The Express.
London, England, 1866-05-04 00:00:00

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.

A Court of Common Council was held yesterday
at the Guildhall, under the presidency of the Loa')
MANGE.
Mr. Govea moved that this court do petition parlia-
ment that in any act which may be passed with reference
to the representation of the people, provision may be made
enabling occupiers of property in this City, residing beyond
seven miles, but within twenty miles, to vote in the elec-
tion of members of parliament
_The motion, after a long discussion, was agreed to.
A motion by Mr. JOHN RicumwsoN, that the court
should petition both houses of parliament to pass the
Declaration Bill, brought into the House of Commons by
Mr. Chambers and Mr. Crawford, entitled " A bill to
explain the act of the 20th and 21st Victoria, and the
Legislator), Declaration Act, 1835," securing to British
subjects their inalienable right of trial by jury, was also
agreed to.
A report brought up by Mr. RtMKIN, the Chairman of
the Markets Committee, recommending that the two
vacant hotels at the Metropolitan Cattle Market should be
converted into improved dwellings for the lab:.4w poor,
I at the estimated expense of 10,0001., was alsoto.
Mr. CARRITr, the Chairman of the Law, Parliamentary,
and City Courts Committee, brought up a report from
that committee recommending an important change in
the constitution of the City Sewers Commission. The
report proposed that in future the commission should be
composed of the Lord Mayor, the Recorder, the Common
Serjeant, 12 aldermen, who were eligible, and who were
not on the rota for hearing cases in which the commis-
sioners were prosecutors, the members representing the City
at the Metropolitan Board of Works, and R 3 commoners,
making a total of 101, the present number of the commis-
sioners being 75.
In the course of the discussion an amendment was moved
by Mr. Govxa that the report be referred back for further
consideration.
Upon a division the amendment was negatived by a
majority of 23, and the report was then agreed to amid
loud cheering.
The court shortly afterwards adjourned.

SCHOOLS INQvtxY ComattemoN.—Meetings of the
commission were held at No. 2, Victoria-street, on the lit
inst., when there were present Lord Taunton (the chair-
man), Lord Lyttelton, Rev. Dr. Temple, Mr. Acland,
M.P., Mr. Baines, M.P., and Dr. Storrar ; and on the 3rd
inst., present Lord Taunton, Lord Lyttelton, Mr. Acland,
M.P., Mr. Baines, M.P., and Dr. Storrar. The secretary
attended on each occasion. The following witnesses were
examined, viz., on the lst inst.:—Mr. Charles Long, Head
Master of Hele's School, Exeter ; and Mr. G. B. Hill,
M.A., Master of the Bruce Castle School, Tottenham.
And on the 3rd inst.:—The Vary Rev, the Dean of Ely,
and the Rev. Dr. Bryce, late Principal of the Belfast
I Academy.
SUNDAY SCHOOL UtrioN.—The annual meeting
was held last evening in Exeter-hall, which was densely
crowded, under the presidency of the Hon. Arthur Kin-
naird, M.P., when a very interesting report was read by
Mr. W. H. Watson, one of the secretaries, giving a detailed
account of the progress making in the Sunday school
movement both abroad and at home. The sale of the pub-
lications of the union last year realised 21,6211., or 2,101/.
more than in the previous year. The income of the Bene-
volent Fund had amounted to 2,0811. se. 3d., while the ex-
penditure, including the one of 947. 6e. Bd. overdrawn last
' year, had been 2,1561. 16a. 11d. ; the account being thus
I still overdrawn 751. Bd. The subscriptions received
for the Continental Fund had been 286/. lls. 6d., of which
124/. ss. 7d. hail been expended in grants of cash, books,
and'easts, leaving a balance of 162!. ss. Ild. in hand to
meet the liabilities incurred by the committee in respect of
I their continental effort. The total number of schools,
teachers, and scholars now connected. with the union is—
Eight metropolitan auxiliaries, with 643 schools, 14,499
teachers, and 159,000 scholars ; 156 country unions, with
2,687 schools, 66,228 teachers, and 488,891 scholars ; being
a total of 3,330 schools, 80,727 teachers, and 647,891
scholars. The increase in London amounts to 33 schools,
557 teachers, and 6,760 scholars in connexion with the
union--ap, increase more than equivalent to the extension
of the population during the year.