The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-02-23 00:00:00

RALPH BROCKLEBtrrK,.Esq., and

Resolved" unanimously, -That the- seen of one handfed
and forty-nine .thousand pounds was levied by rates on
property on the Blrough of Liverpool during the year 1855,
for sanatory and other public purposes, independent of the
sum of one hundred and eighty-three thousand one hundred
and forty-six pounds levied,in, thetsame year for the support
of the poor, and that the proposal contained in the bill now
before Parliament to throw, on. the burgesses of Liverpool
a large Aim= of debt, contracted on .the faith of-the eon.
tinned enjoyment of their property, and also to throw on
them the expense of protecting, --gnarling and facilitating
the traimpOrt of upwards of a Hundred Millions' Worth of
property which passes through the port every- year, is
contrary to every principle cif low and justice. • A

ft was
`moved. by it. A. Afecnr., Esq., seconded by

CHARLES SAUNDERS, Esq., and

Resolved unanimously,—That the trade and commerce of
the kingdom have been greatly- benefitted -by the expendi-
ture of the Revenue derived from the Dues collected in
Liverpool, of which more than it Million Sterling has been
expended in widening or forming. new lines, of, approach to,
or ConniuniCatiolis anionist, the Docks, which now extend
five miles in length, and -afford accommodation to. four
millions and a-half tons of Shipping yearly,lindlittitivhich
Dhaki thO Corporation of Liverpool- receive' no Revenue
whalever. That more than Seventy Thousand Pounds has
been expended for purposes connected with the Conservancy
and Iraproveinent of the Port, and upwards of Thirty
Thousand Pounds in-building a Lighthouse at the entrance
to the River; whilst the Corporation is under legal obliga-
tion to eKpead One Hundred and Thirty Thousand Pounds
in constructing a :Landing-:stage fur the use of Sea-going
Steanierii, and also to • expend not less than
Sterling tq kievelope ,the commercial advantages. 'Of the
Docks of Birkenhead. That the Works, when completed,
.will render; Liverpool the most commodious Purt in the
world, but that sack great and costly plane cannot lie carried
into execution if the-Corporation of Liverpool is deprived
of Two-thirds of LaitiConie. - •

Xt yi.ao moved by WILLIAM RATHBONE, Esq., seconded
by FRANCIS A. gAMILTON, Esq.,.and - •

Resolved wagnisnously,-7- That , this. Meeting_protests
against the proposal to transfer the 'Management of the
Funds of this and other Po. ts, from
„parties resident on the
spot, and .eeply interested in, and thoroughly acquainted
with,tall local questions to a Government Board, not pos-
ressed either of knowledge of the wants of the several Ports,
or of any real interest in their prosperity, all experience
having shown that Local Management is generally superior
to by Government Boards.

It was moved by HENRY DAMSON, Esq , seconded by Josx

SIDNEY, Esq , and

Resolved unanimously,—That the Petitions to both Houses
of Parliament now read be adopted, and that his Worship
the Mayor do sign the same en behalf of this Meeting.

The Mayor having left the chair, it was moved by DAVID
HonosoN, Esq., seconded by JQHN Toax, Esq., and

• ,
Resafved by acclamation, --That the warmest thanks of
this Meeting be and and are hereby presented to his Wor-
ship the Mayor, for calling the Meeting, and fot
impartial conduct in the chair.

To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of
(heat Britain and Ireland, in Parliament assembled. .

The humble Petition of the Inhabitants of the Borough of
Liverpool, iu Public Meeting assembled,

HUMBLY SJIEWETH,

That your Petitioners have learnt with astonishment that
a Bill has been introduced into Parliament by the Vice-
President of the Board of Trade, by which it is proposed
to deprive the Burgesses and Corporation of this and many
other sea-port towns in England, Scotland, Ireland, and
Wales,.of the Revenues which they now lawfully derive
from Dues on Goods and Shipping.

That the dues on goods carried in ships and the anchorage
on ships (the latter being the only charge made on ships by
the Corporation and only Is. 3d. pership, an amount too
insignificant to notice) now received by the Corporation in
the port of Liverpool have existed for upwards of six
hundred years; 'that they formed part of the ancient Rights
of the Crown, and were sold by the Kings of England with
the assent of Parliament, to the parties from whom they
were purchased by the Burgesses and Corporation of •Liver-
pool, and have been declared to be their lawful property,
after a full inquiry before the Lord Chief-Justice of England
, •
and a special jury. .
That the Sum of. X 149,000 was levied by Rates on Pro-
perty in the Borough of Liverpool,,during the year 1856,,
for Sanatory and other Public purposes, independent of the
Sum of £183,146 levied in the same year,fur-the Support of
the. Poor,• and that the proposal contained in the Bilk opst„
before Parliament to throw on the Burgesses of Liverpool L.,-
large amount of debt contracted on the faith of the continued,.
enjoyment of their Property, and also to throw`on them the'.
expense of protecting, guarding,-and, facilitating the trans-
port of upwards of Xloo,ooo_ worth. of Property which passes
through the port every year, is contrary to every principle
of law and justice. •

That the tirade and commerce of the kingdoin have beau
greatly benefited.by the expenditure of the revenues derived-
from the Dues 'collected in Liverpool, of vvh4 more than :
£1,000,000 sterling has been expended in widenitig:er—
forming new lines of approach to; or communication
;amongst, the Docks, which now extend five miles in length,
and afford accommodation to four millions and half tan'
of Shipping yearly:from which Dpeks the Corporation• of •,
Liverpool derive no revenue whatever, ' ,

• • - - - • • • v... •••.. •• s.a.••••, • ••• • V
That more than £70,000 have befm expended.f4r.pgr,-.
poses .connected with the Conservancy and Iniproirethent of
the Port, and upwards of £30,000 in buildkng a Lighthouse
at the entrance of the river, whilst the. Corporation asunder
legal obligation to • 'expend t130,000-in c,oestructing
Landing-stage for the use of .sea,geing: Steamers, and also
to expend not less than £2,000,000 sterling to develops the
commercial•advantages of the Docks at Birkenhead ; that
the works when completed will render Liverpool the most
commodious port in the World ; but that such great and
costly plans 'cannot be carried into execution if the Corpo-
ration of. Liverpool is deprived of tiro-thirds of its income.
That, your PetitiOnera protest against the • proposal to
transfer the Management of the funds of this .and other
ports from parties resident on the spot, and deeply interested
in; And, thoroughly acquainted with, all local questions, tea
Government not Possessed either of knowledge of
ttrewatitof Board,thseveral ports, or of any real interest in
their prosperity, all experience' havinn shown that local
management is greatly superior to management by Gtivoria.;.
ment Boards.

-tour petittoners, thervfore, humbly- pray Pat the Said
Bill may not pass into a law, as its operation will be most
prejudicial, not only to the interests of your Petitioners, but
subversive of the rights of property hitherto held sac, ed in
this country, and most detrimental, as your Petitioners most
humbly submit, to the interests and trade and commerce of
the kingdom.