The Statesman.
London, England, 1815-02-22 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMMONS.

Severn' Petitions were presented. praying for the town.
newel of the Property Tax ; and others,froas the IIC(11 ier
laid in doff-rent districts of the United 'Kingdom in htvost
Rowe alteration in the Co►n Laws.

STATE OF THE STREETS EN TUE SIETROPOLK
Mr. M. A. TAYLOR rose to call the attention's(
the House to a 'public grievance, which in his opining
required both immediate remedy and future prem.
tion. The only question, he apprehended, would
be as to the nature of that remedy ;
,for . the evil
,o(
which he complained was indjaputable and %miter.
sally felt, vet Without the interference of Perlis.
would probably remain unredressed. Ilewished I
submit the linage the necessity that -existed of pre.
serving the pay_emenis .of ual metropolis in such
state as %limpid not.endauger the• safety of his Nes.
ty's subjects. Many accidents had already occurred
in consequence of the mecm's' in which they were at
present broken up; and not long since s roachc
had been'thrown box, and killed on the
spot. ''lle had kr,„course of his enqoi.
ries into the cause of this shameful disorder anti neg.
ligence, that it wig an evil which it was iinptiiiible to
prevent. This impossibility, however, he was deter.
mined to try, and would persevere at the risk of giv.
ing. offenCe to the parish officers, and estn though
the Water CompanieteshoOld put Trim in their, 'reser,
voirs, or Alte Gas-light Company into their furnaces.
The City of London, he knew, was exempted by
charter.: but he trusted that when they law a proper
system of inspection and controul estabiishedittWest-
roinster, they would think it worth theirattentiontn
imitate the example. With respect to the law as it
already stoed, there was no distinction between streets
and highways, the former being so denominated onle
from their ruunifig through ittliabited and populous
places. They were indictable at Quarterlessioat,
and it was the duty of the magistrates to asse s a suf.
ficient rote, and direct the parochiaroit;rafters t • ,11-
stitute the proper repairs. The law, then, was en-
tirely with him; but it was too dilatory in its appli-
cation, and required the quickening enelgy of parlia.
went to give it its due and salutary effect. The law
guaranteed every Ingo's title to the terra firma, and
on him who obstructed or undermined it imposed the
obligation of fully and completely repairing the mit;
chterf -he had occasioned. The streeti• of-Paris were
not subject to this inconvenience; and those of Edin.
burgh, and from that to Leith,. were egually sale
and beautiful, forming ao inclined plaue, and ena-
bling carriages to proceed-with equal sonvenkinceand
velocity. What hollow proposed was, tolifinginl
bill enabling.thecrownto appoint a board of Cornelis?
%loners, and to' divide the metropolis into four or iva
districts. These commissioners were to act grit ultously,
and to be comp.osed of gentlemest resilient in the pa di-
cider district over which they presided, and to possint,
as a qualification, 3001. a year, or 10,0001. in money:
They were to be collet:lino to publish' proper adves
tisements, and to appoint au inspector for eachdig:
trict, whose salaries with 'those of a few cltrkst
would constitute the whole•expence.of his mertsure.
The salary of the Inspector ought to he, •be
con-
ceived, not less than 5001. per annual, as he should
be a person of uncorrupt character, a:td remectlile
by the commissioners. It was his inientiortojf the
House gave him leave to bring in the Bill. fatter to
propose, that the Bill should become operative-three
months after its passing into a law.. It was a.rnea-
sure which could inflict no jiardahip nn. t.h.e, parishes,
whose duty it was already iu laW to prevent:ail- nui-
sances in the public streets. 'He shookd alio intro-
duce a compulsory clause on the Wkter Cionisetties,
restraining -them from taking op Any paventren at
their own pleasure, or from hying down any oti.n
than iron pipes in future, as- well as I o ihrir
right of breaking up a street to a particelar period
of the year. It was obviidis that it was an evil
chiefly experienced -in the winter seasen.• 11'7
spector must be armed with the poiver of buying
fines, either on the parish, or the authors of the
mischief, and in proportion to the- extritt-ef the-e'l,
sehject to the rerision of the Contonissieners. .be
should also propose that these provisions might equal-
ly extend to the Gas Light Companies, and the
Commissioners of Sewers, utol.tlint they should all
be inter:li:ted front lay icy down wooden pipes in fit.
tore. Ile did not wish (i) interfere with the •ival-
ship of different Companies; no man was a greater
enemy to monopoly than hitnsisif ; his only o:trect
was to secure to the public what tnev had a right to
possess.—a good, safe, and commodious carrimee.
road. The fact was; the pavements, after beirte so
opened, were not laid down *vain sometimes- for
months, and without some quiek and compulsory
',tonsure, he was convinced the evil ..vovld continue
to exit. Ile was sorry he could not compliment the
Right Honourable the Chancellor of the Exrhequer,
whom lie then saw in his place, on the condition of
the streets near the Treasury. From thence to Scot-
landlord their state was disgraceful as well as die.
gerous. Ott enquiring at the Treasury nit this soh..
ject, he had betin told that the cause was, there w,.s
tin money there—[d laugh)-7-bat he trusted tLe
liieht Hole. Gentleman would not suppett alt
assertion. Ile should now move for leave In
in a Bill for the purposes he had
.could assure the House that nothing would 4iv,' 141'1
greater satisfaction than the Li:r.ductip, --.0
measure better calculated flop that of v.:clft h t;: .l

ii•ibinitti

the outliues, to accomplish the object

its had iii view :--
Si 664.
4%, di 'his irnperti, si u*.i4; hir utere mecum.

hlr. mu enquired Whether it was thf4fo:
Member's intention to Judean the Borough
ck* S;Aitimut k the provisions of his Bill, as he
c‘,„eci,ed its stfee:s rather deserved the eulogy passed
Ihnit" of Edinburah, than the censure on those in
„eigiihmirlif.,,il of thiTkeasury?
Mi. TAYLOR replied, tliat in a Bill of this na.
i.ve it was impossible to exeept my particular
; but if Southwask rtquired no inspection, it
,iou:,! become liable to no expellee. The eapence
o!feal!v borne by the Metropoliswas immense, net less
14. ti I 50,u001. per annum, while that of his Bill would
Lo no more than ?.,3001. •

leave was then given to prepare and bring in the

NEW POST OFFICE.

Tl:p Report of the Resolutions of the Committee
L 16%; Imp!' brought up,

Sir J..411AW obtained leave to bring in a Bill
on the sitne.

GItI4:NPEIA, observed; that from particular
enquiry, he was smisfied that the necessary enlarge.
aunt and improvement of the prhent. 'stab:liftmen(
would cost av much as the new lthilding projected in
SI. Martin's-!”-Crand, Soo,"e'Jl.