The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-11-27 00:00:00

CHARGE Or DRUNKENNESS AGAINST A LETTER-CARRIER
WHILE ON DUTY.—Mr. Banning, solicitor to the Post-office,
and Mr. Bales, superintendent of letter-carriers, preferred the
following charge against George Smart, a suspended letter-
carrier. At four o'clock in the afternoon of the 27th of Octo-
ber last, the defendant was intoxicated, and had a number of
letters in his possession which ought to have been delivered
that morning before ten o'clock. Mr. Bales said he went to
the defendant's house on the 29th of October, and found
several letters between the lining and the cloth of his top-
coat which ought to have been delivered on the 27th. The
prisoner admitted the offence, but from the previous good
character he had held for 16 years he had been in the service,
the penalty of £2O was reduced to £lO, or three months' im-
prisonment in default.

A READING-ROOM FOR THE WORKING CLASSES AT
AIGEURTIL—On Monday, last week, a public meeting was
held in St. Ann's School-room, Aigburth Vale, to take into
consideration the opening of a reading-room for the working
classes of that neighbourhood, the infant school-room, a new
and handsome building, having been offered by the school
committee for that purpose. The meeting was attended by a
great number of working men, who appeared highly gratified
by the proceedings. The chair was occupied by the Rev. H.
T. Hecker, the incumbent, and several influential gentlemen
of Aigburth addressed the meeting, amongst whom were C.
Bushell, J. A. Tinne, John Eden, and W. Tomlinson, Esqrs.,
and Rev. T. Barber. Resolutions were proposed by Messrs.
T. Brookfield, T. Williams, J. Peers, and J. Southall. A com-
mittee was appointed to form the rules and take the necessary
steps to carry out the object, and the meeting was adjourned
for a fortnight.
SALE OF MUNITIONS OP WAR.—A Liverpool correspond-
ent of the London Times writes as follows —I beg to call your
attention to the enclosed advertisement from the Montreal
Herald, from which it appears that we are offering for sale
in Montreal 384 241 b. guns, 104 321 b. guns, 96 321 b. carron-
ades, 17 sundry pieces of cannon, 6200 681 b. round shot, 170
421 b. round shot, 27,000 321 b. round shot, 102,000 241 b. round
shot, 20,000 sundry sizes, 119 10-inch shells, 1650 8-inch
shells, and 3549 6i-inch shells. This advertisement is in all
the leading United States journals; and the advices from
Montreal state that probably the whole will go to the United
States. Is there not something wrong here P At all events,
the matter is one worthy of notice, as, probably, some expla-
nation may be given. It is hardly to be supposed that even
old General Routine' can include cannon, cannon-ball, and
shell under the head 'old ordnance stores.' "
WIG-IN.—MEETING OF COLLIERS.— On Wednesday, a large
meeting of colliers was held in the Commercial-hall. Mr. Geo.
Lomax, one of the agents of the Miners' Association, took the
chair ; and the meeting was addressed by Mr. Garbut, Mr.
James Price, and several of the working colliers. The speakers
were at some pains to correct a statement which had been
made, that they were contemplating a strike. They said they
had no such intention ' • they intended to have two " play-days"
on .Monday and Tuesday next; that those two days would
stop the supply in the market to the extent of 12,000 tons, and
they hoped the masters would then give them the advance of
wages they desired ; if not, it was then their intention to
"restrict labour, without coming to an actual strike ;" in other
words, they purposed to work short time until the demand
should become greater than the supply, that then they would
obtain what they wanted. Deputations were to wait ou the
masters yesterday, to ascertain what they would do, and a
meeting was to be held on Amberswood Common.
SELECT VESTRY.—The Rev. Rector Campbell presided at
the fortnightly meeting of the Select Vestry on Tuesday. A
recommendation of the Medical Relief Committee to provide
a number of amusing books for the patients was adopted. Mr.
Bradley stated that the alterations in the Lunatic Asylum
would be soon completed. By these improvements thirty or
forty additional patients would be accommodated, while a
saving of from £3OO to £4OO would be effected. Some discus-
sion took place with regard to the refusal to pay £BOOO, on
account of their contract, to Messrs. Holme, and it was stated
by Mr. Hart, that the delay had arisen in consequence of the
great extent of the works, and the system of measurement
adopted. The accounts, which were very voluminous, would,
however, be ready in a week, Mr. Woodruff, in accordance
with previous notice, moved the appointment of an out-door
inspector, at a salary of £l6O a-year. Mr. Denton (also ac-
cording to notice) moved an amendment for the appointment
of a committee to consider the whole present system of ad-
ministering relief. The amendment, after a long discussion,
was carried by a majority of one.
CAPTURE or AN ESCAPED CONVICT.—A sergeant of the
Manchester police, with Smith, a detective-officer from,
Liverpool,, captured at Manchester, on Tuesday, a convict
named Thomas Cunningham, who had escaped from the
Portland Convict Prison. He was convicted, in 1852, of
housebreaking, and stealing silver plate, and sent to
Portland. He escaped from the convict establishment there
about eighteen months ago, by a simple but an ingenious
contrivance. Having contrived to get possession of needles
and thread, he employed himself during night in making a
large white slop, to conceal his prison dress. The material
was obtained by cutting slips from his bedclothes. Once
dressed in this way, he wandered through the convict estab-
lishment, and made his escape without suspicion. The only
obstaee he encountered was a pay-bridge, where escaped
convicts had before been turned back for want of the half-
penny wherewith to satisfy the toll-keeper. Near this he
met a lady and gentleman, and asked them to befriend him,
alleging that he was a carter, who had left his team on the
other side of the bridge, and had forgotten to provide himself
with money. The lady gave him a halfpenny, and he was
permitted to pass.
THE LICENSED VICTUALLERS' ASSOCIATION held their
annual meeting on Thursday, at the New Institution, in West
Derby-road. From the report,,it appears that the society has
been in existence twenty-five' years. Six out of the twelve
almshouses in the new institution are occupied ; but, as the
means of the association do not warrant at present the occu-
pation of the central portion of the new building, the propriety
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(The committee, in the report, congratulate the members that
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only one license was granted during the past year. They also
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draw attention to, and commend a decision on the part of the
licensing magistrates, to allow the trade a copy of any police
report made against a publican which may endanger his li-
cense. The legislation during the past session) with regard to
public-houses, is described in the report as " crude and blun-
dering;" and it is contended that the present system of
licensing through the magistrates answers well throughout
the kingdom. Manchester is cited as an instance of this;
while it is stated that the convictions for drunkenness in Ire-
land and Scotland, where the licenses are free to any one, far
exceed, in proportion to the population, those in England.
Mr. Law Sykes presided at the meeting, and the report and
accounts were adopted on the motion of Mr. Danson, seconded
by Mr. John Atkinson. The report showed that the receipts of
the association during the year had amounted to £1,321 17s. Bd.
Some discussion took place with regard to a deficiency on the
part of the late secretary, Mr. Grist ; but it was explained by
Mr. Danson, one of the auditors, that the amount (£150) was
amply seeured to the society. Thanks to the officers of the so-
ciety, to the committee, and to the trustees having been
awarded, Mr. Charles Turner was elected to fill the vacant
trusteeship. This closed the proceedings.