The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-19 00:00:00

COURT OF COMMON COUACIL.

Yesterday a Court was held for the despatch of public
business.
The minutes of the last Court having been read,
Mr. T. PARSER complained that in those minutes ho
was made to appear as having voted on a question, he not
having been in court at the time that the question was put.
Mr. Parker's name was ordered to be struck out of the
minutes.

THE NEWLY•ELECTED RECORDER.
The LORD MAYOR—It is my duty to announce that the
Court of Aldermen on Tuesday last elected Mr. Russell
Gurney to the office of Recorder. (Cheers.)
Mr. Deputy OBBARD—There is now a vacancy in the
office of Common-Serjeant. When will it be convenient
to fill up that vacancy ?
The LORD MAYoR—I presume that it will stand over
till after the holidays.
Mr. Deputy OBBARD—I cannot help saying that the
sooner it is done the better. (Hear, hear )
Mr. J. CAUSTON—The Lord Mayor has just announced
that the late Cominon-Serjeant has been elected to the office
of Recorder; consequently the office of Commou-Serjeant
has become vacant.
The TOWN CLERK—Not yet. There is no vacancy until
that office has been resigned.
Mr. CALTSTON—I was merely anxious that no delay should
take place in the election, and that the Officers and Clerks'
Committee should have an opportunity during the vacation
of considering the subject of the duties and emoluments of
the office of Common-Serjeant.
The LORD MAYOR—I am afraid you cannot proceed with
that business until the office is declared vacant.
Mr. BLAKE—I think that the object of my friend Mr.
Causton will be appreciated by everybody. His only de-
sire is to facilitate the progress of public business. It is
well known that the present Common-Seijeant has been
elected to the office of Recorder, and it is generally under-
stood that he has accepted that office. It would certainly
very much facilitate the object we all have in view and
assist the progress of public business if the matter of the
duties and emoluments of the office of Common-Serjeant
were at once referred to the Officers and Clerks' Com-
mittee, in order that they might at the earliest possible
period report to this Court. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. H. L. TAYLOR—At the present moment the newly-
elected Recorder has not been sworn. The Common-Ser-
jeant has not resigned, and therefore it would be highly
premature to take any step or to make any inquiry respect-
ing an appointment which is not before us. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. IL W. VALLANOE—If the Court can come to a re-
solution that may anticipate a very closely coming event
and save a great deal of the future time of this Court, it
seems to me to be very desirable to do so. (Hear, hear.)
We all know that the moment the vacancy is declared
there would be a reference to the Officers and Clerks' Com-
mittee to inquire into the duties and emoluments of the
office of Common-Serjeant, and therefore it is quite con-
sistent with public business to make that reference at
once. (Hear, hear.)
The subject then dropped.
THE LATE RECORDER.
Mr. WOOD, after eulogising the character and conduct
of the late Recorder while chief officer of the corporation,
moved the following resolution :
" That this Court are desirous to express their great
regret at losing the valuable services of the Right Hon.
James Archibald Stuart Wortley, M.P., as Recorder of
this city, but congratulate him upon his appointment to
t 1 s honourable position of her Majesty's Solicitor-General.
And we offer to him our warmest thanks for his uniform
courtesy to the members of this Court, and also testify our
admiration of the manner in which he has discharged the
various and important duties of his office, especially for
his upright and impartial administration of justice, and
we trust that he may long continue to exercise a beneficial
influence in advancing the best interests of this country."
(Cheers.) 1
MA Deputy OWARD seconded the resolution, which was
carried unanimously amid cheering.
The resolution was ordered to be signed by the Town
Clerk and presented in the usual way. It was also ordered
to bo advertised in the usual morning and evening journals.
A good many reports from the various committees were
road in the course of the day, the most important of which
is the following, which was brought up last by Mr. Deputy
Bower, Chairman of the Improvement Committee.
FLEET VALLEY RAILWAY.
" On examining the report of the railway commissioners
we find the following recommendation referred to by the
select committee If, hereafter, anything should lead to
the admission of railways or railway termini within that
portion of the district submitted to our investigation which
lies north of the Thames, and if any company or number of
companies should be willing to undertake wholly or par-
tially the execution of such street improvements as we have
adverted to, we are of opinion that it will be to the advan-
tage of all parties that these should be planned and pre-
scribed to the companies and finally carried out under the
authority of some department of your Majesty's Govern-
meat in conjunction with the corporation of the city of
London, or with the local authorities of the district in
which the works are to take place.
" We give this as our opinion because we consider that
the merit of the street improvements of London in regard
as well to their utility and beauty as to the economy and
convenience with which they can be carried out must
greatly depend upon their being executed with one intten-
tion, and as part of ono well considered scheme, mu be-
cause we see no security for this if they are left to origi-
nate with different railway companies according as these
may spring up, and without any other supervision than
that supplied by Parliamentary committees.'
"We think it right to remark that at the time the cor-
poration gave its assent to the passing of the Metropolitan
Railway Bill the report of the select committee bad not
been made, and Viscount Canning, the chairman of the
Railway Commission of 1846, as Postmaster-General, gave
Government assistance in passing the bill. Your committee
did not therefore feel themselves called upon to ask for the
introduction of any clauses in the bill giving to the corpo-
ration or any other public body such a general supervision
over the execution of the works as it was the object of both
the Railway Commission and the select committee to ob.
tain for the protection of the public interest.
" The notices which have been referred to your commit.
tee apprise us that the Metropolitan Railway Company,
without having taken any steps to carryost
etxhteeirehsieevxueissetpidonwg
powers
into execution, intend to apply fur m
which will override its provisons, and may
beneficially or most injuriously to the interests of the
public and to the large lauded property of the corporation
which is contiguous to the line of railway.
" Agreeing with the Select Committee of the House of
Commons, and with the previous resolutions of this Court,
that a railway along the valley of the
most serviceable to the public, we a Fleet may he made
suchprehend that the cor-
poration will be disposed to givean undertaking the
encouragement it deserves, and having
sion of the money-market from the day ti eregard to the
passedderes-
to the present time, it may be reasonablegral't wasarlia ment to
give the company the extension of time they desire. Your
it most inconvenient committee feel, however, that is
nvenient to
the public and injurious to the property of the city that an
linger provisions shouldbe extension of time and 1 given to
the company unless they can show that they have the
means and the disposition to carry out the undertaking
withiu a reasonable time, and in a manner that will be be
to the public interests. We therefore recommend
that we should be authorised to take such measures as we
may be advised, not for the purpose of obstructing the ac-
complishment of the legitimate objects of the company,
but to obtain proper clauses in the bill in conformity with
the r °commendations of the railway commissioners and the
select committee's report."
Mr. Deputy BOWER—As the only desire of the com-
mittee is to get power from the Court to oppose anything
they consider wkong, and to be enabled to further the object
which we have so very much at heart in respect to this
property, 4 lilOve that the Court agree with thew in their.