The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-12-03 00:00:00

complaint.
Mr. Urquhart : Then the burial bard are resolved that
the bell should be tolled. Is it right that they who live in
the present day should be thus annoyed—that they should
have a night of the 15th century, when it was considered
that the ringing of the bell would facilitate the repose of
the departed, by frightening all the evil spirits away? After
the representation that had been made from that board, he
thought that the burial board had a right to stop the tolling
of the bell, because thee had no power to toll such bell.
The Chairman (who is also a member of the burial board)
said there was no do ibt as to the right, because the act
emncwered them to perform the burial service in accordance
with the rites of the Established Church in England and
Ireland, and such was the custom hero.
Mr. Dansie said, the hell was a g eat nuisance to all the
inhabitants, and he had no doubt but that it would prevent
gentleme❑ from building within the sound.
Mr. Jeffery thought that there could not be a more
annoying or depressing sound introduced into a neighbour-
hood, than the tolling of a bell. It was quite enough to
give all who heard it the "blues."
Mr. Boult suggested that the subject should stand over
until the meeting. of the Vestry, when the inhabitants
would be able to employ the pressure from without to stop
it, if that board had not any power in the matter.
The Clerk : We have no power over such nuisances as

that.
Mr. Jeffery wished to know why the Burial Board did
not hold its meetings with open doors, and admit the
reporters of the press—then they would have been enabled
to have known the arguments that bad been raised in sup-
prt of the bell. He did not like those private cliques, and
would never be a member of a board, the proceedings of
which were kept private.
After some further conversation, the law clerk was again
requested to communicate with the Burial Board on the
subject.
After some routine business, the board separated.

ANNUAL PUBLIC MEETING OF RATEPAYERS
AT THE OLD SWAN.

The anneal public meeting of the ratepayers of the
Old S van and E ige-lane districts, in the parish of West
Derby, was held on Monday last, at the National School-
room, Old Swan ; thellev. T. Gardner, M.A., in the chair.
The inspectors produced their accounts for the past
year, ending '2lst November, which showed the amount
of the receipts to be £327 6s. 9d., and the expenditure
£309 lOs 91., leaving a balance in the hands of the
treasurer of £I7 16s. The election of inspectors for the
current year was next made, Mr Thomas Birchwood, of
Stanley, being elected in the room of Mr. Thomas Har-
rison, who has left the neighbourhood. Mr. William
Taylor next proposed. and Mr. French seconded, that
the amount of the call for the ensuing year he £4OO,
which amount, the inspectors said. would be sufficient to
enable them to light the district. In answer to the chair-
man, the treasurer said that the call of £4OO would keep
the rate at the same amount as last year, namely, 41d. in
the pound. A letter was read from Mr. Papayanni, mer
chant, of May place, Broacigreen road, complaining of
the great want of lamps in that road Several ratepayers
present agreed with the terms of the letter, and it was
agreed that additional lamps should be placed on the
road between May-place and the Broad-green railway
station.

DANGEROUS STATE OF DERBY LANE.
The Chairman next called attention to the disgraceful
state of Derby-lane,—a rapidly increasing thoroughfare
between the main road at the Old Swan and West Derby
road. He complained that although the highway board
had for several years promised to widen the road, and
thoroughly repair it, the improvement had never yet
been carried out; the consequence of which was, that
the greatly increased traffic on the road rendered it dan-
gerous to pedestrians. He named instances of persons
having narrowly escaped being killed when conveyances
met, owing to the road being so narrow. He considered
that the highway board, whose duty it was to widen the
road, had been guilty of a breach of faith in not having
long since repaired it;
A rather warm discussion followed on the subject', in
the course of which the complaint made by the chair-
man was repeated by other ratepayers present, all of
whom spoke to the highly dangerous state of the road,
which, it appears, is only between five and six yards
wide, and without any footpath.
Mr. French admitted the great importance of the road
being at once improved, but said there was a difficulty in
obtaining the necessary land. They expected to have
the land in their hands in a short time, and then the
required improvements would be made.
The Chairman said the improvement had been pro-
mised for ten years, and yet it had never been made. He
attributed great negligence and inattention to those
whose duty it was to see it affected.
Mr. Hodson, the clerk to the highway board, explained
that in consequence of there being no trustees to the land
which it was proposed to take in order to widen the
road, an application was being made to the Court of
Chancery to appoint such trustees ; and, until that was
done, the hoard could not give the necessary notice pre-
paratory to taking possession of the land.
In the further discussion which followed, the highway
board were charged with unnecessary delay, it being
urged that this Chancery difficulty had been pleaded for

years.
It was ulimately agreed to bring the matter promi-
nently before the highway board, and urge upon them
the absolute necessity of the road being widened and
improved without further delay.
The meeting then broke up.

'MALTA PROTESTANT COLLEGE.—A public meeting on be-
half of this institution which is desi.ned for the promotion of
the religiouaand social regenerationsof the inhabitants of Tur-
key and contiguous parts, was held in Dublin, on Saturday,
which was attended by a large and influential assemblage of
the gentry and clergy of the city. The Archbishop of
Dublin presided. Among the speakers was the lit. Hon.
Joseph Napier, M.P. An active committee was nominated
to carry out the objects of the meeting.