The Express.
London, England, 1850-04-25 00:00:00

KIDDERMINSTER ELECTION COMMITTEE.

This c3mmittee re-assembled yesterday at eleven
o'clock.

Mr. Serpent Kinglike said that is the inquiry had
already lasted several days, he should not call any more
witnesses, and it would devolve on Mr. Jamie to stun up the
evidence. _ _

Mr. James, Q.C., said that a case bad been made out
which, unless it was answered most completely on the part
of the sitting member, would render it imperative on the com-
mittee to unseat him. He contended that the agency of the
various members of Mr. Best's family, and of t'lose gentlemen
who had taken an fictive part id securing his return was
clearly eatablished, and (though the mode of conducting an
election might be to a certain extent a matter of personal
taste and feeling) if some of those gentlemen did not get
into the witness-box to clear themselves from the imputa-
tion, cast upon them by the evidence produced in this ease,
a stigma would remain on their characters for ever. With
regard to the charges of bribery, he admitted most
readily that the evidence—ample:dilly where the party
who had sold his vote became himself the wit-
ness—should be subjected to the most severe scrutiny.
But, if • case was produced, the circumstances of
which could be contradicted by five or six different
parties, and not one of those ponies was put into the boa,
and if the tale of the witness was otherwise consistent
but one conclusion could be come to on the subject. It was
in evidence that the last diction was quieter, that there was
lea bribery, or at all events less treating, than oa former
occasions. There might have been less money spent, but
the intentions of the legislature were as much con
by the paltry mode of influencing the electors resorted to by
Mr. Best, as by the more extensive, and, If he might use the
term, more gentlemanlike, system of conuption carried on
b his pred,eessor in the seat. Mr. 11, et had not only been
indirectly connected with these proceedings, but was directly
engaged in them and had countenanced them by his presence.
He begged the committee to bear in mind that a sample only
of the caste which might be prosluced had been brought
berme them, for the inquiry had been already protracted to
a great length; and he must be allowed to say, that if the
evidence offered did not convince them, and they decided
that the return was gosd, Kidderminster would be from the
present time a close borough in the hands of Mr. Bost ; not
from legitimate family influence, but by reason of the cor.
rapt mesas he would be able to make use of with impunity.
Ha called upon the committee to refer to the decisions of
Ib4B, which did honour to the hon. members of the House
Commons. Let them dismiss all personal feelings from their
minds, end he did not doubt they would come to the con-
clusion that the corrupt and illegal meaner by which Mr.
Best's return for the borough of Kidderminster had been
unquestionable effected, had been clearly brought home to
that gentleman, and that that return was consequently void.
Mr. ALIOLLNDED. having been heard in reply at consi-
derable length, the committee adjourned, intimating that
they would give their decision at two o'clock on Thursday
(this day).

ROYAL PALAClll.—Yesterday an interesting Par-
liamentary paper was printed in the shape of a return of the
sums of money already voted for the different royal palaces
for the last three years. and the amount due. In the year
1847-48 there was 43,3015 voted, and in that year
44,8111. 3s. 2d. was expended; in 1848-49, 45,0671. was
voted, and 36,3311. 6e. 2d. expended ; whilst in 1849-60,
42,6951. wee voted, and 22,1721. 16s. 6d. expended. The
amount due to the 10th of April inst. could cot be ewer-
tabled with accuracy, but the sums voted to the 31st of
March lest were expected to be sufficient to complete the
contemplated expenses to that period, and the total amount
'voted will, it was believed, fully cover the total expenditure.
With respect to "Buckingham Palace enlargement and
improvement," the sum of 60,0001. was voted, and as much
as 62,0191. 9s. Id. expen ted in 1847-48 ; in 1845-49,
30.0002 was voted, and 358631. 18e, Ild. expended ; and in
1849.60, 14,2001. was voted, and 13,3441. 161. 9d. expended.
Already 160,0001. has been voted for the enlargement and
improvement of Buckingham Palace, and there will be •
further sum of 40,0761. 12a. 11d. required for that purpose.

Punuc SALARI3B.—On Taceday a parliamentary
paper was printed, Monies the increase and diminution
which had taken place within the year 1849 in all public
offices or departments. The increase in the year in the
cumber of pcnose was 700, and the diminution 1,002. The
total expense of the Marten wee 75,8781. lls. Id., sad the
decrease 143,6631. 181. 4d., by: which a saving of
67,7751. 7s. 34. was effected in the year. ,The Marcus
was principally in the poet-office. wham 638 pumas ware
added. Dare was a damage of 643 in the customs, and
397 in the mei*.

CLONING Or TIM SAVINGS BANK, LEWES, APRIL
24.—This town, this morning, was thrown into a state of
considerable excitement by the publication of the following
notice Lewes Savings Bank—Notice to bcpositon.—
In coosepiene• of the continued illness of the actuary, Mr.
Henry Bartlett and some unexplained recently-dncovored
errors in the accounts, the bank will be closed until further
notice, and the committee will take immediate steps to
secure the non weal examination of the depositors' books,
of which a large number have not yet been produced. F.tr
the present they may be left with the treasurer, 0. Iloli-
Ruiz, Esq., at the Lewes Old Bank. Lewes, April 23,1850"
It sippers that at the late essminaboa of the accounts in
the ledger, a large proportion of the depositors' pass-books
were not brought in. [At the lot annual meeting it sp•
peered, by the itatement submitted by the actuary, there
were 2,125 ordinary depositors, whose accounts amounted to
46,8761. 18e. 101., 62 charitable societies deposit 3,0601. 25.,
and 3 frit nd societits, 4811. lls. Bd.; making a total
of 50,4171. 12.. 13d J The great feature in this trans.
action is the doubt which it throws on the trust-
worthier's of the late examinations made in every savings
beak throughout the kineom. In every instance advertise-
ments were &sued of a similar character to that pat forth b
the examiners in Lewes; and should it prove that there is
any defalcation in this instance, the result must be a fresh
, and more serious inquiry Una the accounts of thus tee_
portant national institutiOna.