the
value of the other. Sir John Thwaites said that they
must take as their basis the whole area of the City of
London, whether in the union or not, and upon that levy
them. Mr. Roche only wished that there should be a fair
assessment ; but he would move that this recommendation
be referred back to the committee for reconsideration.

This motion was seconded and agreed to. A report as to
the progress made in the Thames Embankment works
having been made, and 6011111 other formal business trans-
acted, the board adjourned.
Tae BOLLES. EXPLOSION AT NORWICH.—A sixth
death has occurred in connexion with this explosion, John
Dunn, another of the wounded men, having succumbed on
Thursday to the frightful injuries which he had sustained.
It appears that Mr. E. S. Bignold, coroner for Norwich,
who commenced an inquest yesterday upon the body of
Dunn, was introduced on Thursday to Dr. lankester,
coroner for Middlesex, and after conversing with that
gentleman he reported the circumstances of the explosion
to the Board of Trade. Mr. Bignold found, however, that
except in the cue of boiler exploaions on railways, the
Board of Trade took no action. It was suggested that he
should make a report to the Home-office, but he received
there a somewhat similar rep to that given at the Board
of Trade. Under these circumstances Mr. Bignold
yesterday decided that an investigation of the exploded
boiler should be made by Mr. Morant, town surveyor of
Norwich, and that that gentleman should be empowered to
consult Mr. Fletcher, of the Manchester Steam Boiler
Association. Yesterday morning the two other injured
men remaining at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital—
Payne and Rump—were somewhat better. The boiler
which exploded was made by Mr. Cafferala, of Newark-on-
Trent. The damage done by the explosion is now estimated
at between 1,500/. and 2,0001. The stock and buildings
were insured against fire in the Norwich Union, Royal,
and County Offices ; but as no provision Irma ade for
accidents by explosion, the loss will not be met by inanr-
-11108.

On Thursday evening the directors of the Lilles-
lual Iron and (loaf Company entertained a distinguished
company to dinner in celebration of the late discovery of a
rich coalfield on their estates at Prior's:Los. The banquet
was held in a pavilion erected on an embankment at
the mouth of the coal pit, atd among the guests were
Earl Granville (who wended), Ithe Hon. P. Leveson
Gowan, M.P., E. Jasper More, M.P., and a large number
of the leading gentry of the locality.