The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-06-19 00:00:00

WEDNESDAY.

TIIE Committee re-assembled, Mr. Labouchere in the chair,
when they retired to consider a communication from the
Board of Trade. On their return, the chairman stated that
while the Board of Trade could not proceed with the clauses
until the preamble had been agreed to, they had decided
that the following ought to be the clause with reference to the
Town Dues :

- - " That nothing contained in, or to be done under, the pro-
visions of this act, shall be held to prevent any dues now
forming part of the Borough Fund from being dealt with by
Parliament, in like manner as if this act had not been
passed."

Upon this, Mr. Scott, on behalf of the Liverpool Corporation,
said they could not proceed further with the Bills, as the
clause proposed by the Corporation was amply sufficient for
the purpose, and they could not consent that their right to the
Town Dues should be prejudiced even by implication.
The Chairman said they were unwilling that the Bill should
be thrown up. They would proceed with the preamble, and
as they did not wish to prejudice the question of the Town
Dues, they would reconsider the proposed clause when they
came to it, striking out the words in the preamble which
stated that the act passed with the consent of the Board of
Trade.

This was done, the preamble so amended was agreed to,
and, having gone through some of the clauses, the Committee
adjourned.
THURSDAY.

On the meeting of the Committee, Mr. Alexander applied
on behalf of the St. Helen's Railway, Canal, and Dock Com-
pany, against the operation of the bill, and be proposed cer-
tain clauses to exempt vessels using the Garston Docks from
Town Dues and all other dues not applied to harbour pur-
poses. After some consultation, the Committee decided that
the proposed clauses did not apply to the bill under considera-
tion.

A proposal from Messrs. Bibby to alter a clause so as to put
judgment creditors upon the same footing as bondholders,
was refused assent to.

The Chairman announced that the Committee had rgreed
to pass all the clauses, with these exceptions—First of all, the
clauses which referred to the Town Dues. Then the clause
that he understood the promoters of the bill were not yet in
a condition to submit, about the manner of constructing the
works, according to an agreed general plan, and the length of
time, and the specified sum. And he did not see in the bill
any of those general clauses with regard to harbour dues,
saving the right of Parliament to legislate in these matters—
a clause which the Board of Trade had desired to be inserted
in all bills of that nature passed during the present session.
After a brief discussion on this point, the Committee retired
to consider the clause referring to the Town Dues, and on
their return announced that they would accept the clause
proposed by the Corporation, as follows :—" Nothing con-
tained in or to be done under the provisions of this act shall
be held or implied, directly or indirectly, to confirm, alter, or
prejudice the right of the Corporation to any dues now form-
ing part of the borough fund of the borough, or the position
of the Corporation or any person in respect thereto, but the
same may in all respects be dealt with and judged of in like
manner as if this act had not been passed."
The Chairman said the committee had received another
clause from the Board of Trade which they desired to see
adopted. It was as follows :—" Unless Parliament shall other-
wise determine, the Corporation shall complete, within two
years from the first day of September, 1856; and they are
hereby required to complete the docks and works in connexion
therewith at Birkenhead, authorised by the said several Acts
relating thereto, so far as the same are in force, or such other
docks or works as shall be approved by Parliament in the
meantime, as most favourable for the commercial purposes of
the port of Liverpool."
It was agreed to leave the further discussion of these points
to the next day, and the Committee adjourned.