The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-23 00:00:00

THE FREEDOM OF THE CITY TO LORD GOUGH AND SIR

HARRY SMITH.

The LORD MAYOR presented letters which he had re-
ceived from the two Gallant Generals, acknowledging
the receipt of the resolutions of thanks of the Court, and
the freedom of the City, for their gallant services in India.
Ordered to be entered upon the journals.
His LORDSFIIP also presented a letter of thanks for the
donation of 1001. from the Ragged Union Committee.
The letter was entered upon the journals of the Court.
REVIVAL OF THE ANCIENT PRACTICE OF CORONERS.

his LORDSHIP then presented the following commu-
nication from Mr. Payne, the Coroner of the City of
London :

"To the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and
Corporation of the City of London, in Common
Council assembled.

"My Lord and Gentlemen,—l beg leave to report to
this Hon. Court that, in the month of August, 1845, I
revived the ancient practice of holding inquests, or
courts of inquiry, in cases of fire, a preeeeding which
had long been in disuse, but which appeared to me, from
the frequency of these destructive occurrences in
numerous parts of the country, to be most desirable to
resume.

" That such inquiries were formerly part of the Coro-
ner's duty, may be seen by a reference to the old treatises
on the Crown law, as well as the ancient statutes of the
realm ; and, inasmuch as the power to hold such courts
has never been taken from the Coroner, 1 was led to re-
sume the exercise of it from a conviction of its great im-
portance and utility.
" The example has been followed with public benefit,
in various part of the kingdom, and has been the means
of bringing to justice many offenders who, in all proba-
bility, would never have been discovered but for the in-
vestigation of the Coroner's Courts. It has also met
with the approbation of the Chief Justices and other
Judges before whom those cases were tried, as well as
many magistrates and members of the Corporation, and
the Times and other public journals.
" I have further the satisfaction to state that, not-
withstanding the city of London and borough of South-
wark contains more property than any other local dis-
trict in the kingdom, the only fires reported to me
within these districts within the last twelve months, as
being of sufficient importance to require an investiga-
tion by a jury, were, in London 9, and in Southwark 2,
a list of which I have sent herewith. Of these some
were incendiary and others accidental ; and the expenses
paid by me to constables, witnesses in those investiga-
tions, amount altogether to the sum of 201. Is. 2d. I

mention this, because there is at present no provision
made for the payment of those expenses.
" I have not charged my own fees for holding these
inquests, preferring to show that my object has been
public utility rather than personal emolument ; and it
will be a great gratification to me if my endeavours to
render the office increasingly useful, are approved of by
the Corporation, to whom I owe the favour of my ap-
pointment, as well as attended with success.—l have
the honour to be, my Lord and Gentlemen, your faith-
ful servant,

‘‘ WILLIAM PAYNE,

" Temple, Sept. 22, 1846."
Mr. STACEY said the letter ought to be received
merely as a communication from the Coroner. _

Ml'. PRENDERGAST, who listened with impatience to
the contents of the letter, said, the idea of a coroner
sitting, under such circumstances as were represented,
was an absolute farce. He had never heard a chief
justice, or any other law authority, say that a coroner
had any such power as that which was here described as
having been executed by the Coroner of the City of
London. As that gentleman had been kind enough to
favour the Court with the communication, he should
move that it be laid upon the table. He was sure it
ought not to go to a committee.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. DewsoN rose to move, as a rapid amendment
upon the motion, that the Coroner's letter be referred
to a committee. to consider and report. He was con-
vinced the practice, which bad been revived by the care
and energy of the Coroner, would be very serviceable to
the community.—(Hear, hear.) It was the firm belief
amongst the authorities at the fire-offices that many fires
originated otherwise than by accident, and the perfect
performance of the dutios of coroner was calculated to
increase the source of detection.
Mr. STEVENS seconded the amendment. The course
pursued by the Coroner gave additional security to life
and to property, and the Court ought to feel indebted to
Mr. Payne for having revived a practice which, though
evidently good, had fallen into disuetude.
Mr. TAYLOR expressed a similar opinion to that de-
livered by Mr. Stevens._ _ _

Mr. BOWER was decidedly opposed to the amendment.
The committee, if referred to, would probably recom-
mend the giving away of money upon the occasion ; and
the insurance officers were very well able to take care of
their own interests without the assistance of the Corpo-
ration.—(A laugh,)
The letter was then referred to a committee by a
large majority.

LONDON-BRIDGE APPROACHES CODIIIITTEE.

Mr. R. L. JONES brought up a report from the Com-
mittee, of which he has been for so many years chair-
man, for the discharge of the further part of the debt. It
stated that the Chamberlain having, in pursuance of the
directions of the Act, laid before the Committeea state-
ment of the surplus of the several duties and payments
of th• London Approaches Fund, for the quarter ending
the sth of October, and it appearing that the sum which
might be applied in discharge of the further part of the
sum raised in pursuance of the Act, was 21,4001., they
were of opinion that the Chamberlain should take proper
measatres for applying that sum accordingly, and give
the necessary notices in the manner prescribed by the
Act.

The report was unanimously agreed to.
TOWER-STREET IMPROVEMENT.
Deputy FINAN presented a petition from the inhabi-
tants of Tower Ward, praying for improvement in
Great Tower-street. The petition had been agreed to
at a meeting of the ward some weeks ago, and at which
time it obtained much publicity. The Deputy stated
that the widening of the street was demanded by the
enormous increase of traffic and population.
Mr. SELSON said he hoped the Improvement Com-
mittee would take into consideration the fact, that the
inhabitants are the best judges of their own interests in
the alterations suggested.
Mr. Loft said it was useless to widen Tower-street
without widening Watling street, and contended that for
one accident that happened in the former, three oc-
curred in the latter. He regretted to observe, that al-
though a resolution to the effect of making the indis-
pensable improvement in Watling-street had been three
several times agreed to, the Committee did not seem to
be as yet aware of the existing necessity.
Mr. BOWER said, the best place in which to com-
mence improvements was decidedly Tower-street, which
ought to constitute a free opening to the docks.
The petition was referred to the Improvement Com-
mittee.

GRAND BALL AT GUILDHALL.
Lord Dudley Stuart, Mr. J. B. Kirby, Mr. W. Adam
Smith, Mr. R. G. M'Donnell, of the Literary Associa-
tion of the Friends of the Poles, and Major C. Szul-
czewski, the secretary to the association, appeared with
a petition, requesting the use of the Guildhall on some
day after the 9th of November, for a ball and 'other en-
tertainments on behalf of the Distressed Poles. It
stated that although, since 1844, when the last ball was
given for their benefit, the number of the refugees had
somewhat diminished, their sufferings had received but
little mitigation, and that the Government of that un-
fortunate country were formerly in the most cruel
system of oppression.
Upon the motion of Deputy PEACOCK, seconded by
Mr. HOLT, the prayer of the petition was granted by the
unanimous vote of the Court.

. ....-
Lord DUDLEY STUART said, that as- he knew the
Court had business of great importance, to transact, he
would not trespass upon their time by any lengthened
observations. He thanked them in the name of the
Association of the Refugees, and of the whole nation of
Poland, and he would merely add that the Court must
form some idea of the service they were rendering, when
he assured them that in no one year since the commence-
ment of the atrocious subjugation of Poland had that
most unhappy country been subjected to more biting op-
pressions than in that which was aproaching to its close.