share-brokers: when the purchase-money | distress for rent, for the performance of

10 0 per cent. There is besides a stamp-duty payable on transfers of railway-shares and shares in joint-stock companies generally. The stamp-duty is 10s. when the purchasemoney of the share is under 207.; above 201. and under 507. it is 17.; and rises by a graduated scale according to the amount of purchase-money.

which functions they must provide themselves with a licence, and they come under the regulations of an act of parlia ment (57 Geo. III. c. 93). [APPRAISER.]

Custom-house brokers, or, as they are more commonly termed, agents, are licensed by the commissioners of Customs, and no person without such licence can transact business at the Custom-house or in the port of London relative to the entrance or clearance of ships, &c.

The business of a pawnbroker is altogether different from that of the commercial brokers here described. [PAWNBROKER.]

BROTHEL. [PROSTITUTION.]

On completing a transaction in railway or other shares of a joint-stock company, the brokers give a "contract note" to their employers as evidence of the nature of BUDGET. The annual financial the business done on their account. By statement which the Chancellor of the 7 & 8 Vict. c. 110, the sale and transfer Exchequer, or sometimes the First Lord of railway shares before the "complete of the Treasury, makes in the House of registration" of the Railway Company is Commons, in a committee of ways and placed on the same footing as "time bar-means, is familiarly termed "the Budget." gains" on the Stock Exchange, and cannot be enforced in a court of law. § 26 enacts, "with regard to subscribers and every person entitled or claiming to be entitled to any share in any Joint-Stock Company," formed after 1st November, 1844, that "until such Company shall have obtained a certificate of complete registration,' and until such subscriber or person shall have been duly registered as a shareholder" in the office of the London Register, "it shall not be lawful for such person to dispose by sale or mortgage of such share, or of any interest therein," and all contracts to this effect shall be void, and "every person" entering into such contracts shall forfeit not less than 107. All Companies begun after the 5th of September, 1844 (the date when the act was passed), are subject to this enactment (§ 60).

It is usual to apply the name of broker to persons who buy and sell second-hand household furniture, although such an occupation does not bear any analogy to brokerage as here described: furniture dealers buy and sell generally on their own account, and not as agents for others. These persons do indeed sometimes superadd to their business the appraising of goods and the sale of them by public auction under warrants of

The minister, whichever of them it is, gives a view of the general financial policy of the government, and shows the condition of the country in respect to its industrial interests. This is of course the time to present an estimate of the probable income and expenditure for the twelve months ending the 5th of April in the following year; and to state what taxes it is intended to reduce or abolish, or what new ones to impose; and this is accompanied by the reasons for adopting the course which the government proposes. The speech of the Chancellor of the Exchequer in bringing forward the budget is naturally looked forward to with great interest by different classes: if the revenue be in a flourishing condition and a surplus exists, all parties are anxious to learn how far their interests will be affected by a reduction of taxes; and if the state of the national finances render it necessary to impose additional taxes, this interest is equally great. The Chancellor of the Exchequer concludes by proposing resolutions for the adoption of the committee. These resolutions, "when afterwards reported to the House, form the groundwork of bills for accomplishing the financial objects proposed by the minister." (May's Parliament, p. 331.)

BUILDING, ACTS FOR REGÚ.

cution of the law; and it did nothing to discourage the erection of imperfect buildings in districts which have become a part of the metropolis since it was passed. Whether the new act (7 & 8 Vict. c. 84) contains regulations equally impractica ble remains to be seen. Some of them probably are of this nature, as may be expected in attempts to legislate on technical matters of detail; but the object of the act is excellent, and any defects in carrying it out may be corrected without much difficulty. The removal of sources of danger and disease in crowded neighbourhoods, by enforcing ventilation and drainage, and by other means, is in itself both wise and benevolent. The window tax will prove, in several respects, a great impediment to theact being fully carried out.

LATING. Provisions for regulating | the construction of buildings are generally introduced into acts for the improvement of towns. To permit houses of wood or thatched roofs in confined and crowded streets, would be to sacrifice the public welfare to the caprice or convenience of individuals. There is no general measure ensuring uniformity of regulations for buildings throughout the country. In the session of 1841 the Marquis of Normanby, then a member of the government, brought in a bill " for the better Drainage and Improvement of Buildings in large Towns and Villages," but it did not pass; and a bill of a similar nature was unsuccessful in the session of the following year. In the session of 1844, however, an act was passed (7 & 8 Vict. c. 84) entitled 'An Act for Regulating the Construction and the Use of BuildThe objects of the Metropolitan Buildings in the Metropolis and its Neighbourings Act may be gathered from the prehood; and this measure, though applica- amble, which is as follows:-" Whereas ble at present only to London, promises by the several acts mentioned in schedule to be an important step towards improv- (A.)* to this Act annexed provisions are ing the condition of large towns, and with made for regulating the construction of certain modifications it will probably be buildings in the metropolis, and the neighextended to other places. The act came bourhood thereof, within certain limits into operation on the 1st of January, 1845. therein set forth; but forasmuch as buildLondon has had Building Acts ever since ings have since been extended in nearly the reign of Queen Anne; but their object continuous lines or streets far beyond was chiefly to enforce regulations calcu- such limits, so that they do not now inlated to check the spread of fire. The clude all the places to which the provilast Building Act, commonly called Sir sions of such acts, according to the purRobert Taylor's Act (14 Geo. III. c. 78), poses thereof, ought to apply, and morewas passed in 1774, "for the further and over such provisions require alteration better regulation of buildings and party and amendment, it is expedient to extend walls, and for the more effectually pre- such limits, and otherwise to amend such venting mischiefs by fire." It extended acts: and forasmuch as in many parts of to the cities of London and Westminster, the metropolis and the neighbourhood and their liberties and other places within thereof, the drainage of the houses is so the bills of mortality, and to the parishes imperfect as to endanger the health of of St. Marylebone, Paddington, St. Pan- the inhabitants, it is expedient to make cras, and St. Luke's, Chelsea. The ad- provision for facilitating and promoting ministration of the act was confided to the improvement of such drainage; and district surveyors, each of whom had in- forasmuch as by reason of the narrowness dependent authority within his own dis- of streets, lanes, and alleys, and the want trict; but the magistrate at the nearest of a thoroughfare in many places, the police-office might enforce or not, at his due ventilation of crowded neighbourown discretion, the decisions of the sur- hoods is often impeded, and the health of veyor. The technical regulations of this the inhabitants thereby endangered, and act were many of them, generally speaking, of so impracticable a nature that their evasion was connived at by the officers appointed to superintend the exe

• These acts are 14 Geo. III c. 78, partly repealed; 50 Geo. III. c. 75, wholly repealed; and 3 & 4 Vict. c. 85, repealed so far as it relates to flues and chimneys.

of falling, the occupier, or if not the occupier the owner, may be required to take down or secure the same within thirty-six hours; and a penalty of five pounds is incurred for every day during which the

the exterior boundaries of the parishes of Woolwich, Charlton, Greenwich, Deptford, Lea, Lewisham, Camberwell, Lambeth, Streathamn, Tooting, and Wandsworth; and to all places lying within two hundred yards from the ex-projection complained of is allowed to reterior boundary of the district hereby defined, except the eastern part of the said boundary which is bounded by the river

Lea."

By § 4 power is given to the queen in council to extend the above limits to any limits within twelve miles of Charing Cross, notice of such extension being published in the London Gazette' one month previously.

main unrepaired or in a dangerous state.

The subject of party walls, party fences, and intermixed buildings is regulated by §§ 20 to 39, and the following provisions are made as to their reparation, pulling down, or raising. If the consent of the adjoining owner is not obtained, notice must be given him three months before the work is commenced, and the adjoining owner may obtain an order on application to the official referees for such a modification of the work as will render it suitable to his premises. If the consent of the adjoining owner cannot be obtained, the matter is to be referred to the surveyor, and the official referees may reject or confirm his certificate, and award the proportion of expenses, &c. The decision of the official referees is to be final and conclusive.

The surveyor and overseers of the place in which buildings in a ruinous state may be situated, are required to apply to the official referees to authorize a survey to be made thereof. A copy of the surveyor's certificate is to be forwarded to the overseers (or to the lord mayor and aldermen, if within the City of London), and they are required to cause such ruin ous building to be securely shored or a sufficient hoard to be put up for the safety The 51st clause provides for a proper of all passengers; and they are also to drainage. Before the walls of any buildgive notice to the owner to repair or ing shall have been built to the height of pull down the whole or part of the build- ten feet, drains must have been properly ing within fourteen days. An appeal lies built and made good leading into the to the official referees, and if the owner re- common sewer, or if there be no sewer fuses to repair or pull down premises cer- within one hundred feet, then to the tified to be in a ruinous state, this may be nearest practicable outlet. If there be a done by the overseers, or in the City by common sewer within fifty feet of a new order of the lord mayor and aldermen; and building, a cesspool must not be made the materials may be disposed of to pay without a good and sufficient drain leading the costs of every description which may to it. A cesspool under a house or other have been incurred; and if any surplus building must be made air-tight. Privies remains, it is to be paid to the owner. built in the yard or area of any building But if the proceeds from this sale of ma- must have a door and be otherwise proterials are not sufficient to cover the ex-perly inclosed, screened, and fenced from penses, the deficiency is to be made up by public view. the owner of the property, and may be levied under warrant of distress; and if there are no goods or chattels to levy, the occupier of the premises may be required to pay, and he can deduct the amount from his rent. The same course which the act directs as to buildings in a ruinous state may also be followed in reference to chimneys, roofs, and projections, so far as relates to repairing or making them secure. If the projection be from the front walls of any building and be in danger

The act also fixes the width of new streets and alleys. Every street must be of the width of forty feet at the least; and if the buildings be more than forty feet high from the level of the street, the street must be at least equal in width to the height of the houses or buildings. Every alley and every mews must be at least twenty feet in width, and if the buildings are higher, the width must be increased in proportion, so as to be at least equal to the height.

The 53rd clause is of great import- | is more than three feet below the surance in reference to the sanitary con- face of the footway, and to cellars of dition of the poor. It provides that buildings hereafter to be built or rebuilt, from and after July 1, 1846, it shall not if any such room or cellar be used as a be lawful to let separately to hire as a separate dwelling, then the floor thereof dwelling any room or cellar not con- must not be below the surface or level of structed according to the rules specified the ground immediately adjoining thereto, in schedule K, nor to occupy or suffer it unless it have an area, fireplace, and winto be occupied as such, nor to let, hire, dow, and unless it be properly drained. occupy, or suffer to be occupied any such And to every such lowermost room or room or cellar, built under ground for cellar there must be an area not less than any purpose, except for a warehouse or three feet wide in every part, from six storeroom. The official referees and the inches below the floor of such room or registrar of metropolitan buildings soon cellar to the surface or level of the after the passing of the act issued forms ground adjoining to the front, back, or to the overseers of the poor within their external side thereof, and extending the district, in order to assist the parochial full length of such side; such area, to authorities in making a return, which the extent of at least five feet long and must be ready by January 1, 1845, of two feet six inches wide, must be in front all rooms which under the act are deemed of the window, and must be open, or unfit for dwellings, but which are now covered only with open iron gratings. occupied as such. The building regula- And for every such room or cellar there tions contained in schedule K are as fol- must be an open fireplace, with proper lows:-"With regard to back yards or flue therefrom, with a window-opening open spaces attached to dwelling-houses, of at the least nine superficial feet in every house hereafter built or rebuilt area, which window-opening must be must have an enclosed back yard or open fitted with glazed sashes, of which at the space of at the least one square [a square least four and a half superficial feet must is defined by the act to be 100 square be made to open for ventilation. With feet], exclusive of any building thereon, regard to rooms in the roof of any building unless all the rooms of such house can be hereafter built or rebuilt, there must not lighted and ventilated from the street, or be more than one floor of such rooms, from an area of the extent of at the least and such rooms must not be of a less three-quarters of a square above the level height than seven feet, except the sloping of the second story, into which the owner part, if any, of such roof, which sloping of the house to be rebuilt is entitled to part must not begin at less than three feet open windows for every room adjoining six inches above the floor, nor extend thereto. And if any house already built more than three feet six inches on the be hereafter rebuilt, then, unless all the ceiling of such room. With regard to rooms of such house can be lighted and rooms in other parts of the building, ventilated from the street, or from an every room used as a separate dwelling area of the extent of at the least three- must be of at the least the height of quarters of a square, into which the owner seven feet from the floor to the ceiling. of the house to be rebuilt is entitled to open windows for every room adjoining thereto, there must be above the level of the floor of the third story an open space of at the least three-quarters of a square. And to every building of the first class must be built some roadway, either to it or to the enclosure about it, of such width as will admit to one of its fronts of the access of a scavenger's cart. With regard to the lowermost rooms of houses, being rooms of which the surface of the floor

§§ 54 and 55 provide for the restraint and eventual removal from populous neighbourhoods of trades which are dangerous, noxious, or offensive. Businesses dangerous as to fire must not be nearer than fifty feet to other buildings; and new businesses of this character must be forty feet from public ways. Persons are not in future to establish or newly carry on any such businesses within fifty feet of other buildings or forty feet from public ways; and all such businesses now