Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-01-05 00:00:00

the Finance Committee was the application from Mr.
Radcliffe; but the property must first be offered for sale
by. public auction. There -was no doubt there would be
a stipulation as to the class of property to be put on the
land in question. (Hear, hear.)
Alderman BENNETT called attention to the circum-
'stance that the platform before the
.Free Public Library
was again being altered in its levels. The platform
was made to decline by-steps. He objected to the alte-
ration, and moved that the matter. be referred back to
the Finance Committee.
.Alderman HOLME ,explained that -this was the -best
arrangement, that, could be made ; and ultimately, the
amendment was withdrawn.
Mr. JEFFERY wished to know whether the time
allowed for the new scale of fees had been extended by
the Home Secretary, as the original time fixed had now
expired.
The TOWN-CLERK read a correspondence between the
Home Secretary and the Mayor in reference, to the sub-
jact, which had so far resulted in nothing definite. , The
Alayor had written a letter in the early part of Decem-
ber, to which he had not yet received an.answer.
Mr. JEFFERY said there was another question to which
he wished to allude. It would be observed that appli-
cation-was to baemade .to Parliament,. notices having
been duly published, by the Mersey Docks and Har-
bour .Board, of what appeared to -him a soniewhat
extraerdinary character. This Corporation incurred a
.cost of. £126,000 for the purpose of, providing the large
.landing-stage, for the accommodation of sea-going
steamers and the local traffic between_the Cheshire and
Lancashire ,sides_pf the river. Recent application was
made to- the Coancil for the contribution of one-third
of a sum of £50,000 to improve the landing-stage. for
the accommodation of the docks solely, -He said solely;
because 'he, understood at the time it was for the transit
from the docks on the one side to the docks on the other.
This Council .rejected the application, and refused to
contribute any portion towards the expenditure, 'under
the impressien that the expenses to be incurred were
necessary solely for the accommodation. of the docks.
(Hear, hear.) Now, the notices given to Parliament,
included powers to charge toll for the use of that landing-
stage, so that after they had „Tone tb the cost of £126,000
application was made. to Parliament to impose a tax
upon the inhabitants if they used . the .landine. stage,
If,any of them carried a parcel in their hand they were
liable to be charged. Mr. Tobin had more than once
said that he loped nothing would. 'occur to create an
antagonistieypiinciple on the part of this Council and
the Dock Board ; but such a step as was now proposed
might be the harbinger of discord.
Mr. C. TURNER hoped to be allowed to make a remark
upon the extraordinary misconception under which Mr.
Jeffery laboured, with respect to the object of those new
approaches. He had stated. that he understood the
object of the new bridges was solely for dock purposes.
He doubted Very much whether any - merchant in the
town Was not quite aware that that was not the sole
object. He had stated in that room once before what
his views _of the matter were; .that- though these
new bridges would be a benefit to the dock estate inci-
dentally; he considered 70 or.Bo per cent. off the benefit,
would, be derived by the inhabitants of Liverpool and
Cheshire generally; and he based upon that his expres-
sion of regret that the Council had not thought fit to
contribute in some way or other:to the exnerises of these
new bridges. The Commissioners of Birkenhead repre-
sented that the present bridges were not qualified for the
purposes for which they were intended, and they were
so'short that, for the greater part of the-day, 'they were
quite useless. One object of the new bridges was, that
waded carts and carriages, without' taking the horses
out, should go over from one side of the water to another.
That was not a matter solely for dock purposes. The
Dock Board had a large estate on the Other side of the
water; and whatever facilitated intercourse between o)le
side of the river and the other no doubt would be to the
'advantage of the Mersey Board ; but if any gentle Man
thought that was the only purpose,' it really passed his
(Mr. Turner's) comprehension. NVith respect to the
bill generally, he did not think, as the 'Dock chair Man,
that the Council-chamber was the proper place for him
to discuss its objects, and, moreover, it had not, yet
passed the Mersey Board.
Alderman Parker was about to speak, when the Mayor
ruled. him-out of order, on the ground that- no debate
could arise on a question put, when the subject matter
-of the question was not on the minute'sunder considera-
tion..' • •
Mr. PICTON essayed to speak several times, but the
Mayor alSo ruled him out of order. -
Alderman HoLain said he would, simply observe 'that
no print of the bill had yet been before the Finance
Committee. Since the last meeting of that committee,
the town-clerk had' received a print of the bill,' and it
would be brought before the Finance Committee, who
would' then bring before the Council . a formal report
connected with all its provisions, and at that period it
would be competent for any member of the Council to
discuss the matter.

The general proceedings of the Finance dommittee
were then confirmed.

THE APPOINTMENT OP A STIPENDIARY MAGISTRATE.
The two following letters were read :—. . .
Whitehall, 15th Dec., 1859.
Sta.,—l am directed by Secretary Sir George Lewis, to in-
form you that J. S. Mansfield, Esq., stipendiary magistrate for
the borough of Liverpool, has been appointed a magistrate for
the Metropolitan Police District ; and as Mi. Mansfield's services
will be required in that capacity immediately 'after the sth
January next, I am to request that you will make known the
appointment to the Town Council of Liverpool, in order that
they may take such, steps as .they shall think proper under the
'99th section of the-Act sth and 6th William IV., c. 76.-1 am,
sir, your-Obedient servant, • • H. WADibixoTos•
. To the Mayor of 'Liverpool.
t
Sessions-house, Liverpool, Dec. 15, 1859.
SlR,—llhave the honour to inform you that the Right Hon.
Sir G. C. Lewis has notified to me that my servicesy tenure ,are o
o be
transferred to the Metropolitan Police District, and that my
new duti=s will commence on the sth of next.month.
' I take this opportunity to acknowledge the repeated instances
of colirtesy and kindness which I have during my
• office experienced from yourself, your predecessors, and a
great many of the members of- the body over which' ye.o So
.worthily preside.---I am, sir, your most obedient servant;
J. S. 'MANSFIELD.
The MAYOR said there was a sub-committee Sitting
with re&ard. to the question of the appointment of a
second stipendiary magistrate, and perhaps the Council
would refer these letters to that committee.

Alderman DOVER said they ought to understand what
were the duties of that committee. He hoped if the
letters were referred as suggested, that the committee

- -
should have power only to fix the salary and the duties
of the office, and that they should not be allowed to
'-nominate to the office any, individual..
Alderman HOLME asked what had been done on pre-
jious occasions.
The TOWN-CLERK said that in 1851, on the occasion
of the death of Mr. Rushton, a committee was appointed.
to consider the arrangement that was desirable in con-
sequence of the vacancy in the Office of police magis-
trate, and to report thereon ; -but they went further,
and, made a recommendation, as to the gentleman to be
nominated to the Home Secretary for appointment.
The report of the committee of 1851 was read.
Mr. Avrsox then moved that the report of the pro-
ceedings of the committee appointed on the 10th of
November last should be read.

The proceedings having been read,
The Town-creitx said since the last meeting of the
committee the following letter had been received by the
chairman of the committee :
• Liverpool Law Society, 31st Dec., 1859.
SIR,—A very incorrect statement was published in the Daily
Post, of the 28th instant, respecting the conference between
the committee of the Town Council and, a _deputation of .the
'Law Society- on- the subject of the appointmext of a second
stipendiary magistrate. We understood the . committee of the
Town Council to admit the correctness of the principle con-
tended for by the Society---namely, that the class of cases
mentioned in the report ought to be adjudicated upon by a
stipendiary magistrate; and that the committee, on its report
to the Council, would suggest that arrangements be made
between the magistrates and the stipendiary who is to succeed
Mr. Mansfield for the distribution of the busuless between them

in such manner as to meet the views of the Society in'
particular; and that the question of the appointment of a
second stipendiary magistrate remains for the present in
abeyance;
In comp'iance with your request, I now furnish you' with a
list of the statutes, the cases arising under which the Law
Society wish to be heard before the stipendiary; This list has
been settled by a specials committee of the society.---I have the
honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant,

THOMAS DODGE, President.

Robertson Gladstone, Esq.
a The list was settled at a special general meeting of the
Society.
Resolved,—That the following list of Acts of Parliament be
furnished to the Town Council, -being-acts under which all
summonses issued should be made returnable before a stipen-
diary magistrate, namely :-1, Merchant Shipping ; 2, Pas-
senger ; 3, Customs ; 4, Excise ' • 5, Licensed Victuallers ; 6,
Friendly Societies ; 7, Building Societies ; 8, Combination of
Workmen • 9, Master and Servant and Apprentices ; 10, Pilwn-
brokers; 11, Divorce ; 12, So much df the Dock Acts as relate
to collision; 13, And as to those and other Aets, in all cases in
which either party appearing by attorney may require the
decision of a stipendiary magistrate.
The TOWN-CLERK sui,vesteA.l that the question of the
appointment of a stipendiary Might be considered at the
adjourned Council, which could be made, special for
that puipose. ' (Hear, hear.)
Mt. CHARLES TuRNEr-thought -it -would be very
undesirable to delegate the powers of the Council to any
. • •
committee, .attd. allow a committee to .inake .a nounna-