The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-05 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES.

COMMITTEE ON THE OPENING UP OF ST. JAMES'S-PARK.
—Yesterday this committee, consisting of Sir B. Hall
(chairman), Mr. Disraeli, Lord J. Manners, Lord
Grosvenor, Lord Hallam, Sir J. Paxton, Mr. Stephen-
son, Sir J. Shelley, Captain Boldero, Mr. W. Patten,
and Mr. Milne., met for the first time in Committee-
room No. 19, to consider the best means of communica-
tion between those parts of the metropolis that lie north
of St. James's-park and those to the south and south-
west of it. Mr. Pennethorne, architect to the Commis-
sioners of Works and Public Buildings, laid before the
committee the plans he had prepared for the proposed
communication between Pall-mall and Webtininster.
Me first proposed a road running down Pall-mall to the
paved road in the Mall, at a cost of 50,3901., which
would include an iron bridge over the water in St.
James's-park, 10 or 11 feet above the water way, at a
cost of 20,0001. Another plan he proposed was to
run a road from Cleveland-row through Lord Ellesmere's
stables, in front of Bridgewater-house, through Lord
Sydney's and Sir J. Patteson'e, into the Green-park, and
southward to Buckingham Palace, at a cost of 163,2001.
The greater part of the expense would be in the purchase
of property, and this road would involve the entire se-
verance of the Green-park. A third plan he proposed
would commence at Waterloo-place, between the Athe-
rmum and United Service Clubs, thence t) the Duke of
York's Column, the Mall, and Storey's-gate, and for this
route there were two estimates. The first, supposing the
Duke of York's Column to be left standing, would be
4,8001. ; and the second, supposing it to be removed,
would be 12,8001. It would be for the committee to de-
termine on the preferable road. A competent builder had
undertaken to remove the Duke of York's Column, and
to replace it on any given site within a quarter of a mile
for 5,0001. The total expense of the road from the Mall
to Storey's-gate, supposing the column removed, would
be 25,8001.; and if not removed, 17,8001. The' chair-
man invited evidence in connection with any other pub-
lic proposition for the purpose, but as no person respond-
ed the committee adjourned to Friday next.

CIVIL SERVICE SUPERANNUATION COMMlTTEE.—Yes-
terday in this committee, the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer in the chair, Sir C. Trevelyan, of the Treasury, was
examined all day upon the present system of judicial,
diplomatic, and ordinary civil service superannuatior.
He recommended either one universal system of super•
annuation, or one universal system of free pensioning,
by the state, preferring the latter system ; and in favour
of an abolition of the present system of abatement from
salaries of civil servants for superannuation allowance.
He would recommend an assimilation of the present
scales of salary throughout the civil service, and
central superintendence over all the departments.
The various committees that had lately so industri-
ously dealt with them had done nothing in the way
of practical remedy or reform, but had only reported,
and there it ended. If there were more civil servants
than were required fur the work of the Crown, they
were better, in his opinion, placed on the " re-
diedant" list than continued idly in the service. The
civil service system as at present conducted was on the
principle of unprofitable servants, combined with low
ay and want of encouragement and organisation.
There was a want of management in the administration
of the funds and is the regular keepßig of accounts, and
he instanced a case of this where 223,0001. was on one
occasion taken from the civil service superannuation
and carried to the finance account of the Customs re-
venue. The committee then adjourned to Friday.
The committee on the following bills declared their
preambles passed :—East of Fife Railway, Colonial
Bank, London Docks, Dundee Harbour, and Knot'
tingl ey Gas.
The committee on gas bills (the first on private bills
this session) commenced their inquiries into the Chel-
tenham Gas Bills, the Lancaster Gas Bill, and the Wey-
mouth Gas Bills, and the Cambridge University Town
Bill was also proceeded with.

UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE.

OXFORD, Mesas 4.

In the Congregation to be held on Thursday, March
G, the form of statute on the subject of the devices in
civil law, which was promulgated on Saturday, having
been amended in Council by the alteration of the clause
objected to by the Registrar (Mr. Rowden), will be pro-
mulgated afresh.
In a Congregation to be held on Saturday, March 8,
at 2 o'clock, a form of statute will be promulgated on the
subject of proceedings in Convocation.

LONDON AND COUNTY BAna•—Mr. Robert Keating,
M.P., and Mr. James Rhodes, have resigned their seats
in the direction of the London and County Bank, and
Mr. J. W. Burraester has been appointed a trustee is
the place of Mr. Rhodes.
of the 140,0001. brought by the Persia yesterday about
60,0001. was on French account, and the remainder has
been purchased for transmission to Paris.