The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-10-31 00:00:00

the loudest spirit of discontent and opposition has
manifested itself. At the celebration of the Anni-
versary of the United States Republic, the general
management of Australian affairs by this country
was also asssailed with an unmistakable animus ;
and in the present state of public feeling, both in
Sydney and Port, Philip, a very trifling circum-
stance might produce endless mischief. And if
anything would tend more than another, to hasten
a breach, it is such language as we find in the

columns of the London Times of Saturday. Our
enraged and bellicose cotemporary thus approaches
this most delicate subject :

We have not now to deal with the ordinary case of a
colony demanding from the home Government the manage-
ment of its internal affairs, but of a turbulent democracy,
puffed up by the sudden and unforeseen possession of enor-
mous wealth to make the most unreasonable demands, and
to prosecute them by the most violent and disorderly means.
The gold-diggers of Victoria claim, in tumultary public
meetings, and with threats which it is impossible to mis-
understand, a reduction of the licence fee demanded by the
Government, and an amelioration, in many other respects,
of the hardship of their condition.

It would be hard to conceive anything that
could be less opportune, or more directly opposed
to that conciliatory spirit which ought to be
pursued by the Press of this country towards our
Colonies. Without them, what would England
have been ? What would have been her trade ?
What would have been her revenue ? Our Colo-
nies, for the last quarter of a century, have been
the recipients of considerably more than one-half
of our annual exports, while our imports of
Colonial produce have nearly equaled one-
half of tne entire imports of the United Kingdom ;
and after we have millions of profits in trade, and
fully one-half of the Custom's revenue from colo-
nial productions, the London Times, with the
bitterest scarcasm, tells the Colonists, that " these
discoveries of gold have raised the expenditure of
the Government many hundreds per cent., and
rendered an enormous outlay necessary in roads
made by labourers paid at 10s. a-day, and in police
receiving a still larger stipend, it is not unreason-
able that they who have caused all this expense
should contribute something towards its liquida-
After naming the several grievances put
forward by the Colonists, our cotemporary goes on
to say, " If they desire more, we trust that there is
a sufficient power at the command of the Execu-
tive, to repel, if necessary, force by force;" and
winds up its war-fermenting essay with these
sapient remarks : " Sound policy would require a
much higher tax; but to reduce it below its pre-
sent amount would be to betray the dearest
interests, and hopelessly to subvert the social
equilibrium of the colony."

tion."

The soundness of an exhorbitant taxation-policy
has been tested already in our management of
Colonies, and if we were to calculate the loss to
this country, arising from the creation of hostile
tariffs, and a system of reprisals which an arbi-
trary and insulting policy produced, we might
perhaps convince the reflecting portion of the
community, that the " sound policy " suggested
by the London Times would, in the present case,
be productive of incalculable injury to both
England and her Australian dependencies. But " the
sound policy of a much higher tax," on the
production of Colonial gold, is not the idea of
our cotemporary alone. The gentlemen of Thread-
needle Street, whose monopoly of the bullion
powers of the empire is fortunately threatened
by repletion, have long been trying the propriety
of a prohibitory tax on the production of gold
in our Colonies, forgetful of the fact, that such
a line of policy would tend simply to increase
the gold trade of California at the expense of

our own possessions.
Should such a lino of policy be attempted, it
will be by no means difficult to anticipate the
result. At present, Australia is contributing
most largely to our industrial wants, fiscal
stability and national greatness, and, to use re-
proachful, insulting, and tyrannical language, to
a people to whom we are so deeply indebted, is
most dangerous and impolitic. Indeed, it is
impossible to disguise the fact, that we are this
moment infinitely more dependent on the gold
miners of Australia, for our present and future
prosperity in trade, than they are on us either
for protection, political aggrandisement, or the
advancement of their social happiness. Let us
hope, then, that the Colonial Office will keep a
steadfast eye on the vast mutual interests at
stake in this quarter, and that it will not allow
itself to be drawn away from a conciliating line
of policy, which will meet the demands of the
Colonists, and so help to strengthen the bonds by
which they are at present bound to the parent
State.
In giving to New South Wales full power to legis-
late on all matters relating to its internal affairs,
and having, moreover, sanctioned the sale of land
for the purpose of raising funds for the social ad-
vancement of the Colony and the relief of this coun-
try, by means of gratuitous emigration, it is per-
fectly absurd to talk of the lands belonging to the
Crown, and the right of the Governor to deal with
them as he may think proper, simply because the
sheep range has turned out a gold field. A bar-
gain once made should be kept in perfect good
faith, and when the Colonists demand the sale of
the public lands, they ask no more than what law
justifies, and common justice requires.

improvements have been made on the old regime—
and several legal enactments, which never could
have laid claim to justice, have either been
altogether repealed, or else have gotten into a
state of desuetude. We hope that CAPITAL Puxisu.
MENT is doomed to oblivion; and that our rulers
may soon see the necessity for wiping it clean off
the statute-book.

Society has a two-fold motive for inflicting
judicial punishment on criminals. The first, and
more immediate, is the prevention of crime. The
second, and more remote, the reformation of the
offender. Now, any infliction which falls short of
producing these results, is, to say the least, both
impolitic and inexpedient. That CAPITAL PUN-
ISHMENT has signally failed in diminishing the
higher class of crime, is notorious. Our crimi-
nal statistics show, very clearly, that when " the
extreme penalty of the law " was most generally
carried into effect, crime, so far from diminishing,
increased in equal ratio, and that since a milder
administration] thereof has been adopted, our
criminal calendar has materially decreased, not
only as respects the number, but in regard to the
character of the offences themselves. This fact
alone is a powerful argument in favour of the total
abolition of a statute which authorises the taking
away of human life. Next, as regards the refor-
matory object to be gained. It is quite evident
that, if by a legal enactment, we deprive a felon of
life, that object becomes immediately frustrated.
So far, then, we violate the grand principle upon
which all judicature should be based. Viewing it
in either aspect, we find that CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
fails to accomplish any beneficial end. Such
being its inutility, we see no reason why it
should not be altogether abrogated whatever
other infliction may be adopted for criminals of a
certain grade. However, independently of these
objections, there are other reasons favourable to
its abolition. There cannot be the least doubt
but that the legislators of former times considered
it proper to make public examples of those who
violated the laws of their country, thinking that,
by this means, they would not only satisfy justice,
but present a wholesome check to evil-doers, and
thus stem the torrent of crime. Unfortunately,
however what is termed Justice may have been
appeased—no other apparent benefit has accrued
from such a course. Positive evils, rather, have
followed ; and the pens of some of the most
gifted in the nation have been employed in de-
scribing them. Few will forget Mr. CHARLES
DICKENS'S inimitable letter to the Times, on the
occasion of the execution of the MANNINGS ! Who,
after perusing the fearful description therein given
of callous vice and horrible depravity displayed in
presence of such a sight, can advocate the repeti-
tion of so dreadful a tragedy ? Whilst JACK KETCH
is sending a human being off the stage of exist-
ence, the artful footpad industriously plies his
trade amid the anxious crowd, and before the
majesty of the law (?). The swell-mobsman per-
severingly " dodges " his victims. Jibes and jokes
are recklessly interchanged. The votaries of
BACCHUS, with blood-red eyes and gin-blistered
lips, congregate in numbers. The "nymphs of the
pave," poor outcasts ! assemble with the motley
throng, to " while away an hour," by witnessing,
to them, an amusing spectacle—horrifying to every
humane feeling—legally intended to expatiate crime
and act as a salutary terror on the minds of the
viciously disposed. We trust in GOD that such
tragedies will cease to be enacted in a British

land and before a British people ! Already the
pillory, the cart, and other relics of barbarous
times have disappeared. Let us not discard the
lesser, whilst we cherish the greater evil. But
vigorously set to work to obtain tho repeal of that
horrible statute, which, in the name of Justice
and Religion, demands blood for blood !

PASSENGERS PER H. M. S. ARABIA, Capt. Judkiis,
from New York. 19th October, 1853, to Liverpool.—kr.
Wilson and Lady, Mr. Child and Son, Miss Massett, kiss
Guiseppi, Miss Guppy, Mr. Hamilton and Lady, two Misses
Sprague, Mr. Sprague, Mr. Beswick 3 children and nurse,
Mr. Callender and Lady, Mr. Bramwell, Mr. F. Bramwell,
Miss Bramwell, Messrs. J. Bramley Moore; W.
Wilson, Sledden, Bishop Spencer, Archdeacon Shelair.
Rev. R. T. Huddart, Dr. Espinosa, Major Askwitb Capt.
Spencer, Mr. Sidebotham and servant, Messrs. Runnie,
Barr, Mr. Billings and lady, Mr. Case, lady child and nurse,
Messrs. Bailly, Badnall, Spencer, Wattin, Rankin Garcia,
Young, Teddriss, Stocko, Siluare, Cremonesi,
Keith, Maclure, Valentine, Brown, Barker, Drege, Mir-
ling, Robins, Marsden, Jackson and lady, Partidge jun.,
Sanderson, Dr. Traenkel, Messrs. Bowkley, Sulli'an, Jones,
James, O'Gorman, Colter, Chambers, Evary, Mrs, Belen,
Fetherstone, Holmes, Thorburn, Linn, Gast )ormg, and
Winters, Mr. Mark, and lady. Total 89.

ADDITIONAL STRIKES IN LANCASHIRE

There is reason to believe that the number of operatives
n strike in the cotton districts has now leen increased to
letween 60,000 and 70,000. Taking tie number out of
employment at Preston to be 25,000, ant those in Wigan
at 5,000, we have now to add to them 11,000 in the Eacup
district, and 20,000 at Burnley and Padiham, making a to-
tal of 65,000. Besides these there we 1,000 hands on
stele at Bury, and several thousand (including dyers) at
Manchester. Altogether, therefore, tie number out of work
is little short of 70,000. The Bacuy district includes the
townships of Bacup, Newchurch, lawtenstall, Shareford,
and Shawforth. At these places about 33 mills, including
some of the largest concerns in the manufacturing districts,
were stopped by the masters or the 20th inst. under
circumstances analogous to those which have brought about
the lockout at Preston. There me only four other mills in
that district, and they stopped ox Saturday evening. The
class of goods manufa.ctured in tlis district are mostly those
which are taken for export, including madapollams, light
T-cloths, and shirtings of India qualities ; but there are
IN glancing at the history of the most civilised
asoremthe io•ond tiyc etrhse
hoomoof
tt hr
aed
ob e t:Ge ro
ocdl a s
sshoefe
tdi
no of eoslt
otchs,
ars uoch
saos
al
nations, we find that their progress from barba- made by one or two houses there. The employers had
rism has been very slow. And even centuries a meetinghon Wednesday, at which, however, netting was
rrdreosr
Neovwemorbko,nanAd alleatdijrno adjournment
after any decided advance had been made, we dis- tookdone placet until
cover traces of their previous condition, in the cus- ratives was held the same evening, when they were ad-
toms and laws which then prevailed amongst the dressed by delegates from other towns, and some flattering
people. Our own country, unlbitunatcly, dOOO not sottatteermtelini
things
weresi t
was madestated othbautoLirl.othneirTyr spirit.e4A.mhona§
prove an exception to this rule. We also possess sent to the operatives on strike at Preston a checki for Z5OOl.
laws and customs, which, however they may agree A rumour was industriously spread at the meeting also that
with a rude Druidical epoch, are certainly out of the Earl of Derby had promised 2,0001.
Burnly the mills stopped. An overture l'as made by
place in this age, and amid the splendour of our some of the workmen at one mill with a view to accommo-
civilisation. However,we mean to confine ourselves, dation, but they were informed that the emyloyers did not
for the present, to one law which stands forth .meet mill till the 19th of November, and flat in the mean-
time individual firms did not possess the lamer to negotiate
conspicuous in our statute •- book, and which, for a resumption of labour. The number of mills now
although it has, times without number, called closed at Burnley is 68, and some of them are very ex-
forth severe animadversions on the part of the tensive establishments. At Padiham 4,11 the mills stopped
public, still remains as a damning blot upon our
yesterday except two. Of those corunuing at work the
principle one. is that of Mr. Waddinpon ; the other is a co-
judicial code; presenting also a horrible contrast operative establishment, having about 300 looms only, and
to the general humanity of our social institutions, 120 workpeople. Various classes if fabrics are produced at
and the enlightened and benign spirit of the
Burnley, including a considephle quantity of printing
clothes.
Nineteenth Century. We allude particularly to At Accrington, the centre another district, the em-
what is termed CAPITAL PUNISHMENT. ployers had a meeting on nursday, ;when it appeared that
osed to close their mills, but
a portion of them were diD
That there should be found, at the present day, the proposal met with son opposition, and the proceedings
individuals who advocate the necessity and justice were adjourned for a we-k. The fabrics made here include
of this doctrine, is to us the most incomprehensi- a good many of the be4,,er class of jaconets, such as are used
ble of problems. At a time, too, when some of for hom.cs. The disKsiti home consumptioi, shirtings, for the same trade, and
domestics.
on of the employers here is to close
the most benevolent and enlightened spirits of rather than run at the increased wages, because at the
this country and the New World, consider it not -present market mites, they have no prospect of continuing
only incompatible with "the character of mercy," at a profit. AF the hands at one of the nulls at Accrington
were leaving work on Wednesday evening, some of them
but morally wrong, to deprive even the lower took advantsge of the confusion and the partial darkness
animals of existence, in order to administer to arising free. a great portion of the gaslights having been
human necessities. extinguisied, to draw knives across the warps of unfinished
pieces if cloth in the looms. thus seriously damaging the
Doubtless, there is perceptible a growing ten propey of their employers. Under these circumstances the
dency on the part of judicial functionaries to lean milywners refused to allow the engine to start next mor-
to the side of clemency, and as powerful a dis nog unless the operatives would disclose the names of the
po- otenders, and pay the damage. About half of the work-
sition evinced to avoid the extreme penalty which people agreed to pay their share, but the others demurred,
the law demands in certain cases. Still, this fact, and had not been allowed to resume work on Thursday, the
of
whilst it reflects honour upon the genius of tlze date
At B our last
Burp the operaccount.
atives out of work are chiefly in the fus-
age, and the character of those who administer tian trade, and amount to about 1,000, but the employers of
our legal jurisprudence,_ is far from dimin;shing a large number of other cotton spinners and weavers have
given notice to their hands of a lockout unless they discou-
the stain which an gfete barbarism has left upon tinue their contributions to those out of work in their own
the law itself. Within our own recollection, many town and Preston

THE NORTHERN DAILY TIMES.

ABERCROMBY WARD

A Public "Meeting of the burgesses of this ward, favourable
to the return of R. C. Gardner Esq., as its representative in
the Town Council, was held on Saturday evening, in the
Phcenix. Inn. The proceedings, which were advertised to
take place at 74 o'clock, did not commence until past 8
o'clock —Mr. R. Gnirprrns presided.
Mr. C. ROBINSON, the secretary, at the request of the
chairman, read a letter of apology from Mr. Hugh Neill, for
his non-attendance in consequence of ill-health. Mr. Neill
bore testimony to the efficiency and activity of Mr. Gardner
while in the council, and censured Mr. Robertson Gladstone,
and Mr. Earle for acting as " judicious bottle-holders to the
opposite party."
The CHAIRMAN said that up to Friday morning they were
under the impression that they would have had a quiet day
of it on the First of November ; but to the surprise of all a
meeting was held on that (Friday) evening of the
liberal party at a neighbouring public house. The meeting,
which was, however, a small one, accordingly took place,
and resolved and pet a young and inexperienced gentleman,
Mr. Braneker, in opposition to Mr. Gardner. Mr. Robert-
son `Gladstone, and Mr. Earle, attended that meeting
and indulged in a great deal of abuse amainst the Conserva-
tive party, for the other side never lost an election but they
always attributed it either to bribery, fete-ing, and clam-
paig,ning, or something of that sort. (Hear, hear.) But
whatever the Conservatives did in that way, if they did any
at all, they knew that the other
.party did a great deal more.
(Hear, hear.) But what was sin in them was grace with
the others. (Hear, hear, and laughter.)
Mr. E. ARNAUD, Collector of Customs, proposed the first
resolution. He said that it was very unusual for him to
appear at a meeting of this sort, and that he would not have
attended if he did not consider that it was a most important
matter to elect a proper representative for this ;ward. If
death, or any other casualty had deprived them of their re-
presentative they should take pains to elect a fit person in
his place ; but when an old and faithful representative and
servant, as in the present instance, was before them,
it would be extremely fickle in than if they did
not support him, or if they showed any want of gra-
titude for his services (Hear, hear). Therefore
impelled by a sense of public duty he came forward to pro=
pose the following resolution :—Resolved, that the best
thanks of this meeting are due and hereby accorded to R. C.
Gardner, Esq., for his past services in the Council, and that
this meeting pledges itself to use its utmost exertion to
insure his re-election. (Cheers).
Mr. R. IV. WADDINGTON seconded the resolution. He
thought he need not say a word in its support, for they.all
knew what Mr. Gardner had done, and that his conduct in
the Council had given them very great satisfaction. (Hear,
hear). He had no doubt but that Mr. Gardner would be
returned by a very large majority. (Cheers).
Mr. TOULMIN T. C. then spoke in support of the reso-
lution. He said that not being a burgess of the ward he
did not know that he had any right to take an interest in the
proceedings, bit that knowing the value of their proposed
representative, he felt that he might take the liberty of
testifying to his, (Mr. Gardner's) merits, ( hear, hear). The
next question that at. present agitated the public mind ii
Liverpool was "town improvements," and in the promotior
of these measures of improvement, he did not know an:
member of the Councill who took a more active or efficien
part than Mr. Gardner. (Cheers). Mr. Toulmin then pro-
ceeded to say that a man should serve a certain servitude tc
become acquainted with the business of the Council, an(
that it was improper, and injurious to the public interest, tc
discard a man the very moment he had, through his ex-
perience, become a useful public servant. This was the cast
with Mr. Gardner, and he therefore hoped they would return
him by a triumphant majority (cheers).
The resolution was then put and adopted unanimously.
Mr. GARDNER on presenting himself, was loudly ap-
plauded. He said that they would excuse him for feeling
a little diffident in rising, after the warm eulogium passed
on him, particularly by so good a man as his old and
esteemed friend, Mr. Arnaud. Very few occasions would
have induced him (Mr. Arnaud) to come forward in public,
but he saw on this occasion that industry was about to be
neither rewarded nor fairly treated,• and therefore he
attended on that evening to do him that justice which he
(Mr. Gardner) hoped the meeting believed was his due.
(Hear, hear.) It was due to them that he should touch
upon a few matters that were at present before the council.
The first he would speak on was the sewerage of the town,
and that they all knew had been very much and well
attended to, as the present healthy state of the town, of
which they ought all to feel proud, fully testified. Much
had been done, but much should and would be done ; and
of this he was convinced, that when they studied the
health of the town, and the poorer inhabitants, they were
protecting the rich. (Cheers.) He would now refer to a
matter with Which he thought they were not well ac-
quainted, and which would be a great advantage to the
ward—he alluded to the improvements that was going
on the Wavertree estate. He had always advocated, and
had been ably assisted by Mr. Toulmin in doing so,' the
purchase of that land, because' he conceived that it would
afford the purest and the best of pleasures both to the rich
and poor. (Hear, hear.) He had succeeded in that advocacy,
and now the poor man might take his family there, and
give them that instruction which really was the most
christian of all tcaohing, nml pnintinv out to them the
nature and the beauty of the planets, and so
leading them to wonder at and admire the works
of the creation. (Applause.) They had heard a great deal
of saltwater baths; and though he had been at variance with
the committee on this subject a long time ago, yet he was
bound to say that, one by one, they were coming round to
his views. The present situation of the baths was both un-
pleasant and inconvenient, for if a gentleman took his
family there to enjoy the luxury of a saltwater bath, he had
to traverse the dock gates, and come in contact with that
which was very disagreeable to the feelings. He had always
advocated central saltwater baths, for he believed that they
would not only be self-supporting, but would pay a per
tentage—(hear, heer); and if they were to have such baths,
he was convinced that the best site for them would be in
the neighbourhood of St. George's-hall. (Hear, hear.) Re
should persevere, even though single-handed, until this
was accomplished; and if any gentleman in the meeting
differed with him on this subject, he would be most happy
to give him, if he called at his office, every reason for the
soundness of his views. 'With regard to the town improve-
ment, they had to deal with many opinions and many men,
some of them with a great flow of language, but, he was
sorry to say, very litte sense. (Hear, hear, and laughter.)
Mr. Gardner then proceeded to observe that, of course,
every thing could be done, and every body satisfied, if the
Council had sufficient money; but that net being the case,
they could carry out only those improvements which were
most wanting, and would be most serviceable. And he, for
his part, was not one of those who would tax the present
for the benefit of a future generation. (Cheers.) He then
alluded to the improvements which were about to be carried
out, and observed that they would open up an amount of
property and do more good to the town than many were
aware of. He would, however, always do with the corpora-
tion money only what he would do with his own, and thif
he conceived was the duty of every faithful and honest
representative. (Cheers.) There was another matter
in which he took a very deep interest, namely, the Library
and Museum, which would be, through the munificent grant
of Mr. Brown, and of the Corporation, and the contribu-
tions of other gentlemen, such an advantage to Liverpool,
as very few towns possessed. (Hear, hear.) It was a
matter of controversy, certainly, where it should be placed,
but it seemed to him that it was the wish of the Council
that it should be near St. George's Hall. And that it should
be so, he thought right, for they should do everything in
that locality to set off the beauty of so noble a building.
(Hear, hear.) They had sent him into the Council before,
and he did not know whether he was fortunate in having
beaten Mr. Robertson Gladstone; but if they returned him

again, having now greater experience, he was sure that he
would render them even more satisfaction than he had here-

tofore done. (Cheers.) In conclusion, Mr. Gardner—said
that he would go into the Council unshaken and unpledged,
for as their common object was the welfare of the towu, he
would support only that Arhieb WAR rATIIIIIIIIVA to ellt4l All
end.

Mr. Christian proposed the second resolution, which was
to the effect that a Committee be appointed to carry out the
election.

Mr. Nicholson second the resolution, which was unani-
mously adopted.
. Mr. H. Dawson then came forward and moved a
vote of thanks to the chairman, and observed that Mr.
Gardner having amassed a large fortune by industry and

perseverance, was now wishini to devote 'the experience
which he had so acquired, to the public service. It was,
therefore, absurd to put a young man, a perfect green-horn,
(hear, hear, and laughter), in the place of one who had per-
formed his duties so efficiently, and in whom the ward had
so much confidence.

Mr. J. GARDNER seconded the resolution, and after testi-
fying to the services which his father received from the
chairman, alluded in condemnatory language to certain ex-

pressions which had been made aethe liberal meeting. 4 His
father' he observed, was objectionable to the other side, and
solely from this fact, that he had made many friends among
their own party. (Cheers)
The resolution was unanimously adopted, after which the
meeting separated.

(Before EDWARD JAMES,

INVESTIGATION INTO THE ACCOUNTS

OF THE GAS COMPANY

At twelve o'clock on Saturday, Mr. EVANS attended at the
Assize Court, St. George's-hall, to make an application to
the Recorder for the appointment of a qualified person to
inquire into the accounts of the Liverpool United General
Gas Company. Mr. Raye attended with Mr. Evans. Mr.
Carson, secretary to the company, Mr. King, engineer, and
Mr. Beloe, one of the gentlemen appointed last year to report
upon the accounts, were also present.
Mr. EVANS said : I am instructed, sir, to apply to you
under the various clauses which give you authority, in two
acts of parliament, the first being the Liverpool Gas Act,
and the other the Gas Clauses Act, of the one section 41,
and of the other section 35, to make the usual appointment
of accountant to look over and report to you upon the ac-
counts, and the reports which have been recently filed. I
was only thus instructed this morning, and I wish I had
been instructed before, as I should be able to state at much

greater length and with greater accuracy than I am able to
do now; but there appears to be loud complaints in the
town upon the subject. You will see that there are two
very important parties concerned in it, this large company
and the great number of consumers. The latter complain
bitterly of the proprietors of the company that no reduction
has been made in the price of gas. Whether, upon exami-
nation of all the 'accounts the complaints are correctly
founded, I are not in a condition to state, until we shall
have had the report of a competent person ; but it appears
,there is a reserve fund of £2,046, that is up to June, 1853.
Cotrizr : What accounts are there ?
Mr. EVANS : Up to June, 1853.
COURT : I do not think I have before me any account so
late as that.
Mr. EVANS : They are filed, sir. There is a balance of
receipts over payment of £48,231 Os. 10d. out of which
the February dividend was paid, amounting to £22,521 65.,
leaving a balance of £25,709 15s. 10d. Then suppos-
ing the August dividend to be similar in amount to
the Februarfdividend, £22,521 65., and that we deduct
that also from the balance, there will be a balanca
remaining of £3,188 10s. 10d. above the £2,046
Os. 9d., placed to the credit of the reserve fund. I do
not know, sir, how • far your powers will enable you to do
anything beyond dealing with figures in this matter. I
see that the clause is so framed that the accountant is to
report upon the general concerns of the company in
addition to the figures, but I do not see very clearly what
powers you have to authorise the company to do anything
except where the figures appear to warrant a reduction.
COURT : I apprehend that I have no rower, except to
appoint some gentleman as accountant.
Mr. EvAivs : Just so at first. But our complaints are
manifold. In the first place we complain of the company ;
when- money was very cheap, paying off a bond of 31 per
cent, which enabled them at once to charge the ;consumers
with ten per cent.
Mr. CARSON : The bond was at five per cent.
Mx. EVANS : It was at five per cent. I am told, but there
is another at 3.1. That enabled the proprietors to take out
of the consumers five per cent, at once.
Mr. CARSON : Unless Mr. Evans is able to show all this,
it is not fair that it should go to the public. He is quite in
error.

Mr. EVANS : Another complaint is, that the company
are extending their works into the out districts, to the
Freat injury of the consumers in the town districts, because
it requires, I am informed, considerable pressure to drive
the gas up to the distant parts, in consequence of which
a great portion of the: gas is consumed without being
burned, and the result of that is, that parties are paying for
what they do not get in light.
COURT : But are the company authorised ? Because you
see if that be the case, the effect is that it is giving
more extensive accommodation. True it may be at greater
cost to some parties, but still you see it is a beneficial
result.

Mr. EVANS : To somebody at the expense of others.
Mr. KING, engineer to the company, stated that the
increased pressure did not affect the quality of gas burned
at all, for parties did not use beyond the amount they
required.
Mr. EveNs : I do not want to press you to do anything
beyond authorising an accountant to inspect and report
upon the accounts.
Mr. CARSON : I can have no objection to Mr. Evans
making all these statements provided we are allowed to
answer them. I have to observe, that the act of parliament
gives the company jurisdiction over a certain area, and that
they have not violated their act in any way whatever, and
the inhabitants who live within that area are authorized and
lustified by the act of parliament to insist upon the company
ighting them. They do always consider, with the greatest
care, every application that is made to them to extend their
works to our districts, and they have refused various appli-
cations, unless where they saw that there would be a profit
to the company, which would enable them to deal fairly
with the people of the town.
Mr. EVANS : It is quite possible that there may be a
profit in the out districts, .but a profit at the expense of
parties in the town districts. Whether you have this au-
thority is a matter that, looking into the act of parliament,
I cannot say, but it is my duty to state, that there are com-
plaints made in the town of Liverpool, that the inhabitants
of the outskirts are supplied at their expense.
Mr. CARSON : There are also complaints in the outskirts
that, having acquiecsed in the act of parliament, they were
not lighted.
Mr. EVANS : We were led to suppose, that by reducing
the gas to 4s. Gd. per 1000 cubic feet, some great boon
would be conferred upon us ; but, in point of fact, that does
not test it, inasmuch, as if this state of things continues, so
much is taken out of our pockets for gas which is wasted,
for which we are paying, and which gives us no light.
COURT : I rather think that my powers are confined to
the appointment of a gentleman to Investigate and report
upon the accounts. I have previously appointed two gen-
tlemen, both exceedingly competent and of the highest
character, and we have had their reports. I must say, that
I felt considerable difficulty regarding the last report, and
that I was very much disappointed at there being no reduc-
tion in the price of gas, of which there was a hope held out.
When the former report was read, the accountant used the
ethseprreessshion
olita bhatoa herhedopucetdiotnh.e time
the
ewasi.ont i.eotfarrordt thatistant timewhoa
still seemed rather remote, in regard to which, I felt con-
siderable disappointment. The only point which I would
now wish to suggest is.this ; that in the report there seems
to have been a fresh creation of capital to the amount of
£3,000, which, in my opinion, would be undesirable upon
principle, unless it were absolutely necessary. I think 10
per cent. should be paid upon the capital before any benefit
can be given to the consumers, and therefore, unless there
seems a very sufficient reason for the fresh creation of
capital, I think it quite undesirable. Ido not mean to say
that it is a very great amount, for it is not; but I only wish
to appoint some gentleman who would use his intelligence
to see how the matter is working, and if the creation of that
£3,000 capital at all postpones the benefit to the consumers.
I am afraid all I can do is, to appoint a gentleman to
make the report.
Mr. CARSON : Under the 23rd section of the act of 1848,
a certain amount of new shares was to be created, some of
which were to be sold above a certain amount of quarter
shares, which were to be appropriated to the holders of shares
in the new Gas and Coke Company. That company was
entitled to have the shares allotted to them, and that was a
stipulation in the amalgamation, and sanctioned by the legis-
lature, that of the new shares thus appropriated, 1270
to the new Gas and Coke Company. In the regular course
the shares were issued, and the amount required by the act
sold, and in the 25th. section it says that after the said last
mentioned shares shall be sold the remaining 1270 shares
shall be offered to the proprietors of the new Gas and Coke
Company. The directors allowed some years to elapse
before they did so, and as it required floating capital to carry
on their business, they thought the time had arrived when
the new shares should be created, but that no greater charge
should be placed upon the company than was possible, and
they first called up £2 10s. upon those shares which made
the £3OOO complained of, and they have no intention, as far
as I am aware, of calling in any more.
Mr. BELOE said in the conclusion of his report he did say
that he hoped the directors would not only liquidate all
arrears, and pay a dividend, but pay something to the reserved
fund. And he was happy to see, from a glance at the ac-
count, that such was the case. He apprehended the time
for a reduction might not be very remote. Some large
charges had to be set against the revenue for buildings at
Newington, and other matters of the kind, but these were
only temporary charges.
CounT : What about the land ?

Mr. BELOE : Part of it has been sold, I understand, to
the corporation, and that will come to the credit of capital,
making less necessity than ever for calling up anything.
They have no arrears of dividend now, your honor, to pay
at all.

Mr. CARSON: The £15,000 bond has been paid off, so
that the company are gradually getting relieved.
Mr. EVANS should be very glad that the attention of the
accountant was directed to the fact, that although they had
gas at 4s. 6d., in point of fact it was much the same as when
they paid 6s. That was the universal cry of the town. He
did not care about the details, but wanted to know how that
fact was accounted for.

COURT : Can I do better than simply appoint an accoun.
tant ?

Mr. EVANS : No, your honor, unless you would intimate
to him that he should apply his intelligeiiee to the particular
fact, that, the amount levied upon the consumers is about
the, same as it was when the charge for gas 'was 6s.
Comm I am afraid I can only direct him generally to
investigate the accounts. He, I see, is to appoint a person
Df sufficient judgment to examine and furnish a report.
• The discussion then closed, the recorder having intimated
that he would appoint the gentlemen who previously per-
formed the duty.

COURT OF PASSAGE.-SATURDAY

ESQ., Q.C., Assessor.)

HOWLAN v. ROAN. —Mr. Aspinall and Mr. Raffles, in-
structed by Messrs. Fenwick and Aspinall, appeared for the
plaintiff; Mr. Blair and Mr. McAubery instructed by Mr.
Snowball, were for the defendant. The plaintiff is a porter
'in the employ of Messrs. J. & D. Malcolm, and the defen-
dant is a master stevedore, and the action was brought to
recover damages for injury done to the plaintiff through the
negligence of defendant's servants. It appeared that the
plaintiff was assisting on the 15th of March last, in the re-
moval of the " National Eagle," which was lying in the
Bramley Moore dock, that the servants of the defendant,
who were discharging the cargo, pitched a bale of cotton
from the ship, while the plaintiff was in the act, of removing
a package. The bale fell on his leg, and he was, in con-
sequence, confined to the hospital for thirteen weeks.—Ver-
diet for the plaintiff, £l7 10s. damages.
BowErt v. hinAcocx.—Mr. McAubery instructed by Mr.
Hughes, appeared for the plaintiff ; and Mr. Millward, in-
structed by Messrs. Lowndes & Co. for the defendant. The
plaintiff is a colour merchant and painter, carrying on. busi-
ness at 22, Pitt-street, in this town, and the defendant is a
ship broker, and the Liverpool agent to the Grand Junction
Canal Company, at Duke's-dock; and the action was
brought by the plaintiff to recover damages for the non-
delivery of goods which had been consigned to him. It ap-
peared that on the 23rd of last August, the plaintiff had