The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-01-08 00:00:00

TICE IMOPOSED PIER-ILEA.D

Amongst the Mayor's communications was one signed by a
number of brokers,. merchants, and others, complaining of
the inconvenience caused by the irregularity of the clocks near
the pier, and suggesting the establishment of a central Pier-
head clock, to be illuminated, and high enough to be seen by
parties approaching either the north or south bridge. After
soma discussion it was decided that the memorial could- not
be entertained.

WEDNESDAY.
The monthly meeting of the. Council was held on Wednes•
day, the Mayor presiding.

FINANCE COMMITTEE.-INCOME AND EXPENDITURE OP THE

CURBENT TEAM.

The' proceedings of the Finance Committee included a
report from the Sub-committee of Finance ; and upon the
probable income and expenditure of the Corporation for the
year commencing Ist September last and ending the 31st
August next. The committee were of opinion that the in-
come of the Corporation, from. all sources,. could not be
estimated at more than £177,682, nor the compulsory ex-
penditure., of all kinds, at not less- than £160,994, leaving a
gross surplus of £16,598. The several branches of discre-
tionary expenditure, which the Council has been. in the habit
of making, for the public benefit of the inhabitants, on ac-
count of the Corporation Schools-, the charities,• and the
Observatory, would require, if continued, a sum of £3,147,
and there were sundry hnprovements- already ordered which
would cost £1,950. These two sums, making together £5,097,
being deducted from the gross surplus of £16,598,, would
leave a net surplus of £11,501. Last year the Council had
voted, out of the stirplus income, the amount charged, to the
several townships,- on account of the watch-rate, andqf this
arrangement were-' continued the parish -of Liverpool would
be benefitted to the' extent of £8,525 10e: 6d.; the township
of Toxteth-park to the extent of £1,405 15s. 10d. ; the town-
ship of Everton to the extent of £897 12s. Id.; the township
of West Derby to the-extent of £687 10s. 5d.; and the town-
ship of Kirkdale to the extent of £303 13s. ld. These several
sums, amounting in the whole to £11,820' Is. 11d., would, if
they were voted, leave an estimated deficiency:of £319 'is: 11d.
Mr. HOIMBY; in moving the confirmation of the proceedings,
said the Council would have been prepared to expect that the re-
port would have been far less favourable than had been the Can,
for several years. Last year the estimated surplus was
£30,600';. this year it wa5.216,600 only, showasg a falling off
of £14,000. The deficiency,. however, was not'owing to any
apprehended falling off of income, which was expected to ex-
ceed the income of last year by about £5,000, in consequence-
of the greater productiveness- of the Town-dues, but was attri-
butable altogether to large, additions to their expenditure,•
which additions were expected to- amount, within the year, to
£19,000. The principal items, of increase would be the
interest on- the bond debt of the Corporation, which would
exceed the amount paid under the same head last year by
£6,700, and the• loss upon the Birkenhead purchase, £7,000.
There would, be -an increase of £l,OOO under the head of the
Mayor's allowance, in consequence of the expenses• incurred,
by order of the-Council, in celebration of the fall of Sebastopol.
The accumulating fund would. call for an additional sum of
£6OO ; and the aggregate amount of these items of increase
would be, according to the estimate of the committee, £19,000.
He would first move that the 'report of the committee be
received and printed for the information of the-Council ;
which having :been agreed to,. the annual donations to the
charities were proposed by Mr. Homby, and agreed to; and
the grants in aid of the watch. 'rate ordered to be made as
usual. Mr. Hamby then moved the confirmation of a resolu-
tion directing the sale by auction, on lease for seventy-five
years, of the property now in possession, and this resolution
was adopted, after some discussion,. by a majority of 34 to 10.

WATCH, LIGHTING, AND ME' POLICE COMMITTEE. t
ME. HODEYON'tik CHARGE AGAITHR THE POLICE.
The proceedings of the Watch, Committee included certain
resolutions having reference to what passed at the last meeting
of the Council on the alleged existence of bribery in the
police force, and on the mode in, which investigations into
charges of bribery had been conducted. The first of these re-
olutions was in the following terms :
" That, after the remarks made on the conduct of tile chair-
man, at the last meeting of the Council, the committee em-
brace the earliest,opportunity of expressing, in the strongest
manner, their confidence in him, and of bearing testimony to
the undeviating rectitude of his character, his stricthonesty
of purpose, his unremitting attention to the duties of his
office, and his unwearied zeal in their discharge."
This was followed by another resolution, to the' same effect„
and almost in thesaine words, having reference to the, vice-
chairman.
Then came these, further resolutions :
"• The attention of the committee having been called to the
statement made by T. L. Hodson, Esq., before the Council, of
22 per week being given to ' the police force' to prevent in-
formations, resolved, that a special committee, consisting of all,
the members of the Watch Committee, be appointed to inquire-
into and report upon such charge,-and that the Town-clerk be,
instructed to write to, Mr. Hodson, informing hies of this re-
solution, and requesting him to afford them any information.
he may have upon the subject,. on such day and atsuch hour
as may be most convenient to himself."
It appeared,. from the further proceedings of the committee,,
that the Town-Clerk had written to Mr. Hodson in accordance
with the instructions of the committee, but that no answer had,
been received to his communication whereupon the committee
resolved, at their meeting on_the 22nd of December, that the
investigations should take place at the Town-hall on•the-fol-
lowing Wednesday, at two o'clock, and instructed the Town-
clerk to write •to Mr. Hodson, again, and to inform him. that
the committee would thanksbina to attend the meeting,to afford
the Special Committee any information, he might possess, to
aid them in their investigation. The Special. Committee met
accordingly, at the time-and place appointed, but Mr. Hodson
did not attend, nor wasany communication reeeived,from him;
and after waiting half-an-hour for him, the meeting broke up.
Upon these facts beingreported to the General. Committee, the
following resolution was, adopted
:
"That as the publication of serious charges against the con-
duct of officers in the-police, which are not sustained, tend to
impair the efficiency-.of the whole force, and, to weaken the
confidence of the public therein, the committee deem it proper
to call the attention of the Council to the course pursued by
Mr. Hodson, whohaving, in his place-bathe Council, ventured
to.promulgate a specific charge that some member or members
of the police force habitually accepted bribes to suppress in-
fbrmations, as detailed in the above report, declines, when,
called upon, to afford the committee-the means of investigat,
ing this serious charge, and of correcting: the, evil if found to
exist, and yet has not done the force thejustice of withdrawieg
the accusations."
Mr. GREGSON, in moving the confirmation of the proceedings
of the committee, called attention to the resolution, and ex
pressed his opinion that the Council generally would agree
with it.
Mr. MUNCHER seconded the resolution, and, in a marked
manner, called on Mr. Hodson either to come forward and
substantiate the charges he- bad made, or to withdraw them.
Mr. HODSON 'replied at considerable length, expressing his
conviction that the chairman and members of the committee
discharged their duty in, a straightforward and conscientious
manner.
After a few remarks from Mr. JOHN Auctiv,Mr..GODPRET,
and Aldermen PARKER and LANGSDALE, the proceedings of
the committee were confirmed.