The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-18 00:00:00

TEE CORPORATION FINANCES.

Mr. DE JERSEY then brought forward a motion which
has stood over for several months : " That it being an un-
doubted privilege of every member of this court to be in-
formed of the financial position of the corporation, it be re-
ferred to the special parliamentary committee forthwith to
report to this Court wha. are the fin•ds of the corporation
which are available for so great an undertaking as the for.
mation of the proposed new street from Blackfriars-bridge
to the Mansion House, and which would enable the court
of £350,000 as recommended in the
to make the large outlay
report of that committee, agreed to by this court on the 28th
of May last.
This motion gave rise to a warm and somewhat
personal discussion between several honourable mem-
bers of the court.
It will be remembered that, during
the communications that took place between the corpo-
ration and the Metropolitan Board of Works with refer.
ence to the making of the proposed new street from Black-
friars-bridge to the Mansion Renee, a special parliamentary
st
of
committee, of which :Ir. Lawley was I he chairman, was ap.
pointed to consider the matter, and they made a report to
the effect that it the Government would allow the corpora-
tion
t o undertake
position
tocontribute
towards effecting the object. Since then Parlia-
ment has decided upon entrusting the formation of the new
the formation z
35
0, ofo 0 toh e
from ne w
thetr street,
funds t, hey were
in a
the
street to the Metropolitan Board of Works, so that the ques-
tion is virtually decided ; but, notwithstanding this, Mr.
De Jersey determined upon taking the opinion of the court
upon his motion. The hon. member addressed the court at
some length in support of his motion, and after alluding to
all the circumstances connected with the negotiation between
the officers of the corporation and Mr. Cowper, the First
Commissioner of the Board of Works, upon the subject of
the proposed new street,
he said that the chamber ain and
solicitor and the law officers of the corporation had signed a
report to the effect that there were no funds at the disposal
of the corporation from which such a sum as £350,000 could
be derived ; and that, as the select committee differed from
that opinion, and pledged themselves to be in a position to
raise the amount, if it was required, he thought the citizens
of London and the public also ought to know who were in
the right. He said a report of the state of the finances of
the corporation was published every year, and this certainly
would no' support the views of the committee; for it ap-
peared by it that the income o
thef the corpora.ion at the pre-
sent time was hardly equal to expenditure, and in 1867
be believed there would I-e a deficiency to the amount of
£15,400. (Cries of "No, no.") He went on to say tat if
they really were in a position to expend £350,000 upon im-
provements in the City of London, he was sure the public
would be very glad to hear it, and many important improve-
ments, such as those so earnestly called for, in Thames-
street and at Fenchurch-street, might easily be carried out.
Mr. J. Paati-ER seconded the motion.
Mr. LawLre opposed it, and said, with some considerable
warmth, that every one knew the object for which it was
originally concocted by the proposer and the gentlemanwho
sat by him (Mr. a L. Taylor), and another gentleman who
was net then in his plate.
Mr. DE JERSEY and Mr, TAYLOR both rose and declared
that if Mr. La wleY a A
inten-e. to convey to the Court that the
resolution had been concocted by them, he asserted what
tesm e--9.-- ace frellu, ... y' tlant, no iai i',..... 1ai.k...,...6, lion
anything to do with preparing the resolution, he diet not
believe he saw it until it was printed in the minutes of busi-
ness of the Court. (Rear, hear.)
Sir JOHN MUSGROVE, upon being appealed to, stated
that Mr. Lawley was out of order in the observation he had
wade, and that he was not justified in making the charge
he bad done.
Mr. LAWLEY then proceeded to say that all he intended
to convey was, that the resolution had been originally pre-
pared for a particular purpose, and that it had a most da-
maging effect Upon the rights and privileges of the corpo-
ration in reference to the making of the new street which
had been taken out of their hands by the Government. As
regarded the motion, he considered it was quite a waste of
time to bring it forward, or to take the opinion of the Court
upon it, as the whole affair was now settled, and there was
nothing but some party object to be arrived at. He should
therefore move as an amendment the previous question.
Mr. lil
EnWlx seconded the amendmant, and said that the
reason he did so was that ho considered the motion of Mr.
De Jersey uncalled for and unnecessary at the present time.
Mr. H. L. TAYLOR defended himself from the charge
that had been made against him of having concocted the
resolution originally, and he said that, so far from his having
done so, he disapproved of it, and had done all in his power
to induce Mr. Ds Jersey to withdraw it on the present oc •
casion. (Rear, hear.)
Deputy ELLIOTT said he should support the motion, and
he thought it was only due to Mr. Lawley, ti the chair-
man of the special Parliamentary Committee, that he should
have an opportunity of informing the court from what
source he proposed to derive the £350,000 that were to be
devoted to the formation of the new street. (Hear.)
Mr. Alderman and Sheriff LAWRANCE said he hoped the
Court would not allow itself to be dragged into the discus.
sion of a subject that was passed away and settled, and from
which no good could possibly arise.
Deputy FRY and several other honourable members urged
Mr. De Jersey to withdraw his motion, but he declined to
do so, and a show of hands were taken, when the court ap-
peared to be almost unanimously in favour of the amend-
ment.
Mr, DE JERSEY asked for a division, but subsequently