The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-05-31 00:00:00

SPECIAL MEETING OF THE TRANMERE

LOCAL BOARD

THE NEW LANDING STAGES.

- .
Last night a special meeting of this Board was held,
for the purpose of considering the provisions of the
Mersey Docks and Harbour Board Bill, as affecting. the
Cheshire side of the river.
Mr. Psnany, .thee chairman, called attention to
the fact, and stated that in the event of the bill passing
int° law, none of the Tranmere, Rock Ferry, or East-
4ara boats would be able to use the Landing-stage on
the Liverpool side, incurring the expense, therefore, of
new ferry-boats ; and that in consequence, the ferries
II"' named would be completely closed up ; that if the
bill did pass the House of Lords, facilities would he con-
ferred on Birkenhead or Woodside ferry, for the passen-
ger and luggage traffic, such as could not be enjoyed by
any other of the ferries, without materially impeding
the navigation of the river. It was, after some discus-
tt°ll, resolved to petition the House of Lords against
the bill, especially on the clause No. 13, as it referred to
the levying of certain imposti or tolls on all luggage
i !blight over the...river,- •• •• - • •

CONCERT AT BOOTLE.

On Tuesday evening, the " Derby Bootle Band" gave
a concert at Bootle village. This band consists of some
IR
- youths, the sons of gentlemen who reside in the

, -
neighbourhood ; and although the band has been

organised only five or six months, the degree of excel-
lence which the boys have reached is most remarkable.
When the band was formed, the promoters engaged Mr.
Peter Stubbs to teach the lads, not only music, but
military exercise, and it is pleasing and astonishing to
see the advance they have made in both, in such a short
time, with two lessons a week ; it is a proof of what can
be done in a short time by an efficient instructor with
apt pupils. Previous to the concert, the boys were put
through all the military evolutions, and we have never
ken, even amongst the best drilled soldiers, more pre-
cision and correctness than they exhibited. As to the
concert, it was excellent, and reflects the highest credit
Mr. Stubbs and the boys themselves. The pieces
were well selected and admirably executed. There was
°tie piece in particular, written by Mr. Stubbs, called the
k Rejected," which met with enthusiastic reception.
There were four amateur glee-singers, and these gave some
excellent pieces with telling effect. Towards the close,
Master Reay beat the " Tomb of War " on a small
drum, in a manner diat brought down rounds of applause,
and had he had a better instrument, the performance
Would have been perfect. The audience was most
,44Pectalilt and thi iorim N;rai crowded, so much so, that
Eegrai Per-ions were obliged to go away, as they could
not obtain an entrance. We congratulate the inha-
bitants of Bootle on the acquisition of this fine band,
Which in a short time must command high attention.

LONDON & NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY
COMPANY & THE SMOKE NUISANCE.

Yesterday, the above company were summoned before
4essrs. Castellain and Rathhone, at the Police Court,
by the direction of the Health Committee, for an
I Ifringement of the Smoke Prevention Act, in having
certain locomotive engines without apparatus for con-
suming their own smoke. Mr. M.Gowan, the deputy
town clerk, appeared on behalf of the Health Com-
nilttee • and Mr. Marshall represented the Railway
Company. The former gentleman, in opening the case
t° the bench, after stating the facts of the case, referred
t° a memorial and innumerable letters which had been
received by the authorities, complaining of the nuisance
arising from the smoke emitted from the defendants'
engines at Edge-hill, and went so far as to state that
unless it was prevented, they could not live in the
houses at Speketield Cottages. This memorial, how-
"et/ was not admissable as evidence, and therefore
could not be read, but several of the memorialists were in
attendance to substantiate its correctness. Mr. Wignall
the Smoke Inspector, proved that on the 3rd of May he
841 the engine Vixen vomiting forth dense volumes of
black smoke from 6.23 to 6.33, being an interval of ten
minutes. He examined the engine, and did not see any
APParatus for the consumption of smoke. He also
qserved a quantity of coals on the engine. This wit-
iless was cross-examined by Mr. Marshall, but his
e'idence was not in the slightest degree shaken. Police
constable 752 fully corroborated the inspector's state-
tent. A witness was called to prove that the smoke
emitted from the engines was a great nuisance to the
inhabitants ; and others were in attendance to corrobo-
rate his statement. Mr. Marshall then addressed the
464 ch for the defendants, and referred to a case which
had been argued in the Court of Queen's Bench, to the
effect that the company were not liable if the engines
ire provided with the necessary apparatus for con-
-Bnoaing the smoke. He called the driver, who swore that
there was no smoke, nor yet any coal on the engine
at the time, and that there was the proper apparatus.
This evidence was confirmed by the stoker, but he could
not say the day of the week or the month that the
cffence occurred. Each of these witnesses were cross-
elarained at great length by Mr. M'Gowan, but they
persisted in their statements. A Mr. Ramsbottom, a
locomotive engineer, was called, and he stated that the
engine had the apparatus, but could not say what state
was in, as he did not see it on the day in question, nor
had he seen it since. After a lengthy discussion, the
magistrates dismissed the case, and Mr. M'Gowan
a,PPlied for a case for a superior court, which was,
however, refused. The defendants were then summoned
for a similar offence on the 4th of May. Mr. Wignall
Rated that on that day he saw dense volumes of black
stoke from the engine Eclipse, from 8,9, to 8.27.
There was no smoke consuming apparatus, and there
Ives at least 25 cwt. of coals on the engine. He saw-
the driver, who told him that there was no smoke-
consuming apparatus, and begged of him not to prefer
tills information—if he did, he (the driver) would be
discharged. Police-constable 752 corroborated this
statement. Mr. Marshall called the driver, who par-
tially admitted the statement made by the inspector and
the constable, and the magistrates fined the railway
company £5 and costs.