Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-11-13 00:00:00

MANCHESTER.

Dock Secretary's Office, Liverpool, Nov. 7, 1857.

Sir,—Your letter of the 4th instant, together w:th a copy of
resolutions passed at a meeting held in the Town Hall, Manchester,
of parties representing cartain interests as stated therein, having
ben laid before the committeo of the Liverp-ol docks by the char-
man, at t' eir meeting on the sth instant, I am directed, in
acknowledging their receipt, to say that the committee have seen
and read your communications with extreme regret, being sure that
yourself, and the meeting o-er which you presided, must have
laboured under wrong impressions as to the facts connectA with
the dock works both of Liverpool and Birkenhead.
As regards the present position of the docks and works at
Birkenhead, the dock committee refer you to the municipal corpo-
ration of Liverpool, under whose dire.etions those works are at
present being constructed, and who will no doubt answer any ques-
tions relating to them.

With re!erence to the docks and works on the Liverpool Bide of
the Mersey, [the construction of which has been authorised by
Parliament, and for which the deck committee are alcae responsible,
they be.; to a.y that they have str:rtlw kept within the restrictions
imposed rpon them by the dock acts, and have not s,,ught to extend
the docks of Liverpool beyond the pea ers granted to them. Whilst
doing this, they hove, howavir, received numerous complaints of
Inconvenience felt by shipown,r3 and others, and re;mesentations of
t e want of extended dock and quay accommodation on the
Liverpool side of the river, which it has been their duty to consider,
and is en:ieavour to meat as far as practicable.

Feeling assured that both yourself and the gentleman you repre-
sent need only to be informed of the facts as they now exist with
respect to the Liverpool dock works, the dock committee invite a
deputation to visit Liverpool, when they would oa the spot give
such information as would remove all reasonable doubt, and allay
any uneasy fe, which may exist on this subject.
Should it, however, unfortunately happen that the committee
cannot be met in this manner, they can only say, which they do with
courtesy, that they do not fear the result of any inquiry which
may be instituted before the properly-constituted tribunals of the
country.

If it be thcught right to accept the invitation the clmmittce have
now given, they hope to be favoured with an intimation from you to
that Effect, fixing the time when the deputation w.ll visit 1 iverpcol.
—I eim, fir, your very ob:dient servant,

DANIEL ,MA ON, Secretary.

TO DANIEL MASON, ESQ., SECRETARY TO TEE TRUSTEES CF

THE DOCK ESTATE, LIVERPO,L.

Manchester, November 11th, 1817.
Sir,—l am sorry that my engagements have prevented my sending
an earlier acknowledgement of your letter of the 7th inst.
I attended the conference which was held in the Town Hall on the
4th inst., as one of a deputation from the corporation of this city ; and
In tho absence of the Mayor, and as his deputy, I was requested to
preside; and it was in compliance with one of the resohations
adopted that I transmitted, as chairman, a copy of the resolutions
passed by the meeting to the chairman of the Liverpool do:ks
committee. At the meeting, a sub.cornmittee, of which lam not a
Daunt er, was appointed ; bat for the purpose only of preparing a
memcriel embodying the views of the public bodies who were then
represented, for presentation to the Board of Tr..cle, and also to the
Conserva'.ors of tho Mersey.
TJnd:r each circumstances it will be obvious. that I am no in a
position myself, howevcr much I might be disposed, to accept the
invitation conveyed in your letter, and that I have no opportunity of
communicating with any other parties on the snlject.
In milling this communication I may perhaps be permitted to
state that the object of the cmfcrenca, and the nature of the

stat:menis then made, apper to be somewhat misunderstcol, A 3

far as I understand the observations made by Mr. Laird, of Birken-
head, and ethers, there is no difference of opinioa as to the absolute
necessly if a iditional accommodation being provided for shipping in
the Mersey; and I have little doubt that a t rong case for additional
expenditure at Liverpool might easily be made out, in case the docks

and works, either in existence or to be constructed, at Birkenhead
are not in arty way considered. The ccm_3laiztt made wax, that
whilst the prosecution of the works at Birkenhead is indeanitely and
Improperly postponed, a renewed attempt Is to be made to obtain the
sanction of Pailiznaent to a large out's.), at Liverpool.
It was sai 1 that in 1155 the sane c^mPlaints of want of accommo-
dation were mode when tl'o dock committee proposed to obtain rower
to expend, when, and as they might think expedient, four mil ions
in ineressiny e docks at Liverpool that Parliament rejected such
proposal, gave power to spend every limited amount, and only in the
completion of works then in progress at Liverpool; and as the means
of supplying the wants of trade, which were fully proved to exist
Parliament rr quire' the property at Birkenhead to be purcba:ed, and
the docks completed in 1858.

It is falc to be a gC1370t13 hardship that, notwithstanding the obli

gation thus fmposed upon the corporation of Liverpool in 1855, and
although a lar.e portion of work common to any modified plan mig'lt
and ought to have been at once proceeded with, little or nothing has
been done a'. Birkenhead. and not a single step taken fcr the pros.ecu-
tion of the outer works on the Cheshire side of the Mersey.
That now in 1857, and as the preparation for another farliamentary
eampaio in 185 S, the comp:aints of want of accommodation rude in
1855 are again bead, and notiee3 are to be given of appli ation to
Parl ament for power to expend nearly a mi lion in work, at Liver-
pool.

It was contendei, and, as it appears to me, with great force. that
the corporation of Liverpo3l are respons.b!e for the inconvenienne io
which commerce Is now, and mast be for some time lo coma, exp.:se:l
—th:t if they had, in compliance with the obligation laid upon them
by parliament, commenced in 1855 and prosecuted with vigour the
doc!; a and works at Birkenhrad—in respect of which commerce has
been long saddl.'d with a debt of npvrar:s of one and a quarter million,'
the additional accommodation required wood have bren ere this
aecnred.

Par:lament has emphatically determined that the Birkenhead
docks shall ho completed. Under such circumstances, and a:e:ng
that a debt of betty, en tree and four millions must thereby be
created, it appears certainly only reasonable and prudent to
ascertain to what extent the wants of commerce will be thereby met
beore any large additional amount is laid oat upon the Liverpool
side; and it was the u❑aaim•aus opinion of all present, that ary
application for power to expend money at Liverpool ought to be
opposed until the docks and works at Birkenhead are far advanced,
if not completed, and until the nteessity of any such adJition to the
enormous debt already edstias, msy be clearly and distinctly
ascertained. _ _

The new trust, which will no doubt represent all inter:•sts, will
come into p.,wer in January next, and I can only express the hope
that some vrrangement which wi:l for the be,efit of commerce
generally will b s arrived at, and that furtiur vexatious and ex;en-
sive Parliamentary contests will bo avoided.
As the only means of ma'aing tho same known to the parties who
conTened or may feel inte-ested in the recant conference, I shall
send your loiter and my reply to the local papers,—l am, sir, yoars
most obediently, BENJAMIN IsTICHOLLS.

Mr. Gladstone : Then the Manchester genth men decline
t come over ?

The Chairman : They do.
Mr. Ra hbone : They decline to receive au thing but

an ex parte statement. That is what is practically
meant.

The Chairman • I believe there is some force in that.
.

Mr. Rathbone : They decliae to inform themselves upon
the subject.
The subject then dropped.
Mr. Bold asked would the notices, to be given in
reference to the applications ordered to be made to
parliament, be published in Saturday's papers. Would
it not be well to lay the plan, to which the notices refer,
upon the table of the committee?

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.-YESTBRDAT

The Chairman said the committee were generally in the
habit of discussing such questions when the reporters had
retired. The notices were to be brought forward to-day.

LIVERPOOL.
BEFORE MR. MANSFIELD.

HEALTH COMMITTEE.

COMERS. —PetttrEni and Patrick Mahon, were brought
up by officers 450 and 429, an a charge of coining. It
appeared that on the previous day the prisoners were
arrested on a charge of attempting to pass three base
shillings, and as they were well known to the police, the
officers searched the place where Caey lived, in Graham's-
place, Fonteroy-street, end in their room they found a
quantity of coining articles. The prisoners were formerly
convicted of coining, and the case now being considered
clear against them, they Isere sent for trial.
WEesrt LOVE.—A tidy well dressed young woman named
Elizabeth Roberts, was charged with having annoyed John
Roberts in James-street. The case was somewhat singular,
the fects being these—The complainant is a large coarse
looking man, deeply pock-pitted, and was described as a
fish and provision dealer, in George-street, Manchester.
It appeared that some years ago he was a large farmer in
Wales, and that the prisoner lived with him as his wife.
He sold his farm and went to live in Manchester, entering
into the fish and provision business, the prisoner accom-
panying him as his wife, and altogether she resided with
him in that capacity for about seven years. About six
months ago ha married, and made an arrangement with the
prisoner, to whom he gave £3O, on an agreement that she
should not come near him any more. She did not keep
the bargain, but annoyed him, and on his coming to Liver-
pool to transact some business, she followed and anaoyed
him in the street, and he gave her into custody. He
admitted that there was• a dispute between them for a
balance of £3, but he was willing to give it to her. Mr.
Clough told the officer who had the prisoner, that he was
not justified in taking her into custody, and then turning
to the complainant, he said, "You lead better settle with
her before one of the legal gentlemen of the court gets hold
of her." (Laughter.) Mr. Mansfield told the prisoner
she must not annoy the man. She said if he gave her the
money in dispute, she would not go near him any more.
The complainant then, in the presence of oae of the officers,
gave her XI and a gold watch, and she having premised
not to annoy him any more, was then discharged.
CITAROE OF INFANTICIDE.—Anse M'Donald was charged
with an offence of the above description. Mr. Cobb was
for the prisoner. On Saturday morning the body of a
chili was found in a petty in Bacon-street, and an inquest
woe held on the body, and from the evidence of
Surgeon Kemp, it seemed the child was born alive,
and died in consequence of exposure, and a Coroner's
jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against some
eerson or persons unknown. From enquiry made by
officers Laycock and Eaton, they found that the prisoner
lodged in a house in a terrace off Townsend-street, and
that a Mrs. King also resided there. Oa prosecuting their
enquiry they found a small cotton jacket near the body of
the child, and this was found to belong to Mrs. King, by
this means the prisoner was traced out and arrested.
Several witnesses were examinel, and Dr. Wall, of the
Northern Hospital, was examined as to the state of the
prisoner, and his evidence went to confirm the suspicion
that she was recently confined. Mr. Cobb submitted that
the evidence was nut sufficient, but his Worship said there
was prima facie evidence to remand her, and she was
remanded aceordiegly.

The first meeting of the newly appointed Health Com-
mittee was held yesterday at the Town-hall. The follow-
ing members were present ;—Aiderman Dover was elected
chairman, and Mr.,Sheil vice-chairman, of the committee.
The other members mere—Messrs. Beckwith, Godfrey,
Hodson, Barton, Bowring, Holder, Crellin, Crosthwaite,
Anthony, Vernon, R. Gladstone, and Hutchison. The
committee were engaged for some time in appointing sub-
committes, which were appointed, after the deputy-town
clerk (Mr. M'Gowan) had read the names of the several
gentlemen appointed en each. In reference to the paving
of the street opposite the Lying-in-Hospital, an applica-
tion was ma le to have the square sets taken up and have
it Macadamised. Mr. Beckwith objected, on the ground
that the expense would be enormous ; and he instanced
the fearful expense in Lord, Church, and other streets,
and said the stones in Pembroke-place were quite as good,
and would last 20 years, whereas the other streets were
always under repair at great expense. (Hear, hear.)
In reply to Mr. Bowring,
Mr. Newlands said it would be as well to Macadamise
the street opposite the hospital and church, but no more.
The subject then dropped, and the board, having trans-
acted some routine business, adjourned.

THE ORTITERN "ur ;.7-4,15"':71 I_4 rIV LP POOL
- 1 t, •
3RI Al NOVEMBER 13 1857