The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-11-09 00:00:00

THE DOCK BOARD

The usual weekly meeting of this board was held
yesterday, at the dock offices. C. Turner, Esq., pre-
sided. The other gentleinen preSent were Messrs. F.
Shand,, E. Evans, linbback, Littledale, Brocklebank,
Motulcll, . Tobin' "garnworth , Arm:ad, itounth Waite,
Boult, Segar, Ferwood, Rankin, Lockett. •

TB E WORKS COMMITTEE.
The proceedings of this committee, recommending the
acceptance -of certain tenders for the supply of tarpaulin,
twine, canvas, sheet, rivet! and angel iron, larch
sleepers for Birkenhead, and for paving 'Regent-road...
On the motion of Mr. Brocklebank, the proceedings
were confirmed.
THE WAREI{O'LISE COMMITTEE.
On the motion of Mr. Hubback, the proceedings of
this committe were confirmed withostt comment.

THE PILOTAGE COMMITTEE.
On the motion of Mr. F. Shand the proceedings were
confirmed.

MASTER PORTERS COMMITTEE.

In moving the confirmation of the proceedings of this
committee, Mr. Arnold explained that the application
of one of the officers for superanuation, which had been
referred hack for reconsideration, had been investigated,
and it was found that he was entitled to it, and hoped
that the recommendation would be approved of. This
and other similar recommendations were approved of
and the proceedings were confirmed.
MARINE COMMITEEE.

This committee recommended that the erection of a,
pier on George's Landing Stage, for a bell, to meet.
the requirethents of fogs.
Mr. MONDEL briefly moved the adoption of the pro-.
e2edirtqa, he said it was a motion for the consideration of
the Works Committee whether a pier should not be
erected on the Nova Scotian property. For the present,
however, a temporary bell might- he 'erected on the.
Landing Stage: They would recollect that the present,
bell was given to the board.
Mr. Rot,-.)riartArrE reminded the board that the
lower the bell Was to the surface of the .tater the more
the sound was heard:
The proceedings Were confirmed:
_ THE RAILWAY COMPANt ANI% THE. roam

. .
A letter was read from Mr. John Mills, of Bridge-,
house, near Halifax, Yorkshire, drawing attention to thd
inconvenience to which he and other carriers, who con-
veyed their goods by canal into the port of Liverpool,
were subjectedhy the London and North-Western Rail-
, way, fromthe interference of which company the carriers
experienced ()Teat injury in the' Manchester' ocks. The
writer stated that the taibtay company had a large eipi-
tal,•and he apprehended that if tlaty were allowed to per-
sist in their present monopolising course; they would by
degrees swallow up and destroy the smaller interests of
traders.- The reason that the company adopted these
proceedings was, to annihilate all competition that might
be got up against them.
Letters to the same purport were also read from
Thaers, Falk= and Co., and the Shropshire Union
Canal Company.
Mr. BOtnir considered the subject touched on in the
letter' of Mr. Mills was a very important one. He
triistal.that the board would not allow the interests of
any ,railyak edmpany to interfere With those of the
carriers. He Considered that the accommodation required
by the latter class was not sufficient, and at the present.
moment the trade of the port Wit striferiug very much
from this cause. There was not a siifficient nitmlict of
canal floats adjacent to do the work of the ands': He
opined that that hoard should identify the interests of
the independent carriers who carried on business on
their own foundations with their own, and not allow,
any railway company to interfere and thus divert the.
trade which would ,be carried into Liverpool to other
ports. The. board should not by any means- be
squeamish, and pay any particular attention to this
conduit or that, but look to its own interests. If they
did not adopt one prompt measures art that subject, a
time would come-when it,would be found necessary that
an independent straightforward Cdtirse' should be pur-
sued, in order to rescue the trade of the part of Liver-
pool from the injurious effects Which would be cadged
by allowing the railway company to interfere with the
carriers.
•

Mr. SHAND considered that as there was no motion
before the bOard no discussion should be allowed 0
take plade on the subject.
Mr. F0R146013 stiid it should he in the recollection of
the board that the question Whiclt etas mooted in the
very appropriate letter of Mr. Mills ifas not a novel
one, but had been formerly before the board, and be'
thought it was most necessary that some action should
he taken in the matter. It was a question of great
importance, and under the present, situation of,things he
opined that some decided and determined measures
rt
should be adopted. Nothing could be more fair than;
that 'a
limiest and reasonable competition should be
allowed free action', and to' ftvellitate the carrying out of
this object`ample aceoiriniodatioli should be allowed the
carriers. The railway companies or their directors
should not be allowed to curtail or in any Way injure
the comMerce of this port, and it behoved the board to
wateh,narro wly over the interests of the trade carried
on in the port. It was a most important question, and
one which shonld receive the serious attention of the
board.

The consideration of the questiOn Wag deferred.
Mr. C. BUSHELL said he would take the advantage,
as he had a right to do,•upon the reading of a letter,
to
He thought that it'was incon-
venient an. Observation.
to carry out the rule which the chairman had
laid down, that there should he no discussion upon a
letter referred to a committee. If that was carried out,'
how were the public; out of doors to judge of the feeling
of that body on tidy .irnyortant question, unless some,
expression of feeling was given: He disapproved of
the plan. of not allowing discussion.
All the letters were referred to the Master D'ortetage
Cnnitnittee. .•

PARLIAMENTARY NOTICES.
Mr. AnNotrn•then moved, that in accordance with the

notice given, that the parliamentary notice for the pro-
posed bill of next session shall include the obtaining
Power by such bill for the board " To increase the
penalty of the bonds nos required by law to be entered
into by master porters and their sureties, and to extend
the duties and responsibilities of master porters."
Mr. Arnold said that he was afraid that there were
many who did net know what the duties of the master
was,, but he had for the last few months bad considerable
experience, but those who were ignorant, let them be
So, and all whp did not require the information, let them
eschew all questions on. master porterage. He had not
been long in the committee, but he had been chosen as
the chair-man, and had brought the motion before the
board, in sdppott of the recommendation of the com-
mittee. Mr. Forwood had told him that he would have
to make a speech, and explain the objects, and to do
that it wouloi be well that he should be well read up,
but he had Aund Aothing to. read upon the subject but'
from his,own experience in the present system, he had
found it crude, complicated, and discreditable to the
Port. What was the remedy to be applied ? He then
briefly explained that the present system was in opposi-
tion to the interests of the shipowner and the under-
writers. He advocated the appointment by the board
of master-porters, and he thought the di&rent systems
should be assimilated. Without going into full details,
he concluded :by moving the adoption of the resolution.
Mr. Sp3A.n. seconded the motion.

The resolution was unanimously adopted.
Mr. ARNOLD then moved , the second resolution,--
"To appoint surveyors of cargoes and goods, with.
prop'er authorities: to grant certificates for the satisfac-
tion of shipowners, merchants, underwriters, md others
with respect thereto, and to the stowage thereof, and.the
nature and extent of the damage •(if any) thereto, and
the causes thereof, and to make reasonable ,charges. for
the duties so performed." Upon this resolution, Mr.
Arnold explained the necessity for carrying it out, and
Proceeded to give the various places where, and by whom
the surveyors were appointed ; and without speaking in
the slightest disrespect of the present underwriters,
some of whom were members of thatfboard, or of the
present surveyors, he said the committee thought that
the mode adopted in appointing the surveyors was
bad in principle, and it was against that principle that
they were contending. With reference to the appoint-
ment of a traffic manager. he would leave that subject
in the hands Vit.. Ilubback, who would deal with it
much better than he could.

In answer to a• question put by Mr. Segar, -
The CHAIRMAN said—By Mr. Arnold's proposition it
Was, inot intended to make it compulsory for the ship-
owners to employ two surveyors appointed by the board.
The.board appointed them, and it wonld be for the pub-
lic to engage them if they pleased.
In answer to Mr. Bushell,
The CHAIRMAN' said that the surveyors would be
appointed by the board, and as none but experienced
men would be so employed it would rest with the public
whether they were employed. A certificate would be
given of their capacity to perform the duties, and if
they were employed of course they would be entitled to
certain fees. Whether those fees were to be fixed by
the board or not would be a matter of detail, if they
were-appointed.
Mr. BnocKLEBANK. did not clearly understand Mr:
Arnold. For his part, he thought that if the board
appointed the surveyors, they should be paid by the
board. If it was not so, they mi_Tht be getting into a
great many difficulties. He wou.id prefer that they
should be regular salaried officers of the board.
Mr..TourN,- said the question before the board was
not as to particular details, but whether or not notices
should he ..eiven to Parliament. Before the bill was
passed the bill itself would be before the board, and
then all the points could be discussed.
After some further conversation, •
The CHAIRMAN said—As stated by Mr. Tobin, Mr.
Arnold•oniy 'asked that certain necessary notices should
be given. Bat the bill itself would have to be brought
up and discussed in detail. At present there was no
responsibility whatever cast upon the board. It was
quite true that it was asked that the board should give
a certificate to the surveyor; but the public could or
could not engage such surveyor so appointed, as they
pleaSed. It was not sought to make it compulsory that ,
such should be the case. The owners could object to
receive them on board ; but lie would ask what in a
court of law would be thought of a case in which there
had been no survey made. He, like Mr. Tobin, thought
that before notices were given the board should know
what was really meant.
Mr. SHAND agreed with Mr. Brocklebank, that if
surveyors were appointed by the board, they should be
the servants of the board. .
Mr. ARNOLD said that he intended to express that
the surveyors should be paid by that trust. But all that
was asked for was the power to appoint these surveyors.
After a few more remarks from various speakers, the
resolution was adopted. •
•• .Mr. ARNOLD then moved the third and last notice—
" To appoint and license persons (commonly called
stevedores and Jumpers) to act in loading and dis-
charging vessels, and to require security for the proper
discharge • of their duties, and to fix the rates of re-
muneration to be paid for the same." He said lie
thought that,- in reference to that resolution, there
would not be necessary for him
would be , no difference' of-opinfo speak ion; andupon it.f ,H, thereore, it
e
therefore moved its adoption.
Mr. Segar seconded the resolution.
After :long conversational discussion as to the details
of the point, which it was stated would be discussed
when the bill was brought up, the resolution was adopted,
the last. clause 'referring to the fixing 'of the rates of
remuneration to be paid being expunged.

THE GOODS ON TUE DOCK QUAYS.

The CHAinanAN said the next business before the
board was a notice of motion, given by
.Mr. Hubback,
as follows :—That the Parliamentary notice for the pro-
posed bill of next session shall include the obtaining
power for the.board "To make better provision by such
bill against the undue occupation with goods of the
dock quays-, by substituting fixed rents for penalties in