The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-21 00:00:00

COURT OF SEWERS.

i A Court of Sewers for the City and Liberty of
Westminster, and part of Middlesex, was yesterday
held in ;he Court-house, Soho-square.
The chair was taken at twelve o'clock by Thomas
Leverton Donaldson, Esq.
On the minutes of last Court-day being read,
Mr. LESLIE objected that they were incorrect, in-
asmuch as a statement inculpating him, and which
was read by the Chairman to the Court, thereby
making it a public document, had been omitted. A
motion was founded on it and carried ; and when, as
the person charged, he requested the chief officer of
the Court, Mr. Hertzlett, for a copy of the document
in question, the answer returned was that the Chair-
man had it in his possession. He (Mr. Leslie) took
his stand upon the ground, therefore, that the record
was not a correct one.
The CHAlRMAN—Certainly correct, as far as it
goes. It may not be full enough, perhaps, but
assuredly correct.
Mr. LESLIE did not think it correct. Surely when an
officer of the Court, a person paid by him (Mr. Leslie)
as a Commissioner, in common with other Commis-
sioners, chose to write a long letter, inculpating him,
and when that statement was read by the Chairman,
he (Mr. Leslie) was confident that every Hon.
Member of that Court would grant that the person
charged had a full right to a copy of the document.
He had wished that document entered upon the
minutes, but the Chairman, by taking it into his own
possession, had interfered in the chief clerk's duties,
and rendered nugatory the proceedings of the Court.
Now he would ask if the Chairman would enter the
matter, by giving up the statement referred to?
1 he CHAIRMAN—I will not, unless by request of
the Court.
Mr. LESLIE—It is a question for yourself alone.
You have extracted a public document.
The CHAIRMAN-4 have not; for it never was
put in.
Mr. FULLER—I cannot understand, in that case,
what constitutes a public document.
Mr. MunuNs—What is the object of reading the
minutes, excepting for the purpose of confirming the
accuracy of the Court's proceedings ? And how can
those minutes be accurate, if the statement on which
the resolution is founded is left out?
Mr. LESLIE said lie would conclude with a motion,
" That the minutes now read are not a true record of
the proceedings of last Court, inasmuch as letters
from Mr. Hawkins, the assistant-surveyor, dated the
19th of November, was read by the Chairman, and a
motion founded and carried upon the subject-matter;
that the minutes he altered by the insertion of such
letter, or by placing it among the public documents
of the Court, and a reference to that fact made in the
minutes."
Mr. Munuxs seconded, and the motion was put
from the Chair, but lest by a majority of two, six
Commissioners having toted against, and four for it.
The salary of the chief clerk was, on the motion of
Mr. WHITE, increased from 4001. to 5001. per annum,
the Commissioners each expressing their admiration
of the business-talents and general courtesy exhibited
by Mr. Hertzlett in the arduous duties of his office.
Mr. LESLIE then brought forward his motion
" To print and circulate to every Commissioner the
details of the contractors' charges, as allowed by the
surveyors and Court, during the respective contracts,
commencing at Michaelmas, 1841, in such a
form as to show clearly and intelligibly
the expense of every particular work done.'
The Hon. Commissioner said he had examined the
statements, and gone through many of the contractors'
accounts, and had found what he believed to be
great errors therein, but without a printed form it
would be impossible to convey in an intelligible
manner the proof of those errors to the Court. The
ordinary course of business, they were aware, was to
have a standing contract for all works. Now, these
works were, as he thought, so improperly taken by
measure and value, that it was next to im.
possible to arrive at the cost price of any
single work. The items were spread over
a series of quarters, sometimes, indeed, all
contained in one, but frequently extending to two or
three. Now, as the remedy for disease depended upon
a thorough knowledge of its causes, so it behoved
them to look well into these accounts—to have a
thorough knowledge of them before parting with
large sums of that money which was entrusted to
their care. These works were ordered at a given
estimate, but when they were completed it was gene-
rally found that the actual cost greatly exceeded the
sum which the Court had before ordered ; and if they
would refresh their memories by a retrospection,
they would find that, in some instances,
they had in this way paid 100 per cent.
more than they ought to have done. In the neigh-
bouring Commission, if one wanted the cost of any
particular work, a book was produced in which the
information desired was exhibited in a few lines; but
in that office they had to run over a vast number of
bills, and trace the work in different stages at various
periods of time. He maintained that contractors had
been in the habit of charging more than they were
entitled to do ; and he was of opinion that Mr. Ben-
net and Mr. Bird ought to refund large sums of
money to that Court. He would instance mainholes,
which were almost invariably over the sewer. Yet
they were charged fur digging, aye, and for carting
away the rubbish. Concrete was put in at four
shillings and sixpence the cube yard, yet in many
one shilling and sixpence was charged extra for cart-
ing away superfluous rubbish, although that, he con-
tended, was included in the two shillings charged for
digging. But all this could not be properly exhi-
bited unless they had the bills printed, as he desired
they should be. One further instance, however,
he would add, namely, the work in Bow-street, where
the estimate voted by the Court was 1,400/.,
but where the actual cost exceeded *OOOl.
lie would ask them, should they devolve the duties
which the Crown had entrusted them with, to other
parties who were not responsible ? Surely not. They
ought, then, as he had before that day suggested,
have their plans and sections properly drawn out, and
then they would get parties to tender willingly
for the work. He hoped they would allow him for
once to carry his resolution, convinced as he was that
it would lead to a considerable saving of the public

money.
A discussion ensued, and it was finally determined
that several works, estimated at 2001. and upwards,
should be extracted and laid before the Commissioners
in a form prescribed by the mover of the resolution.
The other business was then disposed of, and the
Court adjourned.