4 MARCH 1876, Page 2

The Tories need not be so anxious to elect Sir

Hardinge- Giffard, for they will never find a Toryer Law Officer than the present Attorney-General. Sir Charles Dilke on Tuesday brought forward his annual motion for an inquiry into the ninety-eight unreformed Corporations, the wretched little Corporations which escaped the Municipal Reform Act, and now mismanage their property and misuse their criminal powers as they please. Sir Charles made a capital speech, analysed elsewhere, and besides proving his case, delighted the House ; but Sir John Holker laid it down as law that a municipal corporation was owner of its property, unless some trust could be proved. He would prosecute if any trust could be shown, but he must have evidence of trust, which, considering the age of most of these Corporations, is equivalent to declaring them free to do as they are pleased. This was a little too much for Mr. Cross, however, who rather dislikes abuses when they are not ecclesiasticaL He broadly declared that " Corpora- tions could not hold in any other capacity than that of trustees," and promised to do his best to bring about a better state of things. Sir Charles Dllke, of course, accepted Mr. Cross's assur- ances, and withdrew his motion.