THE LONDON COUNTY COUNCIL AND THE NEW BAILEY.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—May I venture to ask you to use your influence in inapport of the proposal which is being made by the London County Council that the whole of the criminal work of London Quarter Sessions should be transacted at the New Bailey? he proposal was originally put forward by Sir Harry Poland and Sir Edward Clarke, but for several years had no chance of adoption in consequence of the suspicion with which the City authorities regarded the London County Council. That feeling is now rapidly disappearing, and any last remnant must be displaced by the fact that the London County Council has unanimously declared its willingness to hand over the whole of its duties in connection with the administration of the criminal law to the City authorities. The present pro- posal for more fully utilising the magnificent accommodation of the New Bailey would save the ratepayers of London the very heavy cost of providing a new Court for the work of the North and South London Sessions, and would greatly facilitate the work of all those engaged in the administration of the criminal law by concentrating it in one building. It would be a very great pity if such an obviously useful reform were blocked by any suspicion of the motives of the London County Council in putting forward the proposition.—I am, Sir, &c.,
CHARLES RUSSELL.
87 Norfolk Street, Strand, W.C.