The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-18 00:00:00

- - _
Court of Aldermen.

A Court of Aldermen was held yesterday at
Guildhall, the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor in the
chair. Several brokers were sworn, and there was
a number of names on the list of gentlemen apply-
ing to be allowed.
Mr. Alderman IVATERLOW said there was a report
to be brought up from the General Purposes Com-
mittee, and he suggested the report should be read
before those gentlemen were allowed, so that they
might have the benefit of the alterations proposed.
The suggestion was agreed to, and the report was
read, and was upon a reference relative to the
sworn brokers of the city of London, and recom-
mended that certain fees taken in the Town Clerk's
office upon the admission of brokers, amounting to
nearly £6, should be abolished, and that the only
charges to be,made on admission should be ss. upon
the application, the rent of £5, and the charge for
the Government stamps. The persons to be ad-
mitted as brokers be required to attend the Court
of Aldermen only when sworn in ; so that instead
of as at present having to attend the court to be
allowed, when certain questions are put to them as
to whether they have ever been otherwise than sol-
vent, the necessary inquiries will be made by the
Solicitor and the Town Clerk, and the list of ap-
plicants, with the necessary certificates, will be sub-
mitted to the Court, arid, if approved, they will
merely have to attend to be sworn. The report
also recommended that the practice of not allowing
brokers to become sureties or to sign certificates
should be discontinued.

Mr. Alderman WATERLOW, in moving the adop-
tion of the report, said it had 'been said that the
committee, in taking Certain steps in reference to
the brokers of .the city, had been prompted by mo-
netary considerations ; but he hoped the report
would show that they had not made it a money
question, but that their only desire was to continue
their control for the benefit of the public, and to
carry out the law impartially to all. The report was
unanimously agreed to in committee, and he hoped
the same unanimity would be shown in the Court.
Mr. Alderman SIDNEY, with regard to the fees
which were recommended to be abolished, asked
whether those fees were paid into their chamber,
or whether they went in part payment of the
officer's emoluments.

Mr. Alderman Wm:m.ow said that previous to
the appointment of Mr. Woodthorpe, the present
Town Clerk, those fees were the property of the
Town Clerk, but since that time they had been paid
into the chamber as City's cash, and it was thought
expedient that the Town Clerk should receive a
stated salary, so that they now formed part of the
general revenue.
The report 'was unanimously agreed to.

Those of the gentlemen whose names were on the
list to be allowed who were present were, upon the
Town Clerk laying before the Court the usual cer-
tificates, duly allowed as brokers. Two gentlemen,
however, did not answer to their names, and the
Town Clerk informed the Lord Mayor that, pursu-
ant to the resolution just passed, it was not neces-
sary for them to be present, and the certificates
having been laid before the Court they were also
admitted.

Censure of the Poor-law Board by the
Directors of the Poor of St. Pancras.
At a meeting of the directors of the poor of St.
Pancras, held yesterday, Mr. Churchwarden Law-
ford in the chair, a communication was received
from the Poor-law Board, acknowledging a previous
communication from the directors in reference to
the surcharge by the Poor-law auditor of the half-
crowns given to each of the children apprenticed
from the workhouse, in which it was stated—" There
is nothing in the general law or the rules of the Poor-
law Commissioners to prohibit reasonable relief in
money as well as in clothes to young persons under
the age of 16 years on leaving the workhouse,
whether to be apprenticed or otherwise ;" and urging
the board to reconsider their former decision, that
the sums so paid were paid without lawful autho-
rity. The Poor-law Board now stated—" As re-
gards the board's decision upon the previous appeal,
it proceeded on the ground that the sums of money
paid over to the apprentices were given by way of
gratuities and donations on their leaving the work-
house. The board considered that such gratuities
and donations were not legitimate relief. If, how-
ever, in the present cases the sums granted were not
gratuities or donations, but that the apprentices re-
quired the money to relieve them from actual desti-
tution, the board will be prepared to consider your
appeal upon that view of the facts. If the facts be
altogether similar to those upon which the board
gave their previous decision, the board must suggest
for your consideration whether you had not better
_ make your appeal to the Court of Queen's Bench,
under the 7th . and Bth Vict., cap. 101, sec. 35, so
that the decision of that court may be obtained as
to what is the proper interpretation of the law ap-
plicable to the payments out of the poor rates of the
nature now in question."
Mr. TURNER moved—" That the members of this
board having heard the letter addressed by the Poor-
law Board to the churchwardens, beg to inform the
Poor-law Board that they consider the surcharges
tyrannical and vexatious, and will subscribe t
parishamount themselves instead of involving the

in a law suit."
Mr. Churchwarden ROBSTON Said they had been
going on very well with the Poor-law Board, and
they had better not insult them by
such a resolution,
but pay the money.
glit the: motion would do no
Mr. SHEFFIELD thoil
good, and they had better pocket the insult y' ..,
the
Poor-law Board.
Mr. J. SALTER considered the conduct of the
Po BoardTURNER
to
then
substituted tyrannical,siteand he quite con-
curred with the motion.
lsoitla
r•-. aw,
I 3,s
word " frivo-
lous" for " tyrannical,". and
the resolution was
agreed to.
A further communication
was then read from the
Poor-law Board, asking
the
directors'
for
their
rea-
sons against the surcharge for the amount of the
luncheons on Fridays.
Mr. Turner dan several other directors then