Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-10-29 00:00:00

TO THE: BURGESSES OF LIME-!STREET WARD.

G EN TLEME
THE pe"; iod of my delegated trust as yo ar reresentative
11 in the ToWn Council is about to expire. deputation
of your boity has done me the honour to wait upon me with' a
view to its renewal. With pleasure I accept their invitation,
and deem .t therefore no less a privilege than a duty to address
a few words to you on the occasion. Whether they shall be
parting words, or merely preliminary to a continuance of out
connection as constituents and representative, is a question for
your sole decision.
My conduct as a member of the Town Council for the last
three years, is before you. It is for you to decide how far that
conduct has exceeded or fallen short of your expectations.
But this I think I may venture to say—all that I promised,
when, in compliance with a numerously-signed requisition, I
placed my services at your disposal, has been zealously and
faithfully performed. What I undertook to do, if you con-
ferred upon me the honour of representing you, was simply to
discharge the important duties thereby devolving upon me to
the best of my ability. Perhaps I may be allowed to add,
without incurring the charge of presumption, that even your
opponents and mi)ie cannot deny that this pledge has been
fully redeemed.
Should there be, however, any doubt on this point, I shall
be happy to render the fullest possible account of my steward-
ship, whenever and wherever the opportunity is afforded.
The matters to which I alluded three years ago, when, at
your request, I offered myself as a candidate for your suffrages,
have certainly not diminished in importance ; nor do they re-
quire less unremitting attention on the part of your represen-
tatives.
The Town Dues question' has been settled, if not exactly as
we could have wished, and as justice demanded, still in a man-
ner far short of absolute confiscation. The part I took in
effecting a compromise, when nothing less than such spoliation
was sought by some of our envious opponents in the neigh-
bouring towns, is known to you all. For property held by as good
a right as that on which some of our assailants enjoy their private
estate swe have obtained some compensation, thou gh by no means
an equivalent. This question having been thus settled,it seems to
me a matter worthy of consideration, whether we should not
now endeavour to come to some similar arrangement with re-
spect to the River Weaver Tolls, which are so heavy a burden.
on one important branch of the trade of Liverpool. These
Tolls are far in excess of what is necessary to maintain the
navigation, and the surplus is applied to county purposes.
This may be a very convenient arrangement for Cheshire
landed proprietors, who seldom have to pay a county-rate of
more than a penny in the pound, but it is not exactly in confor-
mity with the principle on which they, assailed the Liverpool
Town Dues.
The precise information !relative to' the Corporate Estate,
ordered to be furnished on the motion of Mr. Robertson Glad- '
stone, of the non-compliance with which order, after a lapse of
twelve months, I complained three years ago,. has not yet been
supplied. --It is most important that, wherever the hitch lies,
and whatever may be the motive for withholding it, this infor-
mation should be forthcoming ; and should you again return
me to the Council, I will continue to use my best exertions to
obtain it. -
I have endeavoured, as you are aware, to prevent-the adop-
tion of a new mode of disposing of Corporate property, which
I consider most unjust to .the present ratepayers, since it
inflicts upon them increased taxation, for the benefit of pos-
terity entirely uncalled for; and, failing in this attempt, at
least to insure publicity and fair competition on all occasions
of sale or lease,--oo as to obtain the beet.possible terms-for the
public, and prevent even the suspicion of collusion and jobbery.
The importance of this question can hardly be over-rated.
With proper administration of the Corporate Estate, annually
increasing in value, and judicious economy in expenditure, I
believe there will be no necessity for a borough rate ; but that,
otherwise, it will be unavoidable.
Although a complete separation between the Corporate and
Dock Estates has been effected, the interests of the two are,
and must ever be, so interwoven, that a member of the Town
Council, anxious to do his duty, will always have to keep a
watchful eye on the proceedings of the Dock Board; and the
Council-Chamber is certainly the place in which he should
direct the public attention to these proceedings whenever he
considers it necessary so to do. And this duty has become all
the more important since the transfer of its jurisdiction from
the Corporation to a body of gentlemen, many of whom have
no interest in the permanent welfare of either estate.
The time may not be far distant when some determined
stand against the extravagant expenditure of a body so con-
- atituted-will be necessary, and especially on 'the parr of the
owners of fixed property, who are the persons most interested
in the proper management of the Dock Estate. Should such
necessity arise, I trust that I shall never be found wanting,
either as our representative, or, if that honour be denied sue,
as a simple member of this great community very largely in-
terested in its welfare.
Being firmly convinced, after mush inquiry and serious
reflection, that the rating of the Dock Estate, and all other -j
public property, towards the support of the poor, is a measure
recommended not less by its justice than by its expediency, I
need hardly assure you that I shall persevere in the use of my
best efforts to accomplish that object, in whatever way they
may seem to be most likely to be available.
In conclusion, gentlemen, I venture to hope that no further
exposition of my sentiments or intentions will be deemed neces-
sary from me in this address. At your Ward Meetings, I shall
be happy to afford any other explanation which may be required.
For the present, therefore, I will only say that what you have
found use in the past, you will, if you think fit to 'renew my
trusteeship, find me in the future,a zealaust and painstak-
ing friend and advocate of every measure calculated, in my
judgment, to promote the prosperity of the town and port, and
the general wellbeing of the inhabitants.
I have the honour to be, gentlemen, yours, very respectfully,
JAS. R. JEFFERY.
Compton-house, October 3, 1859.

TO THE BURGESSES AND ELECTORS OF EVERTON
AND KIRKDALE WARD.
GENTLEMEN, • ,
AandN influential deputation having waited on me to
request I would allow myself to be nominated as a
idate for your Ward at the ensuing Municipal Election, I._
have with much pleasure acceded to your request.
As a resident for eighteen years in your ward, I feel the
strongest interest in its prosperity, as well as that of the town
at large ; and should I be so fortunate as to be elected your
Representative, you may rely on my best energies being
devoted to your services.
My religious and political principles being well known to
you, I need not enlarge on those topics. There is only one
other which suggests Itself to me, as one on which you may
desire to know my sentiments : that is, the rating of the
docks ; and on this question I have always entertained
decided opinions, and can see no valid reason why they should
not bear their fair share of local taxation.
I have the honeur to remain,
Gentlemen,
Your faithful servant,
CHAS. FREDK. CARNE.
_
Exchange Alley North, Liverpool,
20th October, 1859. • -