The members of the City of London Corporation Reform Society,

the formation of which was mentioned last week, held a meeting on Thursday evening. The Chairman, Mr. Hannen, called attention to several facts connected with the expenditure of the Corporation, which proved the necessity of a radical change in the administration of the City's affairs— It would, he was sure, be sufficient to rally round that society the support of all the citizens, when it was proved to them, that if the funds of the City were properly applied, they could themselves be relieved from the heavy im- posts which they had now to pay. He did not know but that even without the impost of a single shilling they could have the Lord Mayor still riding in his gilded coach ; though, for his own part, he objected to that as a ridiculous mummery. They saw, at present, •hat when the Lord Mayor did ride forth, he had a number of useless Individuals following in his train. He should read for them a list of persons who were paid by the citizens chiefly because they attended upon the Lord Mayor on state days—

OFFICERS OF THE LORD MAYOR'S HOUSEHOLD.

s. d.

Swoolbearer 406 2 3 Common Crier 473 14 10 Water-Bailiff 503 0 0 Chaplain to Lord Mayor 97 10 0 Three Sergeant Carvers 362 14 8

First Sergeant or Chamber

308 13 4 Second Sergeant of Chamber

277

18 8 Third sergeant of Chamber 277 18 8 Sergeant or Channel 457 12 6 First Yeoman of Waterside 478 6 8 Fourth Yeoman of Waterside 353 6 8 Under Water.11ailiff 350 0 0 Common Sergeant's Young Man 350 2 2 Water•ltailiff's ffrist Young Man 390 11 2

Common brier's Young Mau

105 0 0 Swoolbearer's Young Man 349 12 0 Water.Bailiff's second Young Man 300 2 4

£5812 5 11

It would be observed that he had, in reading this list, omitted the names of the individuals who filled the different offices he had particularized. It was not their object to attack individuals; they only wished to bring before the public the useless offices that they filled, in order that, in the dispensing with them, the purse of the public might be saved.

Mr. Hannen also stated the emoluments of the legal functionaries--

Chamberlain £4.473 3 6 Toun.Clerk and his Clerks 3.370 0 0 Comptroller 2,661 7 8 Rernetnbrancer 1.255 2 5 Solicitor 1,500 0 0 Registrar of the Mayor's Court 506 10 10

Clerk or the Peace

1,024 12 10

£14,79017 3

£14,79017 3

Here they found a solicitor receiving 1,5001. ; but not content with that, he found that the bill of the same solicitor for expenses was 2,0001. for the same year. He had no objection to compound with a lawyer for doing business; but here, after compounding, it appeared that a bill was paid to him.

Mr. Pritchard said, he believed that the second bill was for disburse- ments by the Solicitor, and the first in payment of various services.

Mr. Hannen observed, that the second bill looked very like a regular lawyer's account, and not a statement of money out of pocket. The charges made for the care and watching of Guildhall would surprise the meeting—

Hall keeper £392

4 7

First Assistant 175 14 0 Second Assistant 124 13 0 Third Assistant 84 19 0 Extra Assistant 72 16 0 Other occasional Assistants 108 10 6 Superintendent of GuilditalL Watch 68 6 0 Pat rols 109 10 0 Watchmen 200 4 0 Sunday Warders 28

7 0

Extra Watchmen 8 13 3 Greatcoats for Watch 3 10 0 Pensions to late Watchmen 28 0 0

£1,409 6 4

£1,409 6 4

There, then, was a sum of money laid out by the Corporation of London upon the care and the watching of one building !

The maintenance of sewers and paving and lighting of the streets cost 43,750/. in 1837; arid the salaries paid to officers and other ex- penses connected with the disbursement of that sum amounted to up- wards of 6,000/. The tavernsbills of the Commissioners of Sewers amounted to 4871. Is. Id.; and the cost of a " summer excursion " was 1,501.

Mr. Wells had the very worst opinion of the Committtees of the Common Council ; and, from the manner in which their accounts were drawn up, he defied any person to ascertain their actual expenditure. The manner in which the funds were raised was most objectionable, and oppressive to the poorer classes- The worst of these taxes was, certainly, that on fuel— Even in the last session, an act had been passed which perpetuated that tax, otherwise soon about to expire ; and perpetuated it for what purpose? To build an Exchange for the richest merchants in the world. The poor man was thus compelled to pay for the luxury of the rich man. The Coal•duty was an iniquity. It arose to make good the deficiency of the orphan fund, which had been unjustly seized upon : it might be said to have originated in robbery, to be continued in robbery, and be bad ne doubt would be perpetuated by rob- bery, unless the idtiz!ls insisted u2an having their affairs prnper:t , The Corporation, not content with the ('sal-t ix, i!t•t t!s, +!.,••0. of another tax, which was levied upuu vegetables ; and in this particular too they interfered v ith the necessaries of life for the poorer classes.

Among the items of extravagant expenditure was the following— Cloth delivered to the Ministers of State and other great Officers, and

the several 0 beers of the City, &c. for the year 1837 £170 16 0 Fees paid to his late and her present Majesty's servants at St. James's,

for two years, as New t'ear's gifts 85 18 0 To Chairmen of sundry Committees of the Court of Common Council, for summer e.icursious, and emelnsire 4 the sum of 2,10(1, allowed to other Committees 750 0

A new damask gown for Common Crier 30 0 0 A new damask awn for the Swordbearer 30 0 0 For embluzonieg the arms on vote of thanks to (Mattes Pearson 41 0

Exprases r f All( men and Common Counei'men being taught to ride bet re the Queen, amt hire of the horses 121 0 6

Velvet robe ler the Lord Mayor 80 10 0

To the Lord M..yor's Coachman, is lieu of 'he old sad 'y 4 4 0

Committees were appointed to forward the objects of the Society, by collecting and arranging information relative to the revenue and expenditure of the City ; and after a vote of thanks to the Chairman, the meeting broke up.