Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-02-17 00:00:00

MR. COX, THE WATER RATLIFF.

A letter . was read from. Mr. C. F. Cox, formerly
water, bailiff, thanking the committee for their kind
remembrance of him, but stating that he was sorry to
inform them that his health had failed him so much of
late that he felt unequal to the duties of water bailiff. .
The CHAII6I.I.N said it was the intention of the chair-
man of the committee, to whom this matter was spe-
cially referred, to have moved the following resolution
—" That Mr. Cox having deqllucd to resume the duties
of the Water, bailiff, the allowanee made to hint by rep-
lotion of the Board of 23rd December, 1858, of ITO per•
annum, be discontinued."

Mr. Birsn'Eu. Flaid that he had undertaken to propose
the motion in the absence Of. Mr. Tobin. Mr. Tobin's
view Was 'that this allowance of £7O per annum was not
a retiring allowance; but that it' was paid as conipensa
tion for the abolition of the office ; and therefore, now
that' 'the 'office was again 'revived, Mr. Tobin thought
that Mr. Cox, if he were not prepared to fulfil its duties,.
ought not any longer to receive the compensation. He
begged to move the ;resolution.
Mr. Axiqui.c Seconded the motion.

• At the request of Mr.. HubbaCk, the resolution con=
ferring the allowance on "Mr, Cox, which was passed on
the' 23rd-December,- 1858,- was read. It was as follows
"Resolved, that a retiring allowance of £7O per annum
be granted durinr, the pleasure of the`BOard to. Mr. Cox,
from: the Ist of' January, 1859, when his serVices- as
water bailiff will cease." •

Mr. Mo*n}t could scarcely understand' how such. a
motion Should cmatiate from the chairman of any com-
mittee, without' conference with the other members 'of
the committee. It appeared to him irregular.
The does not do it as the chairman
of- the committee. - -

Mr. MONDEL held that it was irregular for the chair-
mdii of any.coinmittee to take the initiative with Out
consulting his coadjutors. He thought that the letter
should go back to the special committee for consideration,
and then they could consider whether Mr. Cox was
finally dismissed, or whether he was retained by a fee.
They must avoid committing any practical injustice.
Mr.. BUSHELL believed Mr. Tobin would be willing
that the letter should he referred to the committee.
The - CuitiumAf said the view he took of the matter
was, that the. allowance was merely an allowance given
to. Mr. Cox, and that-Mr. Cox Was sUbjeCt to be called
upon by the board:. at any time to resume his duties.
Supposing he was able to resume his duties, it was his
duty,to do so ; and if he did not do so, it would be com-
petent for the, board to discontinue the allowance. He
believed that was the feeling of the board at the time,
and .that M. Cox was ;.looked upon like a - half-pay.
officer, who might be called upon to resume his duties.
The letter of Mr. Cox was not satisfactory, and he did
not think fit to come down himself; or to send any
medical. certificate. ~ looked like a letter sent down
for the . purpose of making, an excuse, he not being
willing to undertake the ditties.
The subject was adjourned for a week. •
,SHEDS FOR TAE GREAT FLOAT.

Mr. LAIRD gave notice of a motion for next week---
" That. it be an instruction'tu the 'Works Committee, the
Docks and Quays Committee, and the Warehouse Com-
mittee, to consider what arrangements .for the accommo-
dation of trade should be made, in anticipation of the
Great Float at Birkenhead being opened in the ensuing
summer."

NON-PAYMENT OF TOWN 1M ES CASE

OF FRAUD.

Mr. RANKIN begged to mention a circumstance which
had just come under the notice of the Finance Com-
mittee, in which itnppeared that a fraud had been com-
mitted 'upon, the town dues. Mr. John M'Millan, of the
Glasgow and Liverpool Royal Mail Steam-packet Com-
pany, was the agent for the Princess Royal. Upon the
Ist of February last there was a report of the ship's
cargo, and dues amounting to £6 I ls. Bd. paid ; an
additional entry was made of Os. 7d. What led to the
discovery of the case was the omission of an article of
some importance-104. casks of tallow not being re-
ported in the carso; and, upon making inquiry, it was
found that nothing of that kind was included in the
entry, at the same time they-had discovered that the
payment of these 104 casks had been made by the con-
signee, amounting to £3 18s. 6d., showing clearly that
there had been an intention of fraud against the Dock
Board, as far as they had the means of judging, which
it was right the public should be made aware of. He
might also mention that, since the discovery made pub-
licly at the board in• the case of Messrs. Fitzsimmons,
Appleby, and Co., they had hoped parties would be more
honest in their entries. He did not'say that any fraud
had been committed in that case. Here, however,
was a fraud so plain, that he must ask the
permission of the board to take proceedings in
the matter. There could be no mistake whatever,
because two previous entries of cargo were made, and
no notice whatever taken of any tallow in the vessel.
He moved that proceedings be taken against John
M4Millan, of No. 1, India-bnildings, Water-street, for
omitting 'the entry of 104 casks of tallow in the case of
the Princess Royal. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. FORWOOD was thankful to the Chairman of the
Finance Committee for the course he had taken in ex-
posing those parties. lie (Mr. Forwood) thought it
his duty in a day or two to bring a case still more
flagrant forward, in connection with coasting steamers.
He thought the trade at large should be thankful for the
exposure of those attempts at fraud, which really were
an injustice to the whole trade. The charges were made
low in consequence of that system of fraud, and the
honest trader was thus injured.
Mr. RANKIN begged to explain that the ev.nmittee
had reason to suppose that a great many other parties
had been guilty of making incorrect entries ; and in
reference to this particular firm there were other cases,
but the action they were now taking, as regarded this
particular case, would not prevent them taking ulterior
proceedings.
The motion was promptly agreed to ; and, as this
concluded the public proceedings, the reporters with-
drew.