Northern Times. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-07-11 00:00:00

FOURTH EDITION. FFICE, lONDAY, 5 P.M - TOWN COUNCIL. rnedmeetin ,, of the ToWn Council was eleven his (lay his worship ; th& mayor Preston, Esq., presided, thing of im held, at Williani s of this committee did not contain an MR. SVEWA. RT'S NATION at this stage of the • proceedings My. John Stewart rq and ,said : Mayor, will you allow. in the - nroneedinTs anon a mattor to interrup' ) myself (Hear, hear.) — I hope I -shall r not trespass many minutes upon your time, but. I cannot allow certain withou I thitt . shoukl which were made in my I:shalt sap very litt and which; test or su n of the' retnarki to which I re-et man'_of th 4-cilious conduct upon my part, as, ch finances committee, to' a depatation wl committee upon 'Friday week. I shall ( a far as that subject is concerned_ with S 2 anythin say, trios Anythi notAntend • an ling of the• sort miscioWs of it, and.d Fortunately for me th think very nearly a were - gentlemen ther have thareed me wi Cries of hea,r, hear as those w re, I hop( ith saperciliou.s conduct to form aju ntent as to my bearing, and I- can only say thatl have not heard one word of condemnation either at that time or since. (Hear, hear.) For myself, I, again repeat, that if I was guilty of anything of the sort it was quite unintentionable upon my part. (Hear, hear.) It is painful to have ,to allude to this, but even if it were true was there any occasion that the public papers should allude to my late father, who ha: in hia.greve 19 years ? (Hear, hear.) Was it right after I lived in Liver' to rake up 1 nearly sixty years. pass on to the oh! in my teeth about the position in which I stand arbitrator fo'r the Mersey Docks hnd Harbour Board, with regard to the taking of some land upon the north side of Wallasey Pool. lan their arbitrator. I am not their paid advocate. the Mersey Board nor the Corporation, nor any ind N either can make me their advocate;-, and no payment of m which : they could offer me could induce me to any m ear, are pit' ration, a s property ex young ma searched, y©u will 4fiud that when 23 , profession, merits of ,it were import ful ha en the emuln- ye, years for that been nin ant to ..me, pursuing a cutoess before I had any connexion amity, wt .and was, doing a larg .to that eanneetion. books record a resa in bn4 ass on my own account, ;very your, will .find that t corporation corporation ainted arbitrator to ac n every ease, which,. came uni ante; and which they had to deal with. At that time 01 most.active .and useful members, Mx_ Jonathan liollinsheckl whom Earle and some of t older membersovii probably recollect, was chairman of the improvemeni committee. years rolled on, and although 'I wai supppsed to :be identified with the party which had oprioefA the municipal xeform bill, yet thexeferm corporation gassed twenty - odd "yars. whether, in th integ,ests wgr majority of eases, the... individual whose :Cected were not contented to luxe the 41ac 111/GOY/ULU. au ma d siear,) With-itgard to the dock board, my eogagement with that board , bcgan, I think, somewhat Radler yen than with the corporation, and I have continued to act f o r th em , an d I believe it is admitted by every one thatin carrying out one of tlie • Largest purcianses of late years, some seven or eight years ego, I mean tke Wapping extension„wherein I acted throughout with the most implicit confideuee of all the doek committee, where the cdealings were with persons of all ranks in life mall owners andlarge owners, public bodies, companies, and private individuals ; at least 80 per cent of the whole of those ,enormous pu chases= were made with parties not appointing any person at all, but leaving themsolves entirely in my hands. (Hear, hoar.) Well, now, with regard to the imaiediate subject, I do not know whether it is meant: to , impute mercenary motives to r taking ,the appointment ~ o f arbitrator under t that be I can it by saying, that I have relinquished one of the best professional business '.cut of London. I •have relin quished it, sad suffered, it to go away to coinparatively nothing, to next to nothing, by reason of the corporation calling upon me for my. services, which have been accorded gratuituously to them for a series of years. (Rear, hear.) During the year 1855, I would ask the town-cl e rk, - , whether throug the greater part of that year I was not most actively and bintily engaged, entirely for 'the corporatio n . ' Darin.. the yelir IEO6, when the que s ti on o f th e great town dues was under discussion, and the honour and integrity of .this corporation were assailed by an opponent, as U) ,our dealings between the docks and the corporatioa, who was there to defend our fleal ings—*ho was tthere to give a history of the whole transactions—who eras there to vindicate the honour of the corporation but myself ? (Hear hear.) Daring 185,5 and 1856, the whole of My time, or.at least a very great portion of it, was devoted gratuitously to the serving of the corpora tion. Now, sir, I come, to_speak of the effect which it has been said my acting as arbitrator for the dock board in re ference to the land of Messrs. Pollard and others, will Hitherto I have the have upon the corporation estat proud satisfaction of saying that the council up to a ~wu ugu was out too nappy to refer the question he dock hoard and the corporation entirely . o my _ _ Anany cases— —in most ease adeect ,In the I the dock board, for whom I have acted so long, have got an act of parliament to enable them to make a quay and a . public street upon the north side of Wallasey Pool, to obviate the &Acuities which every gentleman who was on the Birkenhead committee knows did exist, and which we in vain endeavoured to get over. we never could get the pool deepened on the north side, and the, quay walls, which ane very expensive, put in. The 'dock, board undertake to complete the .quays, they under take to make a dock qttay on the north sole of the pool, they„gudertake tv. make a street twenty-five yards wide, to Raye and sewer it, and to give the use ,and enjoyment of it ,to the owners of the land abutting upon it on th e landward , side. And, although _it would not become me to enter into details of the reference, I think gentienien will hear with ,as much .astenishment :As I - aid Shat the several landasvners claim from the dock :board upWards of £900,000 for that purpose, the.dock board , building the wall. In the particular -case which was the first subject ,ef reference, the claim was upwards of 2f0,000. Is the prosperity of Liverpool,—is the _good of the town to beiromeeed :by the commercial community submitting with= -out a.strugg., pay what they conceive, rightly or ,wrongly, to be an ex.orhita.nt sum. (Hear, hear.) . Every one eonverzant With the dock affairs, and every one conversant with the. 'taking of land by public companiec under. cona pulsour,poweis, knows that th tt which you want is prote2- tion aniust exaction on the part of owners, not against any attempt upon t,,Le part of a ny pu b lic body, corporation, or otherwle, to take anybody's land wititout paying, the full and roe value for it. (Hoar, hear.) 1' should be ashamed of myeslf ; . , l I were to attempt to .aid su c h a thing. .13 , 1;:t I atnflot a paid advocate. The arbitra tion takes- place 'Under a public act of parliament, and that act :ofParliainect prescribes the mode of‘ -opinion :dewAing with it. Th ere was not necessar ily an y difference of between any co-arbitrator ,and myself, because au umpire had been e4ed i in, but the act of parliament says. before you sti r a step younigst.appoint the umpire. The ad tall upon the arbaiators to make ,a solemn declaration before a magistrate, that they will 7 l;lleidyand faithfully discharge the trust reposed in tham; and the advocacy is confided to two barristers on the pat of the,Deek-board, and three bar sisters on the part of the claimants. I had the unpleasant duty of listening for some days to . .the roundabout way in which we are to arrive at :the value of,tihe land, according to the lawyers, which involves something jize 1,100 or 1,200 folip i s of evidence. With regard to the corporation, it is perfectly true that the corpor4on own,certain land on the linorth Fide of the pool, and the portion of 'awl belonging to the corporation is included the compulsory powers. The portiop thus included is about six and a-half acres. Nor analogy may be taken to some ( extent, as Mr. Jeffery puts it, but every case must stand upon its own Me4.:s. .What is the f act w i th regard to the corporation ? ,ccusiderable port i o n of their bud was , - ) ip 04- in November, 8.,1 it was that the tst few minutes. If no notice had tat letter by a member of .the finance coin d certainly not have felt ititis duty to have . . _ _ it was 1 duty, under the. circumstances,. ce of the remar that fell from Mr. Steaius .on that occasion, in justification of,himself. He had I:eceived a letter that morning from .one of the t 4 ,i, woo was a member of the deputation, r him for the explanation he had ~ madci, and hat he uttered. Such was the imnres- Er, every wo: SIOII or .Lue gentleman as a mem, cue depittation, and such he stated to be the impressions of those who consti tuted that deputation. gr. Stewart had given a very manly reply to it. The explanation, he was perfectly sure, the deputation would receive, as it was offered with all the frankness which he Mr. Stewart offered it. (Hear.) He venture to dismiss this topic with expressing a hope tkat no member of the council would again take any notice of anonymous letters. He turned to another matter of more vital importance as affecting the interests of the corporation. He had ventered to state to that council that the chairman of the finance committee was sitting as arbitrator upon matter wherein t' be corporation _ would very speedily . . oecome materially interested. Mr. Stewart had not gaip4aill that. As he understood Mr. Stewart, the extent of their interest was 61 acres on the Birkenhead side on the, margin .of Liverpool. Mr. Stewart explained that these fie acres were under lease, and included more than the dock hoard had power over.. There was perhaps about one half of it involved Mr. Jeffery understood the deputy chairman of the finance committee that they had sent in a demand, along with other landowners, to the extent of £50,000 for land on the Birkenhead side of the water. Mr. Samuel Holme said, he stated that it was a formal claim they had sent in for something like that amount, but the whole matter was to -be arranged by subsequent adjust ment. But, he added, it would be impossible to adjust it before coming before the council. Mr. Jeffery said, he took it to be correct that they had sent in a claim for £50,000, subject t• adjudication ; not whether it should be increased, but whether it should be diminished. He, among other parties, were interested in land on the margin of the Birkenhead-pool, but they were not the first to have their claim, settled by arbitration. The arbitration had commenced as to the value of the land required at the Birkenhead docks. He did not understand Mr. Stewart to deny that he was selected as arbitrator for them. He used the word advocate becau and . thiq he und€ the constitution, arbitration was not in accordance with al generally in matters of a similar kind. He was told that before the two arbitrators proceeded to their business ' they were call e d u p on t o appoint a gentle .man who would act as umpire. That was the universal practice pursued by parties to whom questions in dispute were referred ; and it was usual that two out of three should decide the question atissue. But he uuderstoed that that was not the casein thepresent instance. Ile was told that when the statements of both sides were heard, each party being re presented by, council, the gentlemen on the right hand and on the left ceased to be arbitrators. He asked what position did these two gentlemen bold, it the third were allowed to withdraw, and he gave his decision, and that decision to be final. He knew no other term to apply to these gentlemen on the right and on the left but advocates—the one being the seller and the other the buyer. If these gentlemen received remuneration for their services rendered, which they were entitled .to, then they were paid advocates. If the two ceased to be arbitrators they became advocates. He did not say this offensively for one moment. He had not the slightest desire to give Mr. Stewart the least possible offence. But the gentleman who occupied the chair of the finance committee, a gentleman who was their municipal premier, their first lord of.the treasury; their chancellor of exchequer, the leader .of >the council, should be exalted high above all suspicion, and it was because he, Mr. Jeffery, was sensible of the buzzing that there was out of doors, and the rumours that this matter had given rise to : it was because he, as a member of the committee, was jealous that a gentleman should occupy his (Mr. Stewart's) high position in the council, he believed it to be their duties, as members of the council, to - take care that that office was not permitted to have its dignity or its honours fritted away by private gossip or by public statement. Therefore he felt it incumbent upon him, if there was any ground forsuch a statement, to bringthe question bcfore the council fearlessly, in order that the chairman of the committee might put himself, right, and say if he (Mr. Stewart) had got into the position inadvertently, for he would not charge him with putting himself into a false position designedly. He believed Mr. Stewart was in a false position, but he believed it to be by inadventure, for he could not quite understand from Mr. Stewart's previous conduct that he would accept 'such a position as he had held ip reference to this matter. He would rather have Mr. Stewart for him as against him on this question, because he valued his evidence and his experience ; but he claimed that exper i ence , as a member of that csuncil, for the benefit o f that corporation, so long as Mr. Stewart occupiatil the , position of chairman of.the finance committee The infarrug4ol l which any gentleman occupying Mr. Stewart's position, as chairman of the flo.nce committee, obtained, was the property of the eorporatioa, and not his property. Then what did he understand by any corporate body retaining the seroices of a gentleman : iforitti he had rpo of giving what information he possesses, , a nd w of obtained from his position in the conned It was unwise, 'it was injudicious, it was improper, and to the prejudice _ the corporation 014 OW chairman of the fixtarlee colVDMTkee, corporation granted that lease, for a considerable 1 iortion of this land—for how long ? For 99 years, 74 of v Thich will be anexpired in November next. The whole inte' !est , of the corporation in that portion of the land' is £lOO r year, the, reserved —grant.- - How are the corTiorilion a e 3 ? They stand as free, notsvitlistandiug , this refeithice,flO:', 4.3.1 with the land in any way as they Were: They are op en to treat fur it by private contract, whielt I -think woul Ibe a 'very *sensible mode of.:pegopiation iri6r have no power whatever of chop inc - t1 ..aba-ran ne a .1 acrporation mhether tk( the sellers . of land may, make t he .election, assessed-by a jury, or whether - ---• ut, tuts 4[llllfi4LloTl pretwriueu vy Tae general act. .It is, perfectly competent for the corpora ion, if -they do not like the present arbitratiors, te - appoint any o th er t- itrators, or to go t o a j ur y if th e y please. B at whatani' with ? Why,' sir, fi do not know whether -clerk has got p it, bid I asked him, to 10 0 dock boa rd some time There wo written offer from the y werit to an they N vould be per c4y mittee with' ti I tfid. (Ilea , i accent it act in such vqr: r extraordina e paid to the et ation d because I would I value )tained for lend 1. should be dealt rho whole question between the corporation -d is as 'yet freeof arbitration. The council ' , may please. I have dealt. 3t time in my life, after erience in business, that I nil dente which and the clack I fan deal witla. it ,etween. some memb rs of the finance at all events the ianore th ;-courtesy quite uncle xe to th in ,any waytt ividnals. and it is iite,fi ke the insinuation, which, of bei the paid naiice committee. I tic sat position, and; while I have recei:ed every im the committee. I must say, that I cannot trod, •whec I am devoting the best energies services of .the counciLand the public, I should subject of insinuations such as those to which 'quite s mill not ,be I -think that is rather 31 ti sort of way on done,; and the corpoiation, I am at all prejudiced by any act whichT ar.) They• can go to a Tory, if they can go to,arbitration with different ink it wise. I only wish that the 3'l.and for affair, full, outside price; trators, if Li have , no fear t ley WI get it for that.. I am sorry- to , have talwn . up_ the time of the eotincil. It is very much out. of to so To discuss questions of this sort, and I would much rather have .been that they will a to do Et my usual eoursb is.wry hurtful to n pared the necessity of making those few remarks upoxi Mr. Jeffery said it was no doubt vet cote& that the time of the council sho. occasion by reference of mem} y owed much to be depre )e taken, up on any tiers of that body to anonymous It was to 'east of the time which was r, hear.) THE NORTHERN TIMES MONDAX, JULY 11, 1851 who was in the secret of the-price they should take for the property that they had to dispose of, should at the same time becomithe seller of this property. le was_ for strong reasons that , he was induced 0 make the_ remarks which fell from hno,on Wednesday last. He was told that be should ban gi*tif Mr. Staiaft notice of his intention of bringing' this Witter forward. But. intimation was required - only where -titnA - was - required fair t•erefence 'to books and d6cuments. Mr. Stewart had all the information necessary in his person; -and if he had been present, would have been able to answer: him without_ any.previoas intima -4: The absence of a tcntlemen should not defer him, or ?oration, from calling attention ) that in which the council was interested, and by which is interests. were prejOioed, and in which delay might be mperious. Re asked, did not Mr. Stewart obtai i information by virtue of his office as ehairnian of the finance committee. of which no other inpossession, with reference to the value of land belonging to the cerPoration,wlietlaer thellerSey Dock Board bad any interest, prospectively, or immediately prospectively in the value of land beloning: to that corpo ration on the other 'side of the river? Was it probable or possible that the question.would come before arbitrators' who might .be sitting in ,judgment to assess the value of the land? It was, He took‘ it that these were qiiestions he was justified in answering, in-the - way he had done. ' Was :Mr. —44 'l - - sitting as one of the arbitrators, nominally so practically an advocate of the Mersey Dock lie submitted with all due called, . bu Boaid? uererence and respect to ne-was. Was it his (Mr. Stewart's) duty to get the property so submitted to arbitration. One or the other sitting as sellers were represented by an arbitrator, and endeavouring to get the highest possible price, and the buyers at the, lowest possible price. He submitted that snch a position as that in which Mr. tewart was pined was adverse to the interests of the corporation —on. He .said, in conclusion, that he had no intention Whatever of referring to Mr. Stewart personally ; for he believed there was no gentleman in the council who commanded more respect from 'the members individually and collectively than did Mr. Stewart. (Hear, hear.). He would say, fnrther, that if he bad a question of property , to be referred for valuation or arbitration, he would refer it to Mr. Stewart before any other gentleman in..the town. Mr. Stewart, he . believed, had more extensive.knowledge, and his judgment was more sound, than any other gentleman that he knew of in the town... But in this -case equity would have to be thrown aside for the purpov of advocating the side for which he was retained. Whether Mr. Stewart was on the side of the buyer or the seller, he held that he should. not occupy a position that was.adverse to the interests of the corpora tion: 'Mr. Jeffery was proCeeding to enter into . some farther explanation on other matters, but the Mayor inter posed; as he considered.enough had been said. In reply to a question from Mr. Jeffery, Mr. Stewart said. that he had never given his opinion either to the umpire, arbitrator, or any mortal being, with reference to M &MEETS' COMMITTEE. The proceedings of the rcrarliets' committee were read : Report of the treasurer bn the accounts 'of St. John's Market. Recommendation to appoint Mr. Isaac Hutchin son as inspector of all the markets, at a salary of £250 per Recommendation to appoint Mr. James Stone crer of St • - annum olan's, and all the other markets in -the Centre of the town, at a salary of £2.20 per annum. Recommendation to appoint a manager of St. James', and all other markets in the southern division of the town, at a salary of £125 per-annum. Recommendation to appoint a manager of marketsin the northern division of the town, at .a salary of £125 per annum. Recommendation that two .persons be appointed as , collectors of St. John's, and the central markets, at the salary of £lOO per annum each. Mr. Johnston, in moving the adoption of the report cif the treasurer on the accounts of St. John's Market, said the proceedings of the markets' commit: ee were very long; and in proceeding to move their adoption, he would remark, first, that the treasurer had submitted an account ne .11 .• _ ueraications that he had been able to.discover, the average amount of which was £3,197 ls. sd. These defalcations had been going on from 1848, about the second quarter from the appointment of Mr. Bally as auditor. The treasurer had also gone through the books of Mr. Hutchinson, of the south market, and also through the books of Mr. Stonehouse, of north market, all of which were found to be correct, and kept in a manner highly creditable b them. The next was a resolution to appoint Mr. Isaac Hutchinson as inspector of the markets. Mr. Jeffery asked if the chairman of the markets' com mittee was about to take up the several recommendations seriatem. He did not think that he was right in bringing in his report under six heads. Mr. Stitt said' he could not see how such defalcations could have taken place without collusion on the part of the other officers. From the report it appeared that, instead of . the parties mentioned being simply requested to send in their resignation, they should have been peremptorily dis missed from their places. He could not see on what ground they deserved such consideration. Mr. Jeffery said he thought the report justified the of some members who found themselves in the minority on a former occasion. On that occasion those who were in the minority thought that the markets' committ ee should be constructed , and he thought -at the present time that was - the opinion of many gentlimen then in the majority.. He believed those who voted with him would have found themselves in the majority, instead of being in the minority, and every gentleman in the council would vote as he pleased, and according to his own conviction of what was right. Mr. Turner : That is a serious charge. The Mayor : Mr. Jeffry, Mr. Jeffery, you are too warm. Mr. Jeffery : I think, Mr. Mayor, you are a little hotter than I am. The Mayor : I am not, sir. Mr. Jeffery went on to say that some members of the council allowed their feelings of sympathy to control their - votes, instead of doing their duty. That he took to be perfectly parliamentary. He had it from the lips of several gentlemen who were found in the majority on that occasion. He hoped that, after the long report which had been read, gentlemen would no longer Allow their feelings or their sympathies to supersede their duty as public men, but that their duty should stand paramount to every other considera tion. He concluded by hoping the committee would be reconstructed. Mr. Hodgson thought the markets committee were to blame in the whole matter. It was a very remarkable fact that, according to Mr. Tweedie, alterations had been going on from year to year. It was perfectly clear, under these circumstances, the committee was to blame. There was not a shopkeeper in Liverpool that would allow such defalcations to go on without discovery. Why blame this man or that man after he had ran away ? and not till he had ran away had it been discovered that he was deficient one shilling. Men came to the council who were members of the markets committee, and spoke of their great prudence and all that; and yet these very men never knew that this man had robbed them of thousands of pounds. They never knew that the books were kept in such an order that a common potato shop would have been ashamed of then!. He would ask how many, members of the markets committee had examined the books from week to week, to see if they were correct or 'otherwise ? He was sure not one of them, or they' would have seen that all was not right. Mr. Johnston said : Mr. Hodson had alluded to the heglect of the markets' committee, in not looking at the books regularly. He would ask the town-clerk whether they had not recorded resolutions on their books from time to time, calling on the auditor to know whether he had a perfect check on the accounts ; and his unvariable report was that he had found the books all correct. He would ask any other committee if they had their books laid before them and examined weekly ? conduc • Mr. Hodson : Yes. Mr. Johnston : I would say no, not the full books, but abstracts. - The resolution was then confirmed. Mr. Gladstone then proceeded to move the next recom mendation. Mr. Gladstone said, before going farther with the matter, he would like thal the town-cle r k s h ou ld rea d a reso l nt i on which had been 'kissed, condemning the appointment of a superintendent. The Town-clerk then read from the minute-book a re solution, bearing date of February 2nd, the effect of which was that so much of the resolution as referred to the appointment of a general superintendent be referred back to committee for further consideration. Mr. Johnstone said, it ougVio - 1; remembered that, at that time they were saddled with old officers. They had Mr. Luya at the time, but they now proposed to be relieved of them, by putting Mr. Hutchinson as general superin tendent over all the markets at a salary of £250 a-year ; put Mr. Stonehouse in his place at the south market; making such general change as will only cost the council £920 a-year for the salaries. There were some reasons why the matter should not be left standing over to the next monthly council: Mr. Gladstone said, he thonght there was a question which would take precedence to that matter, which was whether the occasion of advertising for the best man had not been overlooked ? In the first place, the council had nothing before it to satisfy the mouths of those who were not mem bers of th e mar k ets ' committee, that Mr. Hutchinson was the best ma n , an d the most suitable person, It appeared that he had held th e gt 414194 of 1 1 1 14Papr ip St. hinCs's market) and, so far as he was aware, he had discharged his duty very well ; but it must be remarked that he had met with a ceimure fronrthe committee. ;* HOwever; whether he was a fit person or not, he ought to have been exposed_to the competition of other men. The reason.he said, was, that he thought public offices•should be filled by 'public competition. The chairman ofi the committee had mentioned _his reasons for proposing . him. It was, however; with some degree of pain, and , of Very bitter regret, that he refused again to ;what took place on various occaisions, but he wouldsay that the gentlemen who retired from the markets' committee aetea on that 'occasion in - a discreet, judieious, just, and honourable. Course, and he Would defy any Man to prove otherwise. He concluded by moving that the appointment of Mr. Hutchinson be deferred, and that the markets' committee be reqUested to advertise in the newspapers in the usual course for a general superintendent for all the .markets. • ' Mr.. Jeffery said, ,he believed when the committee advertised before for a person to fill the office of general 'superintendent, there were no less than 100 applications received. He wished to know• whether these applications had received that degree of attention to which they were . entitled, and which the apPlicants had a right to demand ? He wished •to know: how many .of - the se applications had been taken out of the pigeon -hole, and the dust shaken off them since they were received.• He could not say whether Mr. Hutchinson was an hongt man .or not, but for anything, he did, know he was a perfectly honest man. Mr. Earle said it would be seen from Mr. Jeffery's lan guage that no one had ability to perform a public duty but Mr. Jeffery. He for one was rather surprised to receive a castigation from such a master. Mr. Woodruff said . they had heard a great deal from Mr. Stitt, Mr. Hodsen, and Mr. Jeffery ; and he would like to know from Mr. Hodson, as chairman of the water com mittee, what he knew of the collectors' books ? He would ask Mr. Stitt, as a member of the health committee, how much he knew of - the 'books of that committee ; and he might put a similar question to Mr. Jeffery ? Which of them . had examined the books; he would venture to say not one of them. Mr. Hodson : I have as chairman 'of . the water •.. committee. Mr. Woodruff said, he was a member of the water com mittee, and he begged to say that Mr. Hodsondone nothing of the kind. , The circumstances of the markets' committee were not at all at present as they were three or four months ago. They saw the necessity for a man to act as superin tendent of the markets.' Mr. Jeffery had asked what had become of the testimonials that were received in application to the last advertisement, but he had to tell Mr. Jeffery that the committee had acted according to the resolution of the council, in sending them back to the applicants ; and to have opened them and examined them would have been going beyond their duty. With regard to the remark as to whether th e men who had left the committee were right, those who had acted with himself had seen and said that Mr. Luye was in a situation, and the question was, if he was fit for that situation they did not want another; but if he was not fit he should not be there at all. In the treasurer's report they had 'everything that was right, •with both Mr. Hutchison and Mr. Stonehouse. Mr. Hutchison would rather keep the situation which he now held than make any change, but the committee con sidered it would be to their advantage to make the proposed change. Mr. Bowring said, when he -brought forward a resolution considering that Mr. Luya was unfit for duty, and that he should be examined, Mr. Woodruff was the first who said that they were condemning a man unheard, He was not one of those ivho thought that an old servant should be neglected to make room for a stranger, conSideriug all other things equa l, an d h e wou ld vote for Mr. Hutchin son ; but, at the same time. he would say of thosegentlemen who had left the committee that their opinions were corn pletely stifled. He was of opinion that had their view been taken of matters Mr. Luya would' long before have been found out. He• considered the parties to blame were the members of the executive of the committee. Some further, discussion took place, during which Mr. Mosley, Mr. Stitt, Mr. Parker, Mr. Clint, Mr. Turner, Mr. Ridley, Mr. Beckwith, Mr. Kitchen, Mr. Ryley, Mr. Crellin, and Mr. Stewart expressed their opinions on the subject. The council then proceedod to the vote. The amendment was then put, when there appeared— For—Councillors Stitt, Corbally, - Steans, Ryley, Mozley, Job, Gladstone ; Jeffery, Kitchen, Hodson, Clint, Beckwith, and Cropper; Alderman Turner; the Mayor. _Against —Councillors Anderson, Woodruff, Crellin, Shimmin, Haydock, Holden, Avison, Hohne, Bowring, Rae, Jeffreys, Ridley, Johnson, Robertson, Farnworth, and Anthony ; Aldermen Parker, Cooper, Gardner, and Holme. The amendment was therefore lait The appointment of Mr. Hutchison, as Inspector, there fore stands over to the next council, in accordance with the regulations. The appointment of the other managers also were allowed to stand over. Mr. Johnson moved that two collectors be appointed at £lOO a-year each. Mr. Bowring thought the salary too low; and proposed, as an amendment, that it be £l2O. Mr. James Holme seconded the amendment, believing that the additional £2O would procure a very superior class of men. The amendment was lost by seventeen to seven. The recommendation was therefore carried. The general proceedings were confirmed. EDUCATION COMMITTEE. Mr. Anderson moved the confirmation of the proceedings Mr. Gladstone said he believed, and he hoped it was the case, that the children of the Corporation Schools were not allowed to walk in that most silly procession which once a-year traversed the most crowded thorotighfares of the town, causing great danger of accident. He begged to ask if that was the fact ? Mr. Anderson w as sorry to say that he could not give a positive answer. Mr. Alderman Gardner said he could answer it. The children were not allowed to walk in the procession. (Hear, hear.) , The proceedings were not confirmed. TOWN HALL ESTABLISHMENT COMMITTEE The prOceedings comprised a recommendation that the public rooms and staircase of the Town-hall be re-painted and decorated at a cost of £2,500. Mr. Alderman Holme, in moving the confirmation, stated that the present expenditure was found to be neces sary in consequence of the present state of the rooms and staircases. Mr. Alderman Cooper opposed the motion. Mr. Jeffery suggested some delay, as it was not yet certain how far the occupation of the Town Hall might be affected by the erection of the new public offices in Dale= street. Mr. Ryley supported the motion, believing the present state of the rooms a disgrace to the council and the town. Mr. Stewart, Mr. Woodruff, and Mr. Gardner, supported the motion. Mr. Gladstone suggested that the re-decoration should be confined to the entertaining rooms and staircases, and moved an amendmedt to that effect, which was seconded by Mr. Cropper ; and being pat to the vote, was negatived by 19 to 10. The proceedings were then confirmed. GARDENS, LIBRARY,. AND MUSEUM COMMITTEE. The proceedings contained a recommendation that the care of the several Square Gardens should be placed in the hands of the police ; that the gardens should be closed at a certain hour, and night-locks affixed, the keys of which should be placed in the hands of the police. The further consideration of the subject had been deferred. Mr. Avison asked why parties were prevented from play ing at cricket in the Corporation Park ? Mr. Alderman Holme said, he had received a very well written letter upon the same subject that morning, com plaining that piing men were not allowed to play at cricket there, even up to nine o'cloek in the morning, which would be a great advantage to those who were occupied in busi ness all the day. Mr. Beckwith (who moved the confirmation of the pro ceedings, in the absence of the chairman,) said, the com mittee had had a great number of complaints made of boys always playing cricket in the park everywhere, which rendered it perfectly unsafe for people to walk there and still more unsafe to send their children there. The committee never gave any permission for the playing of cricket there. Three or fonr years ago, when application was made for permission to play it in the various parks and gardens, it was refused, in consequence of the danger which must attend it. Mr. Alderman Gardner suggested that a portion of the park should be railed off for the purpose. (Hear, hear). Mr. Alderman Turner called attention to the very serious complaints made of the irregularities in the Falkner-square gardens. Mr. Jeffery said, a subsc r ib er t o th ose gar d ens called up on him, complaining of boys having races within the railings of those gardens, to the great annoyance of parties who had a right to be there for the purpose of promenading, and entirely to the destruction of what was intended to be the use of the gardens. Mr. Beckwith said, representation of that character had come before the committee, and the committee did every tbing ft) their power to put dpwp such mainly practices. They were informed that parties were running races in the gardens " in'the buff." (Ggreat laughter.) Yes, "in the buff" he supposed gentlemen knew very well what that meant. (Laughter.) The committee thought the best plan they could adopt to prevent, not only those nui saneeCjiit-other nuisances caused by some parties having keys to the;gardens—servant girls having keys, and taking in their paramours. (Great laughter,), And other nui sances of a somewhat similar description would be, that the watch committee should be requested to place the Square gardens under their management. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Clint was sure the watch committee would be happy to lend every aid in their power. The proceedings were then confirmed. WATER COMMITTEE The proceedings of this committee were r Hodson moved their confirmation. cad, and Mr Mr. Alderman Parker said he had hoped that the chairman would tell them something respecting the price of the water. He understood that a committee had been appointed to con sider the matter in regard to the price of the water, and as tu:the general supply of manufacturers by metres. Mr: Hodson said the matter wa and he thounilt thdt on that day I to tell what was done now Under investigation, Mr. Duncan had not been Mr. Beckwith asked whetl, accustomed to take discount off certain consulting the members of the committee. mints without Mr. dint also asked a question in reference to the com plaints made with respect to the supply of the fountains.. Mr. Anderson said the dock board was surprised to and that the Water committee intended to make a charge for the supply of fountains proposed to be erected inside. the dock walls, and no explanation given. The fountains were not designed fur the use of the workmen employed by the dock board, but all who worked about the docks. He believed the works committee were, going to wait upon the water committee on the' subject, to ascertain the particulars as it was considered that there must be some inisapprehensiOn- on the subject. Mr. Parnworth said, he had been abseht when this subject was before the committee, and he had therefOre some diffi culty in bringing it forward, but he was very much surprised 4-" LL L board for water for public purposes, while other fountains were supplied gratuitously. last two speaker Mr. Anderson said ;they were astonished that the do c k board had received no explanation ; the chairman of the dock, board was present on, the occasion and took part in the discussion. He should be very sorry to deprivb Mr. FarnworthN of his reasonable recreation, bnt, if it came to this, that • whenever a resolution was carried in Mr. Farnworths absence and he came to the council afterwards, and upset, as be had done on a former occasion, he thought it would be better for him to stay away altogether. The supply of water to the Mell fountains was paid for by the handsomE As sfatediu the te.e, anc the matter was reterred back to the engineer to fix tb'e 'price which the water would cost, and that price the committee agreed to give it for, and he wondered how the dock board, who had taken the whole dock estate out of their control, could have the modest assurance to refase - to pay such a small sum as £42 a year to supply their people with water, and which was for the good of their own estate. Mr. Jeffery said, whatever might have been the disposition of the water committee, they had not it in their power to sup ply this water gratuitously They were deficient in revenue £23,000 and they were obliged to charge for all water us e d He thought if Mr. Farnworth had sought for information on the subject, he would not have opposed it to-day. It was their poverty more than their will that obliged them to make the charge. Before Mdly's fountains were established, the inhabitants only paid ld in the pound for watering pur poses, but these fountains formed a peg on which was hung another penny, and wrung out of the poc6ts of the rate payers. It was a necessary, nay a compulsory, charge on the part of the water committee. Air. Dover said, the-distinetion was this, that they sup plied no water on private property but that which was paid for. - Mr. Hodson said, that the engineer had,' for some time past, been engaged in levying a rate for water on different properties ; and a committee of inquiry was now t a ki ng place, and a new tariff of rates, no donbt, would be produced in a short time; and would prevent those discrepances which had been alluded to. He differed from the people of the town if they imagined that the water committ ee were t o give water wherever it was sought. To . produce the water cost a large sum of money, and he maintained that while they did not give the water gratuitously to the poor people, a n d as th ese d oc k fountains were in a great measure to prevent the men from going outside the gates to get drink, and by which the dock board would be benefitted, he should charge for the supply of water. Mr. Beckwith; amidst cries of "Order" and " Chair," said that Mr. Hodson did not answer his question. Mr. Hodson said he had answered the question, and he would again repeat that Mr. Duncan had done as Mr. Beck with had stated. BATHS COMMITTEE , Mr. W. P. Jeffreys moved that the proceedings be con firmed. Mr. Anderson thanked the committee for a prompt consideration they had given to the memorial of the inhabitants of Everton. in reference to a plunge bath. Mr. Gladstone observed that the committee had.resolved to apply to six coal -proprietors to send in renders for the supply of coals. He did not see why these tenders should not be thrown open to competition, and he moved an amendment to that effect accordingly. Mr. Jeffery seconded the motion, and Mr. HOlden sup ported it. - Mr. Jeffreys said the committee would not have the slightest objection. The amendment was therefore adopted, and the pro cedings were confirmed. SPECIAL IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE, Mr. Jeffery moved that the proceedings be confirmed The motioii was carried. The Coroner's account, amounting to £55, was sub mitted. Mr. Parker drew attention to the fact, that out of sixteen post mortem examinations, one surgeon was engaged in eight of them. He objected to one surgeon having so much of the business and thought it should be more divided. The account then passed. The Corporation balance-sheet of the assets and liabilities up to the close of the last financial year, was laid upon the table. Mr. Jeffery requested that a return of the outstanding arrears of ground -rent should be laid upon the table. Mr. Stewart promised that the return should be made out. Mr. Jeffery asked for an explanation in reference to an amount of £9,083, stated to be due to the corporation by the trustees of the St. James's Cemetery. Mr. Stewart stated that, previous to the reformed corpo ration's existence, £7,000 was advanced by the corporation towards the construction of that cemetery, under the act of Parliament. The money was advanced upon some thing like an engagement, that the corporation and other parties who advanced it, should be paid five per cent. interest, but never any more. (Hear, hear.) In 1841, Mr. Henry Lawrence, who always took an active part in interest had management of th e ceme t ery , fi n di ng t h at the had not been paid, proposed to add the amount of interest which had accumulated so far to the capital, and to make the interest payable upon the increased sum. The amount, however, had never been paid. He believed there was no means of recovering any amount but by selling what might be called three shares of .XlOO each, which he believed would not realise much at preseiit. Mr. Jeffery asked whether the council had power at the time, to grant the loan, or advance ? The. Town Clerk said they had. He did not know whether the bonds or shares were ever delivered to the council. (Laughter.) Mr. Alderman Holme said he always looked upon the amount as a bad debt, in fact, as the council's subscription to the cemetery. . The subject ) was referred to the finance committee, to report upon. The consideration of the letter of the Liverpool Law ' Society, as to the appointment .of a second stipendiary magistrate, was postponed to next council. The Town-clerk reported that the bill introduced by cart owners to repeal a certain portion of the sanitary act regu lating the width of carts, had passed the House of Lords. The effect of this would be to allow the power to limit the width of carts not 'to apply for seven years, as regarded all carts built previous to the passing; of this last act. The bill had yet to pass through the Commons, and the council could, if they thought proper, petition against it in the Commons, but probably they would regard this as a satis factory settlement of the question. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Gladstone suggested that the Town-clerk should draw up a report, which would explain the nature of the act to those interested in it, and which might be printed. The Town-clerk undertook to do so. The following motion, of which Mr. Hutchison had given notice, stood upon the paper : " That the sale of certain houses and land situate upon St. James's Walk, proposed to be sold by resolution of the finance committee, of the 27th May, 1859, and confirmed by the council on the Ist of June last, be postponed." In consequence of the lateness of the hour, Mr. Huta ison-agreed to postpone the motion - to the next meeting: The council then'rose, THIRD EDITION. NORTMERN TIMES OFFICE, MONDAY, 3 r.g• INDIA AND CHINA. (From the Times.) 1 It. is stated that all men who wish to quit the , service of the three Presidencies'are to receive their ) , discharge and a passage to England. The rebel ford," is gradually diminishing. '- , . The produce market improved, but, as is usual ej this season dull. . ~ (Front the China Mai/. ) May 14. Trade : Expor SHANGHAI —Tea las are, favourable. Exchange and bullion in sterling trap actions moderate. Freights to London, a n d LiveS pool for 40s to 50s per ton of fifty feet. Exehan unaltered. Political news very unimportant. The London mail had arrived on the 11th April. Hong Kong SHANGHAI, May 14. The improvement has be maintained in cotton; sales large. Opium dull. AUSTRIA. VIENNA, July B.—The limes c orres p on d en t sa , it .is generally believed h ere th a t t h e B r i t ' government brought about the arm i s ti ce . Th e plan., of Napoleon fo r r e vol u ti on i s i ng Hungary anal Transylvania is disapproved of by the cabinet of St. Petersburgh. The war is not generaßli popular. LONDON. MONEY MARKET Consols opened very steady at 951 to JULY 11 ;, to 95a buyers, and then declined to 954- sellers, price they are no w s t ea dy The opinion that the armistice; will end in peace is g r o w i ng s t ronger d a il y. 'Sh ares very strong, at improved quotations. French very fir Lombards, 10i, 10Z. • t i whiv4 LONDON CORN MARKET-JULY 7eather continues• brilliant. Arrivals of foreign g rain moderate, but of English wheat we have a good show, w ith a fair attendance of town millers ; but up to this moment few sales have been made at 3s to 4s decline on English, y while importers of foreign accept similar decline. Barley lat and Norfolk flour oats 6d to is lower than la;t Aidnday slowly M. 2R. LONDON TALLOW MARKET—JULY 11. f; Market very quiet at 54s on spot, and 55s for last three months; nothing doing. METROPOLITAN CATTLE MARBET.--JuLy 11. -I Supply of beasts only moderate, but show of sheep, lambs, and calves rather extensive. For all breeds very slow" trade at perhaps Thursday's currency. Beef, 3s to 4s 641 mutton 3s 3d to- 4s 10d ; lambs, 4s 8d ; veal, 3s Bd3o. 4s 10d ; pork, 3s t o 4 s 4d, per 811 s, &e. Total supply : Beasts, 3,735, foreign 860 ; sheep and, ; lambs, 28,530 c foreign, 4 810 ; calves, 291, foreign, 206; pigs, 350. • BOROUGH HOP MARKET--JuLy 11. The accounts with reference to the general appearance of the bine being favourable, our market is exceedingly heavy'l and prices almost nominal. The duty is called £210,000. "PAL MAM QUI MERUIT FERAT. TO THE EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN TIME Sir,—As I like to see fair play for everybody, I cannot be quiet,. though I never wrote a letter to newspaper in my life, as I think — ,that Sir William Armstrong is getting credit for what a no th er part y ' has prior claiin for. I remember seeing plans and specifications for large rifled ordnance at Birkenheaar some five or six years since, the invention . of a gentleman who then held a prominent situation, under the Birkenhead Comnaissioners, and I happen to know that he submitted his drawings to the then government without any satisfactory result. _ tainly appears strange to me, having these facts patent, that some years subsequently another party should obtain a knighthood and a government engagement for what had been shown to the proper authorities years previously. Surely,there is some thing wrong so mew h ere . I o ff er no opinion on the parentage of the Emperor of the French's rifled e umon ; but I think it is open to suspicion where it nanated from. I can say a good. deal more yet but enough for the present.—Yours, &c., It cer- AN ENGLISHMAN PRISONS IN SCOTLAND.—A blue book has just been issued containing the usual annual report of the inspector of prisons. As- usual, this report is rather occupied with matters of mere detail, of no interest to the general reader, than with any salient feature of prison discipline. Last year 2,114 persons (1,119 males and 995 females) constituted the average number of criminal prisoners, and 72 that of civil, immured, it is presumed, as unfortunate and insolvent debtors. Mra. PARTINOTON.—" Dear me !" said this lady, " dear me ! what's a coming next ? I should like to know. This 'ere paper sez that a meetin' at the Irwing House drunk a toast to the President ! Now, I loves toast, 'specially were it's brown on both sides ; but I never drinks it. I Oars thought folks eat toast, and drinked wine; but I 'spose things is changed, an d th ey ea t s an d thaws wine instead of Linkin' it . but they'd better look out, or they'll choke theirselves by gittin a piece 'crossways in their jocu lar, broadaxe, and die fur a spontanaceous combustion !" The old lady was silent and relapsed into a slumber, and dreamt of flat irons and vicious tom-cats trying to claw her eyes out. —American Paper. APPREHENSION OF . MASTERS FOR THE ATTEMPTED MURDER AT CHATHAM.—After evading the police for nearly three weeks, the sailor, Burgess Masters, who in a fit of jealousy attempted to murder a private of the Royal Marines, named Wilkins, in Skinner-street, Chatham, has. been apprehended, and on Wednesday afternoon was placed before• a full bench of magistrates at Rochester. The accused; alter making his escape from Chatham, entered on board her Majesty's ship Trafalgar, as an ordinary seaman, and was subsequently draughted to her Majesty's ship Monarch, at Sheerness, where he was apprehended. The marine, •Wilkins, has so far recovered as to be able to leave the hospital. On the application of the superintendent of police, the prisoner was remanded for a week, in order to obtain the necessary evidence for the prosecution. A SQUABBLE ABOUT •A • •POBTRAIT.--The Illustrated London News thus facetiously sketches a curious trial which took plebe last week, touching a matter of taste and skill in art :---" An admiring, husband commissions a portrait of a beloved wife. The price is not soch as l'Awrence and Reynolds received, or Sir John Watson Gordon or Mr. Frank, Grant would now ask, for it was only £3 10s. The artist engaged was Mr. B—, the sitter was Mrs. T . The lady chose her own posture and air, the artist selected his own colours, and went at once to work. How many sittings Mr. B— required, and Mrs. T— conceded, did not transpire. Five, at least, we suspect ; but all' to =no purpose, •foil when tbe picture is sent home the Buskins of the village declare, unhesitatingly, that ' it isn't a bit like.' A female critic went so far as to say th a t t h e p i cture repre sented 'a twenty-stone woman.' This adverse criticism determined the husband's course—he would not keep the picture,. and he would not pay the balance. Poor Vandyck Brown appeals to compasses in vain ; and lastly, to law, and equally in vain. The portrait is produced in court. Mrs. T— appears in court —assumes the attitude in which she, sat, and asks a sensible English judge and a sensible English jury to decide, 'ls this a likeness of me ? Is this fairly worth seventy shillings ? Is it the picture which an admir ing husband should hang up in his happy home of a loving, devoted, and (modestly said) not unhandsome wife ?' Mrs. complained that the painter had given her a kind of' infantine moustache. ' That,' replied B—, is only a Rembrandt s h a d ow ,' The jury now became a kind of' hanging committee of the Royal Academy —glancing from nature to art, and from art back to nature. Mrs. T— looked her very best. She was animated—the canvas was inanimate. It was easy to see (as the jury thought) that Vandyck Brown was not Vandyck • and. B—, the portrait-painter of the engaging Mrs. T—, lost his case and the balance he laid clam to. B—, of course, got back his picture (it was returned on his hands,) and may, in ' nger, make a public-house sign of Afrs, T----'s Kitkat.