The Express.
London, England, 1861-04-06 00:00:00

(Stamped, ld. AdditionaL) [T WOPEN CE .

METROPOLITAN BOARD OP WORKS.

The usual meeting of the Metropolitan Board of
Works was bold yesterday at the offices, Spring-gardens;
Mr. J. THWAITVI in the chair. _ _

The ittaM3QsierteMeni;m presented, which gave Q.
following cash balances in the Lands of the treasurer :
Current accounts, 33,0471. 4s. ; deposit amounts. 80,0001.;
total. 93,047 f. 4s. Government securities, New Three
per Cent. Annuities, 32,9691. sa. 4d. Cheques ordered but
not presented Issued, 4701. 14a. 10d. ; not issued,
16, . 14s. ; total, 16,6971. Bs. 10d.

THE ZXPENDITTRE AND TRANSACTIONS OP THIS !mann.
The Clerk (Mr. Pollard) presented a return moved for by
Mr. Tite in the House of Commons, as to the amount of
contracts, the extent of works, amount of corupensatiot for
land, the amount of sewage expected to be diverted from
the Thames, the amount of damage from Moods, date and
amount of loan fur the tiouthwark and Westminster streets,
the account of cash balances at the bankers of the Metropo-
litan Board, and the securities held by them.
The CHAIRMAN said it would be desirable that this return
should be entered on the minutes, as some must unfounded
statements had been made with respect to the Board of
Works in the House of Commons, and it was right that the
vestries of the metropolis should be in possession of the
facts.

The suggestion was embodied into a resolution, pat, and
agreed to.

THE COAL TAX.
The following communication was read by Mr. Pollard,
the clerk :

" Whitehall, March Zl, 1861.
"Sr,—The Queen having been pleased to comply with
the prayer of au humble address presented to her Majesty
in pursuance of a resolution of the Home of Commons,
dated the 21st inst., I am directed by Secretary Sir George
Lewis to desire that you will cause a return to be prepared
accordingly and tninsinitted to me with the least possible
delay, in order that it may be laid before the House of
Commons. " I cm, Sir, your obedient servant.
" J. Thwaitesi, Esq." " F. C. CUNT.
The order requires the names of all parishes within the
district of the Metropolitan Board of Works, the population,
mid the names of all perishes included within the Metro-1
politan Police District, sod also of those within the 21 miles
radius over which the coal tax is now collected.

The return wag ordered to be mewed, the cleric Putting
that it would require a good deal of time to obtain the in-
formation.

round the metropolis. The speaker was about to above that
this wee the beet mode of applying the tax, when
The CRAIRMAS said the question before the meeting wag
whether there should be • tax on cools or not. If the
meeting decided that them should be uo tax, the =cod-
Dent would be out of place. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. PIZROR said that it was admitted by all persons that
the embodiment of the Thorne* would he an improvement.
If that wen so, this tax would be an advantage, became it
would give employment to thousands of labourers. (" Hear,
bear," and "Oh, oh."I Many of their great public build-
ings bed been erected by means of this tax, and till be had
heard seine better mode suggested of defraying the cost of
ellkpeter eed work, he should support the present tax. (Hear.)
. It. TAYLOR lead he entirely supported the resolu-
tion, 'beanie the coal tax was must oppressive to the poor,
and because he lad no confidence iu tho Metropolitan Board
of Works.

TheMsolutioa was them put, but the show of hands ap-
peared so doubtful that the chairman called on the meeting
to divide. The supporters of the tax went to ow side of
the room, sod the oppooenta to the other, when both par-
ties seemed so nearly balanced that each claimed the vic-
tory. The chairman then appointed acnitineers, who re-
ported that though the numbers were pretty equal on both
aides the majority appeared to be in favour of the tax. The
animus having so decided,
Mr. Romig said that after the decision which had been
come to, there would be no use in continuing the discussion.
Re therefore moved a vote of thanks to the chairman,
which miscarried.