Star.
London, England, 1820-01-20 00:00:00

RECEIVERSHIP OF THE ORPII.SNS. DUES ON CO. Lgi

As soon as the Sheriffs' Report had been read, Sir
WILLIAM CURTIS rose immediately, and said, before
the Court proceeded to any other business, he wished
to occupy their attention for a short time, on the sub-
ject of some proceedings which had taken place at
the List Court, relative to the Orphans' Fund, and
the balances in his hands as the Receiver; and he
trusted, before he sat down, he should be able not
only to exculpate himself from all charges against
him, but also to prove, that, instead of any impu-
tation, he merited commendation. It had been re-
presentell, that he had retained a three months' ba-
lance; that was very true; he did not deny it ; it ap
. .

pcared so by the account ; he allowed there was be- •
tween £ll,OOO and 1'12,000 in his hands; but then
the money was always given credit for up to the end
of the month, and he did not receive it sometimes
till the 10th of the next month ; so that the accounts
made him have a larger balance in hand than he
really had: and when it was considered that there
was nearly £60,000 collected by these dues in the
course of a year, and that the interest on his balances
would not average more than £1 per cent. on.that
sum (they might call it £5OO a-year): it was not too
large a remuneraticn for all the trouble of the col-
lection, and the personal risk and the security he gave
for the safety of the property. The worthy Alder-
man (Waith man) had abruptly made this charge,
without considering all these matters. Ile had called
him an opulent man : « I am not an opulent man,
my Lord ; I appeal here," exclaimed the worthy Ba-
ronet with much warmth, striking his hand on his
breast ; lam not a mercenary man, seeking to ag-
grandize myself ; .hut if this Court-think proper to
give this to a poor brother, or an opulent one, if you
will have it so, they have a right to do it : some one
must have it, and whom would the worthy Alder-
man give it to? Would he give it to Mr. Hunt or
Mr. Preston? or did he wish the Committee of Two
Hundred of the Radicals to have it?" The. worthy
Baronet then proceeded to state, that it was true his
immediate predecessor in the office had retained only
a two months' balance, but then there were instances
where larger balances had been kept in hand than
even his three months'. He allowed he had kept three
months' balance, but he had since only kept two
months'; but that was not because he thought he got
too much, but because there had been such a piece
of work made about it. All the accounts respecting
the Orphans' Dues had been investigated before a
Committee of the House of Commons, and the wor-
thy Baronet here read an extract from the Report of]
that Committee, which stated, that, considering their
various and complex nature, the accounts were kept
with great accuracy. The worthy Baronet said, he
felt these charges very severely, but he trusted he
had cleared his conduct froin imputation, and ex-
culpated himself from all the charges of this report
of the worthy Alderman's, and would not therefore
take up the time of the Court any longer. Sir'
liam then sat down,

Mr. Alderman WAITIMAN said, the Honourable
Baronet had made a most extraordinary speech ; and
yet, after all, the matter rested exactly where it did
before, and the report remained in every particular
unrefined. NVith respect to the charge of having
brought this business forward " abruptly," or with
any personal motive toward the Honourable Baronet,
the Court would recollect that he gave notice of the
motion six or seven months ago, long before he could
have had any personal motive furnished to him by
the recent proceedings of that Court relative to him-
self, and in which the Honourable Baronet had been
so prominently concerned ; and the worthy Baronet
would himself recollect, that he thanked him for the
candour and liberality with which he (Mr. Waith-
man) brought this business forward.
Sir WILLIANI Cl:RM.—lt's true; I did;
Mr. Alderman WAITHNIAN continued, that os to:
the observation of the worthy Baronet, that although
the money was credited, he did not receive it till ten
days after ; and however extraordinary it might
seem, that he should sign accounts, and give credit
for money ten days before he received it, yet, even
admitting that he did so, what was the consequence?
Why, it only lessened the balance about 1.:12(X) or
El 200 ; leaving in his himds, instead of £11,700,
:C10,500 ; and when it was considered that there
were £i?..AO or £AOOO more arising from the same

duties--
CuaTts.--This Court has nothing at
all to do with that.
Mr. Alderman \VAITHMAN replied, that he was
aware th.t Court had nothing to do with it, and that
tile management of that business was under the con-
troul of the Court of Common Council ; but still he
raust..assert, that it formed a balance in his hands,
making, with the balance on the other account, a
total balance of at least E 14,000 ; from whichs if the
wo: thy Baronet knew how to make use of money, he
must have derived :1_!;00 a-year, which, by calcula-
don, a: compound interest, from the time of his ap-
pointment, must have realized him 4_30,000, and all
this fions a duty upon so necessary an article of life
as coals. As to the next point in the worthy Baronet's
spccch, the great trouble of the collection, and the
rersonal risk incurred, all this might appear very
Iplausilale if the tact was not known blit) unfortu-

nately for this argument, it was knsiwti, that au tne
trouble of the collection, arid 'the personal risk too, I
was with another person, whti receives a salary of
£l5O a-year fOr collecting, which stun is allowed
to the Receiver in his accounts, and who also gives
security for the safety of the money intrusted to him ;
so that all the great trouble incurred by the worthy
Baronet was, to undergo the fatigue of receiving the
money from the Collector once a month, and pay it
into the hands of the Chamberlain once a quarter.—
The question then was, were that Court, the trustees
and guardians of this Fund, performing their duty,
at a time when they were under the absolute neces-
sity of borrowing money, by permitting such a bad.
lance as this to remain in the hands of one of their
own body ? It was true, the balances had latterly
been paid every two months ; but whatever might
have been the worthy Baronet's motive, he could n't
but think it very extraordinary, that for ten years to,
gether he should have paid in his balance every
three months, and immediately on this business being
noticed, pay it iu at two months. He readily agreed
that the accounts had been investigated by the Com-
mittee of the House of Commons, and found correct.
There was no doubt on that subject. Nobody ac-
cused or suspected the worthy Baronet or the Cham-
berlain of receiving money and not accounting for it.
The amount of the remuneration might not he too
great, if it were true that the office was one of such
great trouble and responsibility; but all put together
could not justify the Court in allowing such balances
to remain in any hands. The worthy Baronet called
this Report his (Mr. Waithman's) Report.
Sir WILLIAM CURTIS—I did not mean that.
Mr. WAITHMAN continued—The Report was no
otherwise his than as he was one of the Committee ;
but the Committee did no more than direct the Cham-
berlain to prepare the statement which was made up
from the papers furnished by the Baronet himself, and
the Committee offered no opinion at all upon the sub-
ject. As to the insinuations in which the worthy Ba-
ronet had so repeatedly indulged, at a time when he
was himself complaining of personality, by allying
him with the Committee of Radicals ; all these he
(Sir William Curtis) knew to be unfounded& He
should, however, always resent them with as much
spirit as was consistent with the order and regularity
of that Court 4 and he would tell the Honourable
Baronet, that he dare not make such insinuations else-
where ! but with regard to making other Receivers,
did the worthy Baronet think that Court had no al-
ternative ? hid he really suppose that the money
could not be lodged in other hands as secure as his
own ? His sole object, in the part he had taken in
this business, was, that these and future balances
should he paid into the Chamber, to be applied in the
liquidation of the debts of the Corporation, and the
worthy Alderman concluded with a motion to that
etkct.

The LORD MAYOR observed, that there were seve-
ral persons in waiting on the subject of .Appeals
against different Ward appointments, and suggested
the propriety of deferring the discussion till the
ordinary business was gone through.
On this suggestion the discussion was deferred,
and the Court was for a considerable period occupied
in hearing several such Appeals, none of which were
of any public interest ; the hearing of several others
was adjourned to the next Court ; the debate was
then resumed by Sir WILLIAM CURTIS, who ob-
served, that he did not see why these charges should
be brought against him, when there were many others
who got more than he did : he only got £1 per cent.
There was the Collector of Scavage and Package,
who derived a much larger per centage, and there
was the Collector of the Customs for the Trinity-
House, who collected 1:35,000 a-year, and got five
per cent on it, and did nothing but sit down and re-
ceive the money.
Mr. Alderman WOOO thought the business was of
great importance ; and as it was likely to create a
very lengthened discussion, and it was then late
(past five o'clock), he suggested. that the motion he
withdrawn, to be resumed or brought forward again
at another Court.
Mr. Alderman TllORP.supported the suggestion of
Mr. Alderman Wood, and wished the motion ad-
journed,
Mr. Alderman ATKINS saw no reason why the
question should not be decided at present, and he
thought the Court ought to feel no hesitation in ne-
gativing the motion at once. It was throwing an
odium upon the character of the worthy Baronet,
who, considering the trouble and risk he had in-
curred, he conceived, was by no means paid too
much. The worthy Alderman reprobated the pre-
cipitancy with which the business had been brought
forward, and urged the Court to an immediate

decision.
Sir RICHARD CARR GLYN asked what it was the
worthy Alderman meant by his motion ? If it was
intended that all monies collected should be in fu-
ture directed to be paid into the hands of the Cham-
berlain direct, it should be recollected that the per-
son now employed as Collector was not an Officer
of that Court, and it would, therefore, be necessary
previously to appoint au Officer of their own. If die
motion were agreed to, he did not see how it could
be carried into effect, under the present circumstances.
Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN replied, that his ob..
ject was, that the present balance should be paid into
the Chamber; and all monies subsequently collected
should be paid in in the same manner, instead of
being paid to the Receiver. if his motion were car-
ried, it would probably be right to refer it to a Com-
mittee, to arrange in what manner, and by whom,
the collection should be made. It was, however,
quite immaterial to him whether his motion was ne-
gatived now, whether it was withdrawn, or referred
back to the Committee: for he was certain that, in
its present shape or any other, either at this time or
any subsequent period, whenever it was brought for-
ward, the motion would be negatived. it was a
strange charge of the worthy Alderman (Atkins) of
a want of due consideration, and the More so coming
from that quarter, after what the Court had recently
witnessed. He could, however, assure that worthy
Alderman, that trifling as he might deem the sub-
i
ject, the Public did and would consider it of serious
importance, that 1.:700 per annum should be paid by
them to one of their Own Members, at a tirne of such
general distress, and out of a tax upon the necessary
xrticle of coals. •
After some further conversation, the motion was
withdrawn, with an understanding that the subject

, -
cl .

Would be litotisht forward again u no (Attila period;
and the Court adjourned at nearly. six o'clock.
The City Solicitor having, at the List Court, de-
clined any furtter interference in the prOsecution
against Sheriff Parkins and other's, fot the alleged
tumult in Guildhall, on Michaelmas-day last, had
delivered up his papers to the Committee for con-
ducting those proceedings, top ether with his bill fa
the eipenses already incurred, amounting to 5901.
and it was expeet6d that the subject relative to the
payment would have come oir before the Court ; butt
on account of the press of business, and the Liter**
of the hour, the subject was not mentioned.

DULCE DOMUNT.

Says Mrs. Cod. " I do declarli
This living suits me to a hair—
At Ilona to ma is such delight,
ithrvad I'm alw:ns every night !"
11, now," says Mrs. Eliane,, " t
Am just like you, or very nigh,
For I am a dwnsstical,
1 never am ay tiour at all !
Indeed my little snug abode
Could never bear this strange Ini-nad
And viewing well the monstrous mat,
To be at holne, I must go out !"

Monday, a dead robin, in full father, was taken out of
large oak tire, which the mechanics in the yard were sawinti
No aperture of any kind was apparent VT which it could hate
found entrance.
During the late frost upwards of siity persons;
who met with serious accidents in conseqi en:e of the
slippery state of the streets, have been received at
St. George's Hospital, near Hyde Park-corner.
We have been told that a dreadful accident hap
pened, on Sunday last, at Knottingly, in con: equence
of the breaking of the ice. Of fotty-five that were
precipitated into the water, thirty-five sunk to rise nu •
more.—( Sheffield Mercuryl.
The thermometer, at Hartwell, near East Cr! in-
stead, fell, in the course of Friday night, as low as
10 degrees of Fahrenheit's scale, or 10 degrees below
zero. It was the severest night ever remembered by
the oldest inhabitant in the neighbourhood.
The property of Mr. KER, of the Strand, whose
house was burned down on Tuesday, was not insured,
in consequence of an alteration required:in the policy,
which hehad not, since Christmas, time to effect. The
plumbers were at work in his shop until a la e hcisi
in the evening. In addition to his own Calamity, a
family from the West Indies, who had occupied the
lodgings in hii house only for three or four days,
have lost the whole of their personal property, which
was very valuable, including diamonds and jewellery:
We are sorry to hear that the loss suffered by Mr:
CARY, the optician, by the fire in the Strand, on
Tuesday morning last, is wholly irreparable. He
had, it seems, been upwards of 35 years in collecting
his pattern tools and models. Such a loss, indeed,
admits of no adequate insurance; and the Public
must sympathize with the sufferer, as a scientifill
character, as well as a respectable tradesman.
A fire broke out on Monday at Manor Howe, six
miles from Epping, the residence of J. H. TALBOT,
Esq. It appears to have originated in the laundry,
situate in one of the wings of the mansion, as it was
consumed before an alarm was given. The family
had a narrow escape, and from the severity of the •
weather, there was a great want t:f water and also of
hands, from the time it broke out. The house had
been fitted up in the most costly manner, with an
elegant library, and no part of the property Was.
saved. The whole was a heap of reins within two
hours. A groom lad, who slept over the laundry,
was dangerously burnt.
Yesterday, as some boys belonging to a chirnney-
sweeper, were removing soot in a vault, in Bird:
street, the arch gave way, and buried two of them in
the ruins : one was soon extricated, with a slight
injury only ; the other, twelve years cf age, although
every possible exertion ss as made by the neighbours,
was not found for more than an hour (the greater
body of rubbish having fallen upon him), when all
signs of life were gone.
Saturday last, Mr. Redmond, a ship-owner, re-
siding in Gloucester-terrace, Cannonstreet-rcad, aca
companied by Mr.. Evelio, of le, Russell-street, Cos
vent-garden, Captain of one of Mr. Redmond's ships,
repaired on board one of the vessels, which was under
repair in Limehouse-dock, for the purpose of seeing
it, when the stage on which they stood gave war,
and they were both precipitated into the basin of the
dock. Mr. Redmond was carried home with several
of his bones broken, and he expired next day. Mrs
Evelin has one of his thighs, his right arm, and sere•
ral of his ribs broken, and is so dangerously ill, that
his recovery is not expected.
Money has been termed the sinews of war.—lt May
also be called the marrow of peace ; and, though :it
all times a scarce commodity, may be had in large
sums for A Mere trifle, by purchasing a Ticket or
Share of Brsis, 4, Cornhill, or 9, Charing Cross,
who recommends an early purchase before Saturday,
the 29th inst. when Two of £20,000, and all the
other Capitals must be drawn. The whole.will be
paid in Sterling Money, Bank Netes, or Gold Bars
at the option of the holders.
G. CAitRoLL has the honour of informing the:
Public, that ALL the. Prizes remaining in the %I'heel
are of Sterling Money; including Two of 00,000,
and that they will be ALL drawn on the 29th instant,
when the Lottery will Really close. G. Canhoui
Sold in Shares, on the Last Day of Drawing, 7,355, a
Prize of £3OO, and the last drawn Prize of £20,000
Sterling, and of 20,000 Guineas, were Sold bt
CARROLL, at his Fortunate Offices, No. 19, Cornhill;
and 26, Oxford-street.

Dame Fortune appears to be always in good hu-
moth- when SivEwittour has the dispensing of het'
favours, as the great sales caused by his ingentotis
schemes, amply pay him as Contractor, and the
grand Capitals sold in "Shares amongst the PubNei
make it beneficial to adventure's. In his present
Contract no less than Six Prizes of £20,000, besides
othet,Capitals, have been shared and. &so ibuted over •
various parts of the United Kingdom ; and we anti-
cipate having the pleasure to announce in a few days,
that the Two Grand Twenty Thousands, With a furs
ther Excess of Money Prizes now in the nee', have
been _disposed of in like manners However, a short
time will detertnine, as every Ticket must be drawn
Next SATURDAY, '29th instant, and we observe with
pleasure that every Prize now in do Wheel I. Ster,
ling Money.

I