The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-02-12 00:00:00

LIFWEPOOL TOWN CO UNCIL.

TIIB quarterly and monthly meeting: of the- Council was
held on Wednesday ; John Stewart, Esq., the Mayor,

presiding.
After a question, put by Mr. Robertson Gladstone, as to the
legality of introducing new matter for diseussion, at the
present Council, without previous notice (no intimation of this
being a quarterly meeting having.been made ought,- summons),
had been answered in the affirmative by the Town•clerk, the
subject of

TUB GOVERNMENT", ATTACK ON TUN LIVERPOOL. TOWN DIMS
was introduced by Mr. PICTON, who said it bad always been
considered that any question affecting. the privileges of the
Council as a public body should take precedence •of every
other business, lie, therefore, seeing that no ether gentleman
gave indication of moving in the matter,. had been induced to
allude to it,. deeming the subject of interest paramount to any
other, threatening, as it did, serious injury- to the interests
and property of the town. ([sear, hear.) lie considered it
expedient and advisable that the chief magistrate should call
a town meeting on the subject, that the opinion of the inha-
bitants may be fairly taken upon the mader ; and if they
were content-to sit quietly, and allow themsekes to be robbed
of their property, .the Councitwould,ut leastebe exonerated of
blame. His chief object in alluding to this topic was to
ensure that whatever steps were deemed expedient to protect
that property might be done with promptitude and energy. If
there be a proper spirit actuating the inhabitants of this town,
they will, as if with one voice, petition the Houses of Parlia-
ment, wed request to be heard by counsel, and through
their representatives, and, by. every means in their
power, bring the matter in its true and just light before
the legislature and the country, in doing which they would
present a very different view of the case to:that •contained in
the ad egplandum speech of the Vice-president of the Eoard
of Trade. From that speech it appears that every sum re-
ceived either from dock does or town duce - ,has been charged
against the corporation, while for expenditure on the other,
up credit was given beyond that for a few paltry items of no
real importance whatever. Instances are given. of vessels
having taken part of their cargo on booed in the Birkenhead
Docks, and part iu the river, being sul4ected to dock dues;
and this is charged against the corporation, which had nothing
to do with the matter. In a leading article in the Times it is
made to appear that nothing had ever-been done by the cor-
poration for the commercial interests-of the town or-of the
country beyond the expenditure of the paltry, sum of• £3,000
or £4OO. Not a word as to the expenditure of ,E73;000 for
the Revenue-buildings, and land whieh would be worth two
or three times as much more. (Hear, bear.) In London, it
should be known, all these things are constructed at the ex-
pense of the government, while herowe have to pay.eustorns,
and to provide a building in which...they are to be received.
The great landing-stage also now in construction—that would
cost a large sum ote money, and would be paid for entirely by
the corporation. Reference had been made to St, George's-
hell as having col an enormous SUM, taken frone,the pockets
of Manchester and. other towns lathe manufacturing districts.
What was that building erected: • for ? • To facilitate the dis-
pensation of justice in the southern division of the county of
Lancaster, in which Manchester; Bolton, Bury,. and the other
manufacturing towns in this division of the amity are as
much interested: as. Liverpool. Were. they to lose sight of the
large outlay i.nsmrred in impeentinge the velieus avenues of
commerce, and to be told that the sums expended in that
manner wager no advantage tattle commercial-interests of the
country.? lai conclusion he- moved,—" That the Mayor be
requested to, convene a public meeting of the inhabitants of
the borough; to be held in St. lleorge's-halle on an early day,
to consider: the course to be pursued he consequence of the,
bill introduced into the souse of Commons by the govern,
merit for the abolition of passing tolls and;regulations of local
charges on shipping, oe on goods carried in ships, and prne
posing to•abolish such dues without compensation or equiva-
lent to-this or any other corporation entitled to such clues,-n
measure- subversive ofethe rights of property, which have,
.hitheato..been held sacred in this country."
Mri, HODSON secorKled the maim,.
Mr. HORNET expressed a general: concurrence in the,views,
stated by Mr. Picton, and also concurred with him in thinking
that the matter was of such deep importance that the council.
sbpuld be called together on an early day, when they would
have an opportunity of reading the bill, which would be
brought before the house, and considering what steps they
should take.
Mr. R. Gieveseowe mado a few remarks on the- subject, in
which he severely ridicnled,thegeneral management of affairs
left in the hands of government, and expressed. his-conviction,
that the attempt of government to usurp the management
of the Liverpool town does was, in itself, so monstrous and
absurd, that the country would not for a moment listen to it.
The MAYOR, while concurring in the views expressed as to
the importance of the subject, suggested the propriety of wait
ing till the bill itself was actually in their lends, before decid-
ing upon any particular course of action, otherwise they might
resolve on something which might turn out very injudicious.
Considerable discussion ensued as to the best mode of pro-
ceeding, under the present circumstances of the case; after
which, on the understanding that the time for calling a public
meeting be left in the hands of the Mayor, Mr. Picton's mo-
tion, with the following addition, wasunanimously adopted
° That the bill be referred to the Birkenhead docks committee,
with power to add to their number, and that they be empow-
ered to take all steps necessary for the protection of the pro-
perty of the corporation and the interests of the inhabitants ;
and that the Mayor be authorised to aft the common seal to
any petition or other document necessary in the course of the
proceedings of the committee."

TUE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
The minutes of the proceedings of this committee included
a recommendation to increase the salary of Mr. John Surr
(auditor in the town-dues office) from £l5O to £lBO per an.
num ; also a recommendation to continue the contract with
Mr. Fraser for printing, for one year from the Ist of March
next. After some discussion, the question of the printing was
referred back to the committee, with instructions to procure
tenders for its performance ; and the question of Mr. Surr's
salary was postponed till next council. The other matters
contained in the minutes were confirmed.

WATCH, LIGHTING, AND FIRE PREVENTION COMMITTEE.
In moving that the proceedings of this committee be con-
firmed, Mr. GREGBON, the chairman, made allusion to the new
bill introduced into Parliament for the regulation of the police
throughout the country; and the TOWN-CLERIC stated he had
made arrangements for obtaining a copy of the bill so soon as
it was presented. The proceedings were confirmed; as were
also those of St. George's-hall committee, in moving which
latter it was intimated by Mr. J. H. TURNER, that during the
past month the nett sum drawn for letting the hall and other-
wise had been £229, of which £ll9 10s. had been received for
the organ performances.
The proceedings of the Dock Committee, of the Improve-
ment, of the Markets, of the Education, of the Gaol and
House of Correction, of the Gardens, and of the-Church Ex-
penditure Committees, were severally confirmed, with the
exception of a recommendation from the latter to light with
gas the clock of St. Michael's Church.
It being now after three o'clock, and the Town-clerk having
go to London by the five o'clock trait, the remaining proceed-
ings were adjourned until Wednesday next (to-morrow.)