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

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.
Yesterday a Court was held for the dispatch of a great
deal of public business.
Upon the motion of Deputy CORNEY, the question at
issue between the Court of Aldermen and the Court of
Common Council, upon the subject of the payment of the
expenses incurred by the Lord Mayor, in the survey of
the western district of the river Thames, was, without
discussion, referred to a committee of five members, with
instructions to open a communication with the Court of
Aldermen, with a view to an amicable adjustment of the
existing differences between the two Courts, and to re-
port the result.
The proposition, which was seconded by Mr. JcrrP,
who apprehended very disagreeable consequences from
a rupture, was received with high satisfaction by a very
crowded Court.

ALLEGED DEFICIENCIES —THE WINE DUES.
Mr. SELSON wished to be informed by the Chairman
of the Officers and Clerks' Committee, when it was likely
that the Court could be informed upon the important
subject of the deficiencies in the wine dues ? The public
were deeply interested in the matter, and looked fur the
information with great anxiety.
Mr. BuaN (the Chairman) said the committee were
doing all they could to ascertain whether there were any
deficiencies at all, and he expected that in the course of
three or four weeks he would be able to make a commu•
nication to the Court upon the subject.

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 LORDSHIP also presented a letter of thanks for the
donation of 100/. 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.
nicatiou from Mr. Payne, the Coroner of the City o,
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 itTrom 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 same
were incendiary and others accidental ; and the expenses
paid by me to constables, witneses 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
pubbc 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. _

Mr. 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 bad 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. DAWSON rose to move, as a rapid amendment
upon the motion, that the Coroner's letter be referred
to a committee. to consider and report. Ile was con-
vinced the practice, which had 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 tires
originated otherwise than by accident, and the perfect
performance of the duties 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 expref sed a similar opinion to that de-
livered by Mr. Stevens.
Mr. Bowan 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 Cerpo-
ration.—(A. laugh,)
The letter was then, referred to a committee by a
large majority.