The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-01-08 00:00:00

ever taken into consideration the expediency of having some
mounted police. He thought, a. few mounted police in de
suburbs would be'very,thzeful, (fear, hear).
Mr. Hodson fully agreed with Mr. Holrne, bat at thq sane
time he_thought that if the outikirts. were better lighted; it
would be found a great protection. As regards the police force
the impression of the public. was, that either the police ,w,ae
not sufficlently numerous, or that they did not do their duty. ,
Mr. Jeffery asked wheeler, since the reduction in the price
of gas, there had :icon any augmentation in the number of
lamps ?
Mr. Braneker promised that the subjects of increased officers
and improved. lighting should have the ,best :Consideration of
the committee.

. .
The motion was carried. •
Brancker then moved the confirmation of the appoint-
ment of Mr, laurton in tharoom of the late Mr. Paikinsop.
He alluded to the lOa's the council 11,41 sustained iu the death of
the late superintendent of the main bride Well. All those
gentlemen wire had an opportuaity of knowing the late Mr.
Parkinson, more especially the magistrates; with whom he
came into daily contact, were aware with what efficiency he
discharaed the duties, for a considerable length of time. .110
Congratulated the council, however, on the fact, that an offiCer
was recomniended to fill the vacancy; who, if, he had not the
great experience of his predecessor, was likely tobean able and
efficient successor ; in whom the, committee placed the folleat
confidence. Ile had. served the lowa for twenty •fout years.
under the watch committee, and. had a. considerable amount of
knowledge of his business. Mr. Brancker also drew attention
to the very satisfactory character of the head constable'S
statistics, 'as regarded the effect of the reformatories in the
suppression of juvenile crime. (Hear, bear.) All geutlemed
who took an interest in the pionaot:on of such ins!itutions;
.
mast 'think the ,r.ssul!s highly gratifying.
.It was found that
parents who sent out their children-out as thieves—'-in order
to live upon the proCeeds- of their pilfering, now discovered
that they conld. de so no longer ; but that, on the contrary, if
the children were detected in suchpractices, the parents were
compelled to contribute.towards tiseir maintenance in a refer.:
rnatory: By this means, it was fOund that the parents were
induced to keep their children from engaging in such practices.
Mr laranciter, in conclusion, moved the confirmation of the
general proceedings. .;
Mr. Johnion seconded the motion. •
Mr. Hodson said he had always understood that the Suspen-
sion or dismissal of a police officer was recorded on the minutes.
Eh had, therefore, listened with very,great attention, to hear
something of a very important matter, which, as was very well
known to dieni all, had become a matter of very general cone
versation in the town. He had iu vain' expected that some
remark would have been made upon this subject by the chair-
man of the committee. As this had not been done„ he should
now for a few moments, and as briefly is possible, call the
attention of the council to the subject. He should divide bit,
remarks into two classes. First, be should Speak of the con-
duct of Major Greig, the head constable; and secondly, of the
decision Mr. Mansfield.
The MaVors I think wo cannot go into this subject. (Hear,
and cheers ) It is not mentioned in the proceedings of the
committee, and we cannot constitute ourselves a court of
appeal.
Mr. Hodson : I consider That, as We are the payers of these
public officers, we are the persoos who should discuss their
conduct in the discharge of their duties: Iluot, our meeting
here, as has been said by my friend Mr. Shell, is a farce.
The. Mayor : If you wish to discuss this subject, you' had
better put a notice on the paper of a motion.
Mr. Hodson : Thenlnew move that the proceedings be not
confirmed. It is. singular that, when this subject has attained
such a painful degree.' of notoriety in Liverpool, yet this
•
council should'endeaVour to shirk the question. (Oh, oh.)
Mr. Alderman S. Helene : I rise to order. lam sorry to
hear Mr. Hodson make such a remark. If Mr. Hodson is to
'discu'ss here all the proceedings of magistrates and other gen-
tlemen, there is an end to the business of the council. (Hear,
hear). I must, for one, object to Mr. Hodson applying such
a term either to the mayOr or the council. (Hear, heal).
Mr. Hodson ; I take the responsibility.
The. Mayor : This is a special council, and you can only
discOss that which is on the proceedings. You cannot call to
account that which is not in the 'Proceedings.'
Mr. Hodson : But I am moving the non-confirmation of the
proceedings.
Mr. Earle : Mr. Hodson has got his speech ready, and he
is very anxious to deliver it; hut we are, none of us, very
anxious to hear at. I think. (Laughter.)
The Mayor : Ms. Hodson must confine. himself Co what is
in the proceedings.
Mr. Hodson : I must give my reasons:
The Mayor ; But you cannot go Out of the proceedings.
' Mr: Hodson : I cannot understand why I aux not to go into
what was committed by the head of the police force. Am I
nol to discuss that ?
The Mayor,: ph, no; you certainly cannot discuss it upon
these. proceedings.
Mr. Hodson : I iegret that my friend, Mr. Gladstone, is
not here, who would have takeri the initiative, Doubtless, it
he had been here he Would have been allowed to do so.
The Mayor: I beg your pardon. I should not have allowed
anybody to refer to what was cot in the procsediugs. You
may state what portion of the proceedings you object to.
.Mr. Hodson : I'objectto the whole of them as not con-
taining the' cause of the suspension. et John Stewart, police,
officer.
The Mayor : You have a perfect right to ask why the matter
is not there. -
Mr. Robertson : The question is very easily answered. The
reason is that it is a universal practice that any subject which
has been decidedbefOre the magistrates is not taken un by the
watch committee. . The polieeman Stewart's suspension, and
the charge of assault against Major Greig, were both heard
before the magistrates.
Mr. Parker : I think the expression of " shirking" applied
to the council is very imprOper.
Mr. Hodson : I withdraw it with pleasure. I said it not
intentionally. I now tieg to move that the proceedings of the
watch committee be not confirmed, in consequence of their not
Containing any record of the suspens'on of John Stewart. If
ever there was a subject which called for the careful consider-.
Bahia of the council—
The Mayor; I cannot allow you to proceed in this way...
You cannot object to the proceedings on account of that which •
is not in them.
Mr. Hodson : The head constable suspended an officer in
the bridewell. Why is that not down ?
Mr. Brancker here rose and stated that there was a minute
of the fact that the head constable had suspended an officer.
On looking over the minutes it was found that the fact was
recorded.
Mr. Hodson then said that upon that record be claimed to
be allowed to address the council upon the subject in introducing
his amendment. He thought, it strange that a subject
which hail created such a painful degree of notoriety had
not been been mentioned by the chairman ofthe committee.
Ho was qiiite. sure that every member of the council must
have felt the painful and humiliatina position in which
Major Greig, and he might add Mr. Mansfield, must
stand at. this moment. It' ever a matt holding a high
position, such as Major Greig did, c !me within the.scooss
of ridicule and contempt, that man indeed was Major'
Greig. Whether it was in the by-lanes of Liverpool,in• the
gentleman's drawing room, or in whatever part of the
town, it had become a common expression of ridicule-T-
-4'l"m not a man; I'm a major 1" With reference to the,
remark "I'm.not a man," he felt, sure many of the council
would agree.' What sort of an animal a majOr must he,
God' only knew: (Laughter; and oh, oh.) He' should
leave it-to Major Greig's-luoridam friends to 'tell chat
genus it came from -He had endeavoured by every kind
of reading arid research to find.out whether there was any
new description of animal called- a major, which was not
a man, but he could not discover it. On the subject itself
he should remark how, frequently partizanship clouded
the judgment. Men frequently allowed, their prejudices
to obscure their reason, and :to. carp, them _beyond the
limits of right, and to maks) them do things which in
calmer moments they would telleCt upon with regret.
Thna, he had had no doubt that Majoi Gteig was deeply
sorry for the very' ridiculous `part he had played on the
Sabbath day in Great' George's-street. What was the
evidence which came before them ? The man John
Stewart was a man of respectability, a 'man who had
been well brought up, ,Who came from the 'north to that
town some three or 'four years ago with his family, to
improve. his condition. Ile had a testimonial signed .by
the head of the police force in Leith, where he rose from
the ranks to be an inspector, of his sobriety, integrity,
and attention. From the superintendent of the asylum
Where he had been one of the attendants he had a testi-
monial declaring that a better mars and a better servant
never was' there. He had 'a memorial, signed by' every
inhabitant ever the whole of the-district where he had
been a policeman for now one year and nine months—
Great George's-street—declaringthat a better, more civil,
or more obliging officer was not in the force. • But the
manner in which Major Greig went on made one almost
sicken. Tbe.major came up foaming with rage—he seized
hold of this Poor fellow. Would any one who had the
Spirit of a man within his breast, or who was beyond the
brute creation, allow any other man to dare to put his
switch across hia shoulders ? Any man who would allow
it must be the Most' despicable 'wretch who ever crawled.
Why should Major Greig, foaming with rage, strike this
policeman.? If •the policeman did wrong; Major -Greig
should have suspended him. This was not a country
where slavery could be tolerated.• Men. were not to be
driven by, their fellowmen as if Aber w•ere sheep. Such
4012 duct as Major Greies must -necessarily degrade the
force. A member ofe the. watch committee left it 'in
disgust.. Major 'Greig used
.to go on pulling the men's
whiskers, twisting their hair, and dancing about like a
dancing master.. - • • •
' 'Tobin : Shanae, Lee ee
Mr. Hodson : I tell Mr. Tobin I am speaking the fact,
and it was stated by a member of the committee.
Mr. Tobin :It is very improper language. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. W. P. Jeffreys: I should like to know the name of
the member. (Hear. hear.)
Mr. Hodson : He is at the lower end of the room here ;
he can answer for himself.
Mr. A. Shand: Name hiM. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Godfrey : If you allude to me, you may mention my
name