The Sun.
London, England, 1865-11-23 00:00:00

Court of Common Council.

Yesterday a special meeting of the Court of Com-
mon Council was held at Guildhall, the Lord Mayor
in the chair.

The Town Clerk (Mr. Woodthorpe) read a letter
from Mr. John Pollard, the clerk of the Metropo-
litan Board of Works, forwarding copies of a report
from the streets committee urging the laying down
of water mains in a subway of Southwark-street.
This report was referred to the improvements com-
mittee, with instructions to communicate with the
commissioners of sewers on the subject.
Mr. Deputy De Jersey laid upon the table a case
relative to the commissioners of sewers which had
been submitted to the Attorney and Solicitor
Generals and their replies, and moved that the same
be printed and circulated among the members.

The motion was agreed to.
The Town Clerk read a letter from the daughters
of Mr. Deputy Lorkin, acknowledging with thanks
the receipt of a letter of condolence upon the death
of their father, which was passed at the last meet-
ing of the council, and it was ordered to be entered
on the journals of the court.

Mr. ISAAC moved the following resolution—" That
having in view the great loss and inconvenience to
which a large number of citizens are subjected by
the non-progress of the works for the proposed dead
meat and poultry market, it is desirable that addi-
tional professional assistance should be provided by
the markets improvement committee, in order to
accelerate the progress of the said works." He ad-
verted to the great number of important works now
thrown upon the office of the City Architect, which,
he said, required extra assistance for the purpose of
carrying them out. The flolborn Valley improve-
ment, for instance, was a work of great magnitude,
requiring the utmost care and ability. The dead
meat market in Smithfield was one of a similar
nature. He deemed it due to the architect himself,
as well as to the markets improvement committee,
that additional professional assistance should be pro-
vided.

Mr. R. N. PlumpPs seconded the motion, and in
doing so said he had no intention of reflecting in the
slightest degree upon the ability of the architect, but
he thought the great amount of labour which would
be required in carrying out the works expeditiously,
works, the commencement of which had been re-
tarded by the delay that had taken place in the
production of the plans—proved the necessity that
existed for granting immediate professional assist-
ance. The amount of money which at present was
locked up, in consequence of the non-usage of the
ground at Smithfield, was somewhere about £lO,OOO
a year, and this might be reckoned as the annual
loss the corporation were incurring by the present
state of things. He estimated the cost of the erec-
tion of the new market at a quarter of a million, and
he argued that no time should be lost in expediting
the works, in order to meet the requirements of the
trade and the wants of the public.

Mr. H. L. TAYLOR defended the markets improve-
ment committee, and said the delay which had arisen
was unavoidable, owing to the excavations not having
been completed by the railway companies for the sta-
tion underneath, which they had to form in connec-
tion with the Metropolitan line. He stated that the
plans of the new market were now upon the walls
of the court for the inspection of the members, and
that no unnecessary time would be lost in carrying
them out.

Mr. Rudkin, Mr. Alderman J. C. Lawrence, Mr.
Alderman Sidney, and other members took part in
the discussion which ensued, and at the close a divi-
sion took place, when there appeared—For the mo-
tion 78 ; against, 44 ; majority in favour of it, 34.

Mr. BEDFORD then moved—" That the Markets
Improvement Committee be directed to report to
this Court forthwith the reasons for the extraordi-
nary and ruinous delay that has taken place in the
erection of the dead meat market in Smithfield, and
also when, in their opinion, their labours in that
matter may be expected to terminate."
After a short debate this motion was withdrawn,
it being the general opinion of the Court that the
main facts of the case had been elicited during the
discussion on Mr. Isaac's motion.

Mr. Deputy FRY moved the following resolution
—"That in the opinion of this Court it is desirable
that Mansion-house-street should be widened on the
north side, and this Court cloth accordingly request
the Commissioners of Sewers to give notice under
their powers to take the ground now vacant, and
that being built upon in Mansion-house-street, for
widening and improving the said street."
The resolution was adopted, and the Court ad-
journed.