The Express.
London, England, 1860-04-20 00:00:00

the superintendence of local authorities. Bat there was
some misapprehension in the hoe. baronet's question. The
appointments of collectors were not permanent appoint-
ments, but made from year to year ; the bonds were taken
from year to year; and consequently the liakelitiee of the
sureties maid not be carried forward from year to year. A
great deal of attention was requisite on the part et local
authorities to see that the bonds were kept up, and that the
sureties were either renewed, or new ones appointed. Still
this might be a fit subject for the house to consider ; and he
hoped they would have an opportunity of doing so this
session ; for the liability of taxpayers to be called on
for second payments was a most serious matter, and the state
of the law was not satisfactory. (Hear, hear.) Ac to the
order of business, he proposed to take the committee on the
Customs Bill if be could do so by eleven o'clock. If not,
he would not that night premed with any of the measures
under his care, except the bill for repealing.&r John Bar-
nard's Act. The Refreshment Houses and Wine Licenses
Bill could not come on ; he would place it for Monday, and
then state when it would be brought forward. Ha was
asked if his attention had been directed to the Bank return
in the &se- Ise of Friday last. It had ; for as Alderman Sa-
lomoncorrectly state that return was regarded by the
whole mercantile community as an index to the state of
the country, and undoubtedly it was the duty of a person
in his position to keep it in view. The principal facts re-
lating to that return were well shown in the parliamentary
paper published that morning, by which any one
would at once see the most material facts. The
list page of that paper showed that the diminution
la the Bank men's was almost entirely mated by the with-
drawal of notes of LOOM each. The notes of that descrip-
tion held by the Bank at the last return amounted to
1,947,0001. only ; while on the 11th Amil, the date of the
previous return, they were 3,875,0001. (Hier, hear.) So
large • difference as that having occurred in • single deno-
mination of notes was of Beall a demonstration which sup-
plied the answer to the latter part of the hon. gentle-
man's question, namely, that the diminution of the reserve
was not produced by the ordinary requirements of trade,
but by 1101:1111 special operation. (Hear, hear.) The latter
wt of the question seemed, however, to imply that it had
been produced by some concerted action on the Bank's re-
serve, and with the view to produce a disturbance in the
currency. He was not prepared to give any decided
anew°, to that, further than to say that he did
not think it was • concerted action in the natural
interpretation of the words, namely, an action deter.
mined on by • combination among • variety of parties.
There was no variety of parties; for it was entirely owing
to the proceedings of • single house of great eminence and
enormous transactions which had thought fit, in the exercise
of its own discretion, to adopt that measure. There cer-
tainly was intention, though perhaps it did not amount to
concert. (Hear, hear.) The hon. gentleman asked if this
was done in order to produce a disturbance of the currency
of the country. He should go beyond his duty if he gave
an opinion on that subject. (Hear, hear.)