The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-18 00:00:00

THE CITY CEMETERY.

A court was held on Tuesday. at which the following
report was presented by the committee on improvements,
entrusted with the various proceedings necessary to be
taken in further carrying out time provisions of the act of
Parliament for the cemetery for the city of Lor.don

"We find that the land stands in a perfectly open
situation on all sides, no houses being within a very con-
siderable distance of it. We, therefore, do not see any
necessity for leaving a space of ground round the cemetery,
as was originally contemplated, for pasture or planting.
Such a belt would involve the disuse of several acres of
land, and, in our judgment, is not needed.
" We have had laid before us by the surveyor several
plans of sites selected from the whole extent of ground to
enclose for your cemetery ; and we beg to recommend for
the adoption of the commissioners the plan that accom-
panies our report, which proposes to enclose an area of
about 90 acres of land, having a frontage towards the high
road crossing Wanstead Flats, along the greatest part of
the wet side, and on the south fronting, for about 670
feet, the line of Eastern Counties Railway, from which a
siding will run direct into the cemetery. The carriage-
road entrance will be on the western side, and enter from
Wanstead Flats.

" This arrangement will leave about 75 acres of land ex-
tending from north to south along the whole eastern side
of your cemetery, and having a frontage of about 1,000 feet
on the south to the said railway, and a road running
through it, which surplus land we recommend you should
proceed to sell for the purposes of a cemetery for one or
more parishes, reserving the right of draining through the
same and other needful rights to yourselves. As you can-
not let or sell the surplus ground in question for building
on, except for a cemetery, we are of opinion that to sell it
for this purpose • will be the most judicious course, land
being, as is well known, now much in request by large
parishes in London for burials ; and if this be so arranged,
the whole of the eastern side of your cemetery might he
enclosed with a dwarf railing, so as to indicate the boun-
dary and prevent intrusion, while a more extensive and
pleasing effect from combined arrangements in laying out
might be produced. This plan and arrangement is founded
on the assumed diversion of the existing occupation road
crossing the railway, and running through the estate in
such a manner as, while it may air ,rd a valuable entrance
to the land proposed to be sold, yet shall not pass thrOngh
but round the outer boundary of your cemetery. Weido
not anticipate any objection or difficulty in obtaining leave
to effect this diversion of the roadway, which we shall
im-
mediately proceed to obtain if this recommendation meet
your approval.
" It is to be observed that there are two plots of land on::
the ext eme eastern boundary of the estate, which, being;
in:,rsh land, are not available for cemetery purposes, but.
may be sold or otherwise disposed of as pasture land, at a
future time.

"We propose also, upon your honourable court ap-
proving of this plan, and our recommendations connected
therewith to request immediately a conference with the
bishop of the diocese and the Secretary of State fur the
Home Department, to lay the plan before them, and to
obtain their approval of the proposed arrangement, as
such seems to be required under the provisions of the act
of Parliament; and, in our opinion, this course is most
expedient and right to be adopted at once, before you
engage iu the necessary contracts for works on the iaud. "

Tiic,reyart-JVas unanimously agreed to.
THE FLEET SEWER.
Or,tiorne time the commissioners have been applied to
for information relative to the supposed delay in the
works in the Fleet sewer, and they called upon their
surveyor to report upon the subject to the court. The
following is an extract from the document presented by
Mr. Eleywood :
" The works in the Fleet sewer are progressing rapidly,
and within a fortnight from the present time I anticipate
that the portion of the invert which is between Little
Bridge-street and the outlet at Blackfriars bridge will be
completed. The length of the works is 850 feet. There
are difficulties attending the execution ; most of ,them in-
crease as th-y approach the outlet, where, from the greater
depth of the invert, the tide diminishes the hours available
for labour ; and I beg consideration of the fact that, for
the purpose of not interfering with the traffic of Bridge•
street, the whole of the materials have been conveyed into
the sewer down the small hole in Crescent-place. The
separation of that portion of the Fleet which was in the
most unsafe condition is included in the works executed.
That of the portion lying between Bridge•street and the
Fleet-bridge still remains to be done, as for this purpose
the dam north of Crescent-place must be struck, and a
new one be formed higher up. The opening in Crescent-
place, which has been the subject of complaint, may be
closed, excepting for occasional purposei ; but a shaft must
in that case be opened in the centre of Bridge street, south
of the Obelisk, and which can be done so as to interfere
but little with the traffic."

The report was approved of by the commissioners, and
ordered to be printed.

LONDON AND SUBURB 4N FREEHOLD
LAND SAYE PY.

On Tuesday evening a meeting of the friends and sup-
porters of the London and Suburban Freehold Land
Society was held at the Albion Hall, Dal ton.
The chair was taken shortly after eight o'clock, by
Lawrence Heyworth, Esq., M.P.
_ .

The CHAIrtiIAN, in rising to address the meeting, was
very cordially received. He said he had great pleasure
in being present at their meeting that evening, for there
was nothing so agreeable to his feelings as to see work-
ing men trying. to raise themselv is to independence.
He regretted much that, on a previous occasion, he had
been unable through his parliamentary ditties to be present
and even that evening be had left the House of Com-
mons when a very .important resolution was being
brought f irward by Mr. 7Milner Gibson, a reso'ution
to alter the present law with respect to cheap publica•
tions. It was a great gratification to him to find that
the total abstinence or tee-total principle was radiat
ing among these freehold land arid building societies.
He had had the honour of presiding over two of these
societies in Liverpool, and it was a pleasure for him to
say that the members had come out of them with very
large profits. It was also a great gratification to flint
that these societies were springing up through the
great breadth of the land, and he had no doubt
they would go on to the profit of all engaged. Societies
like these tended to elevate their members in the social
scale ; they tended to draw others to them ; they tended
towards the education of all ; and, when all g it the
means, there would be no occasion for men to go puling
to Parliament for aid. (Loud cheers ) He had not
attended that evening for the purpose of making a
speech, but of being present to hear the report, and to
see the proceedings.
Dr. HEWLETT said—Mr. President, it is highly grati-
fying to witness the great movement of these societies,
as they are both self-elevating and self-educating. He
recollected hearing an anecdote of a roan who had been
in the habit of atte ding a certain public-house for a
long time, and the landlady, who was about to give a
party, asked him if he would like to see the room,
arranged as it was for the company. The man
said such a • sight lie should very much like to
see, and he was struck with surprise at the amount of
silver on the table, in the shape of spoons, forks, tank-
ards, &c., and the lady who was about to give the party
told hint the fools' pennies had bought it. The words
" the fools' pennies had bought it" haunted him so, that
from that time he determined to be a fool no longer, but
to abstain front drink. It so happened, after some time
had elapsed, that the same man, with his wife and four
children, called upon the same landlady, all neatly and
nicely dressed. " Oh," said the lady, " I am glad to
see you, I have not seen you for a very long time—are
these your children ? how nicely they are dressed."
" Yes," said the man, " and the fool's penny has
bought it." (Cheers.) So it was with societies such
as the London and Suburban Freehold Land Society.
Every penny invested was a penny saved from being
foolishly spent, and these pence would in a short time
place a man in a position that he had never dreamed of
—that of a freeholder. (Loud cheers.) This society
did not wish to enter as a rival to others, it was only
emulous to do good, their great aim was to improve and
to elevate the masses. (Cheers.) There was room
enough for all, and he heartily and sincerely wished
them all 'success. There was another good these so-
cieties effected, they enabled a man, at a time that he
was able, to make a provision for the future, as a
time might come when he could fall back upon
his own independent property without knowing
the gnawings of poverty. (Loud cheers.) He would
not detain the meeting by making a speech, but would
at once announce the object for which they were met it
was to ballot for thirty rights to choose land, in addition
to which thirty rights ten would be added by seniority.
He thought that in thus acting, they were, in point of
fact, in the foreground of other societies, and the quan-
tity of land given was in all cases sufficient to build a
good house upon. Other societies with which he was
acquainted had given frontages as low as from 11 to 12
feet, but the smallest frontage given by this society was
from 15 to 16 feet. On the Farnham estate they gave
one acre and a half. He yesterday visited that estate- -
one broad road had been made, and others were in pro-
gress, so lie thought that members would do well
to view the estate, and those who had the privi-
lege would do well to exercise it there. (Hear,
hear.) This society did not compel their members to
exercise their rights on any given estate, and. supposing
as estate that they at present held was suitable, they
could hold their rights till there was one. They had
lately purchased a very valuable estate close to the
Hornsey station, and those who preferred living away
from the smoke of London could do so. There was
brick earth on the estate—there would be the advantage
of building material ready to their hand. The estate at
Plaistow, he had been informed, would be ready in a
fortnight. Before he sat down he could not help saying
that if these societies had been in exi-tence thirty years
ago, the work of the gentlemen in Parliament would
have been lightened, for their would have been no need
of legislating upon such questions as poor laws--(cheers)
mraz4 picg, igstead of hay ,g t 9 go to ;Jae w 94040 fps

relief, who have had the satisfaction of saying they were
independent. (Cheers.)
Mr. TAYLOR, the manager, then came forward, and
stated the prominent fe stores of the society. In this
society, if. unfortunately, any of its members were of
flitted with sickness, their payments would he suspended
without fines. The law charges were fixed, so that
each knew the exact cost of his property. If the
money' lodged with them was wan te:l,- a short notice
was all they required. (Cheers.) To show the state of
their society, and the high estimation in which it was
hell by the public, the number of withdrawals since the
31st of December last, amounted to only 23. (Cheers.)
That simple fact of itself spoke well for the pro-
sperity of the society They had also a building
department, which held out great inducements for a
man to erect his house, also for those members who did
not wish to invest taeir savings in land, they had a de-
posit department, where interest at the rate of five per
cent. was given-a much more secure and better interest
than the saving bank. The frontage on the Hornsey
estate, as near as he could inform them at present,
would he 17 feet, the depth from 100 to 160 feet -a space
sufficient for a good and healthy house. One fact had
escaped the preceding speaker, that was that the society
intended to erect some houses on the unallotted portions
of one of their estates to show the style of house they
intended to have erected, and these would be placed at
'the dispsal of those members who held shares in both
the land and building departine t. Suppose a member
required a six-roomed house built on his allotment, such
as he would have to pay 251. a year rent for, lie would
have totake two shares in the building departmeat, at a
cost of 2s. per week until the house wai com-
p ete and ready for occupation, he then chooses the term
of 15 years for repayment ; the weekly instalment I,T
which is 11s. 31., amounting to 291. ss. a year, or 41. ss.
more than he pays rent-being a cost of 2id. a day, or
one pint of half and-half. Who would not haves free-
hold house, when it can be obtained at so small a cost ?
The Rev. J. V. MUMMERY then briefly moved the
following resolution :-"That the advantages of the
London and Suburban Freehold Land Society are such
as to merit the confidence and support of the public.
Mr. GREEN begged leave to second the motion.
The CHAIRMAN, in putting the resolution, said it had
been said that rev, gentlemen were stepping out of their
way to countenance these societies. Such were not his
feelings. With them it was a labour of philanthropy
and love, and what was pure religion, but love ? (Loud
cheers )
The resolution was carried unanimously.
Dr. HEWLETT moved, and Mr. WARING seconded, a
vote of thanks to the chairman.
Mr. MUMMERY put the resolution, and it was carried
amid loud cheers, the whole of the meeting rising in com-
pliment to the chairman.
The CHAIRMAN, in acknowledging the vote, said
he felt a great pleasure in receiving such a compli-
ment, and he begged heartily to thank them for the man-
ner in which they had carried it. It was always a pleasure
for him to be present at such meetings as the present.
The lion, gentleman forcibly urged on all present the
husbanding of their resources. A great deal had beensaid
about strikes, and as much as 100,0001. had been raised
to support one, but if that money had been laid out in
the building of houses and purchasing land, how much
more good would it have done ? The fact of such a
large sum being expended would have increased employ-
ment, and increased employment would, of necessity,
increase wages. (Cheers.)
Mr. T. ROGERS was then appointed by the meeting
to ~raw the numbers, which the chairman announced as
follows :-564. 962, 251,* 246,* 845, 190, 610, 798, 847,
587, 868, 960, 850, 534. 586, 380, 393, 640, 428, 247,*
981, 574, 400, 746, 933, 806, 908, 994, 955 826,.
;_ The following are the sent, rity numbers :-49, 81,
141, 232. 266, 298, 318, 349, 357, 382.
The proceedings then terminated.
* Not valid.