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The Court of Common Council was engaged on Thursday in consider- ing two reports touching the contemplated dead meat market in Smith- field and the railway communications which form part of the plan. But the reports did not quite please the Court, especially a proposal to erect large warehouses, and they were referred back to the committees for farther inquiry. Public Indicators find no favour east of Temple Bar. The other day preparations were made for erecting one at Exchange Buildings, but the workmen employed were compelled to desist from their operations. The Company were then served with notices by the parish of St. Michael,. Cornhill, with threats of an appeal to the Court of Chancery, if the no

tices were not found sufficient. They have not, however, ventured to push matters to extremity, and the pavement has been restored to its original state.

The Property and Income-tax Association, Mr. Collier in the chair, met at the London Coffee-house on Tuesday. The Association was not unanimous in the earlier stage of the debate. Mr. Elt brought forward a resolution, declaring that the tax on trades and professions should be only one half of that imposed on land. Mr. Elt thinks that all who have no more than 150/. a year should be exempt from income-tax. These views were not acceptable. A Mr. Hyam wished the Association to de- clare that while it may be necessary to levy a property-tax, the tax on precarious incomes should not be reimposed. As neither resolution nor amendment met the views of the handful of persons assembled,, they were withdrawn. The meeting contented itself with stating that a dis- tinction should be established between the rate imposed on permanent and that on precarious incomes ; and that it is desirable to agitate the country to obtain support for that view.

At the meeting of the Law Amendment Society on Monday, Mr. Allen called attention to the defects in the state of the law in reference to ac- tions for seduction. Mr. Allen's paper chiefly referred to the anomalous circumstance that a father, however pained might be his feelings on find- ing that his daughter had been made the victim of a seducer, had as against him no remedy unless he could prove loss of service ; a state of the law which was a barbarous tradition from the times when women were looked upon as mere goods and chattels. There was often a diffi- culty found in establishing that loss of service which entitled the father of a young woman to stand to her in the suit in question in the relation of a master to his servant, and it also frequently happened that when the suit was prosecuted it broke down through the proof of the former im- morality of the woman, the law not allowing any amount of good con- duct on her part subsequent to her loss of chastity to be taken into con- sideration as giving her master the locus standi of a plaintiff. He would do away with the fiction of proof of service, and give the father directly the right of action if the daughter was a minor, the damages when re- covered to be shared between them ; and in case she was over age, he would allow the woman herself to institute the suit.

Mr. Edgar thought there were only two ways of getting rid of the difficulties which, under the existing state of the law, surrounded this action—either to allow the woman to bring her own action or to require a proof of substantial loss of service. With regard to the first, he did not think it right that the woman, a consenting party, should be allowed to bring all action for damage which she sustained through her own wilful conduct. The second course was the alternative of a total abolition of the suit, by which the cause of morality would, he thought, be on the whole better served; but the only real remedy was the elevation of the moral feeling of men.

A discussion ensued, in which Mr. Wingfield, Mr. Joseph N. Higgins, Mr. Alfred Hall, Mr. Hastings, and others, took part, and the considera- tion of the question was referred to a committee.

At the meeting of the Royal Geographical Society, on Monday, a paper was read entitled—" Journeys in the District bordering on the Fraser Thompson, and Harrison Rivera," by Lieutenants Mayne, R.N., and Palmer, R.E. and Chief Justice M. Begbie ; communicated by the Duke of Newcastle, Colonial Office. The paper caused some discussion, and led to a curious statement of fact.

Sir Roderick Murchison, the President, in proposing the thanks of the Society to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle for sending the papers as well as to the authors, said that, he was much struck with the fact ?hat vessels of large tonnage could navigate the rivers, thus affording access to the auriferous regions. The plan of the Island of St. Juan, about which the Governinents of the two countries were in dispute, was before them. It was obvious that it would be of the highest importance to have the distinct line of the Fraser River for the transit of their auriferous

products. He had specimens of the nuggets found in the Fraser River ; they were all of small size, but it might turn out that some would yet be found as large as in any of the Australian gold regions.

Sir Edward Bekher said that what gave him most concern was the boundary line. In 1838 he had sailed up the Columbia River below the 46th parallel, and had not found one American located there, but on arriving at Fort Vancouver there were some American missionaries who had been provided by the Hudson Bay Company with seed, sheep, and every facility for settling; and when a certain number had arrived, they called on the United States Government to establish American rights there, and that was the way England had been ousted from the Colum- bia River. An insurrection soon after broke out in California, and the American Governor told him that if the British Government gave up to the United States the southern boundary of the Columbia, she would allow England to take California for the Mexican debt. Be had seen

the Mexican Charge d'Affaires and told him that he had sent a despatch to -England containing that preposition; but, as he was a sailor and had

travelled out of his strict province in writing direct to the Foreign Office, no notice was taken of the communication, and the result was that Eng- land lost California, the Columbia, and was " fleeted " up to the 49th degree. Had the British Government adopted the proposal made in 1838 there would be no occasion for the " San Juan difficulty" of the present day. After some observations from Mr. Crawfurd, denying that the influx of gold would sensibly affect the relative value of metals and provisions, the meeting was adjourned to the 9th of January.

The Society of Engineers had their annual dinner on the 8th, Mr. H. P. Stephenson in the chair. The Society is in a flourishing state, and is very useful to the profession.

The foundation stone of a new Vestry Hall at Chelsea was laid on Monday, in the presence of the county Members, Mr. Tite, Lord Chelsea, and other persons interested in the welfare of that district. It is to cost o6001. The principal large hall will measure 65 feet 6 inches by 40 feet, and be 30 feet in height, with eliptie ceiling, and, with a gallery at one end, and is expected to provide sitting accommodetka. for 1500. There will be also a smaller hall, or board room, to be 14 feet by 30 feet, and 17 feet in height, and a residence provided for the vestry clerk, as well as a residence in the basement for the messenger. On the ground

floor will be a library, with two reading rooms communicating, vestry clerk's office, and retiring rooms.

A Mies' Clara Armitage has obtained a verdict of 150/. damages in the Court of Queen's Bench from one Robert Chaplin, for breach of a promise of marriage. MissArmitage was a shopwomart in the arcade near the South- Eastern Railway. - Chaplin kept a watchmaker's shop hard by. Smitten by the lady's charms he wooed and won her ; they visited each other's friends together, and were happy. Some more attractive lady, however, caught his eye, he proved faithless to his Clara, and married the new flame. Damages 150/.

Rafael Hidalgo de 0g,arzabal, a Spaniard, was engaged to marry a Miss Layers. At that time Rafael was in the employ of a Spanish house, Pinto, Perez, and Co. It happened that Rafael had obtained some money from a Spaniard which he lodged in a bank in his own name, he says, in good faith ; but the story coming to the ears of Mr. Perez he dismissed Rafael. A fellow- clerk, Boyd, then informed the Reverend Mr. Myers of some matters telling against the character of Rafael—as that he lived a depraved life, had been forced to quit Spain because he had killed a man, and wished Mr. Myers to inform the mother of Miss Lavers of the facts. Mr. Myers did so, and the engagement between the young people was broken off. Refuel Hidalgo then

in i stituted an action for slander n the Court of Queen's Bench against Boyd, The Jury found that Boyd made the statements he did bona fide, but that these statements caused the marriage to be broken off. The Judge directed a verdict for the plaintiff. Damages, one shilling.

In the Court of Exchequer Mr. Bridgert proprietor of the Green Dragon Hotel, Bishopsgate Street, brought an action against Mr. Wingfield Baker, late candidate for South Essex, to recover 64/. las. 4d., the balance of a bill incurred for hire of rooms, meat, drink, and lodging. The case occu- pied the Court for some time but the main facts are these. Mr. Baker's committee sat at the Green Dragon. The rooms were regularly engaged for that purpose. Mr. Smith and Mr. Littler, the two chief men of the committee, slept and lived there to facilitate business, and thus incurred expenses. In addition they mustered the canvassers and gave them break- fasts. The whole account was upwards of 172/. Mr. Baker paid 99/. 4s. ; but seems to have doubted whether it would be legal to pay the remainder which had been set down to Mr. Littler. The question was, had Littler authority ? The Jury thought he had, and found for the plaintiff.

In the Court of Common Pleas three persons have obtained verdicts against the Directors of the Polytechnic Institution - for damages sustained during the fall of the staircase in that building laseJanuary. The question was, did the accident arise from an original defect in the staircase, in which case the defendants would not be liable or from an improper mode of re- pairing it ? The Jury thought that this accident arose from the mode of repairing the staircase, whereby the stone steps were weakened. One plain- tiff got 1501.; the others 25/. each.

A Mr. Rideal suffered severe injuries in a collision at Hollingwood on the Great Western Railway. Shortly afterwards he was offered fair compensa- tion by the Company ; he accepted 20/., and signed a receipt, which stated that the 20/. were compensation for injuries sustained, and any that might arise. The Board of Trade report on the accident imputed negligence to the Company's servants, and Mr. Rideal, who had suffered more damage than he anticipated, brought his action in the Court of Common Pleas. Ile was non-suited on the ground that he had signed a receipt which covered the

whole ease. . - _

Messrs. Cunard and Co., shipbrokers, brought an action in iiitesteue Court to recover the commission duo on the sale of a ship. The defendant was Mr. Van Oppen. It seems that he had placed a ship for sale in the hands of three brokers. All these firms and Mr. Van Oppen himself earlier than any of them, mentioned the ship a person who ultimately became the purchaser. In the sale, however, it was stipulated between Van Oppen and the buyer, Breffit and Co., that no commission should be paid. But the rule is that the broker who first finds the purchaser and first brings the principals together, is entitled to the commission, the private arrangement declaring that no commission should be paid being limited in its effect to those who made it. It was shown to the satisfaction of a jury that Cunard and Co. had sold the ship, and were entitled to the commission, 100/.

An extraordinary case is before the Court of Common Pleas. A Mr. Oak- ley sued Mushee-ood-deen, ambassador frees the King of Oude, to recover 65001. on a bill of exchange. The defence was that the defendant wrote his name on a piece of paper, and gave authority to fill in 1001., whereas it was filled up with the figures 6500/. The bill was negotiated with one Chard. The defendant was examined at great length ; he deposed to many mys- terious transactions, stated distinctly that he never accepted a bill for 6500/., and that it was a fraud. On the other side, it was contended that Mr. Oakley had given 5000/. for the bill, and that no evidence was tendered to show that the document had been tampered with.

Proceedings were begun on Thursday, in the hall of Doctors' Commons,. before Commissioners appointed by the Bishop of London, to inquire and re- port whether there are prime facie grounds for prosecuting certain charges against the Rev. James Bonwell, incumbent of St. Philip's, Stepney. They had been made subsequent to an inquest held on the body of a male child born in August last at the schoolhouse of St. Philip's, Stepney, and buried under very suspicious circumstances, which cannot have escaped the recollection of our readers. Mr. Bonwell was very closely connected with the whole transaction. Among the facts testified by witnesses who were examined yesterday were these : that Mr. Bonwell became acquainted at Margate, in September, 1858, with Miss Yorath, the daughter of a deceased clergyman, and was soon afterwards recognized by her friends there as her accepted lover ; that as such he visited her family at Newport soon after her return to them from Margate ; that the young lady and he used to sit up late together after the family were in bed ; that their marriage was fixed to take place in June or July, and that he represented himself to Miss Yorath's friends and to the Rev. Hugh Williams, chancellor of the diocese of Landaff, as a widower, whereas his wife is still living. Further it was deposed that Miss Yomth was visibly pregnant in May, that she acknowledged her condition to one of her friends in Margate and that al- though she did not directly state that Mr. Bonwell was the father, that fact was inferred from what she said. A lady calling herself Mrs. Harvey took lodgings at Ball's Pond Road in June last, and gave Mr. Bonwell's card as a reference. Her linen was marked E. Yorath, and the landlady saw that she was pregnant the moment she came into the house. Dr. Godfrey, who was called by Mr. Bonwell to attend the lady in labour at St. Philip's school house was asked by counsel if Mr. Bonwell told him who was the father of the child, but thought he was not bound to divulge what was confided to him in his professional capacity. The examination then took this shape. Dr. Twiss— Are we to understand that you promised Mr. Bonwell to keep secret what he told you?'" Dr. Godfrey—" Certainly I did." Mr. Buller— "That is quite enough for my purpose." Dv. Twiss—" How long have you known Mr. Bonwell ?" Dr. Godfrey—" I have attended his wife some years." Dr. Twias—" But how long have you been acquainted with Mr. Bon well?" Dr. Godfrey—" Well, in the present state of the Churchof England, I don't

care to acknowledge an acquaintance with a clergyman." The inquiry was adjourned to Friday.

James Moore, the man who murdered his wife in Finsbury, cut- ting her head off and otherwise mutilating the body, has been ac- quitted at the Central Criminal Court of the charge of murder on the ground of insanity. It was shown that he had lived on affec- tionate terms with his wife, and no motive for the murder could be dis- covered. Moore had been confined in prison some months before ; he had gone thence to a lunatic asylum, and had come out cured. But he seems to have had a relapse. Mr. Mather, surgeon to the police, said that when he was about to give his evidence before the Police Magistrate the prisoner said that he wished to have some private conversation with him, and he then said in a very familiar manner, 'I suppose you know what is going on in my inside. I have had some substance there for a long time, and have been examined by several doctors." Witness said to him, "Does it affect you much now ? " and he replied, "Not just now, but sometimes it affects my liver a good deal." The prisoner afterwards told him that he could not say what it was that was in his body, but it was like a ball or tumour, and he felt full of wind or steam. His conduct up to this time had been perfectly rational. Did not believe Moore was sane when he killed his wife. The prisoner put some questions to the witness, apparently with the object of showing that he was sane. He said that he particularly wished to know what were the grounds upon which he came to the conclusion that he was insane. "If I am not in my right mind," exclaimed the prisoner in a loud voice, "who is? How am lout of my mind ? What part am I wrong in ?" Mr. Mather's opinion was confirmed by other medical witnesses and by an address Moore made in Court. He was ordered to be confined during her Majesty's pleasure.

The Marlborough Street Magistrate delivered an important decision on a point affecting working men on strike or lock out. One Robert Watt sum- moned the President of a Masons' Benefit Society for expelling him from future participation in the benefits on the ground that, contrary to rule, e belonged to another society. The facts were not disputed. Watt did belong to two societies. But he contended that one was not a benefit but a trade society. He only subscribed to the "trade fund," and not to the "trade and sick fund." The Magistrate, however, held that the rules of the Masons' Benefit did plainly prohibit any member from belonging to any other society which proposes and effects the same purposes, and he therefore dismissed the summons.

Mr. Fulcher, Sanitary Inspector, has obtained an order from the Thames Street Magistrate declaring certain tenements unfit for habitation. The reader may like to See a description of the houses. They are eight in number, in White Hart Place, Robin Hood Lane, Poplar. The whole of the inhabitants were poor Irish, among whom great destitution exists. He made an inspection of each room on Tuesday, excepting the rooms in No. 4, a wretched and dilapidated building called an Irish freehold, where an Irish labourer in possession said he had lived forty years and paid no rent. In the whole course of his experience he never witnessed a more filthy and disgraceful nuisance. He was surprised how human beings could exist in such a place. The walls and ceilings of the tenements were blackened with smoke and dirt, which had been accumulating for many years and were like the interior of a large chimney shaft. There were no grate;; in the fire-places, but a few bricks were a substitute. The floors were rottanidefeefive and dangerous. The "flank walls" at the back of _eaeirt-ouse were defective, and caused them to be very damp. There were no back-yards, and the court or alley. called "White Pled" was a narrow and dirty thoroughfare ten feet nine inches wide. Sixty-nine persons are now living in the houses, some half-naked. There is no water supply, the ashes and refuse of the houses are thrown into the street, and there are only three retiring-places on the spot, common to all the inhabitants. Mr. Selfe said that if the hovels were not cleansed and repaired in fourteen days, he should inflict a heavy fine.

The warehouses of Messrs. Rock and Co., in Walbrook, wholesale paper dealers, were destroyed by fire on Tuesday morning. The Fire Brigade was on the spot as soon as the flames were discovered, but they had been smoul- dering for hours before they rushed forth. The gallant exertions of the firemen saved the neighbouring houses, but the premises of Rock and Co. were destroyed. The houses were old, having been built in 1688, two years after the Great Fire. The firm was insured.