The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-31 00:00:00

LONDON, WEDNESDAY t",.441NG-, DECEMBER 31, 1:856.

METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS•

A meeting of the board was held yestorday in the Conn•
cil-chamber, Guildhall, for various purposes; Mr. Thwaites
in the chair.

FINANCE.

The report of the finance committee set forth the follow-
ing cash account : g s. d.
Balance in hands of treasurer, Dec. 26, 1856 9,255 15 9
Checks drawn but not presented

Available balance 2,725 17
Amount of deposit account

Total general balance

BREACH OP PRIVILEGE.

Mr. }RUMEN called the attention of the board to what
he conceived to be a breach df privilege. A meeting was
held at the London-bridge Hotel on Monday by the occu-
piers of lands bordering upon the Thames, to consider the
main drainage scheme, at which the hon. member for Mary-
lobone (Mr. D'lffanger) was reported to have used the fol-
lowing words :—" There were some good and useful men
members of the Metropolitan Board of Works, but there
were also some who appeared to have been sent there only
to bring lqcal self-government into contempt. Those gentle-
men had formed themselves into a brutish, tyrannical ma-
jority, and the consequence was that Sir B. Hall had been
slandered, maligned, and insulted by the board." He
wished to ask the hon. member whether he admitted having
used such language, and, if so, whether he abided by it ?
Mr. .HAWKES rose to order, when

The CHAIRMAN interposed, and said it would be a
dangerous precedent if the board were to catechise hon.
members with regard to speeches they might make else-
where, however much they might disapprove language
which w3s neither courteous nor gentlemanly.
Mr. sAv,zaz and Mr. DAym appealed to the hoa. mom-
bei tO'retraeLthe expressions he had used,
Mr. D'IPFANG3R.--The words objected to, I understand,
are "a brutish antj
~yrannical majority." (Hear, hear.)
Well, then, I must aljde by them, and I feel, myself fully
vindicated by the record :If
your own proceedings on the
22d of October last.
PUBLIC PARKS, PLEAS,7IAD GROUNDS, &C.
OFFER said the principle is ad been settled with re.
gard to the necessity of having places' of recreation for the
public all round London. (" No, no 1") Why, it was part,
of the duty prescribed to them by act of Parliament, which'
enacted that f`parks, ph -1-
and open spaces, and ap
ment of the metropolis,

tants thereof," sUould
,they had the opportunit;

were bound to carry th.
effect. Several plane

diagram had been exhi,

was to be belted round

When the board waited on th
querhe asked how much money: they would require for
the various works they had to effect, but at that time their
attention was exclusively devoted to the great drainage
scheme, and they were not then prepared with estimates
in regard to any` other works. No doubt they would be of
very serious amount, more especially when they came—as
he hoped they would sooner or later come—to the embank-
ment of the Thames. There would also be the purchasing
of certain bridges. What he wished, therefore, was to
have all the memorials addressed to the board on these
various subjects, printed with the plans and estimates, i
order that the board might be able to judge to what eaten
they could proceed, and to'determine which of such work
should be first uudettaken. He therefore moved that
the memorials relating to he formation of parks, plea"
sure grounds, &c., be printed,• a ith the 'plans au d, estil
mates..

. . .
Mr. SAVAGE seconded the motion. : '
The CHAIRMAN said the whole question had .been, re'
ferredto a cbmmittee, 4wlici-wbuld 120 doubt report Upon
the memorials.
The motion was ;thereupon withdrawn. ,
DISCHARGE'OF SEWAGE INTO THE THAMES.
• Mr. 011'OR said it was a common remark that, even if
;the boapd.succeeded in linking London itself free of sew.
age, there would gill be an amazing, quantity of impute
matter Coming down the river from, above and beyou'd t 'e
metropolitan districts. If, therefore, they intended o
make the Thames plorotighly pate, it was of importin a
to know what legal powers the 'board possessed for epo -
ping any impurities froth going into the Thames or wiy
of its tributaries. He therefore would move
.ifihat inasmuch as it will be necessary to prevent the
',:4iB.9llllrgelf sewage and other impurities into<the '4140

'• ,
trial, in order to carry out completely the purtheation
of the river, the clerk be instructed to report to the board
the present state of the law upon this subject, and to ad-
vise them if they have any, and,.if any, what powers in
this respect."
Mr. SNOW seconded the motion.
- -

Mr. Deputy HARRISON—Do you include Oxfqrd ?
' Mr. OFFOR—I include all matter that runs into the
river and defiles'it, whether from places above or beyond
the metropolitan districts.
Mr. BOWL/Dl—How do you mean to dispose of the large
quantity of sewage and foul water that cones from the
shipping in the Pool ? (A laugh.)
Mr. CARPMAEL said the last report of the Board of
Health called the attention of the Government to the fact
that a great many towns on the banks of the Thames were
turning their sewage into the river, and pointed out the
necessity of something being done by the Government to
prevent that state of things continuing. It was much to
be regretted that the Board of Health had itself been the
cause of 19-20ths of all these openings of sewers into the
river. The subject, however, was being dealt with else-
where ; he therefore did not think it necessary that the
board should interfere.
Major LYON thought it was a matter that did not con-,
cern the board.
Mr. DAVIS was of opinion that they should wait until
they had purified their own river, before they interfered
with the tributaries. , _

Mr. TURNER considered it a question which did concern
them, and that this war the proper time to act; but not
exctly in the way suggested. No doubt many towns had
'obtained what wore called "easements," and had a riglitto
throw their sewage into the river. What, therefore, the
board ought to do was to represent to the Government that
as long as these rights existed, and were exercised, the
efforts of the•board to purify the Thames within the limits
of the Metropolis would be rendered fruitless, and to re-
present to Government that some legislative measure was
necessary to obviate that difficulty.
The motion was then put and negatived.

VESTRY OF ST. PANCRAS.
Mr. WILKINSON presented a " memorial" from the ves-
try of St. Pancras, stating that the vestry was of opinion
that it was the duty of the Metropolitan Board of Works
to inquire whether the main drainage scheme, which was
to be adopted at a cost to the ratepayers of 3ad. in the
pound for a period of 50 years, might not be so modified as
to allow the adoption of the deodorising principle, and
leave an opportunity for the usage of the sewage hereafter,
and thus save the ratepayers from a heavy permanent tax.
The CHAIRMAN said it was very desirable that memo-
rials coming from vestries should be correct in regard to
the facts set forth in them. It was here stated that the con-
struction of the main drainage would cost the ratepayers
3d. in the pound for 50 years. That was not the case. It
was true an advance of 4,000,000/. would require a rata of
that amount, and for that period ; but not half of that sum
would be required on account of the drainage scheme. In-
stead of 31d., in all probability, the rate fOr that purpose
would not be more than lid. in the pound. Would his hon.
friend persist after this in presenting the memorial ?
Mr. TURNER thought the memorial ought not to be re-
jected merely because it was supposed to be incorrect in one
of its statements.
Mr. OFFOR having looked at the documents, pointed out
to the board that it was not a memorial, but only a copy of
a resolution which had been passed by the vestry.
A long and warm discussion then ensued as to whether
the document should be received or rejected not only on
account of the inaccurate statement it was alleged to con-
tain, but also on account of its infprmvlity.

. _
-- --., ,
The question was put to the vote, and on a division the
members were equal, 12 voting for and 12 against the mo-
tion. The chairman then gave his casting vote for the
reception of the memorial.

to the scheme not coming back to them, they all knew that
some scheme must come back.

Mr. Holds said, if the motion had referred merely to
the specific plan B*, then the objection of Mr. Taylor would
have some force ; but the question was not confined to
any particular plan. _ Of one thing they were Certain that
some main drainage-plan must be carried out. •
Mr. TURI,TER said if the object of Major Lyon was to dis.
tribute the burden more equally no time ought to be lost,
otherwise the main drainage scheme would be settled by
Parliament next session, and another session would be ro-
auired by the board to obtain the powers to determine by
whom the expense should be borne.
After a few words from Mr. Deputy Harrison the mo-
tion was agreed to.

The ear; question as regarded the improvements of the
metropolis was also referred to the committee. -

SUBSOIL Or TIIE NEW STREETS.

Mr. WEIGHT moved that the committee be instructed to
insert clause in the bill relating to the formation of the
new streets, giving the board power to deal with the sub-
soil of the new streets in the construction of subways if the
board should deem it advisable,' and to, retain or dispose of
the property in such subsoil as they might think proper.

Mr. CARPMARL seconded the motion. .
Mr, H. L. TAYLOR thought the board'ought to have in-
creased powers. The new street in Southwark ivai to.come
out opposite Stamford-street. verybody must havo ob-
served that at the corner of that street there were several
houses which were a. perfect muslin& to the neighbour-
hood and highly detrimental to the property near them;
besides which they were entirely released from all taxa-
tion, which ought not to he. Yet there was no board
which could deal with such houses unless they were in
what was legally termed a dilapidated state. There were
houses in a similar condition.on Snow-hill, all belonging
to the same individua.la•,,wbo waa.s► very eccentric person.
Re had been told, indeed, that the old' mu was dead, but
that his bodY'was still kept in one of the houses in Stam-
ford-street by his wife, who was equally eccentric or mad.
He was sure the public would consider it a groat benefit if
the board had the power to deal with all property thus
circumstanced. •
Major LYON 'said, however desirable it might be to get
power over those houses, he did not think it likely that
Parliament would give it to them. They all knew that
when men were mad or eccentric they used their property
in very strange ways.
Mr. HoWe said it was worth a trial, because those
nublir isance, and the owners of property
ire greatly injured by them.
)N asked whether the object of the
temporary or a permanent control
soil ? Ho did not see any ailvan-
dning that control. It would be
he board in constant controversies

Lot know any way in which the
metropolis in a larger degree than
by having the fullest poweis over the' subsoil.
Mr. D'IFFANGER thought it would be a great dereliction
of duty on the part of the board if they did not reserve to
themselves this right. By possessing the control of the
subsoil the board might form a tunnel through the streets
for gas-pipes, water-pipes, telegraph wires, and other use-
ful public purposes. •
Mr. WEI,GHT said, if the motion were agreed to he would
suggest that the board should advertise for the plan of a
Model section of the subsoil of the street. That being
doe 'for the new street in Southwark, it might be from
tinote,to time applied to the old streets, so that, at the end
of SO years, there might be subways throughout the whole
of the meiropolis.
The Motion was then pat and agreed to unanimously.

The board, having disposed of the whole of the business
on the agenda paper, adjourned Lyt a quarter beforo five
o'clock.

- -
TSB,pfTI-INCOME TAX AGITATION.

t 1

GLOUCESTER, DEC. 30.

A second public meeting to petition Parliament for. the
entire and immediate abolition of the income-tax wea held
hero last night, and the event derived additional import=
anco in consSquenco of the attendance of Admiral Berkeley,.
wll3 made a-speech on the occasion. The meeting was con-
vend by, tbe Mayor, who presided; and was most flume;
rously and influentially attended. Both the city members,'
the Right Hon. 'Sir M. F. Berkeley and Mr. W. P. Price,
were present, and most of the merchants, professional gen-
tlethen, and"tradesmen of the city.

'The MAYOR having opened the rocoadings,
Mr. S. BoWLY proposed the, firsf tesolution :
dismuksystUnamlateti ig depre§iiisi,the principle of an
inenne4isCaspaal aria' u0jk.4.14. -sii)pllnatioti, op-
pressive in its execution, vexatious in its assessments, de-
moralising in its tendency, and from its inquisitorial cha-
racter derogatory to the freedom of Englishmen, more par-
ticularly when applied to trade, professions, and uncertain
incomes' and should therefore be immediately and totally
repealed as far as relates to schedule D." (Cheers.) He
condemned the inquisitorial and unjust character of the
tax, and said the arguments of its supporters furnished
ample grounds for its abolition. To the objection that if
the tax were repealed a substitute must be provided he
said the duty of every honest Government, as of every
honest man, was to limit its expenditure to its income.
The resolutioni was seconded by Mr. T. M. STURGE, who
strongly denounced the tax as iniquitous, and said the
meeting did not deserve the name of Englishmen if they
submitted to the tax any longer.
Admiral Sit M. F. BERKELEY, M.P., on rising, was
received with loud applause. He said,—l should not have
risen to address you upon this occasion if it had not been for
some few words which fell from my bon. friend who
seconded the resolution; and also to explain to you that
when I came down here through the kindness of one of the
committee, I was fully led to understand that there would
not only hate been a direct censure upon the Government
to which I have the honour to belong, but that there was
also an intention expressed in that resolution to tie the
tongues—l will not say the hands—of myself and my hon.
colleague, Mr. Price, binding us in that sort of way that
we were no longer to be your free representatives, but tied
down and told that if we did not choose to be put into
leading strings we were no longer fit to be your represen-
tatives. (Cheers, and a voice, " That's true.") My hon.
colleague can speak more eloquently than I can attempt to
do, but I will say this fot myself, and iii all kindness and
goodwill to you, citizens of Gloucester, that I am glad the
resolution has not been so framed, and that no attempt has
been made to bind us; because, although I am growing,
and even now am, an old man, yet have I the spirit of an
Englishman about me, and I never would be a bondsman
as a representative. (Cheers.) Mr. Sturgis has slightly
touched, and in a gentleman-like manner, upon a subject
that has been alluded to elsewhere; I don't complain of
the way in which he has treated it, but elsewhere it has
been handled in a coarse and ungentleman-like style; I
mean as to whether the Government intend to take advan-
tage of some 28 days having elapsed over the financial year
to impose the increased war tax for another year. Some
have gone so far as to say that it is the intention of the
Government so to do. Some say that it is a quibble; some
that is worthy only of a pettifogging attorney, who would
be struck off the rolls for such conduct ; and they at once
assume that because a man is a member of a Government,
and is in the proud position of governing a body of free
men, that he would be guilty of a dirty action. (Cheers.)
Now, let me say this—it has been prophesied, it is so stated
by the Financial Reform Association of Liverpool, and also
by certain country gentlemen (who, I think, in meddling
with the income tax before an agricultural population are
knocking their heads against a stone wall), that this petti-
fogging conduct will be pursed by the Government. It is
even said that such is the intention of the Chancellor of
the Exchequer. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, as we
all know, is a very hard task-master; it is his business
to make a bargain for the country ; and it is his busi-
ness, also, to stand by it when it is made. But, the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer has a master over him in the Prime
Minister. Now, I will venture to contradict all those who
have said that it is the intention of the Government to take
this advantage of the people. (Cheers.) Let me not be
mistaken ; I do not say this upon authority, but I say it
as a subordinate of that Government. I do not believe
that it would be capable of taking such an advantage.
(Cheers.) And why do I say so ? Look at the antecedents
—look at the character the noble lord the member for
Tiverton, who is now at the head of the Government, has
established for himself. His is no sneaking policy ; he makes
no attempt to obtain anything by a quibble that be can
obtain by asking for honourably and honestly of the repre-
sentatives of the nation. Thenfore do I say wait till the
time comes. I will not believe it till I see it, and I, for
one, would not be a party to it. (Cheers.) . Mr. Bowly,
proposing the resolution, told you to abolish the tax at
once, to do away with it altogether. (A Voice.—" That's
what we want.") I should be very glad to see its (A
Voice.—" And we must have it.") Mr. Bowly told you
to abolish it, and in the same breath to reduce your ex-
penditure to meet your income. It is very well to say that
now, but unfortunately we have spent tbe money. I would
ask this assembly whether it would be willing to take Eng-
land from her proud position—whether it is prepared to
take down from her high position the country to which it
belongs? We stand foremost by our wealth, intelligence,
courage, love of freedom, and Christian charity, in the
most comprehensive sense of the term—we stand forth the
champion of the world against slavery, despotism, and the
strong overpowering the weak. (Loud cheers) Will you,
then, consent to take that advice which will remove you
from that high pedestal, and place you in the lowest scale
of nations? (Hear.) It is well to say we are not to keep
up an army, that we do not want a navy—but where
would you be without them ? If you reduce your army
and navy— mind, I do not wish you to keep up a useless
expenditure—but if you reduce your forces to that low
point that you cannot upon any sudden emergency
bring into operation that pwer which you Englishmen
alone throughout the worldoare able to wield, then 1 say
good by to the English character, good by to the greatness
of Great Britain. (Loud cheers.) I would willingly go
en d;
andw ho I haveagre
e wi addressedth tl youe
Liv
Liverpool
tisokl eoff
Financethis
Reformo
wc i3bial
presentnttrhno oxamn, o,ayutss
asff tnxt taxoe• Association,
theorst
aai ntniot:t ghntetl
ynu
Government
a r
ho ft
theey
Gare
mv
errathernm to
on tc.harsho nT thi ina ntu theirea
sasso-
ciation,
the.
r
goes on to say : .
" We agree with you that the quibble under which her
extension Majesty's Co
fh
tahnec eel lotrr
me f, ed. i
mEpxocs he
(el
ou
re rwseeksu
purposes,
o p
oses, justifyun tdhe er
the express stipulation that it was to cease within a certain
period after the signing of a treaty of peace, for a full year
after the time prescribed, is one worthy only of a petti-
fogging attorney who has been struck off the rolls for chica-
nery and dishonest purposes. We agree with you that it is
unfair to tax precarious and transitory incomes at pre-

cisely the same rate as incomes derived from property
which despends from generation to generation. We agree
with you that the evils incident to the tax, as at present
levied, are frequently much aggraiated by the arbitrary
and oppressive conduct of, persons connected with its as-
sessment and collection." • .

. _
I agree with them word for word; and I also concur with
thorn when they go on to give you tlee' strongest possible
advice to take care how !you feil‘ into the trap of doing
away with direct tore-establie;ii indirect taxation. (Hear.)
Something has been said of the representatives by whose
votes this tax was imposed ; but leek Who it was that con-
sented to the tax, and see whether they wore not what is
called the "friends of the people," and look at those who
opposed the vote, and you will find that it was the men
who throughout their lives had been bolsterers up of mo-
nopoly. It may be well to call to mind a man who is called
the man of the people, a man whom the people taxed
themselves toyeward for the exertions Which he had made
in their favour. 1 refer to Richard Cobden, who, speaking
of the income tax, said,:—
" Is there anything intrinsically worse in the income
tax than in the taxes on tea and wine? In what way is it
worse? Does it give rise to greater oppression in its inci-
dence? "See how large a portion of the income of a poor
man with a family is spent on the half ounce of tea that
he is under the necessity of purchasing. What is paid for
the'dntereen that tea? The same duty is paid on his tea
which you can purchase in the bonded warehouse at 100.
per lb. as On' the finest flavoured Pekoe or gunpowdelr,
which costs ss.
,or 6s. • Can you show anything in the
income tax more unjust in
.its operation than that 'I
'might go through' the whole li3t of taxes, and, Pathongh
you would not find the same inequalities in cases, yet
lot it be borne in mind that when you levy a tA.x on con-
sumable articles of every-day comfort you me,y be sure the
mass of the people pay a far larger sum' iu Dropoition to
their income than is paid by the rich. maintain you
may always collect direct taxes cheaper, than indirect taxes.
I never heard it said that the incorae tax iuterferes with
the progress of industry, or impedrJa Commerce in any way
whatever." •
I am sorry to have detained ysti so long, but I *as desirous
you should set yourselves r'eglet, with your representativee.
I am as anxious as any elle feo do away with this obnoxious
tax, but before I earnsonset-iio to do I lariat see Mie,verig",
g
clearly that Great Tesrit'ein pay. her debts honnitly.
I will only refer, to wee other matter, and that is almost
personal to myself as ono who hasthe mana ement of
that arm of 'elle service which we all so dearly love—the
navy.
We era told to reduce that navy,. and, in short,
to put it dawn altogether. Now, I can asSueree you, as I
stand before
you an honest man, that had the navy been
kept elle in that state of efficiency which I belieVe it ought
to leave been, you would not have been charged by at, least
one-third the amount which the war experidtiitre of the
navy has been. It is unferturiately ton true, that when
we undertook the war we were not prepared, so far as the
navy is concerned; to Carry it but la away that this great
maritime. nation ought to have beefs. But while I eay
this I will not go 'the length of the late Commander-in-
Chief of the Baltic fleet, for I belibte to•doubt can be en-
tertained as to thb result of• the conflict had the Russian
fleet come out. The Admiral' was pleased to sae:that he
doubted-the issue of such a. conflict.. I say that,ihere was
neither an offiger, man, nor boy in his fleet that entertained
any such doubt whatever—(cheers)—and had finch 'a doubt
existed iu the mind of any man whose nerveseweee not
shaken by age I could not have slept in my bed, knowing it
was I who had sent them to-sea. Lwas in cerrespondenno
with most of theofficers of that fleet, and they one and all
felt confident in the men they had under them, and assured
me that if the Russians would but give them a chaucceby
coming out, that. those ships which were not sunk would
be led in triumph to a British port. ' (Cheers.) This much
I think L owe to myself to state, because the gallant ad-
miral has publicly said he felt a doubt as to the issue of the
conflict. (Loud cheers, and a voice—" Why didn't you'
go yourself ?")
Other speeches followed, and a petition to Parliament,
embodying the views of the meeting in opposition to the
income tax, was agreed to, and the meeting, which did not
terminate until past 11 o'clock, then broke up.

............_,
leasnr.e,grounds, places Of recreation, 'houses were a public nuis
pproprtated thereto for the' i mprove- lin the neighbourhood we
lc-
,or the public benefittaithe.: . abi- ' Mr. Deputy HAREM/
be provided 'o , iito WA er ; clause was to obtain a to
ty of doing !.. 41. .'the surface and subs
1
hat provisions. ,* • . :" # e board in obtai
had already been ,pr#-. L. #
,i,# vin: tb
ibited showing how the me • •I i • '
by parks and places of recreation. •, - . AEL di. Ail
aon the Chancellor of the Exche- board c. # # improve the.