The Sun.
London, England, 1830-01-07 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION.HOUSEL

Sir PETER LAURIE yesterday, at the Mansion-
house, took public notice of what has been
long considered a nuisance,—the incommodious size
and construction of the room in which public busi-
ness is transacted. Merchants, and parish officers,
and constables, witnesses, and thieves, are fre-
quently to be seen all huddled together.
As two merchonts of high respectability were en-
deavouring to pass through the crowd, in order to
make some affidavits, Sir PETER !took the oppor-
tunity to say aloud, that it was disgraceful to
the city that its most important magisterial business
should be transacted in such a place. It was tine
that a way was cleared for him and other Magis-
trates time moment they appeared, and therefore
they were not likely to feel the inconvenience sus-
tained by others ; but to those who were called
there on public business us prosecutors and wit-
nesses, and for other purposes, it must be offensive
in the extreme to be compelled to wait; and many
might be induced by no other motive to abandon
public duties of no slight importance.
Mr. Hobler, who has, we believe, sat in the room
for 42 years, observed that the room was not built
for the purpose of justice business, and that it had
been applied to such purposes at a time when the
business was much lighter than it now was.
Sir PETER LAURIE thought that no reason why
ground of complaint should now exist. A more
commodious place should be chosen, for the sake of
the public.
The LORD MAYoR lamented the inconvenience,
but he feared that if a Court of double the size was
erected, it would be crammed by the inquisitive and
others.

Sir PETER said, that at least a place might be
found with convenient means of ingress and egress,
and presenting some little accommodation to the
public. It was time that the convenience of prose-
cutors should be consulted, as well as the health of
those who were compelled to be frequently in at-
tendance. There was plenty of space, and he be-
lieved that an improved Court might be made at a
little expence.
Complaints to the above effect have, although
often made, never been attended to by the General
Purposes Committee, to whom the task of keeping
the Mansion-house in a condition worthy of the city
of London and the Chief Magistrate, is committed.
Several of the Magistrates have suffered much by
being obliged to transact business in this Court. It
has been matter of surprise that Mr. nobler never
was absent a single day on account of ill-health, and
his only way of account►ng for the phenomenon is,
that his constitution has been hardened by a long
seasoning. The health of the present Chief Magis-
trate appears to be rather delicate, and if ever tfte
General Purposes Commit tee intend to make the ne-
cessary change, they cannot take a more favoura4le
opportunity than that which now presents itself.
It is necessary to add the following to the descrip-
tien already given. After the hour of two o'clock,
the front gales of the Mansion-house are closed, and
persons who have business to transact in the Justice
Room, are compelled to force their way through a
filthy crowd behind the bar, where many persons
have lost money and watches front the pockets in
transite. After having passed through this crowd,
they must then struggle through a mass of paupers
and diseased persons, waiting to solicit tickets of
admission to the hospitals. It is necessary to keep
the doors and windows constantly closed, in order
that the parties may not be rendered inaudible by

the rattling of coaches and carts, so that in summer
particularly more than one sense is likely to be of-
fended. It is necessary also to state, that there are
several rooms in this extensive building which might
be applied to the use of the public, but which
the " Hospitalities," as they arc called, of the city
require should be dedicated two or three nights in
the year to a different purpose.
GUILDHALL.

Mr. Samuel Pratt, of Crispin.street, Spitalfields,
who for some years has been extensively engaged in
business as a drysalter, was brought before Mr. Al-
derman FAREBROTHER yesterday; charged with
stealing 9 cwt. of bristles, value 1901., the pro.
petty of Messrs. Plaw and Co., Fenchureh-street.

Mr. Flowers, the prisoner's solicitor, in a low
:one, pressed earnestly for a private hearing, which
he Alderman refused.

Mr. Spaeth, the principal clerk to the prose-
cutors, deposed that on the 2d of January the poi-
soner came to the counting-house, and bought four
casks of bristles, for cash to be paid down, allowing
21 per cent. discount. Witness gave him an order
on the warehouse-keeper at Botolph Wharf, to have
the goods weighed, and an invoice was made out and
delivered by one of the clerks to the pri-
soner on the following Monday, but he returned
without the money. Soon after Mr. Pratt came
again to the counting-house, and said he would pay
for the bristles directly. The order was given to
him, but as he did not bring the money, witness
went down to the wharf, and found him receiving
tile goods. Witness told him he could not have
them without the money, to which prisoner replied
he would not have them at all.

Alderman FAREBRoutER asked if lie arranged
hat a person should go with the goods, and that
le should not part with them without the money.
Witness said he did not precisely do this, but he