The Sun.
London, England, 1868-06-10 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE.—This Day.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS.

Before the Lord Chief Justice and Justice Byles
and Mr. Smith.)
THE RATING CLAUSE OF THE REFORM BILL.

This morning, on the learned judges taking their
seats, Mr. Mainsty, Q.C., stated that he had a❑
application to make with regard to a case, the de-
cision in which materially affected the whole com•
munity. The caso alluded to was that of an
application on a case stated from a decision
of the Justices of Sunderland, as to the non-pay-
ment of rates by an old compounder of that borough,
according to the new regulation contained in the
7th clause of the new Reform Bill. It was a ques-
tion which affected every one, and was of
great public interest and private importance,
and therefore lie would ask the Court
to hear the arguments in it this term, as it had also
a great effect upon the registrations, which would
have to be made before the new Reform Bill came
into operation. his friend the Solicitor-General
was in the case, and he was as anxious as himself
that it should be heard at once.

The Lord Chief Justice—Neither cases of public
or private importance ought to interfere with the
cases which on the special day are to come on in
their regular order. I cannot see why the decision
of the Court should be required in the matter. The
usual course is to go to some eminent lawyer and
take his opinion. It will be impossible to take
cases in the order of their relative importance.
The Solicitor-General said that it did not affect
Sunderland only, but the whole metropolis, for
on this decision rests the whole question of regis-
tration. It would save a great deal of expense, be
would e% en go farther and say an enormous
expense, and would let the country know what the
cauu tv 111 i.4.IWJ prevent a, prprit
many contests and effect a great number of regis-
trations. lle might mention that there were 7,000
summonses in the parish of Lambeth.
The Judges, after some consideration, agreed to
take the case this afternoon.

POLICE INTELLIGEYCE.-THIS DAY.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

ROBBING A BARRIsTER..—Mary Stevens, a prosti-
tute, and John Sails, a billiard marker, were
charged before Mr. Knox with stealing from the
person of Mr. W. C. Bonargee, barrister, of No. 5,
New-square, Lincoln's-inn, a pocket-book contain-
ing two sovereigns and some postage stamps.

Mr. Bonargee (who appeared as a Quaker) said
that about half-past twelve that morning he was
passing up Princes-street, Leicester-square, when he
saw the prisoner and another female standing
together on the pavement. The female prisoner
asked him to give her something to drink, and put
her arms round him and began dancing. The pri-
soner then hurriedly left hba, and directly after-
wards he missed his pocket book, and saw the pri-
soner band it to a man, the male prisoner. On
going after the female prisoner the male prisoner
interfered with him. Ile called " Police," and the
prisoners were taken into custody, the pocket book
at the time lying on the ground.
The female prisoner asked the prosecutor if there
was not a crowd round them at the time, and he
said there was not.

Mr. John Cecil Palmer, of No. 34, Bernard-
street, Russell-square, said he was with his friend
Mr. Bonargee last night, and while going through
Princes-street the female prisoner seized Mr Bonar-
gee, and afterwards left him, and, on Mr. Bonargee
going after her the male prisoner stopped him. He
did not see the female prisoner give anything to the
men.

Sergeant Grainger, 8 C, said that on taking the
prisoners into custody the male prisoner pointed to
a pocket-book lying on the ground, and said,
" There's your pocket-book," but he (the Ser-
geant) could not say whether the prisoner threw it
there or not.

In answer to Mr. Knox, the gaoler (Burns) said
that he believed that the prisoners had been charged
at the court before.
Mr. Knox remanded them.