Star.
London, England, 1826-12-16 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

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MANSION.HOUSE.

Yesterday Mr. Jeffery, of No. et, Poultry, applied to the LORD 1
MAroa for a summons against the Secretary of the Provisional
Committee to the Bristol and English Channel Company, for re.
fusi to account, whereby, under the Act of Parliament by which
the Company was constituted, he had rendered himself liable to a
penalty.
The Loa, Mavoit.—ln what capacity do you apply ?
Mr. Joffes7.- -As a-Shareholder.
The Loan Mayon then examined the Act, in which he found
the following peculiar clause s—" And he it further enacted, that
the said' Company or their Directors shall, and they are hereby
bound nod required to order and direct a book or books, to be
prov(ded and kept by their Clerk for the time being, in which book
or boas each '(Clerk shall enter, or cause to be entered, true and
regular account. of all Urns of money received, paid, and expended
for, or on account of, the said undertaking, and of the several ;ini-
tial, matters, and things, for which such sums of money shall have
been disbursed, laid out, and paid, and such book or books shall,
at all seasonable times, be open to the inspection of the said Pro-
prietors, or any creditor or creditors, on the tolls, rates, and duties
by this Act granted, without fee or reward." The clause goes on
to declare, that the Clerk, upon his refusal to show the book or
books to any'Shareholder or creditor, shall, upon conviction before
one Magistrate in she county or place where the offence was com-
mitted, be liable to the infliction of a penalty, not exceeding el. to
be given to the poor of the parish. In default of payment, such
Clerk or Secretary is even liable to be committed by the Justice to
Bridewell, or House of Correction, for three months.
The LORI Mama, however, before the circumstances of the case
were stated, discovered the place where the fact was stated to have
occurred:was not within his jurisdiction, and he dismissed the
complalit.
A miserable looking man was brought up, on a charge of having
sto/en two small loaves of bread out of a shop.
It appeared that the prisoner went into the shop and took two
small loaves, with which he made off. He was pursued, and taken
what he was devouring one of them. It turned out that he was
a pauper belonging to one of the out-parishes, the name of which
we could not obtain. He had applied to the Overseer on the day
before for relief, and was refused. He declared that hunger com-
pelled him to commit the theft.
The Loan Mason, finding there was every reason to believe this
defence, which the prisoner's appearance fully corroborated, said, be
did not think it a case which ought to be proseeoted. It was one,
however, Which ought to go before the public, and operate as a
warning to Overseers. When in extreme cases they refused re-
' lief to proper objects (as in the present imams), they became, to a
considerable extent, morally responsible for the crimes which the
paupers afterwards committed, in consequence of such refusal to
give them relief. His Lordship paid the prosecutor for the loaves
which had been taken, and discharged the prisoner, who received
such pecuniary aid from his Lordship as to prevent his committing
a similar offence for some time.