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

TILE CORPORATION FINANCES.

Mr. DE JERSEY then brought forward a motion which
has stood over for several months : " [hat it being an un-
doubted privilege of every member of this court to b 5 in-
formed of the financial position of the c-mporation, it be re-
ferred to the special parliamentary committee forthwith to
report to this court what are the flu ds of the corporation
which are available for so great an undertaking as the for.
motion of the proposed new street from Blackfriars-bridge
to the Mansion House, and which would enable the court
to make the large outlay of £350,000 as recommended in the
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 discusi ion 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.
once to the making of the proposed new street from Black-
friars-bridge to the Mansion House, a special parliamentary
committee, of which :Ir. Lawley was the chairman, was ap,
pointed to consider the matter, and they made a report to
the effect that it the Government would allow the corpora-
but, notwithstanding this, Mr.
tion to undertake the formation of the new street, they were
upon taking the opinion of the court
Ron. member addressed the court, at
in a position to contribute £350,000 from the funds of the
corporation towards effecting the object. Since then Parlia-
ment has decided upon entrusting the formation of the new
support of his motion, and after alluding to
s-reet to the Metropolitan Board of Works, so that the ques-
tionethneegcelataiamtib°lr
Board of Works, upon the subject of
upon
peon Jerseyi
his
i virtually
motion.
determinedoti
o n.
T decidedhe h 0;
-some length in
eheet e
adawi
di with the all the eircurcstaucestrioent: between
ain a n d
the officers of the corporation and Mr. Cowper, the First
Commissioner of the
the proposed new s
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 front 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 nor support the views of the committee; for it ap-
peared by it that the income of the corporation at the pre-
sent time was hardly equal to the expenditure, and in 1867
he believed there would /-e a deficiency to the amount of
£15,400. (Cries of "No, no.") He went on to say that if
they really wore 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. PARKER seconded the motion.
Mr. LAWLEY opposed it, and said, with some considerable
warmth, that every one knee the object for which it was
originally concocted by the Proposer and the gentleman who
sat by him (Mr. H. L. Taylor), and another gentleman who
was net then in his place.
Mr. DE JERSEY and Mr, TAYLOR both rose and declared
that if Mr. Lawley intended to convey to the Court that the
resolution had been concocted by them, he asserted what
was false. Mr. Taylor said that, so far from his having had
anything to do with preparing the resolution, he dietnot
believe he saw it until it was printed in the minutes of busi-
ness of the Court.
M
.. ear, hear.)
Sir JoHN AtuSGROvE, upon being appealed to, stated
that Mr. Lswley was out of order in the observation he had
wade, and that he was not justified in making the charge
he had done.

Mr. L&WLEY then proceeded to say that all he intended
to convey was, that the resolution had been originally pre-
pared for a particular purpJse, ano 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.
Mreas)n he did so was that he considered the motion of Mr.
uncalledDeJre'rselyED%vseconded the amendment, and said that the
for and unnecessary at the present time.
Mr. H. L. TAvLon 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, ho disapproved of it, and had done all in his power
to induce Mr. D 8 Jersey to withdraw it on the present oc •
cision. (Hear, hoar.)
Deputy ELLIOTT said he should support the motion, and
he thought it was only due to Mr. Lawley, as the chair-
man of the special Rirliamentary Committee, that he should
have an opportunity of informing the court from what
source he proposed to derive the £150,000 that were to be
devoted to the formation of the new street. (Hear.)
Mr. Alderman and Sheriff LAWRA.NCE 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 hon.l arable members urged
Mr. De Jersey to withdraw his motion,
but he declined to
do so, and a show of hands ware taken,
w:ten the court ap-
peared to be almost unanimously in favour ti the amend-
ment.

Mr, DE JERSEY asked for a divi6io, but S.tb,qtlelltlY

withdrew the request. The court, however, insisted upon
a division, when there appeared—
For the amendment 65
Agaist it
Majority •