The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-20 00:00:00

CITY OF LONDON.

Alderman WILSON presented a petition from the as-
sociation, praying for pecuniary assistance.
The petition was unanimously referred to the Coal,
Corn, and Finance Committee to examine and report.
Deputy HOLT moved,--" That the sum of 10,0001. of
this city's cash be placed at the disposal of the Commis-
sioners of Sewers of this city, to aid them in the improve-
ment they are enabled to effect under the several acts of
Parliament, which give them the power to deal with
the property of our fellow-citizens."
Carried and ordered.

METROPOLITAN COMMISSION OF
SEWERS.

Yesterday a special court was held at the Court-house,
Greek-street, Soho, R. Jebb, Esq., in the chair. The
commissioners present were S. Baker, Esq., T. Hawes,
Esq., Sir C. Fellowes, and Colonel Dawson. The state-
ment of accounts showed an available balance in hand
on Jan. 14, amounting to 44,0281.
_ _ _ _

The churchwardens of the parish of West Hackney
attended on behalf of the inhabitants of the parish
situate to the north of the North London Railway to
appeal against the district sewers rate of 6d. in the
pound made over Hackney-brook-level in December
last. The appeal presented stated that the inhabitants
had paid sewers rates rates for 80 years, and that those
rates had on some occasions amounted to ls. 6d. in the
pound, but that notwithstanding the heavy amount thus
contributed, they had no sewers within their district,
and had never received any benefit from the operations
of the commissioners 2 • but, on the contrary, they had
been seriously injured by the conversion of the natural
watercourse at Hackney-brook into an open sewer for
the benefit of the district of Holloway. The appellants,
therefore, submitted that it was unjust to be rated
equally with the Hackney-brook-level, which was drained
in a far superior manner.
Mr. DENNY (surgeon to the West Hackney Dispen-
sary) stated that it was his duty to attend to a very
large number of people in the district, that there were
always a great number of oases, and on an average there
were 200 severe cases of typhus fever in twelve months,
and almost every case was traceable to the state of the
ditches. The whole district was intersected by these
ditches, and at the back of the dispensary there were
several of them, and he was confident that the general
bad state of health of the inhabitants was attributable to
them.

Colonel DA.WSON said the powers given to them last
year by Parliament would enable them, he hoped, be-
fore the present year, to remove the evils complained
of. They could not listen to the appeal, because if they
did not receive rates how could they make sewers I
The CHAIRMAN said he did not see any ground that
would enable them to listen to the prayer of the peti-
tioners, because if they rated one part they must rate the
whole of it. It would be acting illegally if they attempted
to make a district rate upon the kackney brook level to
the exclusion of any part of it. A very light rate was
imposed upon that district, and until the Legislature
gave them power to impose higher rates, they would
not be enabled to construct covered sewers. At present
the open brook or ditch was the only outlet, but the
commissioners, who had long been anxious to construct
another and a:better sewer' had only now received from
Parliament the power to do so, which would alleviate
the evils complained of. That sewer would extend for
several miles, and would not cost less than 300,0001. ;
but nntil that outlet were made it was impossible to
help them. Mr. Law had complained that he had con-
structed a drain at his own expense, hut by the aet of
Parliament he was bound to do it, or the commissioners
had power to compel him, therefore he had only done
what they could have compelled him to do. 'He moved
that the petition be dismissed.
Colonel DAWSON made a few remarks, and the petition
Was accordingly dismissed.
Several other appeals of but little importance were
hen heard, and the court then adjourned.