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

THE CORPORATION FINANCES.

Mr. DE JEr.swe 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 ba in_
formed of the financial position of the corporation, it be re-
ferred to the special parliamentary committee forthwith to
report to this court whaT are the fut ds of the corporation
which are available for so great an undertaking as the for..
mation of the proposed new street from Blacktriare-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 discussion between several honourable mem-
bers of tho court. It will be remembered that, during
the communications that took place rietween 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 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 if the Government would allow the corpora.
tion to undertake the formation of the new street, they were
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
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 bad 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
pledged themselves to be in a position to
tbheadteorpivinedion;
,ananddthat, as the select committee differed from
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
y equal to the expenditure, and in 1867
would not support the views of the committee; for it ap-
peared by it that the income of the corporation at the pre-
sheen
believedt ti m e w atsh he
there
equal
rdw he a deficiency to the amount of
l
£15,400. (Cries of " No, no.") Ile went on to say that if
they really were in a position to expend £350,000 upon im-
provements in the City of London, he was sure the public
and many important improve-
ments, called for, in Thames-
streetght easily be carried out.
Mr. J. PARKER seconded the motion.
would
abne be very
eah t aFsg:lnha de
those
hearst
earnestly
iet:3 t , m i
Mr. LAwLEI opposed it, and said, with some considerable
warmth, that every one knew the object for which it was
ahe Proposer and the gentleman who
ylor), and another gentleman who
was
gbi
nyn
sa lht li
tymh ce(onbnlicrno. chis
d.
lap: .
ay
el,: .
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 did not
believe he saw it until it was printed in the minutes of busi-
ness of the
Court fr-T
(.-Lear, hear.)
Sir JOHN MUSGROV
E, upon being appealed to, stated
that Mr. Lawley was out of order in the observation ho had
made, 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 pnrpse, 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 eff dr was now settled, i‘nd there was
nothing but some party object to be arrived at. He should
therefore move as an amendment the previous question.
Mr. MEDWIN seconded the araendmant, and said that the
reason he did so was that he considered the motion of Mr.
De Jersey uncalled for and unnecessary at the present time.
Mr. U. L. TAYLOR defended himself from the charge
that had been made against him of having concocted the
resolution
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. De Jersey to withdraw it on the present oe •
colon. (Hear, hear.)
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 Parliamentary Committee, that he should
have an opportunity of informing the court from what
source he propOnd to derive the V. 50,000 that were to be
devoted to the formation of the new street. (Hear.)
Mr. Alderman and Sheriff LAWEANCE 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. Da 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 tizESzy ;Ood for a division, but subsequently