The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-26 00:00:00

POSTAL ARRANGEMENTS.

A letter from Mr. Waddington, by direction of Vit.
count Palmerston, stating that his lordship had given
orders for the postal arrangements at the debtors' prison
to be continued as heretofore, was read, and ordered to
be entered on the journals.
At a committee of aldermen held on Friday, the
members having failed to make a court, some conversa-
tion took place upon the subject of attending the great
launch, which is to take place, and at which her Ma-
jesty has signified her intention to be present, and it was
resolved that the barge-master should be instructed to
get the City barge in readiness for the occasion.

METROPOLITAN COMMISSION Or
SEW" ERS.

A special court of the Metropolitan Commissioners of
Sewers was held on Monday at the Greyhound Inn, Rich•
mond. to hear appeals, and to transact other business in
respect to the district —Mr. R. Jebb in the chair.
The SECRETARY reported that the balance in the hands
of the treasurer on the Ist of April was 35,1431. 113. Id.;
cheques drawn, but not presented, 5371. 8s 6d. ; leaving
an available balance of 34,6061. 2s. 7d.
Mr. GRANT, one of the engineers of the commission,
presented to the Court that on the 30th and 31st of
March last, Mr. James Long, builder, of Marsh lane,
Richmond, laid a drain from the Royal Naval School,
Richmond, and connected it with a pipe sewer of the
commissioners in Duke-street, without previously making
any application to the officers of the commissioners, or
paying the frontage rate. He further stated that this
was not the first instance in which Mr. Long had bees
guilty of such an irregularity.
The Court thereupon ordered that he be summoned to
appear at the next court.
Thomas Bucknell, of Kew Foot lane, was summoned
to show cause why he refused to pay lls. 6d. charges
upon him as sewer rates.
Mr. Bucknell said he refused to pay the rate unless ha
had some benefit for the money he was called upon to
pay. It was true that the commissioners had put down
bftarmu
icltylaadnwdallri
edd nwoitthsutafficiwenatterfahlla,
some works, but they were so bad and so badly con*
1 t.
..t.
wh aa ty
uh
pi msel
theirf landlegs
to get into their own house. He had a drain in his yard
which on the least shower of rain blew up, and so over•
flowed his neighbour's premises, that he was threatened
withimmediate proceedings if that drain was not
destroyed. He had, therefore, to do away with the
only drain he had because there was no outfall, and for
the last two winters he had to carry away at least 100
pails of refuse every week. That was not the worst of the
state he was in. He had a shed near to his house, in
which he placed articles of furniture, and on going into
it a short time since he found a closet belonging to an-
other neighbour had overflowed the place, that it was
some inches deep in water, and that all the furniture had
the appearance of having been painted with blue paint
produced by the noxious exhalations. Afterwards he
I was obliged to lay down planks to pass from his house
to his shop.
The CHAIRMAN, without entering into that question,
said the Commissioners were most anxious to afford to
the whole of Richmond better drainage, and with that
view they were endeavouring to obtain from Parliament
additional powers to enable them to do so. Until they
got those powers they could not do so much as they
wished, but in the meantime all parties were bound by
law to pay the rates. He then ordered that the appel-
lant should pay the amount.
AN ABSSONDING COLLECTOR.
In the ca se of an absconding collector for the Spital•
fields district, it was stated to the Court that his surety
was bankrupt, and that his estate would yield but 3s. in
the pound, s‘Thich was agree to be received fother his
total
de-
falcation of `!..40/. It was stdated that this was
loss in rates , in 800,0001. collected for the last ten years.
After soy 3e other matters had been disposed of, the
urt adjo' arned.
----------__.7.--

DIPTIM:IS OF THE DUCHESS OF GLOIJCISTIR.—.YOB-
- was the birthday of the Princess Mary, Duchess
of Gloucester, the only surviving child of the numerous
family of he late King George the Third. Her Royal
Highmess yesterday completed her 78th year, having
been 'b0,../1 April the 24th, 1776. During the day the
mein tiers of the Royal family now in town, and a great
number oi the nobility and gentry, made complimentary
calls{ ,at tl.i Royal Duchess's residence, in rart•lane.