The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-02-13 00:00:00

DOCK BILLS.

Mr. Evans said he had heard as a report, what ought
to have been officially communicated, that there were
great goings on with regard to dock bills before
Parliament, in which the dock committee was largely
concerned.. Of this the dock committee had had
no communication whatever. The chairman, and
he believed the solicitor, had been going up to
London ; but the geaeral committee were quite
left in the dark concerning it. That reminded him
him of another case where a most important proceeding
was decided in the Town hall, and the chairman of the
day managed everything, the general committee being
left in perfect ignorance. The result of this was that the
Wapping Dock, if he remembered rightly, cost them
rot less than fear times as much as it was worth, or as
they could have made four times the dock space for.—
Now he looked upon it, leaving respect out of the ques-
tion, that there was always benefit in communicating
with the committee. Such proceedings, he feared,
might lead to some compromise. The corporation
played the cards so as to sa_Te their town dues, with the
arriere pensee of lt7,,ving the burden upon the dock
estate. _

----
Th.: Chairman : I am sorry you have thought it neces-
sary to make these remarks. We are quite prepared to
enter into the matter, but it involves a great many
delicate matters, and it was thought better that whatever
conversation took place in the beginning upon matters
of that description should not go forth to our opponents,
who are seeking every method they can. It is far better
that we should consider these matters in private to begin.
with. Of course everything that passes here, our friends,
the reporters, will send out to the public, and it is,
therefore, proper that we should discuss them frst in
private. That is what we intended to do.
Mr. Evans : The public would be our best aid.
The Chairman : If it be the wish of the committee, of
course we can go into the questions now, but it is contrary
to all precedent.
Mr. Evans : What is ?
The Chairman : That we should discuss the initiative
of our .proceedings, so as to give our opponents the
advantage of knowing the course we intend to to, -e.
Mr. Evans : Who is to have the initiative ? Are we
to be reduced to cyphers ?
The Chairman : The committee are to have the initia-
tive; if you had waited only ten minutes--
Mr. Evans : After the twelfth hour, when it will be
no longer in our power to remedy-
The Chairman : You are entirely mistaken
Mr. Evans : Well, but I look upon it that nothing
can be correct, initiative or anything else, without the
authority of the general committee.
The Chairman : You are quite correct, and there has
been nothing done which the committee cannot undo if
they think it pr,:per. I think if you will allow us to
discuss the question, we can explain to you fully how
matte's stand.
Mr. Brocklebank : You are quite prepared, I suppose ?
The Chairman . Quite prepared.
Mr. Evans said he.observed also that the overseers of
Birkenhead were seeking to make the docks liable to
rates. Now, the dock committee ought to look ahead,
and take piospective care; but with regard to taxing
the docks, they all knew that the docks were not a
subject for taxation.
The Chairman : But we have nothing of this sort
before us at all at present.
lev•inc - The clnelt are but part of the river, and
no more liable to be subjected to taxation.
The Chairman : Well, we certainly have not that
question to discuss at present.
The matter then dropped.
This closed the general business.

AN EXTRAORDINARY MEETING- OF THE
RATEPAYERS OF THE EXTRA. PAROCHIAL
PLACE, CALLED TOXTETH PARK.

Yesterday, a special meeting of the ratepayers of the above
district was convened by the overseers (by a placard signed
with their names), requesting the attendance of the inhabitants
for the purpose of " revoking" the appointment of Mr. Samuel
Whaley, the assistant overseer and relieving officer, who had
resigned the situation.
Mr. Alpass was unanimously.called upon to preside. On
taking the chair, he said the
.first. duty he had to perform was
asking if they agreed that Mr. Whaley should resign. (Hear,
hear.) It was true that he had sent in his resignation, but it
was for the meeting to decide whether such resignation should
be accepted.
The overseers, Mr. Craig moved, and Mr. H. Leyland
seconded, a motion,-to the effect that the resignation of Mr.
Samuel Whaley.be accepted.
This was unanimously carried.
The Chairman then, with all his eloquence and his great
ability, pointed out to the meeting the important duty they
had to perform—the " election of a relieving officer"—and
expressed a hope that they would select the most respectable,
the most assiduous, and, therefore, the most fit person, to fill
that situation, as by so doing they would relieve the overseers
frofn much responsibility.
Mr. J. Wilson wished to know how many candidates there
were for this situation.

The Clerk : There are four applicants.
Mr. J. Wilson then, in the usual, style, proposed that Mr
George Claring Bold be elected as the relieving officer.
Mr. Lloyd bad much pleasure in seconding the motion.
Mr. Mullens expressed a wish to wit the Chairman one
piestion, and that was, whether it bad not been usual, in the
case s.f the appointment of such officers, to advertise such
appointment ? He .emeested it as his opinion that such a
course should be pursued.
The Chairman said : That the overseers had pursued she
legal course, and it would be for the meeting to decide whether
it was, or was not, advisable that the situation should be
advertised.
Mr. Mullens : Then, before we proceed any further, I will
move that this meeting be-adjourned until such time as the
appointment has been regularly advertised in all the Liverpool
papers.
Mr. Day : A>a l I will second that proposition, because I
believe that it is right.
The Rev. Mr. Ilareus then claimed the indulgence of the
meeting, while ho proposed a candidate, whom he believed to
be the most suitable and thrkbest man that could be appointed
—as he was. connected with the church, and had high testi
menials. The name, of the person ho proposed was Mr.
Ephraim Frost. (Applause.)
Mr. Mullens : He has a Scriptural name.
order.")
Mr. Siddeley seconded the motion.
Mr. Mullens pressed his motion that the meeting should be
adjourned.
Mr. Williams coincided with the motion, and expressed the
dislike he had for an influence, either clerical or political,
being brought to bear on the subject, which he said was the case,
as the meeting had been packed by a certain party to palm on
the rateplyers one person—
[Here an indescribable uproar took place, but after it bad
subsided.]
Mr. Wilson moved, and Mr. Lloyd seconded, the appoint-

(" Ordor

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runt of a Mr. Bold.
Mr. Hughes moved, and Mr. Denton seconded, the re-
appoiutm ent of Mr. Whaley.
After this another uproarious scene took place, as to how the
elections should take place, when Mr. Bolton moved, and Mr.
Pickup seconded, the- appointment of. Charles Campbell.
Mr. Mullens then moved, and Mr. Wilson seconded, the
appointment of P, Mr. Reed.
After much disturbance a division took place on the motion
of adjournment, which was decided in the negative.
The above result not 'being satisfetory a poll was demanded.
The polling accordingly took place, the result of which was
that no adjournment should take place.
Then came the election of an officer, but the polling on the
previous motion decided that point, as it was found that the
Rev. Mr. Harcus, Mr. Mullens, and Mr. Lloyd were disquali—
fied from taking a part in the meeting, as they had not paid
their rates.
The only candidate left was Mr. Campbell, but it was
decided that he should not bo- appointed, but that another
meeting should be called, and that instructions should be
given to the overseers that such a meeting should be properly
advertised.
After a vote of thanks to the chain man, this turbulent and
uproarious meeting concluded.