The Sun.
London, England, 1840-11-09 00:00:00

The Clerk—Two arrears of 30s. each.

Mr. LESLIE—Has the Attorney-General taken the
course you expected, and hew will the proceeding go on ?
The SOLlClTOR—Certainly, it is the usual form, the case
will come before a Jury. It is rather a personal manner
of proceeding, and might have been done by action of
trespass.

Mr. ADET was rather taken by surprise, for he had come
to the Court in the hope that the information would have
been laid before them—no doubt it had been filed, and a copy
ought to have been produced. In his opinion it was a harsh
proceeding on the part of the Crown authorities towards
a public body acting in the discharge of their duty. How-
ever it was necessary to do something, and he would
move " that the Solicitor be instructed to appear, to ob-
tain a copy of the information, to lay it before Counsel
for advice, and then lay the whole before the Court." He
would suggest that as they could not consult the Attor-
ney and Solicitor-Generals as usual, they should lay the
case before fir William Follett, and of course, Mr. Ogle ;
but he would impress upon the solicitor the necessity of
consulting a very eminent pleader, for it was not a case
for a Jury but for the decision of the Bench, upon the con-
struction of an Act of Parliament.

The motion having been seconded,
Mr. Lesur. begged that the opinion of Sir W. Follett
should be read.—(Two opinions were read ; the first was
a doubtful one, the second was dearly in favour of the
rating.) It was all very well to say that the Learned
Gentleman had given an opinion in their favour; it was
evident from the first opinion that they would be floored—
(Laughter)—that was clear to his mind. But how had
the second opinion been obtained ? Why, after the Learned
Gentleman had been crammed by their solicitor—(Laugh-
ter)--he had gone secretly and lard another case be-
fore him, and then Sir William, upon that, gave the
second opinion. That opinion, so obtained, he had no
doubt, before two or three years went by, would have cost
the rate-payers upwards of 1,0001. It was perfectly clear
to his mind that they must fail, and in his opinion they
ought now to stop.
The CHAIRMAN said the matter had now gone on so far,
that it was for the interest both of the Crown and the
rate-payers to have the question decided by a competent
authority. The question was between the Crown and that
Court. Mr. Aiton had nothing to do wi•h it.
Mr. LESLIE felt quite satisfied from the necessity of
having a competent and eminent pleader, as had been im-
pressively urged by Mr. Adey, that they would be tripped
up, and that they would be mulcted of thousands for the
trumpery rate of 30s. They were about to undertake this ex-
pense upon an opinion obtained from Sir W. Follett upon a
secret case, he being against them until that secret cage
was laid before hint. He would like to see the inform,.
1 tion, before it was laid before the lawyt,ra; it. might be so
plain a complaint, that probably by getting it at once, they
would bring the matter to a speediar termination than the.;
ec•uld do after the matter bad been before the lawyers.
j They were frittering away as much of the money of
I the rate-payers in law as would make all their
! sewers, and line them with silver.—( Laughter.) lie
thought there cueht to be a Special Court to consider the
ininrinetion, before (fey threw away any more money
among the lawyers. He hoped Mr. Adcy would alter his
, motion, by lancing out the latter portion of it.
Mr. TIIISLETON wished to know at whose expense all
this was to be done—there might be danger to the pockets I
of the Commissioners in going on. He thought the
Court ought to have nothing to do with the matter at pre-
sent. The gentlemen would defend themselves as best
they might, and, if they had any claim upon the Court,
:et them come to the Court, and they would have justice.
Mr. LESLIE said the opinions of the Attorney-General
and the Solicitor- General were distinctly against them.
Mr. WILLOUGHBY said they were the legal advisers of
the Crown, and of course were now high prerogative men,
whatever they might have been before.—( A laugh.)
Whatever had been dose by the Chairman and the other
Commissioners who signed the warrant, had bean done by
order of the Court, and therefore they acted only minis-
terially, and were therefore under the protection of
the Court. The question was a very important one, and
he thought the present was the proper time to have it settled.
Nit-. Meeetes opposed the moti -n, and thought the best
thing they could do would be for the Court to make what
amends they could, for their proceedings were irregular
and illegal.

The CU AIRMAN said it was really very important that
the qucltion should be iet!led—the whole question could
now ta►ourably be brought before the Court,which he trusted
would be done.

A COMMISSIONER moved the omission of the latter par
of the motion. When the copy of the information was ob
tainPd it ought to be laid before the Court.

There being no seconder the original motion was put
and carried with only two dissentients.
After numerous petitions had been considered and dis.
posed of, the next ;)usiness which stood on the paper was—
To receive and consider the report and valuation of the
Surveyers employed in aasessing the rateable annual value
of the property in the Ranelagh and Counters Creek
Districts, which is to be inserted in the next presentments
prepared for the Jury, in addition to the property in-
cluded in the Poor-rate, pursuant to the order of Court of
the 3.h May, 1840.
To sign a precept to the Sheriff of Middlesex to return
a Jury to inquire into such things as shall be given them
in charge : (viz. to present the persons and property liable
to be rated to the Ranelagh and Counters Creek Districts.)
Mr. LESLIE objected to the form of the precept. Un-
der it the Sheriff would return a Common Jury, while the
express words of their Act required them to have a Spe-
cial one.

Mr. MULLINS and Mr. ADET took the same view of the
matter, so that it was left over for the consideration of an-
other Court.

After some routine business the Court broke up.