The Express.
London, England, 1866-04-20 00:00:00

THE COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL AND THE

REFORM BILL.

A Court of Common Council was holden yester-
day at the Guildhall, under the presidency of the Lord
Mayor, when, after some other business, Mr. W. Payne
moved, pursuant to notice, "That this court do petition
both houses of parliament in favour of the bill to extend
the right of voting at elections of members of parliament
in England and Wales. in support of the motion the
honourable member, after alluding to the importance
of the subject, said he thought the court ought to give its
support to the people of England in their endeavour to
obtain the measure that was now before parliament, and
he at the same time said that it was quite clear that the
time had arrived when there must be an extension of the
franchise. He reminded the court that the Corporation of
London had always stood forward in defence of the freedom
and the rights of the people, and he urged that it was their
duty to render their assistance to the passing of the
bill that was then before parliament for extending
the franchise. Mr. T. Webber seconded the motion,
and said he was old enough to remember the prog-
nostications of mischief and evil made by those who
opposed the mearrureof 1832. (Hear, hear.) They had, how-
ever, all seen the great benefits that were derived from it,
and although, in his opinion, the present measure did not
go far enough, still he would support it as an instalment
of good, and a step in the right direction. (" Oh, oh.")
Mr. Fucker opposed the motion, principally on
the ground that this court was going out of its
proper sphere in adopting such a proceeding. ("Oh, oh.")
He admitted that the extension of the franchise would be
a boon to the people, but he argued that the manner in
which the government had introduced this measure did
not entitle them to their support. He moved as an
amendment the previous question. Mr. Deputy de Jer-
sey seconded the amendment, principally upon the pound
that the court ought not to interfere in a question that
was purely of a political character, and that a municipal
body like the corporation of London was not justified
in lending its support to any political party.
Dr. Saunders also supported the amendment.
Mr. E. D. Rogers supported the motion, as did also Mr.
J. Richardson. After a long discussion, in which Alder-
man J. C. Lawrence and Deputy Fry supported the
motion, and Mr. Rowe, Deputy Elliott, and Mr. Rudkin
oppose; it, the question was put, sad upon a division
taking place there appeared to be—For the motion, 69 ;
against it, 42 : majority in favour of the motion, 27. Dr.
Saunders then moved another amendment, to the effect
that no steps should be taken with reference to the peti-
tion until a full and complete measure of reform had been
submitted to parliament. This amendment was also nega-
tived upon a division, and it was then referred to the law
and parliamentary committee to take the necessary steps
foe the presentation of the petition to parliament. The
court shortly afterwards adjourned.

THE IRISH MEMBERS AND THE REFORM BILL.—
At a meeting of the National Association of Ireland, held
in Dublin on Wednesday, a letter was read from Mr.
Dillon, M.P., stating that both the O'Donoghue and him-
self had made up their minds " to give an unconditional
support to the Extension of the Franchise Bill." Mr.
Dillon entered at length into the reasons by which he jus-
tified this course, and his views met with the approval of
the meeting.
THE REPRESENTATION or 14,TOBTE DEVON.
Earns, TRuasoay.—There was a large meeting of lead-
ing liberals of North Devon to-day, when it was resolved
to present a rsquisition to Viscount Amberley, who, it is
believed, would have a very good chance of success in con-
testing the seat with Sir Stafford Northcote. At the last
contest the latter was defeated by the liberal candidate,
Mr. Buller, by 1,547 votes. Liberal feeling is growing in
the county, and there is a determination on the part of
many not to let the hon. baronet walk over the course.
Towards supplying the sinews of war, Mr. R. Bligh, a
staunch liberal of Bath, has contributed 50f. Sir Stafford
Northcote's supporters will meet to-morrow (Friday.)
RAILWAY AND OTHER BILLS IN PARLIAMENT.—
Yesterday, in Lord Redesdale's committee of the House
of Lords, the following bills passed through :—The Brigh-
ton West Pier, the Sutherland Railway, the Furness and
Whitehaven and Furness Junction Railway Companies,
the Thames Subway, the Dagenham Dock Railways, and
the Anglesey Central Railway. In Room C their lord-
ships again adjourned the I%'aterford, New Ross, and
Wexford Junction Railway, the Ryde Pier, the Cork
Harbour, and the Ardmore Harbour. Their lordships, in
Room D, proceeded with the consideration of and ad-
journed the Hatfield Chase Warping and Improvement
Railway. The committee sitting in the Painted Chamber
passed the Eaatern Bengal Railway Bill, and threw
out the International Communication between Eng-
land and the Continent scheme. The City and
London-bridge Railway Bill was adjourned until
this day. The opposition was withdrawn (in Room
A) to the Metropolis Sewage and Reclamation Bill.
Yesterday, in Grdup 1, in the House of Commons, the Me-
t4opolitan Railway (additional powers) Bill was proceeded
with, and again adjourned. In Group la, the committee
declared {hat the preamble had not been proved in the
cases of the Brixton, Clapham, and Balham Extension
Railways Bill, and the London, Chatham, and Dover, and
South Eastern (Kennington, Clapham, and Brixton) Rail-
' ways Bill. In Group a, the Bristol and North Somerset
' Railway (Deviation) was proceeded with, and again ad-
joarned. In Group 7, the Thames and Severn Canal Na.
vi,gation Bill was furtker proceeded with without any. deci-
' Non. The London, Worcester, and South Wales Railway,
being unopposed, was referred to the chairman of com-
mittees. The committee in Group 13 declared thepreamble
proved in the case of the West Riding and Grimsby Rail-
way (Transfer) Bill, which was then adjourned for the
I settlement of the clauses.

THE MASTER BUILDEFLS AND THE WADES MOPE-
MENT.—A numerously attended meeting of the members of
the Master Builders Association was held at the Free-
masons' Tavern, yesterday afternoon, to take into conside-
ration the resolution of the delegates of the men, passed
on the previous evening, respecting the advance of wages to
Bd. per hour. After an hour and-a-hales discussion the
following resolution was adopted :—" That an advance of
one halfpenny per hour be given to the most skilled me-
chanics, the lees skilled to be at liberty to accept a leas
rate. The hours of labour to be nine per day, from the
9th of November to the 24th February, and ten for the
remainder of the year. The labourers to be advanced
one farthing per hour ou the same conditions. The ad-
vance to commence on the sth of May next." This resolu-
tion is almost in the same terms as that adopted by the
delegates, with the exception of the distinction drawn
between the " most skilled " and " less skilled " mecha-
nics ; and it is possible that some hitch may arise upon
this point to prevent so speedy a settlement of the ques-
tion as is desirable. This point arranged satisfactorily, the
question will be settled. The delegates meet again next
week, to decide as to the acceptance of the above resolu-
tion, and the only difficulty likely to arise is the vague-
ness of the second sentence in the resolution.

ADDITIONAL CURATES' SOCIETY. —The annual
meeting of the society for promoting the employment of
additional curates in populous places took place yesterday
afternoon, at Willies Rooms, St. James's. The Archbishop
of Canterbury, who presided, rejoiced in the influence
which the society enjoyed in stimulating the local efforts,
in its own direction, of crowded provincial towns. On the
other band, in London the contributions were small in
comparison with the amount given by the society. Last
year the sum awarded was 4,/., while the contributions
of the diocese did not reach more than 9901. Re hoped
another year would show a different result. The report,
which was unanimously adopted, stated that since
the formation of the society, twenty-nine years ago,
it had founded 500 curacies. The demands upon its re-
sources were increasing, andthe cases where it was unable to
render assistance for want of means were very numerous.
The grants to the metropolis, including the diocese of
Winchester, in 1865, amounted to 5,3701., while its returns
in the shape of collections, /cc. for the same period did not
yield more than 1,1601. In fact the grants were annually
increasing and the returns decreasing. The total income
of the society for the year had amounted to 34,3411., show-
ing a decrease of 2,0001. as compared with 1954, though it
should be stated that in the latter year 1,8001. was derived
from exceptional sources. As in previous years, legacies
sontinued to form an important item in the &COMM&

The guardians of the Strand Union have re-
solved to give up the workhouse in Cleveland-street,
which has bean found much too small for the num-
ber of its inmates, and have taken a large space of pound
in the pariah of Edmonton, on which it is intended to
erect a new workhouse. The building will God between
30,0001. and 40,0001.