The Sun.
London, England, 1853-11-24 00:00:00

CITY OF LONDON COMMISSION.

The Royal Commissioners re-assembled in the Privy
Council Chamber on Tuesday, and resumed their investiga-
tion into the state of the corporation of the city of London.
Commissioners present—Right Hon. Mr. Labouchere (in
the chair), Sir John Patteson, and Mr. Cornewall Lewis.
The first witness examined was
Mr. James Cherry, the Mayor of Yarmouth, who stated
that he appeared before the commissioners for the purpose
of representing to them the prejudicial effects of certain
dues and customs levied by the city of London on corn im-
ported into the port of London. He alluded to the motage,
lastage, fillage, wharfage, porterage, the Lord Mayor's and
other dues, which are levied upon all cargoes of grain
brought to the port of London, but are not levied upon
any grain brought by railway. This he regarded as most
unfair towards the shipping interest, who could not com-
pete with land carriage on equal terms. The taxation im-
posed by the City on all corn brought by water was .
per quarter, while corn brought by railway was entirely
exempt from any taxation whatever. In the year 1847
there were imported into London from Yarmouth 56,000
quarters of malt and 210,000 quarters of barley, or a total
'
of 266,000 quarters • and in 1852 the quantity of malt im-
ported was 55,000 quarters, and of barley 31,748 _
__quarters,
as
making a total of 86,000 quarters imported in 1852
compared with 266,000 quarters imported in 1847. This
falling off in the importations was attributable to the une-
qual competition of the railway carriage,
_which
had caused
a great portion of the grain which used to be conveyed to
London by ships to be conveyed by railway..f
The Chairman—Do you believe that corn carried by
ships and by railway were placed on an equal footing, the
shipowners could compete with the railways in the trans-
port of grain from Yarmouth ?
Mr. Cherry—Undoubtedly they could. It would pay
the shipping interest to bring corn to London for Is. per
quarter.
Mr. C. Lewis—Does the diminution in the amount of
corn carried from Yarmouth to London by water not arise
from any general falling off in the extent of the trade ?
Mr. Cherry—No ; from my own experience I can say
that there is not 100 quarters of grain less exported from
Yarmouth than there used to be.
The next witness examined was Mr. Belton, coal mer-
chant, Bing-street, Portman-square, who stated—l attend
here as a deputation from a public meeting held recently in
Marylebone. lam instructed to lay before this commis-
sion the injurious effects of the coal dues imposed upon
the whole metropolis by the city of London. We estimate
the burden which this tax imposes upon the consump-
tion of gas in Marylebone at 5,0001. a-year. On the public
lights the burden is 4001. a-year. There are 17,000 houses
in Maylebone, and we compute the coal tax as amounting
to 11. per house, making 17,0001- a year. I think
principle of the coal tax is objectionable, and so al so is
the mode of expending its produce. The revenue raised
by the tax is devoted to the improvement of the streets of
the City, and a small portion to improvements in West-
minster and Middlesex. Marylebone does not obtain any-
thing like its fair share of these improvements, in propor-
tion to the amount it contributes to the tax. The tax
also presses heavily upon the poor, and limits their com-
forts ; and has the effect likewise of driving manufactures
from the metropolis. At Reading, which is aituated
twenty miles from London, coals can be bought 2s. Gd. per
ton cheaper than in the metropolis. We object also to the
cart dues or tolls levied by the City authorities. These
tolls are Lt for 5,0001. a year to contractors, who make
10,0001. a year out of them, or .100 per cent. By VI, :nude
in which the toll is levied, it often amounts to ou s
single cart-load of goods.
Mr. F. Bennoch, who has already appeared be ore the
commissioners, attended again to-day to conclude his evi-
dence. lie said—Befora entering upon the financial ztffairs
of the corporation, I wish to vouch upon one or tie° other
points of a preliminary nature. .1 believe the at iermen
have performed their magisterial functions with ;reat, ad-
vantage to the citizens. At the same time, looking at
their ordinary business' putsuits, I would L,l_loln of
these functions, and have them transferred to two sti oen-
diary magistrates appointed by the Crown. The tJonrt of
Aldermen have as much power and control over the City
purse as the Court of Common Council itself, end can order
whit. payments they please. On a late occasion thy wished
to pay a compliment to Alderman Sidney, the present Lord
Mayor, and they had his portrait painted, which cost a
sum of 300/. or 4001. The estates of the corporation, I be-
lieve, are liberally and kindly administered, us far as re-
lates to the tenants ; and, on the other hand, a fair return
of rent is obtained from them. No blame can be attached
to the corporation in that respect. The number of agents
for these. estates is not excessive. The property is well-
conditioned and easily managed. With regard to the
sewers, I think nothing can be better than the manage-
ment of the City Commission of Sewers ; and their ac-
counts have, of late years, been kept very satisfactorily ;
but, at the same time, I consider it would be an improve-
ment to have but one authority with regard to sewer-
age for the whole metropolis. lam a 'member of the
City Commission of Sewers myself. I believe the City-
commission are anxious to carry out any recommen-
dation of the Metropolitan Commission of Sewers. I
think, however, it would be much better to have the City
sewers merged in the general drainage of the whole metro-
polis. With respect to the financial affairs of the corporation
I do not believe the members of the corporation are chargo-
able with malversation, peculation, or any conduct of that
description; but the multiplicity of offices, and the large
salaries attached to them, bring out a total expenditure
which is highly reprehensible. The gross income of the
corporation amounts to 213,5721., which is collected as fol-
lows :—Rents and quit rents, 86,3111.; renewing fines,
12,8001.; markets, 20,5951.; tolls and duties, 6,9411.; offices (a
curious term, but it really means coal dues and corn met-
age), 73,169/. ; bequests, 1321. • brokers' rents, 3,7561. ;
freedoms, 8401. ; interest, 1,3921. ; sheriffs' fines, 1,2001. ;
and casual revenue, 6,459/. These items make a total
of 213,5721. Then there is an additional income from
the navigation of 8,377/. ; consolidation of sewers rates,
66,861/. ; general dues, 19,426/. ; Bridge-house _Estate,
47,021/. ; making the total, 355,257/. This does not in-
. elude the receipts of the Irish Society, because, not being a
member of that society, I have no power of getting at the
particulars of their accounts. Nor does it include the
police rate, which is about 30,0001. snore. But with the
addition of these items I believe to total income will amount
to nearly 400,0001. per annum. Now to the expenses of ad-
ministration I wish to direct attention, as that is a point
on which the corporation must be condemned, if it is to be
condemned at all. The general salaries pail to corporate
officers amount to 38,672/. ; the legal salaries to 14,700/. ;
legal expenses, 4,600/. ; pensions to relations of officers,
3,64441. ; pensions to relations of aldermen, 580/. ; Parlia-
mentary expenses, 1,467/. ; committees allowances, 2,9001.
(an item which other expenses connected with the corpora-
tion barge, with feasting, kc., would bring up to fully
4,000/4 ; auditors, 106/. ; printing and stationery, 3,182/. ;
state coach and official clothing, disbursements of the hall-
keeper, and re-imbursing officers for petty expenditure,
4,067/. ; a similar item of 1421. ; a variety of sundries,
amounting in the gross to 14,688/., of which one-half, I
think, may fairly be taken as being applied to general ex -
penses of administration, leaving the other half to go for
works, the improvement of estates, or repairs. Then there
are discrepancies in the account of salaries, 10,061/. ; and
further discrepancies in the accounts connected with sala-
ries, 13,1871. ; and expenses of the chamberlain's clerks,
2,3721. This brings the total expenses of administration in
expending the balance of 255,3271. Then, in addition to that,
there is, for certain artificers with names attached, 5,4401. ;
for artificers, without names attached, 4,1601. There was also
expended on charities, of which so much had been heard,
1,1471.; and also a curious item of 1331. for cloth to Minis-
ters of State.
The Chairman—Who are the fortunate individuals who
get this cloth ?
Mr. Bennoch—l believe the First Lord of the Treasury
is one, and I am sure the Lord Chancellor is another.
(Laughter.) There is also an item of 2521. for emblazon-.
ing an address to the French Emperor, and another of 1561.
for emblazoning a vote of thanks to Alderman Sydney. In
page 61 of the Blue-book there appeared 19,625/. under. the
head of lodging-houses for the labouring poor. Any body
looking at the account would naturally infer that this
money had been expended erecting lodging-houses for
the labouring poor, but it is merely the balance of the
s
Finsbury estate, which he ld in trust, and which the
corporation is too virtuous thealaalulo,we
it
to be erged into the
general fund. Out of this
foundations
will be o proposed to build
these lodging-houses, but the ious have not been
laid, although, I suppose, theyconvicuonnalfuture occasion.
Then the coal tax figures very
The Chairman—Has the Corporation expendede
anything
on baths and washhouses ?
Mr. Bennoch—Not a peony, except in the voting of 501.
or 100/. occasionally to such au establishment after it has'
been erected in the neighbourhood.
The Chairman—Has it paid attention to the subject of
improved dwellings for the labouring poor?
Mr. Bennoch—By no means. It is one great condemna-
tion of its past conduct, that while new streets have been
opened, the poor, who have been disturbed and turned out
to make way for these improvements, have been compelled
to crowd together in the spots nearest to their employment.
In Moorfields, Clerkenwell, and other places where ine.
provements have been effected, no provision has been made
for the poor who were deprived of their former accommo-
tion, and very unhealthy over-crowding in the adjacent
localities has necessarily resulted.
The Chairman-- Has the City pursued a different course,
in this respect, to the rest of the metropolis ?
Mr. Bennoch—l am afraid not. As regards the coal tax,
general misapprehension appears to prevail. The whole tax
amounts to ls. ld. per ton. Of this the City receives ld. for
the expenses of collection, &c.; and it also receives and ap-
propriates, underact of Parliament, to public improvements
4d. more, whilst the remaining Bd. is handed over to the
Government,for the purpose of effecting general metropolitan
improvements. Out of that latter fund New Oxford-street
was constructed, as were also most of the improvements in
and about Trafalgar and Leicester squares, the New Vic-
toria-street, Westminster; and I believe 90,0001. is to be
applied to the opening of a street from the Town-hall, in
the Borough, to Southwark-bridge-road. The whole of
the remaining 4d. is placed at the discretion of the City
corporation. The present coal tax can be levied until the
year 1364, and the proceeds of it are pledged to public
bodies who have advanced money on the security of the
tax for public improvements. The tax will, however,
expire in 1864, unless it is renewed by act of Parliament.
It would be very desirable to anticipate the expiration of
the tax, and to impose in lieu of it a general improvement
rate, extending over the entire metropolis.
piac Chairman—Have you so apprehension of the unpo-
urrileof a direct tax of that kind ?
wininglyrch—Not in the least. I believe it would be
police rate °1„, as was the case with the case with the
The coal tax bich was felt to be for the general advantage.
consume afargeears very hard on particular trades, which
whose business rantiti of coals, such as sugar refiners,
know a contractor wete y confined to the metropolis. I
manufaethas engaged to supply 50,000 tons
of coal for the
quantity, amounting teT of gas, and the tax upon that
There are several discrepancies in the accounts to which I
590/e is a very heavy burden.
wish to call attention. A certain number of officers are
stated in the accounts to r
4413481, but in the Blue-
book they figure as receiving
e is arises in this man- ,
between the two returns of 10,001/, This a difference
ner : Mr. Beddome, for instance, is
, and
the
eas in the general
his own showing, 5501. per annum; receiving, according to
the Case
account he is put down for 440/.
with the salary of the comptroller, and othsftereloeffiCe
amount of
discrepancies are accounted for by the fact that these officers
receive, in addition to their salaries, a certain
fees. This system is clearly an abuse which ought to be
got rid of, by requiring all fees to be paid into the common
chamber, and allotting fixed salaries to the Officers from
the general fund. The total sum paid in salaries by the
corporation is 55,318/., of which amount 23,000/. is ex-
pended in a manner that cannot be understood from the
accounts kept in the chamberlain's office. Now, suppos-
ing
no farther alterations to be ma de in the corporation
beyond that of remodelling it,
I think the following reduc-
tions in the fixed salaries ought to be made, which alone
would give an aggregate saving of 12,000/. a year. The
Recorder now receives 3,000/. ; the Common Sergeant,
1,500/. ; and the judge of the Sheriffs' Court, 1,200/. ;
but as the duties of these three gentlemen must either bo
performed by them, or by the judges appointed by the

Crown, and as I do not consider them to be overpaid, I
do not think any reduction ought to be made in their sala-
ries. But there is the town clerk receiving 1,8921. ; the
secondary, 1,2491. (the latter an office which was pur-
chased) ; and the remembrancer receiving 1,7691. Now I
never could make out what are the duties of the remem-
brancer, unless it be to attend a few hours in the gallery of
the House of Commons, and take notice of things on be-
half of the corporation, which, if he never noticed at all,
it would be better for the community. These three last
offices I would throw together, and consolidate into one,
attaching to it a salary of 1,250/. ; and then if a clerk was
required to superintend each of the two extinguished de-
partments, there would would be no difficulty, I appre-
hend, in securing their services at 3001. a year each. Then
there is the City Solicitor, who receives 2,0661. ; the comp-
troller (who is merely a conveyancer), 1,5001. ; and the
comptroller of the Bridge-house Estate, 1,013/. ; but for
some time the duties of solicitor and of comptroller of the
Bridge-house Estate were performed by one person with-
out a double salary, and no inconvenience occurred. Then
there are the High Bailiff of Southwark and the common
pleaders, receiving together 1,0361. These I would abo-
lish altogether, because they are no use to the corporation.
Then there is the clerk of the peace, receiving 3491. ; and
the coroner, 482/. ; both of which offices I would amalga-
mate, and give the occupant 5001. Adding to these reduc-
tions in the salaries of the legal officers further reductions
in the salaries attached to the police-courts at the Mansion
House and Guildhall, where the salaries of the chief clerks
are as high as 1,2301. each, and those of the assistant
clerks 5001. each, the total saving that could easily be
boatsfurther,upper-marshalreceives 5501.,the
4501.
amount,
the sum of 141. ; for cocked hats 20!. more,
and also for uniform 701. I speak from memory, but I
believe I am correct when I say that the total expense of
these two marshals amounts to 2,0001., when any two re-
spectable police sergeants could be easily got to do the duty
for 1201. or 1501. The duty consists in ushering persons
into the presence of the Lord Mayor who desire to have
his signature to certify invoices which are to be sent to the
United States or elsewhere, and in riding on a horse in front
of the procession on every 9th of November. On the whole,
then, I arrive at the conclusion that you might save,
without impairing in the slightest degree the efficiency of
any office, at least from 40,0001. to 50,0001. per annum of
the 107,0001. and upwards which is annually squandered in
expenses of administration. I have no hesitation in saying
that the whole of the duties of the various offices might
certainly be performed for 50,0001. a year. Here, then,
you would obtain at four per cent. a capital, applicable to
improvements in the city, of a million and a quarter, and
that, too, in perpetuity.
The Chairman—Would not compensation be necessary
for offices abolished ?
Mr. Bennoch—l believe that 99 out of the 100 offices are
offices to which the election is annual, and I have no doubt
that the City or Parliament could call upon the occupiers
to resign without any compensation whatever ; but I am
sure that no Government or city would act so unjustly in
regard to officers, many of whom have served for years, as
to dismiss them in any such manner.
The Chairman—You mean that, although they have no
legal, they yet have an equitable claim ?
Mr. Bennoch—l do, and I should be sorry to see that
claim unacknowledged. I have a curious document here,
which I would submit to the commissioners. I have sail
that 50,0001. a year might be saved to the corporation ; aml
I felt that to speculate or guess at a conclusion of this
nature would be exceedingly unwise and unsafe, and, there-
fore, I put myself in communication with the lea.dio!, nice
in Liverpool, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glas,2:ow, and'Dtib-
lin. I found, however, that the case of Dublin did not
exactly apply, and, therefore, I have omitted it. The re-
sult of the statistical information 1 received, contrasted
with similar statistics in the city of London, is as follows :
—The population resident in the city of London, accordin
to the last census, was 127,000 persons ; that of Liverpool
I was 367,665 ; that of Manchester, 316.213 ; that of Edin-
burgh, 160,302 ; and that of Glasgow, 329,097. The mini-
ber of inhabited houses (which shows the area covered iu
each city) was—in the city of London, 14,580; in Liver-
pool, 54,310 ; in Manchester, 53,204 ; in Edinburgh, 7,786;
and in Glasgow, 11,965. The smallness of the number of
houses in Edinburgh and Glasgow, arises from the fact that
they are built very high and very large; and it is the prac-
tice for families to live in "flats." I have obtained also an
account of the receipts and expenditure of the corporations
of each of these cities, which affords the means of comparing
the cost of analogous important municipal offices. For
instance, I find that the salary of the architect and surveyor
to the city of London is 2,5001., and in addition to that there
is a surveyor of sowers who receivesl,2ool. Now, the surveyor
of Liverpool receives 1,0001., the surveyor of Manchester
7001., and the surveyor of Edinburgh 3001. There is no
corresponding item of this kind in the Glasgow accounts,
but I believe the corporation there has what is called a river
trust, the account of which I have been unable to obtain.
The city of London has a bridge-house comptroller, with a
salary of 1,013 ; while these four other cities haveno officer
of the sort. The city of London has a chamberlain, with
a salary of 2,5001. ; the salary of the same officer in Liver-
pool is 700/., in Manchester 5001., in Edinburgh 4701., and
iu Glasgow 4001. In each of these places the officer is
called a treasurer. Now the city of London has a clerk of
the chamber, but the other cities have none. The city of
London has a clerk of the peace, -who receives 3191. ; there
is no such officer in Liverpool ; irt Manchester he receives
4501., in Edinburgh 1501., and in Glasgow there is no such
officer. The Lord Mayor of London receives 8,000 a-year,
the Mayor of Liverpool receives 2,000/., the Mayor of Man-
ch esterreceives nothing, and the Lord Provost of Edinburgh
receives 5141. Neither of these other cities has a remem-
brancer or secondary. The aggregate result of the compari-
son of the cost of analogous offices in each of these cities
stood thus :—ln the city of London the cost was 31,787/. ;
-whereas in Liverpool it was 9,86 U., in Manchester 5,7741.,
in Edinburgh 1,7891., and in Glasgow 1,075. The total
expenditure of the chamberlain's-office in the city of Lon-
don in 1852 was 4,8721. 10s.: in 'Liverpool the correspond-
ing expenditure was only 1,113/. 17s. 4d, in Manchester it
was 6701.145.8 d., in Edinburgh 6135/., and in Glasgow 5831.
The expense of analogous offices in the city of London, as I
have said, was 31,787/. ; whereas, in proportion to its
population as compared with Liverpool, it ought only to
have amounted to 3,3541., or a little more than one-tenth
of its actual present amount. Again, as compared with
Manchester the same expenditure in proportion to popula-
tion ought to have been only 2,3351. for the city of
London ; as compared with Glasgow and its popula-
tion, it ought not to have exceeded 1,429/. ; and as com-
pared with Glasgow, it should o:nly have been 4181. Why,
the aggregate expenditure of upwards of 100,0001. on cor-
porate offices in connection with, the city of London is very
much larger than the whole civil exgeuditure of the Fede-
ral Government of United Statess of America ; and what is
perhaps still more startling, its expenditure upon itself, in
administering the funds of the corporation, is larger than
the whole amount of its revenue from rents, tolls, and fees
from brokers—three great item& of its income. And here I
must say that the accounts kept by the Manchester corpo-
ration might be taken as a model for the accounts of every
corporation iu the kingdom ; they form a small pamphlet,
in which every item is separated. and lucidly explained.
The Chairman —Does the corporation of Manchester pos-
sess estates like the city of London ?

Mr. Bennoch—l thick not.
The Chairman—Then Liverpool would present a greater
resemblance to the city of London in this respect ?
Mr. Benuoch—l suppose it wc,uld. The corporation of
Manchester undertakes the management of the waterworks
and the gas supply, upon which two items alone its expen-
diture is 233,000/. ; and the gr(lss expenditure under all
heads which is made by the corporation of Manchester
amounts to 485,252/. Now, tho total cost of salaries and
expenses in administering the whole of that large expendi-
ture is under 10,000/. per annurct, or only 8,8491. ; whereas
the cost of administering a smaller sum in the city of Lon-
don amounts to upwards of 107,000/. per annum.
Mr. C. Lewis—Has the subject of salaries never come
before the Court of Common Council ?

Mr. Bennoch—Sometimes ; Lut iu an old corporation
like that of London, not so oftem as might be wished. In
cases where an office falls through by the deeease of its oc-
cupant, a committee is sometimes appointed to ascertain if
a reduction should be made : but in the majority of cases
the salary is maintained intact.
Mr. C. Lewis—When the offi.: o of chamberlain was re-
cently vacant, what took place then ?

Mr-. Bennoch—A committee was appointed to inquire
into what should be the salary, and it was ultimately de-
termined that the salary of 2,5(01. a year to the chamber-
lain, and the allowance of 2,102/. 10s. for his staff of clerks,
were not excessive, and ought to be continued. An alder-
man was a candidate for the vacancy who had been useful
as a magistrate, and it was probably, therefore, thought
that it would not be proper that the state and emoluments
of the office of chamberlain should be shorn or diminished.
Mr. C. Lewis—Do you think the hospitality of the City
is popular ?
Mr. Bennoch—To judge from the anxiety of people to
get tickets to the dinners at the Guildhall, you would think
it must be popular, and that its abolition would be regarded
as a national calamity ; but the majority of sensible people
who attend go ay only to laugh at it.
Mr- C. Lewis away only to laugh at it.
Mr. C. Lewis_wijat is the feeling with regard to the
Lord Mayor's show ?
Mr. Bennoch—lt is considered perfectly contemptible ;
and when it was omitted in the year of the late Duke
of Wellington's funeral, it was sincerely hoped that it
would never be revived again.This year, however, the
show has been restored, and
in a style that is more absurd
taond which
frighten ud t l.
icoro ludicrousors
sheriffs
ataaunac
ere
,e vgeeel reno.
gentlemen
elected,
eitnthhei
into
respect
ee
pt oitai
ntgo theetohmde
endeavouroffice.
One of the present sheriffs refused to have any thing to do
with the puerile pageantry of the office, or to contribute
towards the [expenses of the banquet at Guildhall. The
consequence was that the Lord Mayor was obliged this
year to increase his contribution for that feast from 1,0001.
or 1,2001. to 1,4001. or 1,6001.; and the other sheriff had to
raise his from 5001. or 6001. to make up the deficiency.
The Chairman—Have you any suggestions to offer to the
esson with regard
the
any reform which you would
question
in the. system or management of the corpora-
tpcioomnpinoosfi the WY • /
.have. I have examined the •
fully ; and I am
upon the principle of extending the mu-
nicipalreforraougehartto be
ve
which is not based
Mr. Bennoch
--satisfied that no
us an
The Chairman—Wl
you
you propose?
outline of the scheme which y
system to the.lvihooleumbeetgroopodoliesn.
the following
Mr. Bennoch then proposed to lay before the committee

"SCHEME.
" 1. That the representative system be maintained in its

full integrity. -
"2. That the metropolis be divided into nine munici-
palities.
" 3. That each municipality be divided into wards.
"4. That each ward have one alderman and six coun-
cillors.
" Taking the city of London as an example, which con-
tains :

Total
Houses. Males. Females. Persons.
. 7,174 26,550 28,152 54,702

Within the walls...
Without the walls,
including
Inner Temple
Middle do.
Barnard's-inn
Sergeant's do.
Clifford's do.
'navies' do.
part of
Purnival's do.

7,406 36,147 37,020 75,167

14,580 62,697 65,172 127,869
The number of persons rated at and above 101. is 16,761,
which, when divided into 12 wards, gives an avErage of
nearly 1,400 constituents in each ward ; these would return
12 aldermen and 72 councillors—in all, 84 representatives.
Although about 130,000 appears to be the number of inha-
bitants who reside in the city of London, it is estimated
that, during
its limits; the.
day, at least 250,000 more pursue their
avocations withiti
it is therefore clear that the
larger portion
.of its population is contributed by the sur-
rounding districts ; thus, it differs from all others, and

cannot, in this respect, be taken as an example. In this
scheme 300,000 is taken as the average of the City.
" 5. The municipalities into which it is proposed to
divide the metropolis are :-1. City Proper; 2. Tower
Hamlets ; 3. Finsbury ; 4. Marylebone ; 5. Westminster ;
6. Kensington ; 7. Lambeth ; 8. Southwark ; 9. Greenwich
and Deptford.
" 6. Each municipality to have 12 wards, 12 aldermen,
and 72 councillors, as proposed for the City Proper.
" 7. All councillors to be elected on the same day; one-
third to retire annually, but qualified for re-election.
" 8. All aldermen to be elected on the same day ; one-
third to retire triennially, but qualified for re-election.
9. That the aldermen and councillors be elected by the
registered rate payers.
" 10. That the mayor be elected annually by the alder-
men and councillors, and have an allowance of 500/. per
annum.

—"
11. That each municipality appoint four aldermen and
twelve councillors to form a central council, which would
thus consist of 144 members, viz. 36 aldermen and 108
councillors.

" 12. That each municipality in rotation have the right
of nominating the Lord Mayor, and that he be elected by
the whole constituency of his municipality, but not neces-
sarily from the body of aldermen.
" 13. That the Lord Mayor preside over all meetings of
the central council, and reside at the Mansion-house, with
an allowance of 5,0001. per annum.
" 14. That each municipality in rotation have the right
of nominating the Sheriff of London ; that he be elected
by the whole constituency of his municipality, have au
allowance of 1,0001. per annum, and be ex officio a member
of the central council.

" 15. That the Sheriff of Middlesex be nominated by
the Crown ; the two sheriffs to have the care of prisoners,
(Ix., as at present.
" 16. That should any municipality decline to nominate
or elect the Lord Mayor or Sheriff, the right shall fall to
the next municipality in rotation on the list, such list in
the first instance to be determined by lot,
" 17. That the central council have the general manage-
ment of all lighting and police, water and sewers, river and
bridges, improvements and streets, finance, rates, and rents,
general purposes, education and charities, under the imme-
diate superintendence of committees, which might bear
names analogous to the duties to be performed.
" 18. That each municipality carry out the various
works to be executed within its own limits which may
have received the sanction of the central council.
" 19. That for the more perfect sanitary condition of the
metropolis, the whole district of London, within a radius
of ten miles from St. Paul's, be surveyed, and no streets
be laid out or houses built unless approved of by the cen-
tral council, and certified by the surveyor as capable of
being thoroughly drained.
" 20. That the construction of all bridges or steam ferries
across the Thames be under the control of the river and
bridge committee of the central council, and paid for by a
general rate ; all bridges to be free, but on all ferries a toll
be charged, just sufficient to defray expenses and ensure
their proper maintenance.

" 21. That all persons occupying premises and paying
rates have the right of voting, and none other.
" 22. That the expense of the local coancil or munici-
pality be raised by a rate levied on the inhabitants of its
own district.

" 23. That the expenses of the central council, and the
cost of all works of a general nature executed through it,
be met by a general rate levied on the inhabitants of all the
municipalities.

" 24: That the Central Criminal Court bo under the ma-
nagement of the aldermen of the central council, (who
shall be magistrates), and the expenses borne by a rate on
the whole metropolis.

" 25. That, after the general Act of Incorporation, all
commissioners exercising the functions of commissioners
of improvements, sewers, &c., be abolished, and the works
placed in the hands of the central council.

• " 2(1 That the Mansion-house, Guildhall, and such pre-
mises as might be required by the central council, be valued
and paid for by the united municipalities.
"`27. That all funds left in trust to the city of London
he held sacred to the purposes for which they were so
left ; that all charities be consolidated and administered
by one committee; that all property left by individuals,
or arising from property granted by charters, for ser-
vices rendered or money paid in times gone by, so
soon as the obligations are cancelled for ,which they have
been mortgaged, be appropriated to improvements within
the City. In like manner the bridge-house estates, when
relieved from their present burdens, be devoted to the pur-
poses of maintaining the old, and building new, bridges
over the Thames—thus fulfilling the original intention,
and observing the corporate right of property as
jealously as the property granted to private individualsfor
similar services rendered in times of national peril. Under
such a system—a system calculated to benefit the entire
community of the metropolis, from the squares of Bel-
gra-via to the docks of Limehouse, embracing the whole
valley of the Thames, and the Thames itself—we may fairly
conclude that the nobleman taking any interest in his
neighbourhood, and the merchant desirous of extending
the commerce and trade of London, would willingly and
cordially associate to carry out an enlightened system of
independent muncipal government, which could only be
secured by the highest intelligences heartily co-operating.
With such a corporation far removed from paltry bicker-
ings and petty jealousies, we might, in a few years, see the
Thames embanked from Putney to Blackwall—its waters
purified, new streets opened, bridges constructed, sewers
perfected, and the whole metropolis exhibiting a striking
contrast to its present aspect under conflicting jurisdic-
tions.

" While the establishment of a central authority is ad-
vocated in the foregoing scheme, it is centralisation spring-
ing out of and controlled by the principle of representa-
tion, and not that dreaded system of centralisation—the
tool of individual will or arbitrary power.
" Officers of new municipalities need only be—Town
clerk (a solicitor), 1,0001.; treasurer, 5001.; mayor, 5001. ;
committee, clerks, &c., 5001.; total, 2,5001.
" The officers of the central council must be determined
hereafter in accordance with the duties that have to be per-
formed when they are definitively known ; but the judi-
cial functions of Recorder, Common Sergeant, and Judge
of Sheriffs' Court, as at present understood, should be
transferred to judges appointed by the Crown. The Lord
Mayor, aldermen, and councillors of the Central Council,
should continuo to possess all the rights and privileges now
enjoyed by the corporation of London—viz., the Lord
Mayor to be ex otiicio a privy councillor ; the right to peti-
tion both Houses of Parliament through their sheriff; the
right to be represented in Parliament by an official ; and
such other privileges as may have been granted by charter
for services rendered to the Crown in bygone days ; that
two stipendiary magistrates be appointed by the Crown,
and paid by the municipality of the city of London."
Mr. Bennoch then said that be had heard of a sugges-
tion to the effect that a reformed corporation should first
be given to the City, and that until the result of that ex-
periment was ascertained the extension of municipal insti-
tutions to the rest of the metropolis should be postponed.
He (Mr. Bennoch) entirely dissented from that view, and
thought the only proper course to pursue would be to
make the municipal system general throughout the whole
metropolis, and to carry out the plan at once.

- - -----
The Chairman—Have you contemplated the political
consequences likely to ensue from the adoption of your
recommendation—that the whole of London should be or-
ganized into one vast municipality?
Mr. Bennoch—l have, and I entertain no apprehension
whatever on the subject. In former times, when London
was even greater in proportion to the other towns of the
country than it is at present, instead of acting injuriously,
it always promoted the general liberties of the country at
large ; and if the change were effected which I propose, I
believe the influence of the metropolis would be exercised
in the same beneficial manner. I think the fear that the
inhabitants of the metropolis would exercise their rights
in a mode that would be subversive of the best interests of
society is an unworthy and a groundless one.
The Chairman—Of course we will not now discuss that
question. We have elicited your opinion, which is suffi-
cient.

The examination of Mr. Bennoch having been concluded,
the inquiry was adjourned.

The Commissioners met again in the Privy Council
Chamber yesterday, and resumed their inquiry. Com-
missioners present :—The Right Hon. H. Labouchero
(chairman), Sir J. Patteson, and Mr. Cornewall Lewis.
Before the examination of any new witnesses was pro-
ceeded with,
Mr. Bennoch, who was under examination at the pre-
vious sitting, presented himself to the Commissioners, for
the purpose, as he said, of elucidating two or three points
on which he yesterday could not speak positively, although
he had then felt that he was substantially accurate in his
statements. And, first, with regard to the power which
he had said was possessed by the Court of Aldermen to dip
their hands into the City purse in the same manner as the
Court of Common Council. The Lord Mayor and alder-
men visited Oxford in either 1848 or 1849, where they were
received by the authorities in great state, and afterwards
solaced themselves with a dejeuner. The little bill sent in
for this exclusion amounted to between 1,1001. and 1,2001.
The corporation thought the sum was a most extravagant
one to pay for a visitation beyond the limits of their juris-
diction ; but finding that there existed no definite autho-
rity to restrain the Court of Aldermen, the Court of Com-
mon Council passed a by-law on the subject, which was
to the following effect :—" That the chamberlain shill
not pay out of the chamber any sum of money for
any charges or expenses for any visitation or journey
by the Lord Mayor, the aldermen, or any other
branch of the corporation, either for the purposes of con-
servancy or otherwise, when such visit or journey shall be
beyond the boundary of the jurisdiction of the City, with-
out the previous authority of the Common Council, upon
motion for that purpose." He (Mr. Bennoch) had also
mentioned yesterday an item in the accounts of the corpora-
tion of 1331. for cloth given to the Ministers of State. Now
he found, according to a list which had been in existence
about 60 years in the Chamberlain's office, that the per-
sons who received this cloth are the first Secretary of State,
the second Secretary of State, the Lord Chancellor, the
Chamberlain of the Household, the Vice-Chamberlain of
the Household, the Treasurer of the Household, the Lord
Steward, the Comptroller, the Lord Chief Justice of the
Queen's Bench, the Lord Chief Justice of the Common
Pleas, the Chief Baron of the Exchequer, the Master of the
Rolls, the Recorder of London, the Attorney-General, the
Solicitor-General, and the Common Sergeant. The origin
of this gift of cloth is now rather obscure; but it appears it
arose at a time when the City claimed the right to measure
all cloth with its limits as it now claims a metage upon
Toni cog
ernonatninduferua fruit;
sendbut
it
yearly t
appearsothe Ministers that the corporation
fraotiosntahtaes,
and the other gentlemen above-mentioned, 46 yards of the
finest black cloth which the country could produce ; and
the object of this custom, it is supposed, must have
been to encourage the woollen manufacture at an early
period in its %yid-6
trrie, n to show to the highest authority
in the count
particular branch of
would state, in order to illustrate the
ehloaomsehe
Progress made each year in that
Monument, Committee,wh o
forp
eanrad
industry.til Next, he
which the accounts were rendered to thee
there were certain officers who were under themrlanapinnpn'oetinrhuitnt-
fothers
annum.among series o yearss
livnaesntthoefktehopeerCiotfythLe Lands
had been receiving from 2401. to 2501.
officer, it seemed, was either a common councilman himself
or brother to a common councilman ; the duties were merely
nominal, and ho had two deputies, one of whom was sta-
tioned at the foot of the Monument, to collect the admis-
sion money from the public, and the other at the top to
prevent per sons from committing suicide by throwing
themselves over. Formerly the sum charged for admission
to each person to see the Monument was 6d., but by means
of his (Mr. Bennoc
h's) own efforts, and those of other mem-
bers, it had since been reduced
to 3d., for the corporation
would not consent that the admission should be gratis—
andeven after the
1851,
it was remarkable that in the year
reduction of 3d had been in operation, the sum taken for
nt rose so high—
whether because it was the exhibition year, or from some
other cause, he could not state—that in that one year the
3171
keeper received for himself a profit of 1p• • • from the
no advantage
threepences, and the Corporation derived
whatever from the amount.