The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-19 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS.

ELECTION OF CLERK.
A portion of the following a,ppeared in our impression
of yesterday :
The adjourned meeting of the Board was held this
morning at Burlington-house, Piccadilly, for the elec-
tion of a clerk to the Board ; Mr. Thwaites in the chair.
The list of the names of the candidates for the situa-
tion have already appeared in Tice Sun.
The CHAIRMAN then put the names to the vote, when
the numbers declared for each candidate were as fol-
lows

Mr.
Mr.
Mr.

Curling
Woolrych
Cook

Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.

Wilkinson
Isaacson
Coode
Brown ll
Mundell

Simon

Mr. Gibbons
Mr. Lowford
Mr. Ferrier
Mr. Greene
Mr. Power
Mr. Manning
Mr. Thompson
Mr. Chubb
Mr. Best
Mr. Hare
Mr. Johnson

Mr. Bayley 2
Mr. Pattison
Mr. Church 0 ,
The CHAIRMAN announced the resignation of Mr. J
Wilkinson, one %of the members of the board for the pa-
rish of St. Pancras ; consequently the objection to a
member of the board offering himself for a paid office
was got rid of.
Mr. H. L. TAYLOR announced to the board that, at a
meeting of the Common Council held yesterday, it was
unanimously agreed to place the council-room at the
service of this board for their meetings so long as they
might require it. (Applause.)
A vote of thanks was unanimously accorded to the
members of the Common Council for their kind offer.
The CHAIRMAN said that he had carefully gone through
the applications for the office of Clerk, and found that
out of the 31 candidates, seven of them Messrs. Stoner,
Tabrahaw, Buckton, all, Burt, and Freeth—were not
of the legal profession, and that Mr. Wallington had
withdrawn his name. As the board had decided that
the clerk should ;be of the legal profession, he had re-
moved their names from the list.
A resolution was proposed that the election should be
proceeded with by putting the names of tke candidates
to the board seriatim, reducing the number to two. An
amendment was proposed that the number should be
20 reduced to 6. On a division the amendment was
carried.
The list was then reduced to the following gentlemen:
—Messrs. Curling, IVoolrych, Cook, Wilkinson, Isaac•
son, and Coode.
A discussion took place whether the candidates should
address the board, or their written applications and tes-
timonials be read, in the course of which some strong
remarks were expressed on printed slips having been
forwarded to the members, containing extracts from
Hansard of speeches delivered in the House of Com-
mons reflecting on the conduct of one of the candidates.
It was ultimately resolved that the applications should
be read, and that the candidates also address the board.
The applications were then read, and the candidates
addressed the board, Mr. Woolrych being subject to a
strict examination relative to the manner in which he
had discharged the duties of clerk to the late com-
mission.
The board then proceeded to the election, when the
numbers were for

Ist. 2d. 3d. 4th. sth
Mr. Curling
Mr. Cook ll 10 8
Mr. Woolryoh

Mr. Wilkinson._ 21 22 22 21 19

Mr. Isaacson 8 5
Mr. Coode
Mr. Woolrych was unanimously elected clerk.
WIDTH OF STREETS AND ALLEYS.

Major LYON moved the adoption of the following re-
gulations with respect to the width of streets and alleys,
explaining that his object in doing so was that persons
engaged in building trades in the various parts of the
metropolis might not commence or carry on building
operations in defiance of those sanitary considerations
and rules for the public convenience which it would be
Licumbent on the board to lay down when it got into
working order:—.-
"That every street, excepting any mews, must be of
the width of 40ft. at the least ; but if the buildings
fronting any street be more than 40ft. high from the
level of the street, then such street must be of a width
equal at least to the height of the buildings above such
level. That every alley and every mews must be of the
width of 20ft. at the ltast, but if the buildings fronting
any alley or any mews be more than 20ft. high from
the level of the alley or mews, then such alley or mews
must be of a width equal at the least to the height of the
buildings above such level. And with regard to every
such alley in reference to the entrance thereof, every
alley must have two entrances thereto, each being at the
least the full width of the alley, and one of the two at
the least open from the ground upwards. And with re-
gard to both such streets and alleys, the aforesaid width
is to be ascertained by measuring (at right angles to
the course thereof) from front to front of the buildings
on each side of such street or alley. The word street'
to i'lclude every square, circus, crescent, street, road,
place, row, mews, lane, or place where carriages can
pass, or are intended to pass, and that whether there be
or be not, in addition to the carriage-war, a footway
paved or otherwise. The word alley' to include any
court, alley, passage, or other public place which can be
used as a footway only. If any person offend in respect
of the conditions, regulations, and directions contained
in this byelaw he shall be liable for all the penalties and
forfeitures imposed by the Metropolis Building Act,
1855, 18th and 19th Vie., c. 122, in respect of any build-
ings either built contrary to the provisions of the said
act, or without due notice to the surveyor appointed in
pursuance of that act to inspect such buildings."
The motion was agreed to, after being seconded by
Mr. HUNT, who said he felt convinced that unless such
regulations were laid down immediately by the board
great mischief would be done.
On the motion of Mr. BURSLEM, which gave rise to a
short discussion, it was ordered that the resolution of
Major Lyon be communicated to all the district sur-
veyors with the view to give it as much efficiency as
possible.

STANDING ORDER AS TO MEMBERS.
Mr. HALL, pursuant to notice, moved, "That it be a
by-law, or standing order, that no member shall be
eligible for any office of emolument in the gift of the
board." He was proceeding to (state the grounds on
which he made the motion, when
The PRESIDENT suggested that it would be more con-
venient if he would refer the question to the committee
on by-laws, where he would raise it in such a manner as
would be consistent with the act of Parliament, and best
accomplish the object he had in view.
The suggestion of the president was agreed to, and
the meeting adjourned to Friday next at 12 o'clock.

THE CASE or DR. VABGHAN.—It will be recollected
that in this case the defendant obtained ex parte a writ
of certiorari, from Mr. Justice Crompton, removing the
indictment and proceedings from the Central Criminal
Court into the Queen's Bench. An application was
then made to Mr. Baron Platt to rescind that order, and
that a writ of procedendo should issue to remove the
proceedings back, but the learned judge, although he
expressed himself strongly, declined to interfere with
Mr. Justice Crompton's order, leaving the parties to
apply to the full court. Since then a notice has been
served upon the defendant's solicitors, that application
will be made for a rule absolute in the first instance,
for the issuing of the writ orprocedendo, and which ap-
plication was fixed for to-day. On Thursday the
Attorney-General, Mr. Ballantine, and Mr. Prideaux,
the counsel retained for Dr. Vaughan, held a consulta-
tion at Westminster Hall, on the subject of appearing
and opposing the rule, they contending it is a proper
case to be heard on the Crown side of the Queen's
Bench. Mr. Bodkin and Mr. Clarkson will support
the application for the rule. The case is one of muCh
importance.