The Bishop of Londonpresented a Petition from 1,734 inhabitants of Islington, in favour of the 203 Islington Market Bill. The petitioners complained of the evils which were consequent upon the existence of the great metropolitan cattle market in such a place as Smithfield; and they expressed their opinion, that these evils were of such a nature that any Bill for improving and extending Smithfield-market would not remove them, and that it was out of the power of the Corporation to remedy them. They thought that a great part of these evils would be removed if the Islington Market Bill was passed into a law. The objection made to it was, that it would enable an individual to levy tolls on all beasts brought to Smithfield-market; but that seemed to be an evil, if it was one, that would remedy itself; while the moral and physical mischiefs now existing from the driving of cattle to Smithfield-market could not be remedied by any other measure than the removal of the market. The Corporation of London now opposed the Bill; and he might, perhaps, think it improper to vest such a power in the hands of an individual, if any body corporate had come forward to remedy the existing evil; but as years had now elapsed, and no attempt of the kind had been made, he thought that there ought to be granted to an individual who did so the means of compensation for his great outlay. In his opinion, the public gratitude was due for the spirit and conduct of an individual who had embarked so large a sum of money—he believed 120,000l.—in such an undertaking as the construction of a market of this kind, with a view to remedy the evils of the existing system. Some years ago, a Committee of the House of Commons had recommended a plan of this sort: but till this one individual had undertaken the task, no one appeared disposed to carry the recommendation into effect.
§ Petition laid on the Table.