The Sun.
London, England, 1859-03-07 00:00:00

OFFICE OF HIGH BAILIFF OF SOUTH-

WARK.

On Saturday, a special Court of Common
Council was held for the purpose of considering the
provisions of a Bill, entitled "the County Courts'
Bill," and the propriety of petitioning Parliament
against it.

-A report was brought up from the Officers' and
Clerks' Committee upon the subject, which, after
giving a narrative of the position of matters in
relation to the office of High Bailiff, as they have
recently appeared before the public in the reports
of the proceedings of the Common Council, con-
cluded with no recommendations of any kind.
Deputy GODSON, Chairman of the Officers' and
Clerks' Committee, moved the adoption of the
report.
Deputy HARRISON said the report recommended
nothing and contained nothing. (Much laughter.)
He moved, by way of amendment, " That no fur-
ther measures be taken by the corporation with
respect to this matter, and that the report do lie
upon the table."

The amendment was seconded by Mr. BARIKEY.
Mr. J. JONES said the real and only question
was, whether or not the bailiff who had bees
improperly appointed by a county court judge
should be allowed to supersede the officer appointed
by the Common Council ?
Alderman CUBITT.—I trust there will be no
petition. I think that this is a fine opportunity
for the city to make a graceful concession, to show
itself in the right before the country, and we
shall be in a much better position when we go to
Parliament to seek the retentiou of our rights if
we come forward as we ought to do, and concede
those which we ought not to seek to retain.
(Hear, hear.) Having gone up with the Itemem-
brancer yesterday, and having, therefore, had my
mind directed to the subject, I am quite of
opinion that we should stand wrong with the coun-
try if we petitioned against this measure. I think
that the Court should instruct one of the members
for the City to rise, when that bill is brought for-
ward, and avow that ;he City has no desire to re-
tain this office. (Cheers.)
Mr. H. L. TAYLOR hoped the Government would
be supported by the Court in the passing of the
measure.

Mr. T. H. FRY said the Government interfered
with a part of the rights and privileges of the cor-
poration, but left the office of high bailiff in its
entirety, This was an interference that ought not
to be tolerated. If they had been honest and sin-
cere they would have brought forward a bill abo-
lishing the office altogether.
Deputy DAKIN—WouId it be right, when an im-
portant piece of legislation is about to take place,
that the committee should let it pass by without
calling attention to it?
Mr. ELLIOTT—A clause in the bill seems to do
away with nearly all the functions which the High
Bailiff has to perform, but it does not seek to do
away with all those functions. We have to seek
the insertion of another clause, relieving us en-
tirely from those few shreds and patches of func-
tion which the High Bailiff has to perform, and
which I think he must be appointed by us to per-
form, unless the Government fully and completely
relieve us from the office.
Mr. W. CONNELL—I think that the few words
in which Alderman Cubitt has expressed his sen-
timents convey all that is desirable to be said. I
hope the Court will not allow a petition to be pre-
sented against the bill, which I believe will be of
great public advantage. (Hear, hear.)
The amendment was then carried by an over-
whelming majority.
The Court adjourned.

We are informed that at a meeting of the heads
of the old Whig party on Saturday it was determined that
Lord John Russell should move a resolution as an amend-
ment upon the motion for the second reading of the Reform
Bill, declaring that the House of Commons will not assent
to the disfranchisement of those electors who now possess
county votes in respect of property situated in boroughs, or
to the proposition that the non-resident proprietors of free-
holds in boroughs should vote in respect of them for the
election of borough members. It is supposed that this re-
solution will
party.—Tunes.
ate in its support the whole of the Liberal
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