The Sun.
London, England, 1824-06-03 00:00:00

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL•

,• Yesterday a Court of Common Council was
held at Guildhall, for the election of a Water Bailiff for the
City of London, in the room of Mr. Howell, deceased, and for
the transaction of other miscellaneous business.
A Report was presented respecting the New Court in the
Old Bailey.
Mr. S. DIXON said, it had been held out that a great
deal of business would be done in the two Courts, and there-
fore parties coming as prosecutors would not be so inconve-
nienced, by being kcpt for days from their business, in conse-
quence of which many prosecutions w. re given •up. He now
wished to know if Mr. Arabin had been appointed to sit
perpetually in the New Court, or only during the illness of the
Recorder ?
The LORD 11Imron did not see how the appointment of Mr.
Serjeant.Arabin eould enter into this question. - The:appoint-
ment of Mr. Sergeant Arabin had Wien place by the Court or
Aldermen; .hut.it.was not so permanently settled but that it
might undergerevision. .
Mr. DixoN was disposed to admit 'Mr.. Serjeant'Arahin's
perfect fitness for the situation ; but as his appointment in-
volved a larger salary, and consequently a disposal of the city's
'money,'he contended, that like all money bills in the House of
Commons, this measure should have originated in the Court of
Common Council, and not in the Court of Aldermen. He con-
sidered that the arrangement and keeping of all the Courts of
Justice in the kingdom were in the Sheriffs for the time be-
ing, and therefore he thought the Committee of City hands
had no right to apportion the new Court as it pleased. Every
Court in the kingdom should be an open Court, and therefore
lie should move an amendment to leave out part of the report
allowing persons to be. admitted to the galleries by tickets from
the members of the Corporation.
Alderman BROWNE said, the appointment of a commissioner
to sit in the new Court depended upon the lord Chancellor, as
Keeper of, the 'King's :Conscience. With respect to the city's
purse, he thought that both the Court of Alderman and the
Court of Common Council had a concurrent authority and juris-
diction over it. The appointment of Mr. Serjeant Arabin was
unconnected with any illness of the Recorder. Another officer
was necessary to keep the two courts going, and he was quite
surefire advantage to the public would amply compensate for
any additional expellee. He was of opinion that the regulation
of the courts was entirely in the hands of the Sheriffs.
Mr. OLDILAM said, that the new Court arose from the incon-
-venience in the manner of conducting the business at the Old
Bailey. This was referred to the' Judges, and they concurred
in it. It was found then that Mr. Servant Arahin had been
appointed to sit in the new Court by the Court of Aldermen.
With respect to the appointment of Mr. Sergeant Arabin, they
were not likely to come to any collision with the Court of Al-
dermen ; for he would be bold to say, that had the appointment '
of that Learned Gentleman been in the Common Council, it
would have been as unanimous as it was by the Court of Alder-
men, and most probably they would have been more liberal
in his allowance than the Court of Aldermen had been. As it
was evident that the Court of Aldermen had done nothing with
a view to trench upon the privileges of the Court of Common
Council in making. that appointment, he thought the Court
ought to agree unanimously with the Ittenort. The body of the
Court might be in the power of the Sheriffs ; but not the gal-
leries, which should be open to the public, and not be given to
the Sword Bearer, the Lord Mayor, and the Sheriffs' servants,
to make money for seats in them.
Mr. Alderman Woori said, the regulation of both the old
and new Courts was neither in the Court of Common Council
nor, in the Sheriffs : it was in the Judges. He saw no difficulty
about the salary of the new Commissioner, for the Court of
Aldermen had a right to settle all salaries connected with the
Police. He moved a resolution to refer back to the Report -ef
the Committee to ascertain the rights which had been in some
degree disputed.
Mr. Ju rr said, that if the Court of Aldermen had the fixing
of the salary of the.new Commissioner, they could appoint the
salaries of all. the other officers of the Corporation.
Deputy Hotini. agreed in that, and said that even the salary
of the Recorder Was fixed by the Court of Common Council.
He was glad at the unanimity with which Mr. Serjeat Arabi]]
had been iffeirited ; but in order to ascertain the right of the
Common Council, he gave notice that at the next Court he
would move that the salary of Mr. Arabin should be 500/. per
annum, instead of 4001. as fixed by the Court of Aldermen,
the latter sum being too little for the duties of the office.
After a few words from Mr. TAYLOR and Mr. S. DIXON,
The LORD MAYOR would say a few wordsnn this subject,
The admission of the public was admitted on all hands, but it
'was thought better to secure the attendance of more respectable
-persons by the payment of a small sum of money.
The Coaisiox SERJEANT said,. be bad endeavoured to give
an opinion as to the appointment and salary of his .Learned
Friend in such a way as to avoid all unpleasant differences
between the Court of Aldermen and the Court of Common
Councl.
'The. i
Report was then agreed to without a division.
The
,Court then proceeded to the appoißtment of a Water-
bailiff.

It was said yesterday that a forgery had been
i•omrniited for 14,0001. by altering an Exchequer
order from 4001. to the latter sum, which was
converted into cash on the Stock Excliange.
With this sum the offender purchased many
thousands of French Scrip, with which he has
absconded. It is hence inferred, that in the first
instance he would proceed to Yo