The Sun.
London, England, 1835-04-14 00:00:00

POLICE.

102. The police belonging to municipal. corporations is
for the most part very insufficient, and for supplying the
deficiency resort is had to local acts. The superintendence
of the nolice, and the powers necessary for watching, par-
ing, lighting, cleaning, and supplying the towns with water,
instead of being entrusted to the municipal authorities, are
for tia most part committed by these acts to xarious inde-
pendent bodies ; although none or these- towns arc too ex-
tensive to be embraced by one system of- municipal govern-
ment ; for instance, every quarter of the town of Bath is
under the care of a separate board, except one, which is
totally unprotected. • Much confusion results from this di-
yided authority. The powers of local taxation, and the su-
perintendence of matters so closely connected with the
comfort and well-being of the inhabitants, which are now
exercised by these bodies, appear to belong precisely to that
class of objects for which corporate authority was originally
conferred ; but great dissatisfaction would prevail. among
the inhabitants if. these powers were intrusted to the mu-
nicipal corporations as at present ,constituted.. In several
towns much apathy is now shown by the inhabitants with re-
spect to the municipal benefits conferred by these acts : in
Southampton, where the consent of the inhabitants is re-
quired to bring them within the powers of alocal act, nearly
half of the town has refused the benefit 'of it. Great jea-
lousy often exists between the Officers' of police acting under
the corporation and those under the commissioners of these
local acts; and the corporate body seldom takes any active
share in the duties of the board, of which its members form
a part. At .Bristol, a notoriously-ineffective.police cannot
be improved, chiefly in consequence of the jealousy with
which the corporation is regarded by the inhabitants. At
Hull, in consequence of the •disunioir • between the govern-
ine- body and the inhabitants, chiefly arising out of a dispute
about the tolls and duties, only seven-persons_ attended, to
suppress a riot, out of LOOO who- had -been sworn in as
special constables, and on another similar occasion none at-
tended. At Coventry, serious riots and disturbances fre-
quently occur, and the officers of police being usually se-
lectedfrom one political party, are often active in fomenting
theist. In some instances,
_the separate and conflie,ting au-
thority of -the commissioners is avowedly used as a check
and counterbalance to the political influence - of the corpo-
ration. At Leeds, no • persons are elected commissioners
of police whose political principles are not opposed to those
of the corporation. -
An ineffectual attempt to obviate the evils resulting from
the want of a well-organized system is made in somo towns
by subscriptions for private watchmen. At Winchester,
after a local act had been obtained, its powers were found
to be insufficient, and the town is now watched by private
.subscriptiop, to which the Commissioners contribute 1001.
from the rate.

The superintendence of the paving and lighting, &c., of
the various towns, is in the same unsatisfactory state, but
in this branch of police the want of a single presiding au-
thority leads, perhaps, to less evil and inconvenience.