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

THE SUN, LON'D-ON, THURSDAY EVrENIN/G, NOVEMBER '24, 1853.

cannot, in this respect, be taken as an example. In this
scheme 300,000 is taken as the average of the City.
into " 5. The municipalities 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 tho same daT ; 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 5001. per
annum. _ _

The Chairman—Was no part 'of this fund applied to
keeping the Monument in repair, or for lighting it ?
Mr. Bennoch—l believe not. The cost of the lighting
must be merely nominal. The witness then proceed to
state, with regard to the Irish Society of the corporation
that the accounts of that society were not included among
the chamberlain's returns. That society regarded itself as
an independent body, and it kept its own accounts. He
had also omitted to mention that the detail which he gave
yesterday of the saving of 50,0001. per annum, which he
thought might be effected in the salaries of the corporation
without impairing the efficiency of any of the offices, was
entirely based upon the supposition that the existing cor-
poration should be allowed to continuo only in an improved
form. Now, he wished to explain that if the scheme of re-
form which he had submitted at the previous sitting were
to be carried out, he believed that instead of a saving of
only 50,0001., a saving of from 80,0001. to 90,000/. might
easily be effected in the annual expenditure of the corpora-
tion, which would leave 20,0001. for the cost of the reduced
establishments. These were the whole of the explanations
and additions which he wished to make.
Mr. Samuel Morley, wholesale warehouseman. city, was
the next witness examined. He said—l appear here on
invitation, less in the hope that I shall be able to add any-
thing to the information which has already been given to
the commissioners, than to add my testimony to the
opinion expressed by the previous witnesses, to the effect
that the feeling in the city is, that an extensive reform in
the constitution of the corporation is demanded.
The Chairman—What are the alterations which you
think would be desirable to make in the prasent consti-
tution ?

" 11. That each municipality appoint four aldermen and
twelve councilors 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 ho 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 an
allowance of 1,0001. per annum, and be ex officio a member
of the central council.

Mr. Morley—l believe the system is thoroughly out of
harmony with the general wants and feelings of the city.
I believe there are many merchants and large traders who
would be ready to devote the requisite time to the dis-
charge of the ordinary and legitimate functions of the
corporation ; and for myself, I can say, as one who has
never been a member of the corporation, although I have
occupied the position of an interested looker-on, that under
an altered system I should be willing to co-operate.
The Chairman—Then you have never been a member of
the present corporation ?
Mr. Morley—l have never had any connection with it,
although I have been repeatedly requested to become a
member. I could not afford the time necessary for the
purpose, and many of the duties of the office would
be distateful to me. The Lord Mayor's show is a relic of
the dark ages, and offensive and inconvenient to everybody
but children, nurserymaids, and idlers. I consider also
that the habit of connecting dinners and entertainments
with the duties of the corporation deters many gentlemen
from accepting offices which they would otherwise be dis-
-1 posed to undertake. The Court of Common Council con-
sists of 206 members, and the Court of Aldermen of 26
members more, making altogether 232. If this number
were reduced to 50, and one or two members were elected
from each ward, instead of seven or eight, as at present,
more interest would be taken in the elections, more care
would be taken to elect the right men, and the corpora.
tion would find more favour with the mercantile classes.
The mode of electing sheriffs is very objectionable and
unjust. For the purpose of exacting a fine, a gentle-
man is put up as a candidate without his consent, and
in order to ensure his election the long-shoremen and
voters of that class are drummed up from the river banks
to thrust the office upon a reluctant individual. The ne-
cessity under which a newly-elected sheriff lies to pay
6001. or 7001. in limine for the dinner at Guildhall is very
onerous and intolerable ; and so, also, is the burden of the
dinners at the Old Bailey, which, although they may be
very proper, ought not to be paid for out of the pocket of
a private individual. lam in favour of the system of a
paid magistracy ; and I would abolish the judicial func-
tions of the aldermen. I do not consider the present
system of unpaid magistracy in the City as by any means
economical. I have carefully perused the scheme sub-
mitted to the co ennissioners by Mr. Acland, and although
I have not communicated in any way with that gentle.
man I am bound to say that there is much in his plan
which appears to be very desirable. There is a simplicity
of arrangement about the proposition which meets with
general approbation in the City.
The Chairman—Do you approve of the entire abolition
of the corporation of the City ?
Mr. Morley—No ; I do not think it would be desirable
to abolish it altogether ; but I would confine the City cor-
poration to purely municipal functions.
Mr. C. Lewis—Would you have the City corporation
placed under the provisions of the Municipal Corporation
Act, like the other boroughs and cities of the country ?
Mr. Morley—l would not object to the application of
that act to the City, with certain modifications suitable to
the peculiar circumstances of London. I am opposed
to the extension of the corporation of the City to the whole
metropolis. I would prefer a healthy system of local self-
government, and the giving of separate municipal institu-
tions to the various metropolitan boroughs, with the pro-
vision at the same time of some common centre, means of
which the different local municipalities could combine for
joint action on 'matters affecting the common interest of
all, such as the sewers, paving, lighting, die.
Mr. C. Lewis—Would you maintain the existing con-
nection between the livery companies and the City cor-
poration ?
Mr. Morley—l would not. I would have the municipal
constituency composed entirely of householders, and the
peculiar mode of admitting freemen I would abolish.
The Chairman—What is your opinion with regard to a
chamber of commerce ?
Mr. Morley—l think a chamber of commerce is very
desirable for the metropolis, but I consider it ought to be
allowed to grow out of the felt wants of the trading com-
munity, and not be established by the corporation. I can,
however, see many uses for a chamber of commerce. There
is, for instance, the question of the new receipt stamp,
which is at present causing doubt and difficulty in the
City ; and there are also the bearings of the Post-office
arrangements on the interests of trade ; which are both
questions that could be advantageously dealt with by a
chamber of commerce.
The Chairman—Do you not think that a portion of the
revenue arising from the property of the corporation might
fairly be applied in affording fahilities to commerce?
Mr. Morley—No ; I consider if traders like myself de-
sire any accommodation or convenience in our business,
that they ought to be, and that they really would be wil-
ling to pay for it. Sanitary improvement is a subject to
which I think the corporation should have directed more
attention than they have done. I consider the coal-tax a
very objectionable impost, and a general improvement rate
on all householders throughout the metropolis would be a
preferable mode of raising revenue for metropolitan im-
provements. I hold the practice of exacting a payment
for permission ;to trade in the City as very unjust, and
acts very partially in favour of wholesale dealers ; and with
regard to the exclusive trade privileges of the City, I don't
know one of them that I would retain. I would sweep
them all away. I wish to cast no reflection on the mem-
bers of the corporation, who, I think, are better than the
system; but I am bound to say that their conduct has not
been such as, in my opinion, it ought to have been.
The Chairman—Has not greater care been displayed of
late years in the election of corporate officers?
Mr. Morley—l believe the corporation has acted of late
years under the knowledge that things were approaching
the crisis which has at length arrived, and that that feel-
ing has operated to some extent as a check upon it.
The next witness examined was Mr. George Richard
Corner, vestry-clerk of St. Olavo's, Southwark, who said—
I am connected with the borough of Southwark, where I
have been a practising solicitor since 1824. A large portion
of the inhabitants of the borough of Southwark have for
the last sixty or seventy years been strenuously endeavour-
ing to have Southwark fully incorporated with the city of
London, and to have conceded to it the same privileges as
the other wards of the City. This they claimed under a
charter of Edward VI., which declares that Southwark
shall be governed in the same manner as the City itself.
In 1660, the people of Southwark applied to Parliament
for separate municipal institutions ; but the city of
London opposed them, and the application failed. Since
which period Southwark has remained under the anoma-
lous and imperfect jurisdiction of the City.
Sir J. Patteson—lf Southwark were to be completely
incorporated with the City, and constituted a separate
ward, would it not be necessary that it should be taken out
of the countyof Surrey ?
Mr. Corner—That is precisely our difficulty; but I ap-
The Commissioners met again in the Privy Council prehend. that Southwark would, as a matter of course, be
Chamber yesterday, and resumed their inquiry. Com- dissevered from the county of Surrey if it were regularly
missioners present :—The Right Hon. H. Labouchere incorporated with and assimilated to the city of London.
(chairman), Sir J. Patteson, and Mr. Cornowall Lewis. Sir J. Patteson—But I apprehend that the charter of
Before the examination of any new witnesses was pro- Edward VI. does not provide for the separation of South-
ceeded with, wark from the county of Surrey ?
Mr. Bennoch, who was under examination at the pre- Mr. Corner—It does not ; and Southwark's peculiar
vious sitting, presented himself to the Commissioners, for hardship is, that it is subject to the double jurisdictions
the purpose, as he said, of elucidating two or three points and double duties, viz., to those of the county of surrey
on which he yesterday could not speak positively, although and those of the city of London.
he had then felt that he was substantially accurate in his Mr. C. Lewis—ln what respect does the City interfere
statements. And, first, with regard to the power which with the borough of Southwark?
he had said was possessed by the Court of Aldermen to dip Mr. Corner—Our grievance is, that the City does not in-
their hands into the City purse in the same manner as the terfere with Southwark enough.
Court of Common Council. The Lord Mayor and alder- Mr. C. Lewis—We wish to know the practical mode in
men visited Oxford in either 1848 or 1849, where they were which the City interferes with Southwark.
received by the authorities in great state, and afterwards Mr. Corner—They hold three courts a year in Southwark.
solaced themselves with a dejeuner. The little bill sent in These courts are the ancient court leets of the manor. The
for this excursion amounted to between 1,100/. and 1,2001. steward of Southwark, who presides in them, is appointed
The corporation thought the sum was a most extravagant by the Court of Aldermen, The City also holds quarter
one to pay for a visitation beyond the limits of their juria- sessions in Southwark, but these sessions are merely formal,
diction; but finding that there existed no definite autho- no actual business being done at them, and the grand jury
city to restrain the Court of Aldermen, the Court of Com- is summoned only in order to be discharged immediately.
mon Council passed a by-law on the subject, which was The City has also the metage of corn and fruit in South•
to the following effect :—" That the chamberlain shall wark, as well as in other parts of the metropolis. They ap-
not pay out of the chamber any sum of money for point the coroner of Southwark. There is a borough court,
any charges or expenses for any visitation or journey of which Mr. Payne is judge. lam the prothonotary of
by the Lord Mayor, the aldermen, or any other that court. It can try cases of trespass and debt to any
branch of the corporation, either for the purposes of con- amount, and solicitors of the superior courts may practise
servancy or otherwise, when such visit or journey shall be in it. This court is a very excellent one, and I would pre-
beyond the boundary of the jurisdiction of the City, with- serve it. My salary, as its prothonotary, is 501. a year;
out the previous authority of the Common Council, upon but that circumstance does not influence my opinion in re-
motion for that purpose." He (Mr. Benffoch) had also commending its retention. The Court of Common Council
mentioned yesterday an item in the accounts of the corpora- appoints the high bailiff of Southwark.
tion of 1331. for cloth given to the Ministers of State. Now Mr. C. Lewis—What is the feeling of the people of South-
he found, according to a list which had been in existence wark with respect to complete incorporation of the City ?
about 60 years in the Chamberlain's office, that the per- Mr. Corner—l believe-they are in favour of such a mea-
sons who received this cloth are the first Secretary of State, sure ; but as a meeting of the inhabitants of Southwark is
the second Secretary of State, the Lord Chancellor, the to be held in the Town-hall on Friday next on that very
Chamberlain of the Household, the Vice-Chamberlain of subject, I would rather defer stating what is the feeling of
the Household, the Treasurer of the Household, the Lord the inhabitants of the borough until I have seen the result
Steward, the Comptroller, the Lord Chief Justice of the of that meeting.
Queen's Bench, the Lord Chief Justice of the Common The Chairman—lf Southwark were to be added to the
Pleas, the Chief Baron of the Exchequer, the Master of the city of London, would not the addition thus made to it
Rolls the Recorder of London, the Attorney-General, G
Solicitor• General, and
rust • but it rney- eneral,.the be larger than the original jurisdiction of the City itself !
of this gift the Common Sergeant. The origin Mr. Corner—Yes; ut both the City and Southwark corn-
of cloth is now rather obscure; but it appears it bined would not be so large as the Tower Hamlets alone.
arose at a time when the City claimed the right to measure The population of the City is 127,000, and that of South-
all cloth with its limits, as it now claims a metage upon wark is 155,000, making together 182,000 ; whereas the
and the other gentlemen all corn and f •
finest black cloth whin:
long continued to's appears
that the corporation has population of the borough of the Tower Hamlets alone
yearly to the Ministers of State, numbers 400,000 souls. In the years 1787, 1814, 1827,
above-mentioned, 41 yards of the 1835, and again in 1852, the inhabitants of Southwark had
been to encourage the woollen the object of this t theora country could produce ; and successively assembled in public meeting, and agreed to
period in its history, and to slem
it is supposed, must have memorials to the corporation of London, praying for the
• lar branch of manufacturing industry. Next, manufacture at an early restoration of their ancient rights and privileges, secured
in order to illustrate the loose
the
progress wmatLthe highest authority to them under the charter of Edward VI. The witness
antd
atmhnenagpoptohinerta-
h y hat was about o enter into o 1 ,
Nienxtt he The Chaitrman sai.d—Whetdorineoat N'Vleist'hailtso awchcuenmulate anti-
tauee:letorYnnte were rendered to thnenc,h_earm berlain, that vious commissioners collected all the information that was
manner in quarian evidence as to the borough of Southwark ; the pre-,
Bs
Committee,wlo
tiv ere
a t head.character.
which
ahorittlctli I(ci particular
the
country
notish ratherth in k t
hto a
tif ascertainsont Southwark
wf facts
DOVeouw
who
2:i01 for a series of years were incorporated with theycityl of London, the City would
oLfeacepssraarYcticeanl th
was the keeper of the Mon,n4me
had been receiving from 2 Mute' per annum. This lose much of its peculiar character?
ither common councilman moot
te wo•fertehec eertiatiyn_
officer, it seemed, was either
ncilman • theeCri'utnti'cilman himself Mr. Corner- -No, Ido not. I believe that Southwark
or brother to a
comPlon cotide Juties,'one of lellavere merely has a large trading and mercantile community as well as
nominal, and he had two j ore was sta- the City,
t t 1.141
Monumen , o co ect the admis
tioned at the foot of the The Chairman—Then you think that the general charac-
d the' otherpublic, at the top to of
sion money from the
suicide by throwing ter the community of Southwark has a close resemblance
from committing to the general character of the city of London ?
prevent persons
sum charged for admission
th
themselves over. Formerly e
was 6d , but by means Mr. Corner—l do.
to see the Monument _ . _ The Chairman—Does the City have a jurisdiction over
to each person
efforts, and those of other mem- the prisons in Southwark of his (Mr. Bennoch's) own 3 _
1 for the corporation
hers, it had since been reduced to . r. Corner—The only prison is the City prison, which
begratis— ; is never use
unssioa should d, and is on the point of being pulled down.
would not consent that the ad
51 even after the The Town-hall of '
and it was remarkable that in the year 18. , Southwark is the property of the .
Iwould
the sum taken ;or consolidate the smaller wards in the City,
and
reduction of 3d had been in operation,
divide Southwark •
rose so high—into several wards, creating one permitting the public to see the Monument
fromeachsplittinginto ward
some in parish, or the parishes more. than one
whether because it was the exhibition year, or
other cause, he could not state—that in that one year the !ward where they are very large.
M Corner's evidence •
337/. from the r. having been concluded,
keeper received for himself a profit of 1,
The Chairman, at half t-o'clock,
no advantage
threepences, and the Corporation derived
whatever from the amount. inquiry to stand adjourned to 12 this day.

" 15. That the Sheriff of Middlesex be nominated by
the Crown ; the two sheriffs to have the care of prisoners,
&c., 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 council 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 be 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.
" 26. 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
be 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
ever 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-
gravia 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, 500/. ;
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 continue to possess all the rights and privileges now
enjoyed by the corporation of London—viz., the Lord
Mayor to be cx oXeio 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 drown,
and paid by the municipality of the city of London."

Mr. Bennoch then said that he 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,
she inquiry was adjourned.