The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-29 00:00:00

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL,

A Special Court of Common Council was holden
yesterday in the Egyptian Hall, Mansion House,
the Council Chamber at the Guildhall not being
available owing to the alterations and decorations
that are being carried out for the reception of the
Prince and Princess of Wales.
The Lord Mayor was prevented from being pre-
sent owing to indisposition, and Alderman Sir J.
Musgrove presided for him. •
THE NEW POLICE COMMISSIONER.

The TOWN CLERK read a letter from Sir G. Grey
announcing that he had laid before her Majesty the
communication that he had received announcing the
election of Colonel James Frazer to the appointment
of Commissioner of Police for the City of London,
and that her Majesty had been graciously pleased
to approve of the appointment. (Hear.) The Town
Clerk added that Colonel Frazer had that morning
been sworn in before one of her Majesty's judges,
and all the formalities connected with the appoint-
ment would very shortly be completed. (Hear.)
THE PROPOSED NEW STREET TO THE MANSION
HOUSE.

Mr. LAWLEY, the chairman to the Special Par-
liamentary Committee appointed to consider the
subject of bills in Parliament affecting the rights,
privileges, and revenues of the City of London,
brought up a report from that committee, in which
they stated in effect that the Government persisted
in carrying out the decision arrived at by the select
commitee of the House of Commons, that the new
t street from Blackfriar's-bridge to the Mansion
House should be constructed by the Metropolitan
Board of Works, but they recommended that the
question should still be agitated, and that the com-
mittee should continue their exertions to procure
the adoption of the proposition they had made to
the Government on behalf of the Corporation. The
proposition . was, that out of the fourpenny
and ninepenny coal and wine dues, which the Cor-
poration are authorised by an Act of Parliament to
retain for a certain period, theyshould pay £350,000
towards the construction of the new street, and re-
ceive £300,000 from the Government in addition to,
and that the work should thus be taken out of the
hands of the Metropolitan Board of Works and be
performed by the Corporation themselves. Upon
the suggestion of Deputy Harrison the correspon-
dance that had taken place between the solicitor to
the Corporation, acting on their behalf, and the
Chief Commissioner of the Board of Works in re-
ference to the subject was read, and it appeared
that the principal ground upon which the Govern-
ment felt themselves compelled to entrust the pro-
posed improvements to the Board of Works, was,
that the Corporation had not shown that it was in
a position to raise the funds that were necessary to
perform the work, and the proposal made on behalf
of the Corporation in reference to this subject was
characterised as " shadowy and delusive in appear-
ance," and that unless the Government carried out
the work through the instrumentality of the Metro-
politan Board of Works, the important improve-
ments referred to would be postponed for an inde-
finite period. The hon. member, in moving that
the report be agreed to, said that he should defer
making any observations upon the subject until the
close of the debate.

Deputy FRY opposed the motion, and went at con-
siderable length into the subject, expressing his opi-
nion that it was perfectly useless for the Corporation
to go on any further with their opposition to the mea-
sures of the Government, as they really were unable
to raise the necessary funds, and he said that unless
the new street was constructed by the Board of
Works, it would not be made for a hundred years
to come. He complained of the course that had
been taken by the Special Parliamentary Com-
mittee in reference to this question, and said it ap-
peared to him that they had by that course
materially damaged the credit of the Corporation,
and this was the first time that any proposition
that was made by it to the Government had been
characterised as shadowy and delusive. (Hear,
hear.) He concluded by proposing an amendment
to the effect that as the Special Committee had failed
in their endeavours to induce the Government to
consent to the proposition they had made, that all
further opposition to the measures now before Par-
liament should cease. The resolution also embodied
an opinion, signed by the Recorder and the other
law officers of the Corporation, in reference to the
subject which the hon. member was about to read.
Alderman and Sheriff I. C. LAWRENCE, however,
interposed, and said that the opinion referred to
was never intended to be made public, and that it
was given upon that understanding.
Several other members of the Court having con-
firmed the statement made by Mr. Alderman J. C.
Lawrence, Deputy Fry abstained from pressing this
portion of his amendment.
Mr. ROWE seconded the amendment, and he said
that the Corporation had, in his opinion, already
done a great deal more than was necessary, and that
they had been signally defeated in Parliament, as
they had not made out any case to justify their in-
terference. He hoped, therefore, that the amend-
ment proposed by Deputy Fry would be agreed to,
and that this important improvement would not be
any longer delayed.
Mr. ItuDiii N admitted that a good deal of damage
had been done to the interests of the Corporation by
some of the
members of it, who had given evidence
before the House
of Commons, and those who had
spoken in
stanced that assembly ; and he particularly in-
the question
the speech that had been made upon
by one of the aldermen, which
he described as most damaging, and of a
character Which
he confessed he was surprised

to have heard delivered by a gentleman who
to a considerable extent owed the position he held
to the Corporation. (Hear.)
Alderman SIDNEY said that as he had been so
specially referred to by the last speaker, he could
not refrain from stating that notwithstanding the
position he occupied in connection with the city of
London, he should always claim the right of acting
as an independent member of the House of Com-
mons. (Hear.) In the debate that took place, and
which had been so often referred to, it appeared to
be the fashion to describe the Metropolitan Board
of Works as a foreign body; but he denied that
there was any justification for giving them this ap-
pellation. He was quite certain that the Corpora-
tion were not in a position to spend £300,000 to do
a work which would be done by another public
body in a manner that would meet all the require-
ments of the public without costing them a farthing.
(Hear.) As to the question of a foreign body com-
ing into the City, he really thought the observation
amounted to nothing, and they might just as well
apply the observation to the different railway com-
panies whose proceedings, and particularly those of
th© London, Chatham, and Dover Railway, were, in
his opinion, calculated to inflict most serious injury
upon the city of London. (Hear.) He listened at-
tentively to all the arguments that had been made
use of when the question was discussed in the House
of Commons, and finding that by the prolongation
of the term for which the Corporation were to be
entitled to receive the fourpenny and the ninepenny
coal and wine dues, to which, the Court should re-
member, a great many persons thought they had no
legal claim, and by which they would receive some-
thing like a million of money, he thought the Cor-
poration had obtained a great advantage, and that
the proposition of the Government was one that
ought to be carried out, as best calculated to further
the interests of the public.
Deputy JONES supported the amendment, and
said he could not sea what object could be gained
by any further apposition. All that could be done
was to go the House of Lords, which was not likely
to be of any avail. (Hear.)
Alderman and Sheriff J. C. LAWRENCE supported
the original motion, and said that if the Metropoli-
tan Board of Works were once allowed to carry out
improvements in the city of London, they might
depend that they would very soon claim to be en-
titled to the fourpenny coal dues, as being only
granted for that purpose. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. J. E. SAUNDERS also supported the motion,
and expressed his opinion that the real question
was, whether the city of London were to be allowed
to retain their ancient privileges, or whether they
were to be entirely deprived of those privileges.
(Hear, hear.) If the Metropolitan Board of -Works
were to be permitted to come into the city and make
their streets for them, and to carry out those im-
provements that had heretofore always been made
by the citizens themselves, it appeared to him that
there would soon be an end to those rights and
privileges that the citizens of London had always
endeavoured to guard so jealously, and that although
they might retain the privilege of giving feasts and
pageants, all power in real matters of importance
would be taken away from them. (Hear, hear.) He,
therefore, considered that a great principle was at
stake, and he hoped that the Corporation would
resist the attack that was made upon them to the
very utmost.
Mr. Deputy HARRISON supported the amendment.
He said if the Corporation were entrusted with the
making of the new street, they would be obliged to
borrow £350,000, which would be required, and the
interest on this would be very large. It seemed to
him that the old ship—the Corporation—was going
aground, and he, as one of the old sailors, would put
his shoulder to the wheel to try and save it. The
law officers of the Corporation had been appealed
to, and they would say that it would be unwise to
enter into such an obligation. The bonded debt of
the Corporation was, as it was, £1,418,600.
Mr. LAWLEY here interposed upon a point of
order. He thought his friend was indiscreet.
The CHAIRMAN ruled that the hon. member was
in order.
Mr. Deputy HARRISON—And the Corporation
were under obligations, first for the new market,
which was estimated at £665,000 ; the new bridge,
which was £250,000, and £320,000 the Holborn
valley; making together £1,235,000. He believed
that if they went into the financial part of the ques-
tion they would find themselves in such difficulties
that they would be paralysed and totally unable to
proceed. When the hoe. member talked about
foreign members being introduced, it was not the
first time the Metropolitan Board had been intro-
duced into the City. They had contributed towards
various improvements, and since 1855 they had in-
truded to the extent of £116,537 15s. 6d. The
general precepts of the board amounted to £36,236
4s. 9d., and in 1851 the main drainage works
amounted to £80,301 10s. 9d, so that it was not at
all a new thing. There had been interference from
that board for some time in the City. He asked
the Court to look with caution into their financial
position, and he said it most confidently, that it
would be a most calamitous thing for the Corpora-
tion. If they attempted to borrow money and in-
vest large sums of money while they had not got it
for public works, it must fall on the heads of the
Corporation, and he thought the policy of the Cor-
poration should be to withhold all opposition in the
House of Lords.
Mr. Alderman PHILLIPS was of the same
opinion, and thought it would be most unwise and
unsafe to carry on the opposition. At the same time
he asserted that the Corporation was in a very safe
and firm position to liquidate all claims made
against them. The hon. member who had pre-
ceded him forgot when he alluded to their obliga-
tions in regard to Smithfield, that they had power
to raise tolls, and also power over the fourpenny
tax for a period of ten years, in order to effect the
improvement of Holborn valley. He hoped the
Board of Works would not only have the power of
carrying out that colossal improvement, but he hoped
they would have the management of it, and more,
he hoped they would like it.

Mr. LAWLEY replied, and he maintained that the
course which the committee had recommended was
the one to be adopted ; and he thought that the cor-
poration ought to uphold to the utmost the principles
of local self-government, and take the management
of their own affairs ; and he urged upon the court
the necessity at all risks of continuing their opposi-
tion in Parliament to their introduction into the
City, and to their taking any control over the work.
Mr. Harrison had forgotten that they had power to
levy tolls which would cover the expenses incurred
in the erection of the new market, and that by act
of Parliament they had the control of the fourpenny
coal duty for the year, and that one million of the
bonded debt was covered by surplus land, The
funds of the Corporation were ample to meet all lia-
bilities, and he should not like it to go forth that
their income was in such a condition that in a few
years they would have a deficiency instead of a
surplus. He hoped the court would agree with the
committee in their report.
Upon a division the amendment was negatived,
and the original motion was carried by a majority
of seven.

THE PROPOSED 'VIADUCT ACROSS LUDGATE-HILL.
Mr. Deputy FRY brought up a report from the
Improvements Committee upon the reference to pro-
secute the petition in Parliament against the Lud-
gate Station and Junction Railway Company's Bill,
and also recommending that a petition be presented
against the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway
Company. Mr, Fry said the company had with-
drawn the London Stations Bill, and they had now
another bill before the house, in which they asked
for additional borrowing powers; and the committee
recommended that they should present a petition
against that hill, that they might have a locus stanch
there, and be enabled to watch the improvements.
He had that day seen a plan of Mr. Greenhill's for
a compound bridge across the Thames, which he
thought was very feasible : and be moved that the
report should be agreed to, and that the Improve-
ments Committee and Bridge House Estates Com-
mittee be authorised to take into consideration a
plan suggested by Mr. Greenhill, C.E., for a rail-
way and road communication between the north and
south sides of the river Thames, and which has for
its object to obviate the necessity for the proposed
viaduct across Ludgate-hill, which contemplates
crossing the bottom of Ludgate-hill, and also Hol-

born-valley ; that the it committee be empowered to
confer, if considered expedient, with the several
authorities interested, and to report thereon.
Mr. ELLIOTT seconded the motion, which was
agreed to.

After some routine business had been disposed o,
the Court adjourned.