The Express.
London, England, 1866-10-19 00:00:00

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.

A Court of Common Council was held yesterday
at Guildhall Mr. Alderman FIRMS presided u iOCUIII
kW 111 for the Lord Mayor.
The TOW/4 CLERK read a letter from Mr. Samuel Smith,
the ehaplain and secretary to the Association for the Aid
of the Deaf and Dumb, expressing the thanks of the com-
mittee of management to the corporation for its munificent
donation of a hundred guineas in aid of the funds of the
association.

THE HOLBORN VALLEY PAPROVENENTS.
Deputy Far, the chairman of the improvements com-
mittee, Drought up a report from that committee having
reference to the improvements going on at Holborn-valley,
and also asking for authority to give the necessary notices
and, generally., to take such steps as may be expedient for
presenting a bill in the ensuing session of parliament, in
reference to street improvements connected with the
Holborn-valley viaduct, and also for authority to take steps
for obtaining parliamentary powers for making other street
improvements within the City.
The report was read. It extended to considerable
length, but the material portions of it appeared to be that
the committee proposed to deviate from the original plan
for which the sanction of parliament had been obtained, to
widen Shoe-lane, and carry it up to the level of the viaduct;
and in lieu of this they now proposed to carry Shoe-lane on
the level underneath the Holborn. viaduct, and make a new
street 80. feet in width from the corner of Hatton-garden,
and passing at the back of St. Andrew's Church into Far-
ringdon-street. It was also proposed to abandon the pro-
posed intention to widen Field-lane. They also proposed
to widen the western end of Newgate-street, thus com-
pleting the improvements already effected in that street
through the instrumentality otthe commissioners of sewers
of the City of London, and it was proposed to apply to
parliament for an extension of the 4d. coal duty for an-
other ten years, which was expected to yield sufficient to
awry out the improvements at present in contemplation.
With regard to other necessary improvements in Wal-
brook, the Poultry, and other places, it was merely pro-
posed to take powers to effect 'those improvements when,
through the interference of parliament or otherwise, the
corporation should be in a position to raise the necessary
funds for the purpose.
Deputy FRY. in moving in the terms of the report, called
attention to the plans of the proposed deviation from the
original one sanctioned by parliament, and said bethought
no one could doubt for a moment that those alterations
were very much for the benefit of the public, and that,
particularly with regard to the proposed new street, this
was infinitely superior to the original proposition of carry-
ing Shoe-lane up to the level of the viaduct. (Hear, hear.)
Instead of this there would be a noble street that would
pass in one direction to Farringdon-street, and in another
it would join the new street to the Farringdon-road, and
the whole of these alterations would be carried out at very
little additional expense. One important result of the
new plan would be that it would probably enable the cor-
poration to make use of Farringdon-market ; and another
was that a complete den of filth and vice would be re-
moved to make room for the proposed new street. (Hear,
bear.) He did not believe that they should have any
difficulty in obtaining an extension of the 4d. coal
duty for another ten years, but the carrying out
of the proposed alterations in Newpte-street, and
making the proposed new street, would be contingent
upon their obtaining this extension. If they did get the
extension of the coal dues they asked for, he believed they
would provide sufficient funds to carry out the proposed
improvements, and he now called upon the court to give
its sanction to the proceedings of the committee, and
authorize them to carry out the alterations they sug-
gested.
A long and somewhat animated debate then earned, the
great majority of the court, however, being evidently in
favour of the proposition of the committee.
The report was warmly supported by Alderman J. C.
Lawrence, Alderman Rose, Mr. Rudkin, Mr. De Jersey,
Mr. Pricker, and Mr. Pedler, and upon the question being
put very few hands were held up in favour of the amend-
ment.

Upon the original motion being put,
Mr. BEDFORD moved as an amendment that the report
be printed and circulated among the members of the court,
and that in the meantime no further proceedings be taken
in the matter.

Very few hands were held up in favour of the amend•
ment, which was, of course, declared to be loot.
Mr. Iticnannsow, however, amid a good deal of laugh.
tic. demanded a division.

Mr. I. KICKER suggested that the best mode to take
the division would he for tho few gentlemen who were in
the minority to stand upon the table. (Laughter.)
A division was then taken, when there appeared—
Against the amendment
In favour of it

Majority against the amendment

. - -
The original motion was then put and agreed to, and
the COMMittee Were enipowerna to t.ihe the n.ocomary step*
in parliament to carry out the proposed improvements.

REMOVAL OP FEVER DENS.

Mr. Alderman and Sheriff WATERLA)W presented a peti-
tion of the vestry of the parish of St. George the Martyr,
Southwark, praying the court to direct that no fresh
leaxes of certain property belonging to the corporation,
situated between houses in Great Suffolk-street and Mon-
tagu-stn?et, within the said parish, may he granted, unless
for the purpose of removing the buildings at present
thereon, laying out fresh streets, and erecting houses and
buildings suitable for the requirements of the age and the
wants of the people. In moving that the petition be
referred to the Bridge-house Estates Committee, Alder-
man Waterlow said ho felt assured that it W:L4 only neces-
s.dy to cal! the attention of the corporation to the subject,
and that they would readily do all in th .ir power to
abolish the dens of filth and disease that were the subject
of the petition.
The motion was at once agreed to.