Yattrufnlis.

The Court of Common Council sat on Monday, and unanimously adopted a report from the London Corporation Bill Committee, recom- mending the abolition of certain fees that are obstacles to the admission of persons to the freedom of the City. On the motion of Mr. Deputy Dakin, it was further resolved- ," That the Chamberlainbe directed to admit to the freedom of the City, without further order from this Court, all persons making application for ar that purpose whose names are on the Parliamentary register for the City of London, in conformity with the report of the Corporation Bill Committee and the order of the Court thereon."

A small meeting—small, it is said, because summoned with only one day's notice—was held at the London Coffeehouse on Wednesday, to take steps for obtaining a speedy reduction of the Income-tax to 7d. in the pound. It was resolved, for that purpose, to establish an association to be called " the Property add Income Tax Association." This is only a preliminary meeting.

.Mr. Ernest Jones has summoned music to aid in the dissemination of his peculiar views. On Tuesday night he held a "political soirée " at St. Martin's Hall. It was attended by about three hundred persons; who looked "few" enough in the great place for any political philosopher. Mr. Jones explained, that he was about for the first time "to attempt to blend dry political discussion with a musical entertainment." Accord- ingly, the heroic three hundred first heard a set of songs and madrigals sung by Mr. Jones's " artistes " ; and then they heard Mr. Jones state -what he conceives to be the relation between the employers and the mu- ployed, between capital and labour. After Mr. Jones came more singing ; and after the singing more of Mr. Jones, on that fertile theme the waste lands.

The competitors for the premiums to be awarded by Government to the designers of the Wellington Monument and the Public Offices will be in great number, if we may judge by the applications for copies of the block plans and specifications. There have, at present, been no fewer than 285 applications in relation to the Wellington Monument—one-half foreign ; and 500 for the new Offices,- of Which "'a-large number" are from abroad.

At a meeting of Royal British Bank depositors, at flit Martin's Hall, on Monday evening, a resolution was passed in favour of the-appointment of Mr. Coleman as official manager ; -and another, that every effort should be made to get permission for the depositors' committee to dppear before the Vice-Chan- cellor to guard the interests of the creditors. Mr. Harding, the interim of- ficial manager of the affairs of the bank, has fixed certain days for receiving the claims of the 6000 creditors. He has also issued circulars upon which claims can be made ; and has requested each creditor to express his views as to a composition.

The failure of the Royal British Bank promises to be an excellent thing for the lawyers. A few weeks ago, it was sought to make the company bankrupt, but the attempt failed ; then it was ordered to be wound-up in Chancery ; and now, on Thursday last, it was again brought into the Court of Bankruptcy, and Mr. Commissioner Evans granted an adjudication of bankruptcy. The proceeding was at the instance of Mr. Burke, who is a creditor for 522/. The petition was based on the act 7 and 8 Vice. cap. 111. After hearing Mr. Link-later in support of the petition, the Commissioner said he had no alternative but to make the adjudication. The matter was then referred to Mr. Commissioner Holroyd; who immediately took the ne- cessary steps to carry out the law. When Mr. Johnstone, the messenger of the Court, went to take possession of the head office of the bank, his author- ity was resisted ; he was informed that he would not be permitted to touch any books or property, the officers of the Court of Chancery being in legal

possession ; and due notices were served on the Bankruptcy officials. e same proceedings occurred at the branches. The directors have seven days to attempt to remove the adjudication of the Bankruptcy Court.

At the Auction Mart, last week, a number of deposit-receipts of the Royal British Bank were offered for sale. They were knocked down at prices vary- ing from 108. to 13s. 6d. in the pound ; but only a portion were really sold.

A very interesting dialogue is reported in the Bankruptcy proceedings of Tuesday. One of the interlocutors was Mr. Commissioner Goulburn, the other a counsel for the assignees of a bankrupt. Mr. Johnson, for the as- signees, applied for the sanction of the Court to a compromise pro- posed by the assignees with reference to a bill of exchange for 10001., bearing the names of Mr. George Hudson and Mr. Mould, railway- contractor, for which they had been offered 160/. The Commissioner— "-Hudson ! Hudson ! what Hudson is it ? " Mr. Johnson—" The celebrated George Hudson, the late Railway King." The Commissioner looked incre- dulous ; and Ir. Johnson assured the Court that it was rightly informed. The Commissioner—" Is it come to this, that his acceptance for 1000?. is to be compromised for 1501. ? " Mr. Johnson—" The assignees consider them- selves very fortunate in getting that sum." His Honour—"Well, if the official assignee and the trade assignee concur in thinking it a beneficial compromise, let it be so." Mr. Johnson—" That is really the opinion."

A Jury impanelled by the Sheriff of Surrey on Tuesday assessed damages in a railway accident case. Mr. Allen, a confectioner at Deptford, was one of the sufferers by an accident at New Cross. Both his legs were crushed, and it was found necessary to amputate them. Though the South-Eastern Railway Company offered no compensation to the sufferer, they entered no defence to his action. Mr. Allen gave evidence before the Jury : he was carried into court and placed upon a table—a pitiable spectacle. The Jury assessed the compensation at 2720?.

The Clerkenwell Magistrate has sentenced one Matthew Webster to a month's imprisonment for cruelly kicking a fine St. Bernard dog, inflicting an internal laceration which caused death. Webster's excuse was, that the dog, unmuzzled, ran into his grounds among his children. He was rather surprised when he found he was to be imprisoned for cruelty to a dog.

No fewer than five cases of attempted suicide came before the Metropoli- tan Magistrates on Monday : at Guildhall, a young woman was charged with taking laudanum ; at Bow Street, a man, a girl, antd a young woman, were brought up for attempting to drown themselves at different places ; at the Thames Police Office, a girl, who had been a prostitute, was accused of swallowing oxalic acid. The prisoners were either remanded for further in-- quiries or dismissed with admonitions ; and the prostitute was sent to the Refuge for Penitents.

Thomas Freeman, a young man, who described himself as a lithogra- pher, has been remanded by the Clerkenwell Magistrate on a charge of uttering two forged checks. With one check he pretended to pay his tailor's bill, and afterwards induced the tailor to cash the other : the two amounted to but 9/. 6s.

Mr. Welch the barrister appeared again before the Bow Street Magis- trate on Tuesday. It appears that he left the court prematurely last week, under a misunderstanding. The charge against him was not pressed, as he had signed the paper dictated by Miss Colquhoun's family, and given up the articles they demanded.

Robson, the Crystal Palace transfer-clerk, now in custody, had, it ap- pears, of late led a most expensive and profligate life. A few years since he was a poor law-writer, he and his wife living in one room. Since he got the appointment at the Crystal Palace, he occupied a large house, kept three servants, carriages, and costly horses. He also kept two women at an extravagant rate. His method of living denoted the man of thousands : his salary was 150?. a year.

Mr. Hopkinson, the druggist at Ratcliff, whose name and conduct recently came prominently before the public in connexion with his wife's attempted suicide, has died from breaking a blood-vessel.