The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-11-26 00:00:00

THE BRITISH PRESS.

knew of any legal authority for holding the fair. In addition to
the local police, the special constable! of the parish, to the amount
of 12 or 15, are added on this occasion. There is no hiring ot
servants or useful articles sold. A great number of shows. stalls,
and suttling booths—inany pockets are picked ; and besides depre.
dations in this way, many instances of personal insult and great
violence to females. In consequence of the visit of Mr. Young
and Mr. %%lame, two Magistrates, during the fair, great service had
been rendered to the inhabitants of Camberwell. These 51agis-
tmtes attended regularly fur several years.
Thomas Jackson, keq.—Resides at Camberwell-terrace ; has
resided there nearly 40 years. His testimony concurred corn.
pletely with that of the last witness. The fair has been held on
the green and the road adjoining. During the whole of that
period never had reason to believe that it was held under legal
authority. It has been a toy liar, and held near the highway. No
public good results, but quite the Contrary.
Joseph Fidler, Esq. of Camberwell-term:ie.—Has lived 25 years
in CamberwelL Having heard the testimony of the former wit-
nesses, is prepared to confirm it. Is vonvinced that the fair is a
great nuisance, and a great injury to the parish. Witness is
treasurer of the parish, and knows that the expense of keepiag
the peace during the fair days is not less than M. or Gal.
There is no corresponding public good whatever. Knows of
no chartered or prescriptive right by which it is held. Owing
to the concourse of pickpockets, and the various outrages to females
that occur, the Magistrates sit constantly during the fair, at the
special request of the inhabitants.
James Walsh, Esq—Has lived on the east side of Camberwell.
green for fourteen years , has witnessed acts which render the fair
• great nuisance. The backs of the booths, the most objectionable
part, came within twelve feet of his dining-room, and on one occa-
sion when hie wife was ill, he was obliged to offer money to stop
the noise. The way to his house Is so obstructed that he is obliged
to get to it the back way ; at Mr. Richardson's booth has seen the
male and female performers in a state of nudity whilst changing
their dressy'. '1 here is nothing in the character of the fair to pro.
duce good, but quite the reverse; and lie gives his servants • sum
of money on condition that they should not go into the fair.
William Whiffin.-11as been ovlinseet of the parish about 4 years
and a half; confirms the testimony of the former witnesses; knows
of no legal authority to hold tl.e fair g the Magistrates sit seven
days, to examine pickpockets and investigate assaults; they sit be-
fore the fair to swear in constables, and atter the fair, to examine
offenders. At the time of the fair, the expense of SOL is incurred
by police and extra constables. During three days of the last fair,
there were upwards of twenty individuals apprehended; has known
the fair forty years; never heard any proclamation to hold it; at
the time he first he knew it, it consisted only of a few stalls and a
puppet-show. Has understood toll was collected ; has seen money
paid, but does not recollect if it was demanded fur toll.
Richard Widdington is collector of the toll, under the authority
of the lords of the manor as bailiff. Collects some by ad.neasure-
ment, and some by situation. Never knew any money paid as toll
on the sale of any article. Never knew any Court of Pie Poudre
held for the fair.
Mr. Dodd, on the case being closed, declined lo go into evidence,
as he disputed the right of Magistrates to make any further adjudi-
cation, the case having alresdy been before them; but is ready to
enter into recrigninnces if called upon.
The Magistrates adjudged that Camberwell Fair is illegal, there
being no lawful authority produced, nor lawful right shown, under
which the lords of the manor were authorised to hold it.
The 31agistrates then proceeded to the case, of

I A Al I R.
Mr. C. E. DODD, CounsPECKEel fur Mr.F S A hard, admitted the service
of the summons, and also admitted that • fair was held at Peck-
ham on the 19th, 29,11, and 21st August, which Mr. Shard claimed
as lord of the manor of Bredinghurst, but without admitting the
bad character of the fair.
Mr. Dodd. Steward of Camberwell Manor, claimed to hold the
fair at Peckham, for the LOT& of Camberwell and Peckham, other.
wise Camberwell-Buckingham, and admitted the summons.
The same evidence was adduced in au/nonce, in proof that this
fair was a public nuisance. as was brought against that of Camber.
well. Several of the most respectable inhabitants of Peckham,
and who had resided in it for a lung period, came forward to testify
to the great annoyance'which it occasioned to the neighbourhood as
well as to the public, for the crowd of bad characters of every
description that flocked to it. Henry Gooch, Esq., Thomas Jack-
son, Esq., and Joseph Fidler, F.sq.. gave each of them the most
ample and conclusive testimony to the acts of depredation and out-
rage, and the scenes of riot and profligacy which Peckham fair
annually presented, shish they described as being worse, upon the
whole, than that of Camberwell.
Richard Widdington, Bailiff of the manor of Camberwell, sworn
—Doei not go into private property, but demands twopence upon
every thing which Is pitched in the street, for the Lord of Camber.
well-Buckingham. Peckham fair is now more extensive than it
used to be. Does not go Into the fair field to collect money ; but
the baskets and oyster stalls in the street pay twopence each.
George Ilaywcv-d—Lives at Peckham ; collects money for the
standings in the fair-field; collects it by admeasutrinent of the
ground by the foot ; never obtained it by force ; has collected it for
seventeen years; first for Thomas Emmett, who was occupier of
the field, who rented it of Mr. Shard, and during the whole of the
time it continued Mr. Shard's property, till it was dug for a
canal. After 111 r. Emmett, Mr. Wm. Law was occupier, and for
the last four or five years Mr. Jatpes Law, and it is now occupied
by the Cabal Company. Tice fair was held In the field for the last
24 or 23 years.
The Court decided in this as in the former case, that no legal
title was established to hold the fair ; and that the holding it was
illegal.

HIBERNIAN JOINT STOCK BANKING

COMPANY.

A meeting of the English Proprietors of this Company was held
yesterday at Batson's Coffeehouse.
Mr. litat sr took the chair at I o'clock, and read to the Corn.
pany, consisting of shout fourteen gentlemen, those parts of the
Deed of Settlement which gave power to the Directors to purchase
shares with part of their capital either in their own Company, or to
invest the money in that of other Companies which had been Incor.
porated by Act of Parliament. He then read a letter which he had
received from the Secretary in Dublin, stating that the Company
were ready to advance shares nt the rate 014 per cent. The prin.
eipal object, however, of the Bank, as lie (Mr. Blain) understood,
was to receive deposits of money from merchants and others upon a
principle similar to that which was acted upon by the Bank of
Ireland. But as the shares of the Company were depreciated, front
the effect of temporary circumstances , below their real value, it was
thought adviseable that the English Proprietors should recommend
the Directors to purchase some of their own shares, in order to
maintain the credit of the Company with the public.
Mr. WRIGHT thought that • resolution, recommending the Di-
rectors to adopt suds a measure, would be the best course they
could take. It would give the public confidence in the Company,
who, it was well known, had at this moment 250.0001. in their
chests. By purchasing shares of 4 per cent. they would in fact be
realizing no less than IA per cent., inasmuch that each holder of
100/. stock had obtained that 1001. on the advrnce of 241. only.
There would, therefore, be a two-fold advantage resulting from
this measure, namely, the making 16 per cent., and the taking
shares out of the hands of incompetent persons. The stock of the
Company ought not to be at discount ; there were no good reasons
why their property should be depreciated.
Mr. Wain; objected to the proposal, and thought it was a Itla_
oeuvre by which the Directors would be enabled to pay off the
shareholders at par.
Mr. Watcinv said there was no manoeuvre in the matter: and
that the resolution, if adopted, would not rut it in the power of the
Directors to pay them off at par.
The CHAIRMAN said the Company could not he dissolved un.
less there should be a loss of 101. per cent. in one year.
A Pao pitinvon suggested, that's, the Directors would shortly
hold a Meeting, it would be it rto wait till the result of that
Meeting should be known before ny resolutions were proposed ;
and then the English proprietors might, if they thought proper,
come forward and submit to the consideration of the Directors
whatever measures they conceived would tend to tile advantage of
the Company.
Mr. MLA RT RU n (as we understood) approved of the proposed
resolutions, being, as they were, merely recommendatory. He
however thought that a clause should be added expressive of their
opinion that the money which should be invested by the Directors
in the purchase of shares should be only to such an amount as
would not impede the operations of the Company, or make it ne-
cessary foe them to call upon the proprietors for further deposits.
Mr. Wann—l am only fearful of being paid off at par.
Mr. Walnut* —You cannot be—it is too good a thing.
Resolutions were then passed, declaring that it was the opinion
of the Meeting that the shares of the Company were depreciated, from
temporary circumstances, below their real vslue, and that a part of
the Company's fowls might judiciously he applied in the purchase
of the Company's own share., which would have the means of sup.
porting the credit of the Company in public estimation, provided
such purchases should not be so extended as to limit the operations
of the establishment, or to make further calls for deposits necessary.
It was then agreed that the resolutions should be remitted to
Dublin for the consideration of the Directors there.

Mr. WRIGHT suggested that one or two gentlemen of eminence,
and who were leading men in this country. should be appointed
Directors in London, in order that they night be applied to for
information relit:ling the proceedings of the Company by the
gnglish proprietors, who. in point of fact, had advanced two-thirds
(as we understood) of the capital of the Company. lie thought
gentlemen might be appointed who resided in London. who would
de decidedly as efficient as the several Directors that were ap.
pointed at different places by the Provincial Bank of Ireland.
The CnA1•111.17( thought no advantage would be dertved by
sash an appointment. Directors were not very commnoicative, as
was Sell known by those who were proprietors of Bank stock. lie.
sides, it would, in his opinion, be a breach of confidence, for any
particular number of Directors to give information In London
which was not made public by the Directors in Dublin to the whole
body of proprietors.
Mr. M'Arrestra thought the discussion of this subject was a
little premature. as too meeting of the Directors had been held, so
that it was impossible that their London agents, Messrs. Johnson
and Co., could airnish the necessary information. If the pro-
prietors should, after the general meeting in Dublin, find that no
satisfactory account was rendered to them, it would then he time to
consider the pouter means by which such information might be ob-
tained. The hide communication he had had with Directors, in.
stead of opening his eyes, generally closed them.
The converse ion here dropped, and the thanks of the meeting
haring been given to Meoors. Johnson and en. for their courtesy
and fromptitudi in anoweiing the inquiries of the proprietors, and
to the Choi:mai, the meeting broke up.