The Sun.
London, England, 1841-04-07 00:00:00

COURT OF SEWERS, WEST-

MINSTER.

Alajoricy

... -9

The CHAIRMAN then reported on the Marquis of N.;r-
manby's Drainage Bill, stating that the Bill had Luton
divided into two Bills as the Court had suggested, so
that the drainage was kept distinct from the regulations
respecting buildings and ventilation. The Bids were
then la'd oa the table for the information of the Commis-
sior•.ers.
The CHAIRMAN gave notice that at the next meeting
the Court would have to consider the propriety of issuing
a precept to the Sheriff, calling upon him to summon a
Jury to make a presentment of property liable to be rated
in the western division of the district.
The Court then proceeded to consider as to signing war-
rants for levying upon the churches and other newly rated
property in the Eastern division of the Westminster
Sewer:.
The CHAIRMAN complained of the great inconvenience
of leaving such questions as these open, and impressed
upon the Court the necessity of coming to a decision on
the question as speedily as possible. He briefly recapitu-
lated the history of the proceedings in relation to the
rating of churches, and concluded by saying that if it were
decided to issue those warrants, they must be drawn up in
such a manner as to throw the protection of the Court
around those who signed them. He for one could not,
holding the opinions be did, sign a warrant against the
church.
Captain BAGCE thought it would be dangerous for the
Commissioners to sign warrants against the churches at
present; and therefore he should move " that the signing
of warrants of distress against the churches be postisolsed
until the decision of the two Courts of Exchequer and
Queen's Bench be determined."
Sir G. !''ARRANT could net see how the decision of the
Court in the case of Clselsea Hospital could determine the
question of the churches. He should therefore move as
an amendment that warrants of distress be issued against
the churchwardens of the church of St. Martin's-in-the-
fields.

Mr. WIIITE seconded the amendment. He would sign
the warrant, and he apprehended that, being a qualified
Commissioner, he should run no risk from doing his duty.
On the contrary, if he refused to carry out the law, he should
run the risk of being struck off the Commission—a thing
which he should dread much more than any ecclesiastical
censure. He had no doubt as to the liability of the
hurches ; and, without asking the protection of the
Co,irt in any way, he was perfectly ready to put his name
to the warrant.
Sir J. S. LILLIE thought the only way of bringing the
matter to it decision, was by immediately issuing a warrant.
Ha did not see how they could recede. They bad ad-
vanced boldly until they came within sight of the enemy,
and now they were showing the white feather.—( Hear. )
Their were all sworn not to show any favour, dread, er
malice, and hens they were showing dread.—( A laugh.)
They were to be guided by law and not by any m'an's opi-
nions. He supported the amendment.
Mr. GUNTER had signed the last warrant, and hoped
that those who had not already signed, would now come
forward and sign this one. He thought there could be no
difficulty in executing the warrants, and be hoped they
would be signed to-day. If there were not enough to
sign without him, ha would put his name to the warrant.
The Court then divided, when there appeared—
For the amendment ll
Against it 6
Maj rity for issuing the warrant —s
Sir J. S. LILLIE moved that the warrant be prapared
And laid before the Court on the next Court-day for signe-
tore in such form as the Solicitor might advise,
The motion was agreed to.
'On the motion that a wErrant bo issued against Mr.
Madge, or the trustees of the Unitarian Cnaiel is Essex-
street, _

Mr. SMITH, the Solicitor, said he cquld not take upon
himself to say that a warrant signed in an alternative would
be a valid one.
Mr. LESLIE—Can you issue a legal warrant out of the
presentment?
Mr. should think not, Sir.
The CHAIRMAN—Which would be the most safe, to it-
sue a warrant against Mr. Mudge alone, or to include the
alternative of the trustees ?
Mr. SMITH —The most safe course would be to follow
the presentment.
Warrants were then ordered to be issued for levying dis-
tresses on various chapels, schools, and other public
buildings.
The next business before the Court was to receive the
Report of the solicitors of the circumstances conneoted
with the else, and opinion given thereon by Sir Wil jam
Horne and Sir John Campbell in 1833, as to the right of
the Commissioners to distrain for arrears of rate.
The Report stated that on a case beiig submitted to
the Law Officers of the Crown in 1833, those officers gave
wpm ate opinions, as one of them, Sir John Campbell, was
in the country. The opinions differed, and the Commis-
sioners desired the solicitors to procure a joint opinion.
They accordingly attended the Law Officers in consulta-
tion, and on that occasion Sir John Campbell retracted
his former opinion, and the joint opinion was in favour of
the powers of the Commissioners. The solicitors were
not aware that either opinion had been laid before Parlia-
ment.

Mr. LESLIE moved that the Report be printed and cir-
culated among the Commissi
Captain Wove seconded the motion.
Sir J. S. LILLIE could not support the motion until he
kuew the object of it.
Mr. GODERICH should like to see the affair cleared up.
Mr. LESLIE said his object was to show that the opi-
nions had not been fairly represented to the Court, and
that the first opinion of Sir John Campbell was the one
he was acting on in regard to Chelsea flospi!al. That first
(pinion had rever been iesereed in their book, why be
could not tell, neither was it returned to Parliament ; but
the last opinion was attached to the case. That was in-
explicable.
Sir J. S. LILLIE, after that explanation, would not op-
pose the motion, which was agreed to without a division.
Mr. Users moved that the present system of collecting
the Sewers rates Le taken into consideration. He ob-
jected to the present system of collection, and alluded to
the recent defalcation as a proof cf its inefficiency. It
would not do to dismiss the present collectors ; but, as the
places became vacant, the remaining collectors might do
their duty. They were now paid 83. in the pound. The
collectors of St. George's, Hanover-square, were paid
only 3d. in the pound. They had collected 51,0001. and
paid it into the Bank. Every Court-day many persons
came to the Court aid paid their rates. Now he
pro-
posed to make this a head office for the collector, and to
have a young man appointed to that situation who would
not be liable to the casualties to which persons in trade
like the present collectors were liable. He should thee_
fore propose that the present vacancy be not filled up in
order to introduce a new and improved system. He would
not wish to throw off or reduce the present collectors, but
be would propose that vacancies as they eccurrzd should
nut be filled up, so as gradually to introduce au improved
kw'•ir, and he would move to that effect.
o
Mr. UNWIN objected to the proposed plan. The nn-
appointment of a new collector would inflict great injury
upon the owners of small houses who would have to pay
the rates to which the tenants were liable.
Mr. GODERICH seconded ildr. Leslie's motion. It
Was
an exceediugly bad plan to employ tradesmen as collec-
tors, as it always led to de fileations. The poundage given
by the Court was a great deal too much—they ought not
to interfere with the ,present collectors, but they should
take that opportunity of introducing a system for gradually
reducing the expense of the collection.
Mr. UNwIN moved as an amendment that the pre3eni
vacancy be filled up.
Mr. &nuex seconded the amendment.
Mr. BROUGHTON thought that the question of defalca-
tion had nothing to do with difficulties in business, but
was an abstract question of positive honesty, and, in that
point, he did not see how the new plan was to be better
than the old one. He thought it could not be done at
the rate alluded to, for there was no analogy between the
collection of Parisk-rates and Sewers-rates. If they
looked at the work done, they paid less for the collection
of Sewers rates than was paid for the collection (1
Parish-rates. They could not at er the s)stem in the way
proposed, because, if the vacancies were not filled up,
they would not have strength enough to do the work.
Sir J. HANSLER supported the amendment.
Mr. WILLOUGHBY, although approving of the system of
collection, thought the method of app,A„ting the
cot.
lectors, and the mode of remunerating them, well worthy
of consideration. He thought it advisable that the col-
lector should not have any other occupation.
Sir J. S. LILLIE thought Mr.
Leslie ought to have
stated in his notice what alteration be proposed.
Mr. Grigg supported the amendment, on the ground
that the old system had anseered extremely well. lie
did not consider the commission allowed to the eol.
lectors too high. There could he no large defalcation
if the rule prohibiting a collector from retaining more than
501. in his hands bad boon acted on.
Mr. BROUGHTON suggested th.t no security should be
taken from the Collectors, hut that they should be put
in the situation of servants of the Court, and then, in the
event of any defalcation, they might be indicted for felony.
Mr. HAWKE! considered the
poundage much too hige,
and would support the motion. He thought, however, that
a new collector might be appointed
on a less poundage.

An adjourned meeting of the Court of Sewers for the
City and Liberty of Westminster, was yesterday held at
the Office of the Commissioners, Greek street, Soho. J.
L. Donaldson, Esq., in the Chair.
After the or2iinary routine business had been transacted,
The CLERK reported that the Comptroller-General's
Office, and various other offices in Whitehall-yard, and
also the various offices in the Horse-Guards, had been
omitted from the Poor-rate, and that the overseers bad
reported that those places had been omitted on account of
the impossibility of enforcing the rate. He further re-
ported that those places had all hitherto been rated to the
Sewers'-rate, and that the rate bad always been paid, and
the Court ordered that they should continue on the pre-
sentment.
On the question of the expense of the traverse, which
came before the Court on the examination cf the Bill of
Messrs. Smith, thr solicitors,
The CHAIRMAN proposed that it should be borne by the
whsle
Mr. LESLIE objected to that course. The expenses of
Mediy and Prich:rd had been thrown exclusiv,ly on the
Western District, and now it was sought to thruw upon
the Western District a portion of the law expenses of the
traverse, which was exclusively the concern of the Itane-
lagh District.
Mr. BARKER thought that as the question decided by
the traverse jury affected every district, the exrnse
ought to be borne by the districts generally.
Mr. GOODRICH thought it was clear under the rules of
the Court that the expense must be borne by the whole
district.
Mr. HAWEES objected to throwing the expense upon
the whole district. It was a mere local matter, and ought
to be borne exclusively by the district concerned.
The Court then divided--
For throwing the expense on the general district 11
Against it 2

The Court then divided.
For the amendment
Against it
Majority
Friday, the 23d of April, was fixed for examining
didates

Sir JOHN HANSLER moved—" That, for the future, the
Sheriff be directed to summon a Special Jury on all oc-
casions." On the last occasion there had arisen a discussion
as to whether a guinea or a shilling should be paid to each
Juryman, and as a guinea was paid he thought they were
entitled to have guinea men.
The motion not having been sec -inded fell to the ground,
and the Court adjourned to the 16th of April next.

CAPE HOUSES, SHEEP, AND
WAGGON DRIVERS.

In the course of my peregrinations I had seen many
very indifferent specimens of horse-flesh, but never did I
behold such an assemblage of carrion as were paraded
next day before the Clarence to take us across to
Cape Town, a distance of some three or four-
and-twenty miles. Literally not one sound limb
could be mustered among the whole set ; they ap-
peared to have monopolised every feiling which
accident, disease, or ill teatment so often entail on the
noble animal. They were each and every one like friend
Petruchio's steed, "troubled with the lanipas, infected
with the fashions, full of vvindgalls, sped kith spavinp, ' Bse. ;
and as we mcunted their galled backs, we despairA
of ever arriving at the end of our journey, bssidea
having some slight misgivings if, by the attempt,
we should not bring ourselves under Mr. Martin's
Ac'. However, we were assured that only appea--
ances were against them, and that once warm in
the saddle they would prove very Bucephalt ; and
the event justified this prediction. The first couple of
miles along the smooth sandy beach gave them an
opportunity of making their limbs much more degage;
and by the time we had reached the Halfway House, wt:ere
we each had a glass of capital ale, they bowled along alike
" bricks" over the fine broad asd level road which
would not have disgraced an English turnpike. Hitherto
we had passed over an open heathy country, on which were
grazing large flock; of sheep remarkable for the size of their
tails, composed of enormous masses of fat; and the skipper,
being a bit of a wag, assured us that in the more fertile parts
of the country, where this was increased by the greater
richness of the pasture, it was no uncommon thing to see
a large flock of sheep, each tackled to a wheelbarrow,
being unable in any other manner ta carry their tails
The waggons, their extraordinary-looking drivers, and
the large teams of oxen employed to drag them along,
likewise attracted our attention. They are complete am-
belitory towns, in which whole families, carry ing
every requisite of " board and lodging," often make
journeys of seven or eight hundred miles into the interior,
the teams of oxen not unusually consisting of eight couple,
two abreast. These are guided by the most peculiar-look-
ing charioteers that ever graced the Hippodrome, the
Olympic games, or an English " four-in-hand." The
most prominent feature in their costume is the symbol cf
their swaying a whip which in dimensions beats every-
thing that the imagination can picture. Then comes the
large conical bat, built of leaves like the thatched roof of an
Indian cottage, which it almost rivals in dimensions. Last,
though not least, arc the " crackers." But the reader w ould
in vain rack his fancy to find out the meaning of this term,
which does duty for what the ladies more delicately
(dear sensitive creatures I) call " inezpressibles." The
euphonous appellation I believe originated from the
peculiar noise made by these articles until long wear and
constant use had somewhat suppled the stiff bullock
hides (1 which they are constructed, and which, if not
" built" on the wearer, are so firmly fitted to his nether
parts, that, day and night, in health and sickness; in the toils
of travel, during the repose of the conjugal couch, they are
said to be his inseparable companions, aye even in death.
never "falling off" from their "close attachment" until the
hand of time and decay scatter their ragged t emains to the
winds of Heaven.—Old Sporting Magazine,