The Express.
London, England, 1853-10-21 00:00:00

RoTHERIIITHE PARISI! AND THE COMMISSIONERS.

The atAISMAX then proceeded to make some remarks
on an advertisement which had appeared is the Tones
newspaper, purporting to came from the Commissioners of
Sewers of the parish of Rotherhithe, and cot:apt:hung of the
" perilous state" of the pariah in regard to draining, &c.
Ile also stated tbat on s'h October a letter was received at
the office from the Commissioners of Pavement of the
parish of Itatherhithe, signed by Mr. Hawks, making the
same complaint., and which he would therefore not read,
but concluding with a paragraph con•eining a threat
" that if any fatal case of cholera occurred, the churchward-
ens would have it made the subject of invettigatian before
the coroner." He did not know what was meant by that,
or whether it was intended that a verdict of manslaughter
would be given against the commissioners. Atter real sag a
letter which had been sect to the parish authorities on the
subject, and orating that it was no part of the duty of the
Metropolitan Cummissioners to make sewers in any district
the chairman proceeded to snake a financial statement with
reference to the works dune for this parish, which was to
ffi
the e ct, that there were works now in hand for the
I truth estimated at 6,900/, and as only 4,100:. had been
collected iu the parish since the existence ol the pretest
mimiseien the outlay would far exceed the rate.
collected. The parish of Rutherhithe formed the
twenty.siatk part of the Surrey and Kent district as
regarded rateable value, ar.d he would state what Lad Gann
spent on it by the commissioners since January, 1849. When
the present commission was established, they found a malt
balance of funds in band, and the share of it belonging to
the parish of Rotherhithe was 161. Since then a sum of
6111. had been raised by loan, and three several dOtrict
rates had been made in the four years and three quarters
since 1849, making altogether le. sd. in the pound, of which
Rotherbithe had contributed 4,1031., making, with the loan
which had been raised, a total of 4,7141. The
payments which bad been made on behalf of the
parish in lour years, throwing over the other nine
months, had been—repayment of loans and mort-
gages, 7931.;_ surveys, 2521.; management. 6191.;
new sewers, 4371.; repairs, 290/. ; drawing, 1.o:;9i.; item.
dentals, 6/. ; making a total of 3,4601., and le.v:ng •
balance of 1,2741. out of the 4.7141. raised ; and they had
now new works in hoed, estimated at 6,9004 They had
therefore anticipated the rates fur that purpose, and so tar
tram the parish basing cause to complain, he thought that
it might be said that undue favour had been shown to it.
Ile deprecated the notion that the commissioners were
bound to consider the expense of sewerage by parishes
alone ; their system was funneled oa the principle of dis-
tricts, altogether different from ecclesiastical divisions.
He should abstain from using any strong linienage
with regard to this matter after the statement lie had made,
because lie thought that, considering the visitation of the
cholera with which the metropolie was threatened. he
thought it became the e umninioners to cultivates good un•
derstanding with all local bathe% mid he invited the autho-
rities of Rotherhithe to come to them, sod see if they would
not he ready to give them all the aid in their power. At
the same time he wished it to be understood that they were
not to be frightened or bullied into the discharge of their
duty. lie added that the financial statement he had just
mode was, or might have been, in the hands of the
parish authorities, as ail tae accounts of the efinmis-
eioners were audited by so officer of the government,
under the direction and authority of the Secretary of State
and were duly published, and if they bad come tt. the
uffice they would have received the fullest information on
the subject.

Colonel DasvioN then made some observations in defence of
the coeumissionemand I. ated that much of the obloquy which
had been cast upon them seu owing to want of icelwiedgt of
their position; and that many persons who were most
opposed to them, when they had come to an accurate un-
derstanding on that point, bad changed t►eir opinions,
while the conduct of the board had gained them the contd
deny, of the government and the House cf Common•,
as es idenced by the increased powers which wcre given I
to them in the last session. lie also referred to the pub-
lication of certain semi-official reports of the Board of
Health with regard to the cholera, and expressed a hope
that us they wrongly on I injuriously aff. cted the public
mind, they would be discontinued; and unless they weir.,
it would be the duty of the commissioners to bring the
matter under the consideration of the government.
The rest of the business transacted by the board was of
a routine character.

MEETING OF TIIE LIVERPOOL SHIP-
BUILDERS.

The Shipbuilders' Association of this port met on
Wednesday to consider some important matters connected
with the trade, and particularly the questions of the em-
ployment of strangers a the yards and the docks, and tit.:
rate of wages to be paid to the shipwrights themselves.
The chair was occupied by Mr. JOHN WILSON GREEN.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the business, regretted that
shipbuilders had been found to give the ie. demanded t.v
the men, for he believed that 6'. or 7s. would have been
accepted without murmuring. What the association had
now to do was to bind its members in a foraf.dth:e man-

ner together, and the course he would suggest wag this—to
insist upon the proposition of strangers being employed
in building-yurds; and that the association, as one man,
support any master who might, in consequence, rere;ve
annoyance from the club men. Eight shillings per thy was
a vast increase, but they had better even have the wages at
eight shillings, if flied, than have them ranging from nine
ehtl:ingit to ten shillings and upwards.
Mr. CLAYTON alluded to the fact, that on account of the
high rate of wages demanded here, and the consequent ex-
psuse of ship-buildir.g, the pants had gone to Ipswich for a
new boat. u it could be built for &001. less there than in
Liverpool.
Mr. JONZB—And about half the quantity of timber put
into her. . . .

Mr. HOYDEN mid the shipwrights were a body cf men
who would take all the edit .ntage tht y could of the masters,
and though they might pretend to hate no objection to the
introduction of strangers into the town, they
would not work with them. Now, he would
propose to upset the club entirely. (Cheers.) IL
would hold no communication with the men whatever, but
just fix the rate of wages at eight shillings, seven ,
or 'ix shillings, or whatever it was thought the men
deserved, and if they did not choose to accept it, let them
keep away. Surely the builders could stand for a couple of
mouths or so. In the meantime, let a deputation go rouud
to England, Ireland, and Scotland to procure men, hun-
dreds of whom could be obtained; and let them take no
notice of the Liverpool men, unless the latter chose to al.k
for employment. There must, however, be a document,
signed by all the muter shipwrights, binding tut maelves to
c irry out this arrangement. Mr. Hoyden said he was sorry
for the men themselves, as he believed there was a good deal
of poverty amongst them, and very few were one farthing
better, notwithstanding the advance in wages. As prices
were aow, he himself would not contract to build a ■hip
hem ; and he repeated that the masters would continue to
he completely in the power of the men until the club was
broken up. (Cheers.)
The CIIAIUMAN—The club could be broken in three
weeds.

Mr. CATO moved a resolteicn to the effect that the A 560•
dation sanction and protect builders in the emp:oyment of
stranger• in their yards.
Mr. ROVOLN moved an amendment, the effect of which
was, that strangers be employed, not only in the bu,:disig
yards, but in the town generally.
Mr. OILAYSON thought they would be in a etrongcr
nosiiion by expressing only an opinion as to the buillit.g
yards.
Some further discussion took place, after which ,the
amendment was put, and carried by a very large majority,
only three or four hands being held up for the motion. Mr.
Cato then withdrew his motion, and the amendment was
carried without opposition.
The wages question then came on for discussion.
Mr. itOYDEN was of up:nion that in the shrrt days .:x
shillings was ample pay. His motion to that effect was not
seconded. _ - _ .

Mr. JONES proposed that 7e. be the rate (subject to tt e
propositions referred to before) during the winter secsoc,
to commence on Monday next.
Mr. Pore seconded this proposition. The resolution fhr
is. was then adopted unanimously.
The following was the final resolution:—" That to
. strengthen the resolutions passed this day, and for the
better maintenance of one uniform and fixed rate of ship-
wriaiits' wages—namely, is. per day, and Is. per hour kr
oveitiste, in extreme cats only, and when worked—the
undersigned masters pledge themselves to carry out the
above resolutions. But should any master, either by him-
self, through his firm, or his foreman, by bcunty or other-
wise, infringe these resolutions, his or their namts shall be
exptsed in the public papers, and a fine of Sl. be paid for
ev-ry such offence to the treasurer of the associatioc.-
The signatures of the members present were appended to
this statement, and this closed the proceedings.—Lireipc:l
Times.