The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-11-14 00:00:00

DOCK COMMITTEE

The usual weekly meeting of this committee was held
at one o'clock, yesterday. Mr. Rankin presided, and the
other members present were—Messrs. Turner, Robinson,
Halhead, Rounthwaite, Mann, Gladstone, Littledale,
Holme, Barber, Lockett, Mendell, Clint, Holden, Ander-
son, llubback, Rathbone, Bold, and Smith.
The Chairman said the first business would be, the
selection of a chairman, an I as Mr. Charles Turner had
been for so many years occupying that arduous and
responsible position, and had done so with so much benefit
to the dock trust and credit to himself, he had much
pleasure in moving that that gentleman be re-elected. He
did not think it necessary to enlarge upon the benefits
which Mr. Turner had conferred upon the dock estate.

(hear, hear.)
Mr. Bold : I have very great pleasure in seconding the I
motion. I hope and feel certain that it will be carried
unanimously. (Hear, hear.)
The motion was carried by acclamation.
Mr. Turner then took the chair, and said : Gentlemen, I
thank you very much for the honour you have done me in
re-electing me unanimously as chairman of this very
important trust ; and I can only say that, if I have given
satisfaction during the number of years I have had the
honour of occupying that position, I hope that I may
continue to meet with the same approval at your hands.
(Applause.)
The Chairman said, the next business was the election
of deputy-chairman. He had received a letter from the
Mayor resigning his office of deputy-chairman, and also
Ms position on the subcommittee. He therefore moved
that Mr. Rankin be elected deputy-chairman.
Mr. Robinson seconded the motion.
The motion was unanimously carried.
Mr. Rankin said : Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I
could have wished your selection of deputy chairman had
been that of one more competent to have filled the duties
of the office ; but remembering your great kindness and
indulgence towards me when 1 held the same position five
or six years since, and counting upon the same kindness
for the future, I shall forego my own desire at present for
more retirement and leisure. In thanking you, gentlemen,
for the honour you have done me, I have only to add that
I shall endeavour at all times to act in concert with you
in carrying out the improvements which may be found
necessary to meet the continuous growth of the trade of
the Mersey. (Applause.)
The Chairman then proposed the following appoint-
ments to the committees, arising out of the annual retire-
ments :—Mr. Holden to be re-elected to the works' com-
mittee ; and Mr. Robinson to the warehouse an 3 master
porters' committees; Mr.Rathbone to the harbour masters'
committee, in the room of Mr. Gregson ; Mr. Bold, Mr.
Brocklebank, and Mr. Clint to the works' committee, to
fill vacancies caused by the resignation of Messrs.
Lans-
dale and Shand, and the removal of Mr. Rathbone, at his
own request, to the harbour masters' committee;
Halhead to the marine committee.
Mr. Barber suggested that it was not expedient to '
appoint Mr. Clint, a new member, to the works' com-
mittee, where considerable knowledge of the details of the
estate was very requisite. He suggested that Mr. Clint
should be placed upon the harbour masters' committee,
and offered to resign his own place upon that committee
in favour. of Mr. Clint.
Mr. Rathbone and Mr. Bold expressed similar opinions,
and some discussion took place, the chairman strongly
urging the appointment of Mr. Clint to the works'
committee.
Mr. Robinson moved a resolution, to the effect that Mr.
Clint be appointed to the harbourmasters' committee, and
Mr. Barber to the works' committee, on the ground that
it was more expedient to place an older mernbeenpon the
latter committee. After some discussion, Mr. Robinson,
at the suggestion of the chairman, withdrew the motion,
and immediately the chairman declared Mr. Clint elected
to the works' committee, and proceeded, to the apparent
astonishment of several members, to pass on to the other

business.
Mr. Barber asked if he could not move an amendment ?
The Chairman said the matter was disposed of, and the
appointment made.
Mr. Rathbone said he did not understand that the
question had been disposed of, as he did not hear it put
at all.
The Chairman said Mr. Robinson had withdrawn his
motion.
Mr. Rathbone : I do not think 'this is the proper way
to organise committees, with a view to the public interest.
This motion was carried, or at least the chairman said it
was carried, before the committee were in the least aware
of it. Ido not think that is the proper way to organise
an important committee, to hurry the thing through in
that manner against the opinion of the majority of the
committee. I cannot help expressing that opinion.
„The Chairman : Exactly so. I shall take that opinion
as far as it goes. I shall endeavour to do my duty in this
case as I have done always in others.
On the motion of Mr. Mondell, it was agreed that the
name of Mr. Robertson Gladstone should be added to the
committee of works.
The other appointments were confirmed.
The sub-committee of works made the following;
recommendations, which were confirmed :—That the
tenders of Messrs. R. Watson, Mercy, Brothers, Mackay,
Rutherfordi and Co., and James Bland and Co., be
accepted for different kinds of timber; that the tender
of Messrs. Bancroft and Co. be accepted tor olive, whale,
and linseed oil; that the tender of Messrs William Casson
and Co. be accepted for Stockholm tar and British pitch ;
that a donation of ,e5O out of the charitable fund be given
to Mr. F. A. Myall, who had sustained severe injuries
by falling down the open space across Regent-road, at
Stanley Dock; that the yard at the north side of the
Harrington basin, west end lately occupied by Messrs.
Colburne, should be let to Messrs. Battersby and Co. ;
the yard at the north east side of the Harrington Dock,
lately occupied by Messrs. Battersby, to the Mersey
Steel and Iron Company ; and the yard at the south side
of the Harrington Dock, at present occupied by the
Mersey Steel and Iron Company, to Messrs. Todd, Naylor,
and Co., for extended accommodation for the copper ore
trade.
In the marine department, a report was read of the
services rendered by the crew of the Point of Ayre life-
boat, in saving the captain, the crew of six hands, and
the captain's child, from the brigantine Tiger, bound from
Ardoasan to Liverpool, with pig iron, on Saturday night.
Immediately after all the hands had been taken on board
the boat, the vessel went down. It was recommended
and agreed to, that a day's pay should be given to each of
the lifeboat men. A report was also read of services
performed by the Hoylake, Formby, and Liverpool life-
boats, to the vessel Isaac Wright.
A letter, signed by several of the timber trade, com-
plaining of the shortness of the notice given to remove
their timber from the Harrington ground.
Mr. Halhead urged the complaint of the writers upon
the attention of the committee.
The letter was referred to the works' committee.
A resolution was read from the special committee of
the town council, appointed to consider the subject of the
approaches to the landing-stage, applying to the dock
committee for permission that Mr. Hartley might attend
the committee, from time to time, and assist them, by his
advice, and the preparation of such plans as might be
considered needful.
The Chairman: I suppose there can be no objection to
that permission being granted ?
Mr. Lockett expressed a fear that it would be com-
promising the dock committee.
Mr. Bold did not see how it could possibly compromise
the dock committee.
Mr. Smith said, the opinion of Mr. Hartley had been
already expressed, to a certain extent, by making a
model. Great care was taken by the committee that they
should not, in any way, be compromised by that model.
which had not been in any degree whatever sanctioned
by them. It did appear to him, that the result of this
request being granted would be, and that the intention
was, getting that committee compromised. If Mr. Hartley
went to the special committee, he went having already
given an opinion. He did think it would be far more
desirable that the committee should employ an indepen-
dent party to advise them, and to make plans, and then
the dock committee would have their own surveyor to
guide them. He did think that, to agree to the request,
would be compromising the dock committee.
Mr. Holme said it would be better that Mr. Smith and
Mr. Lockett should say at once they did not wish to give
the council any assistance, and let it be known at once.
They could not move at all in the question, until certain
arrangements were made with the space of land including
the St. George's dock and the George's dock basin.
Therefore, it was highly necessary that Mr. Hartley,
above all men, should be the party consulted. If the
dock trustees did not think fit to let him do so, of course
the special committee would be driven to employ some one
else. What would be the result ? Their proceedings
would be a complete waste of time ; and, after all the
deliberation they could give it, unless it received the
sanction of that committee, all their time and labour
would be lost—they would be uselessly keeping up an
agitation in the town—and he was quite convinced they
would give great dissatisfaction. Now, he thought it
would be much better, indeed, where it was a question of
mutual interest, that the committee here should at once
accede to what he would propose, which was, that a sub-
committee of the dock committee should be appointed to
sit in unison with the committee appointed by the council,
and then they could get regularly to work, as if
they intended to go through some business—their labour
would be entirely lost otherwise.
Mr. Bold said he had already intimated to the Chair-
man, that he was about to give notice of a motion which
he would bring forward next day—that a committee be
appointed by the dock trustees, to take into consideration
the present defective condition of the approaches to the
landing•stage, and report as to the best means of improv-
ing them. Next week he should move that resolution,
with a view to cooperate with the committee appointed
by the Town Council.
. Mr. Lockett denied that he had any objection whatever
to any improvement to the town or the dock estate, but,
at the same time, until they had gone through the whole
scheme of their property, and the whole dock estate, and
made themselves perfectly conversant with what they
were to do, and how they were to deal with the land, he
thought it would be premature of the committee to take
any step of the kind.
The Chairman said they had already, by their resolu-
tion, promised to confer with the council, and he thought
it would be rather discourteous if they were to refuse the
services of Mr. Hartley. At the same time, he fully
agreed that the committee should be: careful that they
preserved their independent judgment uncompromised.
He did not think they would be compromising anything,
by merely agreeing to the request expressed in the reso-
lution of the special committee of the council.
Mr. Holme regretted that they did not go another way