The Sun.
London, England, 1841-02-06 00:00:00

COURT OF SEWERS OF WEST-
MINSTER AND PARTS OF MIDDLESEX.

A Court of Stwers for the City of Westminster and
the Lih.3.ties thereof, was yesterday held at the Office
of the Commissioners, Greek-street, Soho, at twelve
k, 'ward Willoughby, Esq ,in the Chair.
Minutes of the pr,ceedinis of the last Ordinary CJurt
we. e read and e,..pfirnit d.

M. LESLIE complained of the waste, of time occatConed
by tLe :cAding of thwe parts of the minutes which relat, d
to the ordinvy tu of the Court.
Air. W. 13Eacn—There are some people who waste tie
time of the Court much more by long speeches, which
might advantageothly be c.mdensed. The minutes must
be read as part of the business of the Court.
Mr. LESLIE thought that all orders of course might
be entered in a book, ai.el the parties all called up and told
by the Chairman as to whether their applications were
granted ; and on the minutes it might be entered—" various
orders were made, fur which see order book."

Mr. AIIEY thought great difficulty would arse unless
the minutes were read as at presert. They would then
13.3 trusting entirely to the clerk for the correctnes; of the
record of their proceedings. If, however, any plan could
bo devised to save time, he should be happy to accede to it.
Mr. LESLIE thought the having those orders entered in
a tabular form, and signed by the Chairman, thus making
those ordurs a record of the Court, would cove at least an
hour on the first day, and half an hour in reading the mi.
nu:es.

Me. W. BEACII thought it was of great importance that
the minutes should be read for confirmation.
Mr. ADEY proposA that the minutes should henceforth
be laid on the table, and if their correctness were certified
by th,., el,'rk, unless that correctness were impugned
during_ the cuurse of the day, they should stand confirmed.
The e was little use in reading them as they were now
read.

The minutes of the proceedings of the Special. Court,
held for tr.i.ing the travterses for Chal6ca
.119Apital, vrero
thcn read and confirmed.

The CHAIRMAN then sigfied cheques for the payment of
va:ious tradesmen's bilk.

An application was made by Mr. BICKNRLL, the Soli-
citor for Cheleca hospital, for permission to have a
copy of the short-hand writer's notes at his own expense.
Mr. Anew mAted that the application be granted.
Mr. LESLIE said, the Court had never ordered the em-
ploy ment of a short-hand writer ; he was employed by the
Chairman, and the Court had nothing to do with him.

Mr. ADEY sail the Solicitor having been engaged by
;he Court to condact the cue—the Silcitor, if they
thought proper, might employ him and charge for him in
the bill.

Mr. BEACH would suggest that Mr. Bicknell be referred
,o the short-hand writcr himself.

Captain BAGUE thought the application must fall to
the ground, as the Gina knew nothing of tha employment
of a short-hand writer.

Mr. LESLIE had objected to the employment of the
Solioitor, and if any one wished to have the short-hand
w►iter's notes, they might go to him and obtain them.
Mr. ADEY said, if the question had been whether the
Chairman was authorised to employ a short-band writer or
not, these observations would be well founded ; but the
question was, whether Mr. ilieknell might apply to the
short-hand writer for his notes.

Mr. LESLIE moved as an amendment, that as the Court
hid not ordered the employment of the short-hand writer
Mr. B:cknell be referred to that gentleman.
Captain BaouE seconded it, and it was carried unani-
mously.
Copt. BAGUS complained of the want of accommodation
for the Commissioners on Friday last, and hoped that un
the next occasion the inconveniences of which he corn-
phined would be remedied.
Mr. Army thought, unless it was intended to exclude
reporters and the public, it would be better to leave the
arrangements entirely in the hands of the Chairman. Tae
room was a very small one, end if it were possible to point
out a plan for atKirding greater accommodation he was
convinced it would be cheerfully adopted.
The Court then proceeded to hear various petitions for
new Sewers.

Mr. Lr_s►.lF again drew the attention of the Court to the
waste of time occasioned by going at length into these
matters of course.

A communication was read from Messrs. Delmar and
Wynn, relative to the manner in which the Kensington
Sewers would be affected by the propo►ed West London
Railway.
A communication was read from Mr. W. Wickens, of

Hammersmith, reques.ing the co-operation of the Commi-
sioaers in procuring the erection of additional street conve-

niences.

A complaint as to the removal of the pavement in the
Ilarseferry-road, was ordered to be referred to the Com-
missioners of Paving.
A communication was read from the Solicitors, stating
that they had met the Solicitors of the different parishes.
and that three of them had consented at first to a special
case to obtain the opinion of the Court as to the liability of
the churches to be rated, but the two others had entirely
dissented, stating that, even if liable to be rated, the Corn-
missioners had no power with which they could enforce the
_noel. on velrzl, th, others bad disagreed ti the state
meet of any special case. Ile also reported
.tbe dinrcnt
steps which had been taken in the various suits in which
Commissioners are engaged, and enclosed forms of
subi.ce sa for the enforcing the attendance of the witnes-
ses oir the trial of the traverse on Friday next.
Mr. Any moved the postponement of the business re-
lating to the churches to this day fortnight.
Captain BAGUE seconded the motion, which was agreed
to unanimously.
Mr. LESLIE said that in the case of Medley and Pri-
chard, he should object to the payment of any money,
and should like his amendment to be placed on the busi-
ness paper, in order to ensure a full attendance.
Blank subpceaas for summoning witnesses in the tra-
verse case on Friday next were then signed.
A Report of the Solicitors was then read, in which they
gave it as their opinion that it was not necessary to ti .e
legality of warrants, that the collector who asked for them
should be first sworn ; neither was it necessary that in
every case a separate warrant should be issued for each
defaulter.
Mr. LESLIE moved that the opinion he printed and cir-
culated among the Commissioners; and while on his legs
he would remind the Court that on last Friday there were
various matters inserted in the business paper, without
any order of the Court. The second matter on the paper
was to sign a decree. On inquiry he found it was tha
Chairman's order; and on pressing the Chairman, he
found it was Mr. Ogle's order. Now, be thought the
Commissioners ought to conduct the business of the
Cr.ur t, and not Mr. Ogle, or the Chairman.
M. Apes, rose to order. The matter was not now be-
fore the Court. lie appealed to the Chairman.
The CHAIRMAN decided that Mr. Leslie was not in
order in the observations be was making.
The question was then put and carried.
Mr. T. DYER thought the matter alluded to by Mr.
Leslie ought now to be investigated, as it was a matter of
privilege Ile also had a complaint to make relating to
privilege. The Court before the last was summoned ape-
daily to sign a precept ; but it subsvquen:ly took up a
second question, and decided on it in a manner which La
considered calculated to damage the Court in public
opinion.
Mr. LESLIE had given notice to the Solicitors that he
doubted their law, and that it was his intention, after the
traverse Jury had delivered their verdict, to draw tbo atten-
tion of his brother Commissioners to the manner in which he
conceived they were being misled by Messrs. Smith. The
Court had made no order for Nos. 2 and 3 in the busi-
ness paper of the last Court, and it might be very well for
the Chairman, or Mr. Ogle, to wish to have a decree
signed immediately ; but it was a breach of privilege, and
n great assumption of pswer on the part of any Chairman,
or any advocate, to put matters in the business paper with-
out the approbation of the Court. Ile wished to know
whether No. 2 and 3 were to be smuggled into the business
paper for next Friday, as if so ho would give a notice of
motion to bring the whole matter before the Court.
The CHAIRMAN said, that if it depended upon the chair-
man of the day they certainly would not, as he conceived
it would be better to defer the matter until after the
verdict.

Mr. LESLIE was glad to hear that he had written to
Messrs. Smith about this opinion, and had keen referreii to
and on examining the
gooks he
easlli
long,ha but thatdaskedfo he racoph and had been told that
it was too might send any one to copy
it.
o lie
Solicitor-
General were recorded in the books, without the case
being given. The opinion was tacked,to a case which bad
cfaoled the himself
opinions aionn ds
not been submitted to the persons who gave the opinion.
dofidthsoe Attorney and ,
The CHAIRMAN thought it would be better to defer the
consideration of these matters until the parties interested
should be present.
Sir GEORGE FANANT rose to order, and after a scene
of the greatest confusion,
The CHAIRMAN interfered, and said that he considered
Mr. Leslie was proceeding irregularlY, and interrupting
the whole course of the business.
Mr. LESLIE thought it right to state that the case to
which he referred occurred in 1833. He thought it right
to state that, to exonerate the present Chairman and Clork
from blame.
Orders were made relating to the rebuilding of various
Se's ers.
The CLERK of the Court read a Report relative to a
deficiency is the accounts of Thomas Read, one of the
collectors of the Sewer's-rate. The amount was, as far as
known, 187/. 17s.
The two sureties, a Mr. Collinson and a Mr. Wallace,
wi re both insolvent.
The CHAIRMAN said all public bodies in such cases had
wily one course to pursue. They most put the bond in
force ; that was the only course to pursue in justice to all
parties concerned.
After a desultory conversation, the Court ordered the
bond to be put in force against the collector and his sureties
immediately.
The Cliathstas said they had now to appoint a new
collector.
Mr. LESLIE Slid the manner in which the collectors
were appointed was almost sure to lead to the diffi-
culties they were now in. They ought not to appoint
tradesmen, for however fair their outward appearance
might be, it was impossible to know how they were in-
volved. He would propose that they should have paid
clerks belonging to the office down stairs, who would give
proper security, like bankers clerks. They would ac-
count for all they had received every night, and no &fal-
-1 cations could take place. He would propose that the va-

cancy be not filled up. Let the other Eve collectors die
off, for he did not wish to use them harshly ; but he hoped
the Cemmiasioners would favourably consider his plan ;
and in the meantime he trusted they would pause before
perpetuating the s} stem, by appointing a collector under
the old system.
Mr. Amy said the first thing they had to do was to de-
clare a vacancy. He would therefore move that the office
be declared vacant, and. that it be not filled up for some
time. Ile was anxious to have the rate collected in the
best and the cheapest manner, but it would take some time
to consider the plans that might be offered.
A CCMMISSIJNER thought Mr. Leslie's suggest'on was
well worthy of consideration.
The motion was then agreed to.
The CHAIRMAN might take that opportunity of saying,
that without pledging himself to any plan, he thought
there was much good sense ;in what bad fallen from Mr.
Leslie. Ile bad always thought the plan of appointing
tradesmen to the office of collector bad.

A motion was made that the clerk make application for
a copy of the short-hand writer's notes of the summing up
of the Assessor to the Jury, on the Friday of last week.
It was objected that such a motion could not be put,
because if carried the Court would recognise the appoint.
ment of the short-band writer.

A vote was taken, when there appeared
For the motion
Against it
Majority against the motion
The Clerk laid the bills due on tho table, which
arnouated to 14,000/. To meet this there was 1,6001. in
the banker's hands, and about 2,000/. of rates uncollected.

The CHAIRMAN said in such a state of their finances it
was highly important that a rata should he made.
Mr. ADEY hoped there would be no objection to discuss
the signing of the decree on Friday next after the traverse
had been tried:

Mr. LEsun objected—it would appear to hurry the
Jury; et all events such haste would not look well in the
eyes of the public. Let them call a special meeting
as soon after the Jury had decided as they pleased.
He then moved " That tha names of the mover and
seconder of every motion made in the Court of Sewers
be inserted in the records of the proceedings of the Court;
and also that no motion be put from the chair unless the
same be reduced to writing by the mover, and signed by
the mover and seconder."

The motion having been seconded by Captain Bacon,
Mr. ADEY begged to add, " And that no Commissioner
speak twice upon the same motion except the mover."—
( Loud laughter.)
Mr. LESLIE had not the slightest objection to the addi-
tion, if it were to be made applicable to other CAnmis-
sioncis as well as to him and Mr. Adcy.
The CHAIRNIAN said that was already the rule of the
Court, ani was unnecessary.

The criginal motion was then carried, with only one dis-
sentie n t.

Mr. Lssut then moved, " That the Bye-law, No. 10,
be altered so as to stand thus :—' That all questions be de-
cided by the names of the Commissioners voting being
taken down by the Clerk.' " He thought it important
that it should be put upon record, because fifty names of
Commissioners might appear as present on one day, and
yet sonic motion might be carried nem. con. by only five
or six Commissioners, and that same record might be re-
moved into the Queen's Bench. How was the Court to
know who were the parties who carried the motion ?
Mr. ADEY objected to the motion, on the ground that
it would lead to much confusion and loss of time. Any
Commissioner now might have the names taken down
when he asked for it.

The CHAIRMAN said a complaint had that morn-
ing been made of the great time taken up in
reading the minutes. Now if the names were taken down
on every slight occasion it must add to the evil. Besides,
how was the Clerk to pay proper attention to the minutes
if be was constantly engaged in this mechanical operation ?
Mr. LESLIE had thought it his duty to make the propo-
sition, because on several occasions a motioa had been de
dared carried one way, and when the names were taken
down it was carried the other way. lie did not think
much time would be lost, and it would add greatly to the
respectability of their proceedings.
The motion was then put, and 3 voted for it and 12
against it.
Mr. LESLIE then moved that the names be taken down,
amidst much laughter.—Adjourned.

EAST SURREY ELECTION.

MEETING OF MR. ALCOCK'S FRIENDS.

Thursday a meeting of the Liberals of Richmond and
the neio.bourbood took place at the Talbot, to take mea-
sures in furtherance of the return of Mr. Alcock. The
majority of the influential Reformers of the town and its
vicinity were present. Mr. Alcock is understood to b.
likely to meet with a strong body of supporters in Rich-
mond and the neighbourhood. Among the gentlemen on
the platform we observed Mr. Hutton, NI. P., Mr. Hol-
land, M. P., Mr. Hawes, M. P., Mr. Great.ll, Mr. Thos.
flames, Col. Alcock, Sir T. N. Reeve, Mr. Clay, M.P.,
and Mr. R )blnson.

Clilistopher Pal'lip Garrick, Esq. W 93 called to the
chair at half-past &gilt o'clock, amidst the applause of a
crowded and enthuii3st;c audienrp . .

Mr. TALBOT proposed the following resolution :
" That it is expedient, in the present state of public
affairs, that a gentleman be sent to Parliament whose sen-
timents are known to be favourable to freedom of election
—freedom of trade—and the full enjoyment of civil and re-
ligious liberty."—( Cheers. )
BENJAMIN lIAWES, Esq. , M. P., seconded the resolu-
tion. The Government, at .this moment, scarcely posses-
sed the means of carrying out any of the important mea-
sures of reform which had been named in the House of
Commene.—( Hear, hear ) They could not now be pro-
posed in that House with the smallest chance of success.--
( Hear, hear.) If the Reformers of the county chose to
exercise every description of power and influence which
they possessed, as was done by their opponents, they
would carry the election of the Liberal candidate trium-
phant, but they disdained to do it —(Loud applause.)
They scorned anything but an honest vote.—(Cheers.)
Their opponents told them that the Ballot was unneces-
sary for the protection of the voter, and yet night after
night the Tory Members went to their clubs and voted by
ballet.—( Cheers and laughter ) On the great question
of the freedom of trade was there one proposition made in
he House of Commons which the Tories did not oppose ?
—( Cheers.) The Church of England, which was in
times past the bulwark of liberty, was perverted by
the Tories to party purposes, and had been entirely
used by them tie a means of promoting their private
interest and influence._-( Hear, hear, hear.) Ile had
heard it asserted that there was no diff:renec between
the Whigs and the Tories. Take any great question
of reform—eclucation,:for example : who led the way in
opposition to liberal measures respecting education, but
the Tories? The Whigs, whatever might be their sins,
had acted on that question in a most straightforward man-
ner, by wishing to extend the blessings of education to all
without distinction of party.—(Cheers ) Night after
night did the Tories oppose in the House of Commons
every measure of amelioration and reform of the Constitu-
tion, and was it fair to say, under these circumstances, that
there was no distinction between the two parties?—( Hear,
hear.) If the county did its duty, it would return a Li-
beral Member.—( Cheers.)
The resolution was then put, and carried by acclamation
Mr. ALCOCK then presented himself amidst the most
deafening plaudits. He would state in the most candid
way his opinions on any subject that the electors chose to
require.—(Cheers ) Paramount to every question was
that of the Corn-laws —(Cheers.) He ohjscted to the
cry of the Duke of Buckingham and his party against any
alteration in the present system, and he disapproved
equelly of the conduct of the anti-Corn-law party in de-
manding immediate repeal. A middle course of policy be-
tween the two was the most desirable. He would now state
his opinion on the five points of the Charter. Respecting
the B illot, he should prefer open voting, but he be-
lieved that at present it was impossible for the honest voter
to exercise his right of voting tree from all influence and
intimidation. lie should, therefore, abide by the opinion
he had alre.ady expressed in favour of the Ballet.—
(Cheers.) The next point, namely, Universal Suffrage,
he could not approve, but at the same time there was a
necessity for the extension of the suffrage in some way.—
(Cheers.) lie did not believe that practically either an-
nual or triennial Parliaments would be found to answer.
At the same time lie would not oppose a proposition to
shorten the duration of Parliament to periods of five years.
(Cheers. ) Were it less, he would not himself come
forward and expose himself to all the inconveniences of an
election.—( Hear, hear.) As for the last point of tht
Charter, no property qualleation, he attached no impor-
tance to it whatever. The fact was, that a great number
of the present Members of the House of Commons were
not duly qualified in this respect—( Hear, hear)—and as to
the payment of Members, he should have no objection
whatever to be paid himself.—(Cheers and laughter.) He
(Mr. Alcock) was as much the friend of the Church as
any of his opponents; but he was no friend to any of the
abuses that had crept into the Establisliment.—(Cheers. )
Sir T. REEVE inquired whether Mr. Alcock was favour-
able to the gradual abolition of copyhold tenure, which
was a question of great interest to the county ?
Mr. ALCOCK could conceive no ground of opposition
whatever.—( Hear.)
Sir Teorees REEVE next inquired whether he would
support any measure to expedite the recovery of small
debts? It was well knows that poor tradesmen were often
put to an expense of 201. to recover a debt of 51.—( Hear.)
Mr. ALCOCK would give his most strenuous support to
further any measure calculated to enable the people to ob-
tain cheap justice.—(Cheers.)
• Mr. ROBINSON moved " That Mr. Alcock having fully
declared his political sentiments, which are in accordance
with those of this meeting, is a fit and proper person to re-
present this county in Parliament."
Mr. HOT-roe, M.P., seconded the resolution.
It was then put, and carried unanimously.
Mr. HOLLAND, M.P., proposed the next resolution, to
the effect " That this meeting pledge themselves, indivi-
dually and collectively, to promote, by every legitimate
means in their power, Mr. Alcock's return."
Mr. CLAY, M.P., seconded the resolution, which was
put, and carried amidst loud applause.
Sir T. REEVE moved a vote of thanks to the Chairman,
which was seconded, and carried by acclamation.
The meeting was considered one of the most numerous
ever held in Richmond, and the proceedings throughout
were conducted with the utmost enthusiasm.

In consequence of the death of Lord Henley, the
Right Hon. Sir Robert Peel's Parliamentary dinner, fixed
for this day, is postponed.