The Sun.
London, England, 1855-01-19 00:00:00

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.

Yesterday the first court since St. Thomas's day (the"
day of election of the Common Council) was held for the
despatch of public business.
The court was occupied during the greater portion of
the day in the election of members to serve on its various
committees.

THE ROYAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO THE STATE OF
THE CORPORATION.
The Chairman of the Consolidated Committee, who at
the last court brought up a report recommending the
adoption of certain propositions, in answer to the recom-
mendation of the commissioners of inquiry, moved—
" That the court proceed to the consideration of propo-
sition No. 1, ' That a new charter be issued, containing
all such provisions in existing charters of the corpora-
tion of London; and all such customs of the City, as it
may be deemed expedient to preserve.'
Mr. Ross moved, and Mr. Stephenson seconded, as an
amendment—" That the consideration of the report be
adjourned, and that the Right Honourable the Lord
Mayor be requested to convene an early court for the
purpose of taking the seine into consideration."
After an animated discussion, in the course of which
the expediency or inexpediency of the postponement was
canvassed, a chow of La- ds was taken, when the amend-
ment was carried by a large majority.
The court then divided, when there appeared—
In favour of the amendment 47
Against the amendment 2l
Majority in favour of the amendment 26
The LORD MAYOR—I shall name Tuesday next as the
special day on which the subject of the report shall be
considered. (Hear, bear.)
NEW CATTLE-MARKET, COPENHAGEN-FIELDS.
Mr. YOUNG— I wish to ask my friend the chairman of
the markets' improvement committee (Mr. H.L. Taylor)
a very important question to the graziers and firmers—
namely, whether .ttify day has yet been fixed for the
opening of the new cattle-market ? The public are very
much alive to the question, and the graziers, farmers,
and salesmen in general are quite in the dark upon the
subject.
Mr. H. L. TAYLOR—My Lord Mayor, I conceive this
question to be one of importance net only to this court,
but also to the public at large. No doubt information
has gone abroad that we purposed opening the market
on the 26th of this month. Now, it should be under-
stood that the corporation have not the power of fixing
the day for opening the market. That matter rests ex-
clusively with the noble lord the Secretary of State for
the Home department. We did hope and yet hope to
be ready for the opening on the 26th, sufficiently ready
for the business to be carried on. At the present mo-
ment we have before the Home Secretary our rules and
regulations, which have to be perused and sanctioned by
his lordship previous to his determination as to the new
market ; and it would be well, perhaps, that I should
read to the court the clause in the act of Parliament
which gives his lordship the power of fixing the day. It
is the 10th clause of the act under which we are build-
ing the new market, and it says :
" When the commissioners have provided the market-
places, slaughterhouses, and conveniences hereinbefore
authorised to be provided, and fixed such table of tolls
and payments as aforesaid, and appointed the market day.,
and done all other acts which may appear to them neces-
sary previously to the opening of the said market-places
and slaughterhouses, they shall report to one of her Ma-
jesties principal secretaries of State what they have done
concerning the premises, and shall annex to such report a
copy of the table if tolls and payments fixed as aforesaid.
And it shall be lawful for such Secretary of State to fix a
time for the opening of the said markets and slaughter-
houses; and by a notice under his hand, to be published
in the London Gazette, to notify that such market-places
and slaughterhouses havei been provided, and the time
when the same will be opened; and that from the time so
mentioned Smithfield-market will cease to be a market for
the sale of cattle and horses ; and from and after the time
mentioned in such notice Smithfield-market shall cease to
be a market for the sale of cattle or horses, and markets
for the sale of cattle, horses, and meat shall be holden in
the respective places under this set ; and such markets
shall be deemed to be public markets ; and a new market
for the sale of cattle or horses shall be opened in the City
of London or Westminster, or the liberties thereof, or the
borough of Southwark, or at any place distant less than
seven miles in a straight line from St. Paul's Cathedral, in
the City of London.'
I may take this opportunity of stating, that looking at
the magnitude of the task undertaken by the committee,
with the assistance of an able and efficient officer, the
architect, no work of equal magnitude has been brought
so near its completion in the same space of time as that
in which we have embarked. (Hear, hear.) I think that
the greatest possible credit is due to the architect for
producing such a magnificent building as the new cattle
market : and I hope that the members of the corpora-
tion will themselves take the opportunity of inspecting
the works as they are progressing, when I am sure they
will be satisfied, not only that the committee have done
their duty, but they will be enabled to form an estimate
of the merit belonging to the chief officer, who has been
carrying them out. (Hear.)
Mr. YOUNG—Have you done all that is required by
the act
Mr. H. L. TAYLOR—The rules and regulations are
before the Home secretary, and he has to appoint the
day. We have not called to see his lordship upon the
subject, and until we have been we shall not know the
day.
spent
Deputy LOTT—WiII the chairman of the committee
inform the court what sum the market has cost in round
e have numbers
notup to
this
more time l
Mr. H. L. TAYLOR—AII I can say is, that at present
w
money than has been authorised
by the court. I have no doubt that the court will knew
quite soon enough when additional money will be re-
quired. (Laughter.)
Mr. MuneEen—About what will have been the pro-
bable cost when it is finished !
Mr. H. L. TAYLOR—That will depend entirely, as my
friend must well know, upon the works carried out.
We may carry them out to any extent, but they will
' depend entirely upon the orders of the court.

LONDON CORPORATION REFORM.

WARD OF FARRINGDON-WITHOUT.

Last evening a meeting of the inhabitants of this ward
was held in the New Court, Old Bailey, at six o'clock,
for the purpose of discussing the question of corporate
reform for the City of London, as proposed by the con-
solidated committee of the Court of Common Council.
The chair was occupied by Sir James Duke, M.P.,
alderman of the ward.

The CHAIR3IAN having briefly opened the proceedings,
Mr. TouLanN SMITH proceeded to address the meeting
in a speech of very great length, in the course of which
he commented upon and analysed the propositions
recommended by the consolidated committee. Amongst
these he particularly denounced the following recom-
mendations :—" That a new charter be issued, contain-
ing all such provisions in existing charters of the cor-
poration of London, and all such customs of the City,
as it may be deemed expedient to preserve ; that the
Lord Mayor be elected by the Common Council, from
the common councillors, or from persons qualified
to be common councillors ; that the aldermen be elected
by the burgesses of the wards for six years, and be re-
eligible, and that they be justices of the peace during
their term of office ; that the powers of the Municipal
Corporations Act with respect to the appointment of
stipendiary magistrates be extended to the corporation of
London ; that the Court of Aldermen be abolished, and
that its functions be transferred to the Common Council ;
that the number of wards be reduced to some number
not less than twelve, nor greater than sixteen ; that each
ward return one alderman and five common councilmen
to the Common Council, and that their qualification be
that prescribed by the Municipal Corporation Act for
the larger class of boroughs—namely, the possession of
real or personal estate of 10001., or being rated on as
annual value of at least 301. ; that the elections in Com-
mon Hall be abolished ; that the sheriffs be elected by
the Common Council ; that the fellowship of porters be
dissolved ; that the admission of brokers by the Court
cern Ps rtae tne
cdconcluded with
t he
metropolitan
of Aldermen be
nabolished ; and that the City police be
byietrmopooving
litantphoelice.'
followingTh The learned
gentleman resolu-
tion.n :7" That this ward meeting views with surprise the
between the contents of a report of the
consolidated committee of the Common Council, dated
the 13th December, 1854, and those of a report of a
committee of the whole court, dated 22d February, 1854,
and which last was agreed to by that court on the 24th
February, 1854 ; and this ward meeting considers the
suggestions contained in last-named report to be, for the
most part, sound in principle, constitutional in charac-
ter, and practical in detail."
The resolution was seconded by Mr. SEELEY.
Mr. QUIRK and Mr. HERAYATH moved the following
amendment to the original resolution : —" That this ward
meeting request their representatives in the Court of
Common Council to give their cordial and steady support
to the proposed alterations in the corporation as oon-
tained in the report of the commissioners appointed to
inquire into the state of the Corporation in 1853, and
in the report of the consolidated committee of this cor-
poration, reported to the Court of Common Council
Dec. 20, 1854."
In the course of a lengthened discussion, Mr. Potter
supported the original resolution ; whilst the amendment
was approved of by Mr. Gresham, Mr. Masterman, and
Mr. Acland, who ridiculed the idea of leaving the cor-
poration to reform itself, as, he insisted, was the course
contended for by the proposer and seconder of the origi-
nal resolution.
Mr. SEELEY, in explanation, denied that ho was fa-
vourablo to the idea of allowing the corporation to reform
itself. He was anxious for the intervention of legisla-
tion on the subject, and therefore preferred, as the basis
of that legislation, the recommendations of the whole
Court of Common Council, rather than those of a com-
mittee of that body.
After a brief reply from Mr. SMITH,
The CHAIRMAN put the question to the meeting, when,
on a show of hands, there appeared—for the amend-
ment 35, for the original motion 28. The amendment
was accordingly declared carried.
A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the pro.
ceedinge,