The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-30 00:00:00

CLERKENWELL.

Several collectors attended with about 900 summonses,
to be sigaed by the magistrate, against housekeepers in
fur refusing to pay the poor-rate.
Clerken well parish,
A peculiar question was mooted in reference to the legal
liability of the parties against whom the summonses were
issued to pay two shillings costs of the summons, if the
amount sued for was tendered to the collector or col-
lectors prior to the process being served.
Th. presiding Magistrate offered it as his impression
that if the party came for.vard to tender payment to the
collectors before the summons was served, they could
not be legally called upon to pay the costs of the sum-
mons. The collectors said they were obliged to pay two
shillings for every summons signed by the magistrate,
and if parties came there to pay, they (the oollectors)
would be great auffmrs.

Magistrate—Some one may come and tender the
money whilst I am signing the summons, which, not
being served, they would think it a great hardship to be
called upon to pay 2s. costs. lie could not legally call
on them to pay if they demanded the strict administra-
tion of the law. lle suggested that the parish of Clerk-
enwcll should do as some other parishes did, apply to
Parliament for an act or clause to generalise the sum-
monses, so that the single signature of the magistrate,
would have the desired effect.

The Clerk said that some parishes did not adopt that
course in consequence of a jealousy of compromising
themselves with the Poor-law Commissioners.
The Magistrate urged the collectors to use immediate
means to kave the summonses served upon the parties,
who would be legally bound to pay the co,.ts if the pro-
cess were once served upon them. It was an important
question, and the officers ought to be supported in doing
their duty.
MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

A fireman. named Thomas Blntcl•, one of the Well's-
street station fire brigade, was requilsted to attend
before Mr. Hardwick, to explain shy he h,ad called on
a foreign gentleman, in Berwick-street, for 2/., his re-
ward for attending to put out a fire in a chimney in the
house.

The complainant said he believed a fire did take place
in the chimney, but certainly not in any part of the pre-
mises he occupied. The defendant, however, called on
his wife, and asked for 21., which he said was the reward
he was entitled to. Complainant sa v the fireman, and
the fireman then produced an Act of Parliament, and
said that it was his authority for demanding the money.
The defendant Blatch denied that he called on the
complainant to obtain money. He only wanted to• get
at complainant's name, that he might give it to the
churchwardens of the parish, whose duty it was to allot
the rewards.
Mr. HARDwecte said he believed all that the com-
plainant had stated, and disbelieved nearly all the de-
fendant's explanation. He was determined to set his
face against the system of obtaining money from house-
keepers by firemen under colour of applying for fire
rewards, because he was satisfied that this proceeding
was nothing less than a system of extortion. He hoped
the churchwardens would take care to disallow rewards,
for at least six months, to those firemen who were
proved to have been guilty of such conduct.
The, parties then retired.
•if AND S WORTH.

SUPPRESSION OF WIMBLEDON FAIR.—A few days
since it was publicly announced that a fair would be
holden at Wimbledon on Monday, and two following
days. That the inhabitants of the village might not
have to complain of any nuisance arising from it, it -w„
arranged that it should take place upon the ve:ge of the
common. A fair was held annually f'7,-.
-. a full century
in this village, but after the pao:,,in of the amended
Police Act, which gives the
rLommissgioners of Police the
power to suppress o
down. An ter thah chartered fairs, it was put
P!.', ern pt was made about two years since
to revir- it, but on application being made by the paro-
„dial authorities at this Court, the sitting magistrate
(Mr. Paynter) declared it to be illegal, and co:lscquently
it was not holden.

On Saturday, Mr. Moson, senior churchwarden, ap-
peared at this court, and made a statement to Mr. Clive,
the sitting magistrate, to this effect :—That a notice had
been extensively circulated within and abut the parish
of Wimbledon, stating that a fair would be holden on the
common on Monday next and two following days. The
clergyman and resident gentry were averse to this spe-
cies of amusement, as they considered it only tended to
debauch th 3 minds of both sexes, and create a scene of
riot and confusion, as well as bring iato the neighbour-
hood many loose characters. He had, therefore, been
requested to wait upon the magistrate, and solicit his aid
in its suppression. He would remind Mr. Clive that,
two years since, his brother magistrate decided that the
fair was illegal.
Mr, CLIVE said he would give the case his fullest
attention, and the applicant, having thlaiked the Bench
for its courtesy, withdrew.
_ .

Subsequently Mr. Busain, inspector of the V division,
had a private interview with the magistrate, the resalt
of which was the issuing of the following instructions to
the superintendent of police of the V division:—" I think
that the fair held in Wimbledon parish is unlawful, and
has been duly declared to be so, and may be dealt with
by the police accordingly, without further notice."
Mr. CLIVE subsequently stated that it was for Earl
Spencer, as lord of the manor, to show that the fair was
legal, and as his Lordship did not choose to attend and
do so, it must be understood as a tacit admission that
there was no claim.