The Express.
London, England, 1857-08-04 00:00:00

(Stamped ld. Additional.) [TWOPENCE.

Till DUCKY OF

roLAcu

AND ML ALI-

This morning was issued the report of the select

committee of the }louse of Conimor appointed to inquire
into the statements set forth in a petition from Mr. F. It.
Bartolacci, praying for an investigation into the proceedings
of certain functionaries of the Duchy of Lancaster. Tho
petition Warned to has been made the 'abject of miry bad-
lug articles in the columns of our cotemporsries. The corn•
mittee stun up the remit of their inquiry with reference to the
princiyel point, Si follow..

"That Mr. Bartolacci had grounds for believing that the
office of auditor was given to him as a reward for public,
services; and that though the notions which he took op of
his duties as auditor of the Duchy were such that it became

indispensable to remove him, since no audit could ever be
obtained from hire, yet the whole blame of this failure does
not rest on Mr. Bartolacci alone, Lot is partly to be attri-
buted to the want of a clear definition at the outset of hie
duties in a position differing from that of his predecessors,
who bad a Neat at the council, and to an incomplete ar-
rangement with the bends of the Ordaseme on the subject
el his bow st ahem That the idea which Mr. Berta-
, lead amortised oi his functions as auditor, and his rights
and pietism was throughout the cause of the difficulties
whisk be experienced, and appears to your committee to
have been serensene. Your conunittes think that ea Mr.
lierieleoel was plainly told by Lord Helper, on his appoint-
ment, that he could not have a seat at the council, it was
lie liminess to have proceeded with the ordinary duty of
audit, as if that question were settled.
" It does not appear to your committee that Mr. Bertolacci

was at any time without the mew of perfecting the audit
of the year ended September, 1863, which wee in arrear
whoa be wee appointed; or of that which ended in Septem-
ber, 1864 ; and they have not received from Mr. Bertolacci,
or any other witness, any sufficient reason why this audit

wm act completed. That the Matsui:ea mentioned in the
petition, of incivility from Mr. Gooch, of overbearing lettere
from General Fox, of evasive replies from Lord Harrowby,
and generally of want of courtesy from the officers of the
Duchy, have en exaggerated importance given to them in the
petition; and your committee do not wonder that some dis-
content should be caused by the conduct end correspondence
of Mr. Bartolacci, together with his delay in his audit, and
the trouble which he gave to others in searching for &mi-
mes* and in keeping them after oleos hours. That if any
imputation was intended to be raised by the petition on the
conduct of the Duke of Newcastle, it is wholly unfounded ;
that the duke mama to have acted in dealing with the Dimly
in a more scrupulous manner than if h• had nu connexion
with the council, and that he stems to have made on that
account a lees favourable bargain. That no other wane
was pursued ip regard to Lord Grenville because he wee
chancellor, than would have Leon followed in the case of any
other individual tenant of the Duchy who expended mossy
In permanent improvements. That some improvement hes
already been made in the mode of preparing the accounts of
the Duchy for parliament; and that your committee think it
would be desirable that a common form should be devised for
making up the returns of the Duchy of Lancaster and the
Duoby of Cornwell. That the case of Mr. Bertolacci, ea de-
veloped by evidence taken before your committee, does not
appear to them to require the interference of the home.
•" In conclusion, your committee are of opinion that the
presentation of this petition should not prejudice the present
position or future prospects of Mr. Bertolacci, still lees
ought it to derogate from former claims; for your committee
ere decidedly of opinion that throughout, even when he woe
most clearly in error, Mr. Bertulacci acted boon fide se-
cording to the sincere conviction, which was deeply nested
in his mind, that in his person the privileges of the office of
auditor of the Ducky of Lancaster had been infringed."