The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-16 00:00:00

COAL DUES AND TAXES.

Mr. R. C. LAMBE brought up and moved the adoption
of the following report, which was read :

"To the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, Alder-
men, and Commons of the City of London, in
Common Council assembled :

" We, of your Coal and Corn and Finance Committee,
to whom, on the 17th day of February last, it was referred
to watch the proceedings of the Select Committee
of the House of Commons appointed to inquire into
the operation of the laws under which dues or taxes
are levied on the introduction of coals into the metro-
polis and the neighbourhood, the mode of collection.
and the expenditure of such dues and taxes; and to supply
all the information in our power upon the subject which
the select committee might be desirous to obtain—do
certify, that having taken the said matter into our con
sideration, we referred it to a select committee to attend
the meetings of the select committee of the House of
Commons, with instructions to supply every possible
information which they might require.
" That the said select committee have since reported
to us that the select committee of the House of Com-
mons met on the Sth day of March last, when Sir John
Shelley was chosen chairman ; and on the 13th of March,
and on the 7th of April, to consider the course of pro
seeding, when very numerous and voluminous returns
were required of the officers of your committee.
" That on the 21st day of April, the select committee
of the House of Commons proceeded to call evidence,
when Edward Tyrrell, Esq., the City Remeinbrancer,
and Mr. Benjamin Scott, principal clerk to the Cham-
berlain, were examined.

" That on the 28th of April Mr. B. Scott was further
examined. Mr. C. Rogers, from the Grand Junction
Canal, and Mr. John Dickenson, a paper-manufacturer,
carrying on business in Hertfordshire and the City of
London, were examined. That on the sth of May Mr.
John Dickenson and Mr. B. Scott were further exa-
mined ; and Mr. J. R. Scott, of the coal-market, was
also examined.

" That on the I.2th day of May Mr. J. Dickenson,
Mr. B. Scott, and Mr. J. R. Scott, were further exa
mined, and Mr. Nicholas Wood, an engineer, of Hetton.
Durham, and Mr. Harry Inskip, a seed-crusher, of
Hertford, were examined.

"That on the 2Gth of May E. Tyrrell, Esq., and
Mr. J. R. Scott were further examined ; and Mr. J.
Merchant, clerk to the trustees of the River Lee Navi-
gation ; Mr. .T. J. Gripper, a coal-merchant at Watford,
and Mr. H. Wilton, of the town clerk's office, were exa-
mined.

" That on the 31st of May the select committee of
the House of Commons met to consider certain resolu-
tions proposed by Sir J. Walmesley, which were not
agreed to ; and Sir J. Shelley, the chairman, was anxi-
ous to instruct to prepare a report.
"That on the 12th of August the Select Committee
of the House of Commons met to consider the report
prepared by the chairman, which was not agreed to ;
and the select committee resolved that it is the opinion
of this committee that the inquiry be proceeded with in
the next session of Parliament, and ordered that the re-
solution and the minutes of evidence taken before the
committee he reported to the House of Commons, which
was accordingly done.
" The various accounts and returns ordered by the
select committee of the House of Commons, printed in
the appendix to their report, bear ample testimony to
the manner in which the Corporation of London hare
discharged their duty, as trustees of such important
public trusts, for the benefit of the public; and your select
committee have the satisfaction of stating that the most
satisfactory answers have been given to the searching
inquiry directed against the Corporation, and your select
committee point to the returns rendered as evidence of
the talent and range of that inquiry.
" That your select committee cannot conclude their
report without stating their entire satisfaction at the
manner in which the officers of the corporation sustained
by their evidence and returns the credit and character
of the corporation, and beg to mention E. Tyrrell, Esq.,
the City Remembrancer, and Mr. B. Scott, Principal
Clerk to the Chamberlain, and also Mr. J. R. Scott, of
the Coal-market, and Mr. H. Wilton, of the Town
msle our
to select
your
Clerk's office, the officers of the Corporation chiefly en-
gaged in the matter of the inquiry.
theirr
rceopmnrnti,i committee,
magreeingend the withsame committeeThatlne,
honourable court for adoption. All which is respectfully
submitted. Dated the 13th day of December, 1853.
" R. Capel Lambe. George
J. Lake. Harker.
D. Cork.
T. Woodward. J. Britten.
C. E. Butler. H. W. Valiance.
J. Heapes. T. Abraham.
J. Venables. H. E. Murrell."
Deputy HARRISON—May I ask the Chairman of the
Coal and Corn and Finance Committee, whether, after
such a searching inquiry into this question of the coal
dues, that committee have made any report upon the
evidence submitted to them ? (Hear, hear.)
Mr. LIAMBE—The evidence taken before that commit-
tee so completely altered the views previously enter-
tained by the honourable members who brought the sub-
ject forward in the House of Commons, that they
were
not able to agree amongst themselves in any report.
••
Judge
so at, Least from their pre-conceived notions.
Deputy HARRISON—.Nothing can
but, considering that
be more satisfactory
than the statement of the chairmannber of most incorrect
statements with reference
about twelve months
ago
a to the coal duties were being
.m
st factory to fin a report
circulated, I think
I that aftersatis a committee of the the House
brought up, stating,
of Commons have been searching and sifting the facts,
they cannot find anything to make known as against the
of
management of the funds the corporation which by
Parlianient have been entrusted to us to take care of.
(Hear, hear.) It is gratifying to me, one of the mem-
bers who t
bad a settlement directly with the Governmen
of the charges with reference to the coal-market. The
corporation undertook to erect that coal-market upon
the interest of the accumulation of the penny duty, and
in the hope that the penny duty would have been utterly
discontinued from that time. But in the passing of that
measure through Parliament, it was thought so nice a
thing to appropriate to other purposes, that the Govern-
ment of the time inserted a clause continuing the penny
tax, which the corporation had endeavoured to discon-
tinue, the requirements for it no longer existing. (Hear,
hear.) The Government of the time inserted a clause
perpetuating that penny tax for the purpose of its being
appropriated as they and the Parliament should from
time to time deem fit, and not one fraction of money
arising from the tax has since that time been appropri-
ated to purposes of improvements in the City of London.
I repeat that the corporation wanted to abandon the
tax. The Government and the Parliament re-imposed it,
and have applied it as they in their judgment have
thought fit for public purposes. (Hear.)
OFFICE OF PRINCIPAL CLERK TO THE CHAMBERLAIN.
Mr. H. J. LIAS brought up the following _report,
which was read by Mr. Woodthorpe :
" To the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor,
Aldermen, and Commons of the City of Lon-
don, in Common Council assembled.
1 "We, whose Llatat3 are hereunto subscribed of your

committee, in relation to officers and clerks, to whom
on the Bth instant, an instruction was given in th
event of a vacancy arising, by the resignation or other-
wise of the principal clerk to the Chamberlain, to con-
sider if any alteration is desirable to be made either as
regards the duties or expenses of the office, and to re-
port thereon to the Court prior to any nomination or
appointment thereto, do certify that we proceeded
therein ; and, being attended by Sir J. Key, Bart.,
Chamberlain, he informed us that he had received a
letter from Mr. B. Scott, communicating his intention
to relinquish his situation of principal clerk to the
Chamberlain at the end of this year.
" We were subsequently attended by Mr. Scott, who,
upon being asked, stated that he had resigned his situ-
ation of principal clerk to the Chamberlain into the
hands of Sir J. Key, but that he continued to hold i t
for the convenience of the corporation and the Cham-
berlain until the close of the present year.
" That we then heard Mr. Chamberlain upon the
subject of providing for the situati in when the vacancy
shall arise, and Mr. Chamberlain having intimated his
intention to appoint Mr. William Payne (who has as-
sisted Mr. B. Scott in the performance of his duties for
the last seven years) to be his successor as principal
clerk to the Chamberlain, and having heard Mr. Scott
upon Mr. Payne's capabilities for the discharge of the
duties of the situation, we concur in that appointment,
believing that the Coal and Corn and Finance Corn-
inittee will have no difficulty in giving their approval of
the deed executed by Sir John Key and his sureties,
fur the regulation of the office of Chamberlain—the du-
ties and emoluments of the principal clerk to include
those of clerk to the auditors of the City and Bridge.
house Estates.

" That in conferring with Mr. Chamberlain upon the
suhject of the future salaries of the clerks in his office,
we concur with him in the following arrangement :- -
Mr. William Payne, principal clerk £5OO 0 0 per annum
Mr. W. Walker, cashier (amount

at present
First assistant clerk
Second ditto
Third ditto

Fourth ditto
Additional clerk lOO 0 0 „
"We beg further to certify that in the course of our
deliberations, the subject of closing the Chamberlain's
office in the month of August, came under our conside-
ration, and upon conferring with! the Chamberlain
thereon, and hearing Mr. B. Scott, we are of opinion
that the Chamberlain should make such arrangement as
should enable him to continue the office open for busi-
ness during the month of August, in which Mr. Cham-
berlain concurs.
" All which we submit to the judgment of this honour.
able Court. Dated this 15th day of December, 1853.
" H. J. Lists " W Barnes
" J. Perkins " J. Annie
" T. J. Holt " J. M. Barnard
" H. L. Taylor " C. Gannon."
" F. R. primby
CITY OF LONDON FREEMEN'S ORPHAN SCHOOL ELECTIOX

OF HEAD MASTER.
The Rev. J. P. Clayton, M.A., and the Rev. W.
Brownrigg Smith, M.A., were the candidates for the
appointment of Head Master. A poll haying been
moved, seconded, and carried, it was kept open for an
hour, when there appeared—

In favour of Mr. Smith 77
In favour of Mr. Clayton 72
Majority —s

Mr. SMITH, after being declared by the Lord Mayor
duly eleoted to the office, subject to the rules and regu-
lations of the Court, appeared at the bar, and returned
thanks for the favour conferred on him.'