The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-04-24 00:00:00

SANATORY OPERATIONS.

The Borough Engineer, Building Surveyor, and Inspector
of Nuisances reported various particulars of the operations
in their several deperiments during the week, from which
it appeared that 168 dilaoitatcd privies and aehpits were
altered and repaired, 1,023 eesspools had been discha.ged,
81 nuisances, complained of by inhabitants, had been
inspected, and means taken to remedy them ; 797 houses
in the unhealthiest districts, containing 2,697 apartments,
and 568 cellars, had been put under examination, whin the
view of improving their sanitary condition ; and 149 lodging
houses, had also been examined and reported upon.

pig COLLEGE ASSESSMENTS,

The Deputy Town Clerk, Mr. M'Ci-owan, stated that the
eases that had been summoned before the magistrates, for
the non. payment of rates, had been ditT,s.d of. With regard
to Prices case, on the lart occasion, (Wednesday,) there
were three magistrates on the bench, and they had given
"their decision—the result was, that the case had been
deeidedsgainst the party summoned, both on the point of
law raised, and also on the point of fact, and an miler had
been made for the full amount of the rates.
Mr. Robertson G:adst oiLe : Tnen there was the other case.

Mr. M‘Gowati Li the case of Matthews, who was also
summoned. In that case, it was ple lied that he bad not
compounded for the rates. It appeared that there had
been a discrepancy in the spelling of the name of the
street, and also in the de.eription of the property ; but that
was explained satisfactorily, and he was ordered to pay
the rate.

Mr. Robertson Gladstone said he thought it was right
that he should speak on this important sul-ject to the
committee. In the cases referred to he had pre sided as
the magistrate, and the two legal gentlemen who appeared
for the parties summoned, objected to his sitting on the
bench as the magistrate. The same objections were taken
by both; first, on the grounds that he was a member of
the Health Committee, and, by inference, considered that
he had a prejudice in the matter; and secondly, because
he had given some expression of opinion on the subject,
when the case had been previously before the .committee.
Them was not any one more deeply iritereeted in the
matter than another. The committee would bear him out,
and prove that, although a member of the committee, and
also a member of the Town Council, that he had no bene-
ficial interest whatever in the matter. He was simply
there like others to do the best he could for the public,
and to do that which was right and proper. The case
which was first decided was that of Matthews. The course
that was pnreued by Mr. Aspinall and Mr Conway was, that
they first stroked him gently down, and then they gave him
a smart slap on the cheek ; for they first said that they
1101 no. personal objection tp him, that they thought the
highest of his judgment and experience, but that in point of
fact they said he was disqualified and incapable ot hear-
ing the case, and, had no right to sit on the
bench. Inasmuch as there had been no decision come to
by the'cotnmitiee, 4e felt that he should have done wrong
it he had allowed himself to have been reproached by
the coininittee fur doing wrong, and therefore he took
it Upon himself to decide the point.—(hear, hear.)—and
he did so, and although the counsel was opposed to his in-
terference when he (the counsel) found that he (Mr. Glad-
stone) had not decided the point in his favour, he walked
away, but he did not think that there was any fear
to be apprehended that he would take the case
before any other tribunal. With regird to the other case,
he was also on the bench when it was heard, aad the acme
objection was raised. An adjournment was asked fern
and it being late in the day he had adjourned until the
day following. In the meantime he had consulted with
the Town Clerk on the point rased, and from him received
a reply that there could be no objection to his hearing
the cases. However, on the next morning he saw Mr.
Mansfield, and asked that gentleman to relieve him from
discharging the disagreeable duty, but his reply was that
he was himself 'sitting until five or six o'clock, and that
he did not see any reason at all why the parochial magis-
trates should be relieved from the performance of the
duties that devolved upon them. As Mr. Mansfield had
given -that opinion he (tr. Gladstone) at once decided
that he would hear the case, and decide 'Ten it to the best
of hig ability and experience, and that, too, with
out fiar, f4vcur, or affection to either one party
or another. Bat Mr. Garnett seemed to express
it as his opinion that he should not sit, and
although he (Mr. Gladstone) did not choose to go
about blowing the trumpet, and saying that he was incom-
petent to sit, he said he ehould not invite any other
magistrate to sit with him, but if he (Mr. Garnet) though'
proper to ask any gentleman to come and eh with him, he
should not object, but should bo eatisfied that they should
be present. Mr. Charles Parker and Mr. ti. Penn, two
more competera gentlemen to form a juoement could not
be selected, did come, and after hearing she evii'ence, they
concurred with him in the decision, and the result was as
had been stated by the Town Clerk. But, in case such an
occurrence should again arise, he thought he should have