The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-21 00:00:00

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.

Yesterday a court was held for the despatch of public
business.

THE LATE VISIT OF THE ICING OF SARDINIA.
Upon the motion of Mr. T. Parker, the address of
the corporation to the King of Sardinia, and the answer
of his Majesty thereto was ordered to be entered upon
the minutes of the court.

THE COMMON SERGEANT.
A somewhat lengthened discussion took place upon a
report of the officers and clerks' committee, recommend-
ing that on the resignation of
ens the Common Sergeant hean
should be allowed a retiring pion of 1,000/. per -
num. The Recorder had received a communication
from the Common Sergeant, which was a formalto hand i resig-
nation of his office, but he seemed unwilling t
to the Lord Mayor until the question of the learned ser-
jeant's retiring allowance was settled. Mr. H. L. Taylor
asked the Recorder whether, if the court did not agree
to the report, he would put in the resignation or not. It
was decided, however, on a division, that the Recorder
need not answer this question. Mr. H. L. Taylor then
moved as an amendment that the Common Sergeant be
called upon to resign his office before the court take into
consideration the subject of his retiring allowance. The
amendment was seconded by Mr. Barkly, and further
supported by Messrs. Ross and Gresham. Alderman
Farebrother and Wire, and Messrs. Lott, Blake, Dakio
&c., supported the original resolution, which, on a
divi-
sion, was carried by 59 against 38. The report was
then agreed to.
The Recorder, immediately after the court adopted
the report of the committee, handed to the
Lord Mayor
the resignation of the Common Sergeant, which was read,aor
and ordered to be entered on the journals of the court.
THE
BATHS AND WASH-HOLTSES IN GOIILSTON-SQUARE.
Mr. TowsE (the chairman of the coal, corn, and
finance committee) brought up, and moved the adoption
of, a report from the members of the committee to whom
had been referred various petitions on the subject of
the baths and wash-houses in Goulston-square. The re-
port stated that the court ought not to lose so favour-
able an opportunity of commencing a good work at a
moderate outlay as was presented in the offer by the
present proprietors of the baths and wash-houses to dis-
pose of the same to the corporation for 11,5001. Their

(iriginal cost had been 27,8001., and the receipts being
present inf-afficient to meet the current expenses, the,
c onmittee would he compelled to close the establishment,
if were not taken by the corporation.

In the discussion that followed, the adoption of thei
report was supported by Messrs. Towse, Abraham, T.
11. Fry, and others, who urged that the establishment of
baths and wash-houses would be a great boon to the
poor of the City and its suburbs, that the establishment
in question was advantageously situated for their con-
venience. and that at present the poor had to wash and
dry their clothes in the room i❑ which they ate and
slept. Three or four such institutions were wanted, and
it was disgraceful to the corporation that they had not
been long ago established. The adoption of the report
was opposed by Messrs. Anderton, Cox, and De Jersey,
on the ground that the corporation had at present ♦ery
heavy and important calls upon them ; that the institu-
tion would require the expenditure of some 20,000/., be-
sides the purchase money, to put it into an efficient con-
dition ; that this sum would have to be borrowed ;
and that in the present state of tho money market it,
would be very impolitic to go into the money market for
funds wherewith to purchase a bankrupt trading con-
cern situated beyond the limits of the City.
Several other gentlemen addressed the Court, when
the attention of the Lord Mayor was directed to the
fact that only one alderman was in attendanCe, upon
which the proceedings abruptly terminated, without hay-
ing arrived at any decision.