The Sun.
London, England, 1853-11-17 00:00:00

CITY OF LONDON COMMISSION.

(THIS DAY.)

The Commissioners resumed their inquiry this morn-
ing, in the chamber of the Judicial Committee of the
Privy Council.
The attention of the Commissioners this morning was
principally directed to the question of the City meterage,
which is so much complained of by the fruit and corn
trades of the metropolis. The nature of the claim had
already been incidentally explained in the former evi-
dence, but this morning two gentlemen, one con-
nected with the fruit and the other with the corn
trade, came before the Commission to explain
the manner in which the City
meterage affected
those branches of commerce. Mr. Keating, the first
of these gentlemen, stated that the City claimed
to meter all measurable fruit that was imported into
London, although the process neither benefited the
Crown, nor the trade, nor the public, and three City
meters derived an income of 5,000/. a year from fruit
and potatoes alone. This claim of the City did not
extend either to oranges or lemons, nor to Brazilian
nuts, but the Lord Mayor claimed by prescription to be
supplied with samples of every description of produce
imported into London, and, although in some cases his
Lordship was still paid in kind in the majority of in-
stances, he received the samples in money value. This
ias what was called the " Lord Mayor's Dues."
Both these claims, Mr. Keating was of opinion, were
unjust and ought to be immediately abolished.
Mr. Hales, the other gentleman, who said he was
largely engaged in the corn trade, explained the opera-
tion of the meterage system so far as it applied to corn,
and stated that the Corn Exchange had memorialised the
Lord Mayor to render the mode of collecting the meterage
uniform, if the impost could not be altogether abolished.
This point engaged the attention of the commissioners
the whole of the day.

LA ifT INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY).

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.
(Before Mr. Commissioner Holroyd.)
IN RE STRIITT.

This bankrupt is a solicitor, was made bankrupt as a
newspaper proprietor and print-seller, &c., in Cathe-
rine-street, Strand, and to-day was appointed for his
last examination.

The bankrupt having been connected with the Era
newspaper and the Lyceum Theatre, called the atten-
tion of a crowded court.

The balance sheet prepared by Messrs. Glover and
Son, Bucklersbury, commencing January, 1852, and
ending June, 1853, showed Dr. to Cr. 5,2721. 6s. 2d. ;
to creditors holding securities, 4,8591. 11s. 3d. ; liabi-
lities, 1,221.105. ; capital January, 1852, 7,748/. 14s. 3d.
profits, 1,3021. is. 10d. ; creditor by good debts,
6,282/. is. 2d. ;doubtful, 6041. 19s. ; property held as
security, 8,5871. 7s. 4d; other property, 2531. 18s. Bd. ;
losses, 4761. is. 8d ; drawn out by bankrupt for house
and:personal expenses, 1,5061. ss. 5d ; interest and dis-
cottf, 7391. 13s. 7d. ; office expenses, 6371. The pro-
perty given up was balance of account at bankers and
shares in banking companies.
The bankrupt was examined at some length, and in
explaining the prospects of the debts set down as good
being realised, said that he held a mortgage upon some
property belonging to the Duke of Buckingham for
3,1001., and the estate had been valued at 21,0001., but
it depended upon the winding up of the trustees' ac-
counts. He had also the security of a rent charge on
the Lyceum theatre of 31. Bs. on each playing night,
and 3701. was due since the bankruptcy. He was satis-
fied that was a good debt.
His Honour, after having looked through the pro-
ceeding, said that although the accounts had not been
kept in a commercial form, yet the bankrupt had ren-
dered all the requisitions of the assignee and creditors ;
therefore, as no better accounts could be obtained, he
would pass his examination.
The bankrupt passed accordingly, undertaking to give
some information as to a debt of 1,0001., alleged to be
due from a Mr. Ledger.