The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-05-20 00:00:00

tr' s ans.,7pri!il tho Si a c-rr ,Tf` `()
few f.7.'!.5 ,ens !Atnit!l dii•zitcr ,np•••••• y .
:01sTai !1•:!
-•1 tl•-t !,oSiti,4ll The member r r
y C • t. it 1 't,•c,:h fli.: :,1 iuipor-
t rit i ,i•tt Li, ads. n •,• siagtia •
ability, out it was nor tot Macd maid made his
speech, that Sir Allan Macnab's allegations and insinua-
tions found a direct answer. Until we find room for both
the at! ack and the reply, it would be premature to enter
fully into a discussion of the salient points in but In
our next issue we shall be able to examine the entire
bearings of the issues raised by the member for Hamilton.
Here we can only say that on efew occasions has the House
of Assembly been privileged to listen to a speech so well
conceived, so eloquent and so successful as Mr. Mac-
donald's. It may properly be said to have covered the
entire question ; and its effect upon the members generally
cannot well be described. The answer to Sir Allan M•Nab
was perfectly crushing, and the ';feeling on all sides of
the house seemed to be one of pity for the man who had
provoked Mr. Macloneld's criticism, and admiration of
the talents with which that criticism was applied. The
debate closed at half-past eleven o'clock by the adoption
-of a resolution to go into committee of the whole on the
question on Tuesday next. The principle of the measure
having been adopted at the second reading, the safety of
the relief bill is assured.

THE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT IN

BIRKENHEAD.

Lest evening a meeting of the friends of Temperance
was held at the Argyle Rooms, Birkenhead, for the pur-
pose of hearing a lecture by Mr. John Theophilus Jones.
The attendance was exceedingly small, the room scarcely
being more than half filled.
after singing a temperance hymn, Mr. J. R. W.llifuns
was called to the chair, and in taking his position on the
platform, accompanied by Messrs. French, Mundy, Glive,
Stevenson, G. L. French, J. Kelly, James French, Barton,
Gay, and the Rev. Mr. M'Carthy, said they were met to
discuss the subject of strong drink, which killed 60,000
persons a year. He next referred to the Coroner of
Liverpool's report for the past year, from which it ap-
peared that he had held 1,300 inquests during the past
year, and out of that number seven out of ten persons came
by their deaths, directly or indirectly, from the use of
intoxicating drink; yet, although the Town Council of
that town had spent half a day in discussing whether a
man died from drinking water that had been in lead, yet
neither they nor any other body, no editor of a newspaper,
nor yet any philanthrophist, had ever yet raised
their voices against the use of the strong drinks. There-
fore, he thought it was high time that the legislature
should step in and prevent the sale of such a deadly poison,
which caused misery and degradation to all who indulged
in it.

Mr. Glive then came forward, and after a few practical
observations, moved the following resolution : " That the
trade in strong drink is pernicious—it fills the land with
misery, crime, and pauperism : therefore it is full time for
an intelligent people and a patriotic government to devise
means for putting a stop to it altogether, except to such an
extent as may be required for the purposes of the city
manufacturers and med.cine." He called upon his hearers
to go to the House of Cemmons and to knock there with
authority and demand that some measure be adopted to
prevent the sale of such poisons.
Mr. Mundy seconded the motion, stating that he cor-
dially agreed in the sentiments of the resolution.
Mr. Theophiltts Jones then came forward, and after a
few prefatory and introductory observations said, some
short time since he had addressed a meeting of the work-
ing classes, when he had referred to an historical fact, in
which a wrong impression had been made, but he hoped
that he should not be again mistaken, for in his remarks
he did not intend to drag in anything irrevalent
to the matter before him. He then went on to
prove that the publicans' trade was indefensible, and of
an iniquitous character —its consequences were ruinous
personally, morally, and religiously, and that the
time was come when it was necessary that it should
be prohibited by some legal enactment. He differed in
some respects from the wording of the resolution, for he
thought it should have been stated, "that an intelligent
people demand' that the Government should adopt, not
devise,' the remedies for the great evils that they had
to complain of." He next went on to say that it had
been said that sanitary measures and education would
remove the degrade ion and misery that existed in this
country ; but they had all felled to achieve the great object,
fur he never knew that hal a pound of soap would clean
a man's conscience, therefore it was time that some steps
should be adopted, and the only means to do that would
be to prohibit the use of strong drink. He next detailed
some instances in which persons had become drunkards
from drinking one glass of spirits, and therefore argued
nothing would prevent the evi's complained of, except,
total abstinence, and did not attribute so much blame
to the man who drank the drink, or the man
who sold it. The evil against which they complained was
the traffic in strong drink, and that was because the
drinks were poise nous and prejudicial to health and
morality, and, as had been clearly shown by Mr. Carpen-
ter's invaluable essay, of no use, but injurious to the
system. Tnen, if they were poisonous, why were they
used, when it was proved that they physically injured the
constitution, and caused a moral degradation. He, then
went on to show that it was injurious to publicans them-
selves, as, according to Dr. Lee, it increased the m rtality,
of that class to a considerable extent, for from the static-.
tical returns it appeared that twenty-eight out of every
thousand publicans died annually in the United Kingdom
He thought that the sooner all public houses were exter-
minated from the face of the earth the better it would be
for the public at large. He did not think that it was at
all Irtopitn to try to establish the Maine liquor law in
England, nor was it impossible, for if the working men put
their shoulders to the wheel, and go on with it with
determination, they would as easily accomplish that
as they could accomplish any other great good
that they attempted to do. After a most eloquent
and practical speech, in the course of which he
ably poin ed out the evils attending on the life of a drut
ard, he concluded by exhorting his hearers to use every
exertion to secure some government enactment for the
prohibition of the sale of intoxicating drink, and said it was
the imperative duty of all to take a part in that movement,
for, notwithstanding what might be said, they were each
their brother's keeper, and had no right to see him partake
of the poison that was sold to him by the publicans. He
also urged on all ministers of the Gospel, as it was a duty,
to take a part in thi, movement. He concluded by inviting
diseussior: from any party connected with the liquor
traffic, either on • that or any other platform,
believing that the cause he advocated was one of the
highest that eauld be, as it had a tendency to raise all in
the scale of society, and make them independent and better
men to themselves and to their neighbours. Before getting
down, however, he called upon persons to enrol themselves
as memb.:rs of the Alliance, at the conclusion of the
meeting.
The Chairman then announced that as discussion had
been invited, the committee, in consequence of the lateness
of the hour, would be happy to enter into any arrangement
to do so at some future meeting. He had had a note put
into his hand, stating that the Rev. Mr. M.Carthy would
like to address the meeting on National Sin, but he did
not see what that had to do with the meeting.
The company soon after separated.

NEC BUILDING SOCIETY.—Last night a preliminary
meeting was held in Mr. H. P. Prie't's offices, market-
cross, Birkenhead, for the purpose of forming a building
society for B rkenhead. Mr. Graham, of Monk-street,
occupied the chair, and Mr. Priest acted as secretary pro.
tem. During the proceedings, the more immediate object
of the proposed society was developed in the fact that
two of the building societies already connected with this
place and Tramere were in a very flourishing condition;
and, further, that the growing',importance of Birkenhead,
commercially considered, rendered the starting of such a
society peculiarly appropriate. The shares were fixed at
£l2O each, payable in lOs per month instalments. No
fewer than from fifty to sixty shires were at once taken,
and a deposit of 2s 6d per share paid down. After some
.mat'ors of a routine character had been gone through, a
committee was formed for the purpose of preparing rules,
and furnishing all necessary information, to be submitted
to a special meeting to be held on Tuesday next.
SEIZURE OF UNSOUND AND DISEASED AI %T.—On
Saturday last Inspector Southern made a seizure of two
calves in one of the Birkenhead market stalls, which, on
examination, were found to be unfit for human food. Oa
the evening of the same day, Mr. F. outhern also seiz,d
another calf, belonging to the same party as the above,
which, on inspection, was found to have been affected
very much with the iron disease, and as such was entirely
unwholesome. The cases in question will, we understand,
be taken up by the market committee, at their weekly
mewing to-night.
DISEASED CATTLE.--On Monday last the carcases of no
fewer than three cows, labouring under disease of the
lunge, were forwarded from the Cheshire district over to
Liverpool. In two of the cases the proprietor of a stable
near to the ferry, refused the use of his premises for the
dres,ing of the animals.
INSPECTION OF THE POOR —The usual half-yearly
inspection and revision of the poor has just taken place,
and under the vigilance of Mr. M'Nerney, inspector, the
roll has been put into such a healthy state that we wish we
could predicate the same of other townships not beyond the
Hundred of Wirral. •

CILE3iIIRE _\l,l-17 SEi,.3ION•

commenced on Moo r 7 ta.:t at the Court

IT ~se ;it Nether Knntsford, before 'Trafford TrafT.rd,
flurry Main wa.i' g, Esq., and a full bench of
magistrates. The neniber of prisoners on the cslindar
was sixty-'one, a nirrib !r below the usual average, con-
sisting of minor off ir a sually tried at the sessions. The
only case of any interest a ied on that day was one commit ed
from Birkenhead a short time since, namely Arthur Corani,
a person of very respectable appearance, described in the
calendar as a draftsman, thirty-two years of age, and well
educated, who was charged with stealing *case of mathe-
matical instruments, two pistols, a pocket compass, cigar
case, and a gold ring, the property of Mr. Thomas James
Hutchinson, an architect, residing in Birkenhead, in whose
employ he then was. It appeared that, about the middle
of last, the prisoner called on Mr. Hutchinson
s::ekirig employment, saying that he was in very distiessrd
circumstances. Mr. Hu chinson, believing his story,
agreed to employ him at fifteen shillings per
week wages. About a fortnight ago Mr. and Mrs. H.
bad occasion to go to Liverpool, and left the prisoner in
the office and in charge of their bouse. Returning in the
evening they discovered the house locked, but could get
no answer at the door. Mr. H. then got in at a back
window', and discovered that the prisoner had gone.
Sherly after he missed the articles for which the prisoner
was now indicted The prisoner was afterwards appre-
hended in Liverpool, and some of the property was found
pawned. The prisoner on being called upon to answer the
charge, pleaded guilty, and handed in the following extra-
ordinary statement—

TO HER MAJESTY'S JUSTICES OF THE PEACE OF THE COUNTY OF
CHESTER, PRESIDING AT THE SESSIONS, MAY, 1857.
My L rd,—Not to deny the heinous offence I am ac-
cused of—for such denial would only aggravate the same—
have I taken up the pen, but to prove, by giving a short
sketch of my eventful life; that nothing but utter despon-
dencx could have induced me to commit a crime which is
abhorred by all civilised nations. Born upon the northern
borders of Turkey, arid educated in the principles of the
Mahometan religion. I was apprenticed to my father, a
government architect and surveyor, and I followed that
business until the beginning of 1848, when my irrecon-
cilable hatred towards the imperial House of Hapsburg
urged me to join the Magyar and Sclavonic tribes, and to
crush by force of arms that despotism which, since
centuries, strove to enslave those noble and warlike
nations. All the civilised world knows the sad
issue of that deadly struggle; and long afterwards,
when prisoner of war in Scutari and Rodosk, rung
the ominous words "Finis Hungarire" like, a death-knell
in my ear, for I felt that more than one generation will be
covered by the flowery turf before another attempt of that
kind could be ventured. After having been—thanks to
the British and American Governments for it—dismissed
from Turkish captivity and refused admittance into France
by the Government of Loais Napoleon, I was compelled
to seek refuge in Great Britain, and for very near three
years I was employed partly in the north of England and
partly in Belgium, as architectural draughtsman and land
surveyor's assistant. In consequence of the breaking out
of the war between the Western Powers and the
great adversary of freedom and civilisation, thrown
out of employment, and animated by the hope that both
England and France, for th,ir own safety's sake, would be
compelled to proclaim Hungary and Poland indepen-
dent, I embarked for Constantinople and joined there the
regiment of Cossacks, to organise which Count Zamoiski
was commissioned by the British Government. It is well
known that during the whole of the late war these
veteran soldiers were stationed both at Sinope and Eupa-
toria ; but the fact that after the proclamation of peace
the regiment repaired to Constantinople and was
disbanded, ,and that every soldier, for the glowing a 'al
displayed to spill the last drop of his heart's blood
for British glory, received a gratuity of " two guineas."
that fact seems to have been committed to the waves of
oblivion. Thus, in the vast capital of the Ottoman empire,
resigned to all ttfe horrors of starvation, I succeeded at
last, after a long and painful sickness, in working over my
passage on board a Swedish ship. and arrived in Novem.
her last at Glasgow. Two years of absence had worked
a great change in this c mntry, for on my return I
found that death had committed sad havoc among
those few I could call friends in this country, and the con-
sequences of a long and extensive war were heavily felt in
all-branched of trade. The fond hope I had cherished, to
find again employment and a home among that generous
'nation who gives a place of refuge and bread to all un-
happy fugitives and exiles, was disappointed, acid grief
and care preying upon my dejected m;nd, brought a serious
malady over me, which nankin Id me for nearly three
months to the Cumberland infirmary. When recovered,

I pr4cceded to Liverpool, and after many vain exertions
to procure a situation, 1 engaged with Mr. Thomas
James Hutchinson, architect and surveyor, of Birkenhead.
My Lord, it is a strange fact that every hum in being dotes
on the spot he is born upon, and the greater the distance
between his abole and the place where his cradle stood the
livelier and the more powerful are his longings to tread
once more the soft sward to ramble once more through
the meadows, valleys, and groves he loved to visit when a

boy and a youth. How long is it since I have been
parted from the pleasant scenery .which surrounds my
father's hoase—partel from all those who possess a share
in my affections ? Very near nine years have passed away
since I last shook my hoary father's hand and embraced
an affectionate mother tp speed to the throng of battle ; and
every one of those long nine years has sown the seed of
misery and despair in my heart, for I beheld two darli
brothers breathe their last on the field of honour. I exr-
rienced all the terrors of captivity, bearing a clean con-

science within my bosom, and I found that among Christians
as well as others, compassion and brotherly love only exist
in the name! Such bitter experience, and the retrospect
into the past, stung me very near to madness, and I

applied in Liverpool to the consul of the government I
hate, imploring him to give me a passage home, for
I was willing to lay down my head on the execution.r's

block for the sake of seeing once more my parents
and relations ; yet this favour Wag denied to me. Thus,
with a body ruined by the wounds received in defence of the
most sacred rights of man, with a spirit maimed by the ruth-
less blows of misfortune, and with no consolation either in

the past, present, or future, I remained a stranger among
strangers, and my mind brooded how to end this state of
torment, and to regain that degree of inward peace I had
lost with my home. What induced me to commit the
crime I am accused of I cannot tell, for my employer
treated me by no means u&dndly, and I must believe that
in one of those fits of abstraction I have been subject to, I
committed that disgraceful sot which now makes me
blush. I confess, my lord, that my offence is utterly un-
pardonable, for the Koran abominates the crime of theft
quite as much as the Bible or the Talmud, and igno-
rance in this respect could not have• been plssible ;
on the contrary, my lord, my crime deserves
the most severe punishment, for I violated

the laws of that nation which recEived me

into the sanctuary of its freedom at a time when the blood-
hounds of tyranny were straining every nerve to captivate
and to deliver me up to the merciless inquisition of
Francis Joseph. At the same time, I feel bound to
express my sincere repentance, and to implore the
pardon of those my offence hag injured. May they and
God forgive me. My lord, I am afraid I have already
too long imposed upon your lordship's time and patience;
and, expressing the hope that your lordship will be
pleased to take my hapless condition into favourable
consideration, I have the honour to be, my lord, your
most humble and obedient servant, ARTHUR CORANI.
After the above had been read by the Court, the worthy
chairman (Mr. Trafford) addressing the prisoner, said—
" Prisoner at the bar, you h we pleaded guilty to a charge
of having robbed your employer, to whom you], at the time
of seeking employment, were a perfect stranger, but who,
commiserating your distressed condition, consented to
take you into his employ at 15a per week, which
he, no doubt, thought suffic;ent until he had an opportu-
nity of judging of your capabilities, an I what is your
return for his kindness? Why, in less than a fortnight
you rob him. Your education ought to have told you
better, and it is no excuse to say that it was a sodden
temptation. Masters must be protected, and to mark our
sense of such offences as these, more especially by persons of
such an education as you appear to have received, you are
sentenced to be imprisoned for twelve calendar months,
with hard labour, in Chester Castle,

PRT.i EN 11-,!.‘D CM.VMISSTONF,RS- ADJOI7RNED

E TING!.

The adjourned meeting of the Birkenhead Commis-
sionPrs, was held in ihe office, Hamilton-Noare, Birken-
head, at seven o'clock last night. The chair was taken in
the absence of Mr. John Laird, by Mr. Rae. The other
memb•r? present were :—llesus. Willoughby, M‘Whirter,
M•Donald, Bell, Bradley, Wilkinson, Park, Baylis

B •flit?, Golborne, Hinde, anal Harrison.
The Chairman said the occasion of the meeting was to
pot before the board the accounts of the township for the
year ending the 24th of April last. The usage in such

r.
eases was simply to read the various items, and :hat done
it would be open to any member of the board to make any

enquiry be might think necessary

The Clerk- read the statement of accounts.
The Chairman said : In the absence of the Chairman
of the Finance Committee, whose duty it would
nerhaps have been to direct your attention to the
most prominent items in the accounts, I shall now,
if the board have no objection, bring under your
notice a few of the points which have struck me upon
comparing the accouts of this year with those of last year.
Beginning, then, with the revenue of the township, I find
that there is an increase this year over last, in the ordinary
revenue of the township, arising from the rates, of £1,594.
Looking at tee other side of the accounts, however, 1 find
that the ordinary expenditure, leaving out of the account
the interest paid to the b nidholders and the
old debts paid off, there is on increase in the
expenditure of £2,365. On looking into the account,
I find that that increase is composed chiefly of
the following items :—There is an increase of £331 in the
highways and scavenger's expenses, which, considering the
ieerdase of the population, and the traffic on the roads, is
perhaps not to be wondered at. In the market there is an
increase of of £398 iti the year, but £365 of that, which is
nearly the whole, has been laid out in painting the mar-
ket, an item which, of course, will not be of annual
occurrence. In the Park establishment there is an
increase of £2SS, but again £250 of that item has been laid
out in painting the railings of the park, and a
good portion of the item has yet to ba recovered from the
parties who are to contribute to it. Upon the s'irveyor's
establishment there is an increase of £220. The chief
item of increase is on the parliamentary charges. The
increase on that item has been £1,017, which, as the
board are aware, chiefly arose, or almost exclusively arose,
from the bill of last session which we promoted with the
consent of nine-tenths of the I.ndho'clers,and which was
unfortunately lost on a technical objection. The lighting
and watching account, I am glad to say, is the same
as the year previous. These, if added together,
would make up, as nearly as possible a total in-
crease of £2,365, to which I have already referred.
Coming to the ferry accounts, the result it much more
gratifying. I find that the ordinary receipts of the ferry
for this year have exceeded those of last year by no less
than £2,777, and it is gratifying to know that £1,500 or
very nearly £1,500 of that increase has been on the daily
penny receipts of the Woodside Ferry. I believe that the
chairman of the committee will be able to inform the
board to-night that that increase is steadily progressive.
Ihe expenditure of the ferry as compared with that of the
last year shows a reduction of no less than £5.000. The
net figures are £4,977, so that if we add to the diminu-
tion of expenses the increasing revenue of the ferry,
the improvement in that branch of the township
revenue for the year will amount to £7,7.51. With that
sum the Ferry Committee have paid off the old debts—
debts owing this time last year—to the amount of £2,000,
and they have handed over to the township, as you will
have seen by these accounts, £5,000. The general result
was this, that if we were to clear off the whole residue of
the old debts, the township would still have 14 per cent.,
that is to say, would still be able to ditide 14 per cent. in
the; s'eape et interest to the bondholders. It was Entirely
in ace irdance with the views of the bondholders that this
should be done, because the bondholders in the bill to
which I have previously referred, agreed to forego the
receipt of any dividend whatever from the township until
the old debts which had been eating into the dividends for
the last five or six years should be wholly cleared off. To
enable the township to do this, and to make a sufficient
reserve fund, nine-tenths of the bondholders agreed to
forego their interest for three years altogether.
Dr. Baylis: To defer their interest.

The Chairman: Yes, to defer their interest for three
years. However, the township paid one per cent last year,
and has not, therefore, bean required to suspend totally the
payment of interest at all. Si.ice the date of the meeting
of the finance committee, when the accounts were laid
before them, one of_the old debts which was then intended
to be paid off—the sum which would be owint Mr. Laird
under the award, amounting to abort £l,soo—will not
now, as I am informed by Mr. Laird himself, becamc due
in the pasent year. There is some difficulty still with
regard to it, and therefore the debt cannot be paid off.
but must be deferred until next year. The rcsu't will
be, that instead of paying per cent this year,
to the bondholders, we will be enabled to pay two percent.,
with every prospect that in succeeding years we shall par
something more. Although I should have been very glad
to be able to announce to the board, the bondholders,
and the public, that every one of those old sores had been
got rid of, still we know the mount. We now know that
_ _

the amount is diminished to that simple £1,500 which has
yet to be paid to Mr. Laird. That is the whole of the
old debts remaining. With these remarks, I now leave
the accounts in the hands of the board.
Mr. Bailiff asked if the accounts were there for the
purpose of receiving the sanction of the board that night.
The Chairma❑ replied in the affirmative,
Mr. Bailiff : Is that the object for which the meeting
was called ?

The Chairman : I believe the meeting was adjourned
for the purpose of passing the accounts.
Mr. Bailiff said, if he remembered right, when the
meeting was adjourned it was understood that they were
to receive some information relative to an interview which
the committee expected to have had with the Gas and
Water Company, anti he, f r one, mu-t confess that he
felt quite taken aback on finding the accounts laid before
them that evening. They generally had a meeting in the
last week of May for that purpose, prior to the el ction.
Ha had no fault to find with the accounts.being , there.
He would rather they had been there some time ago. It
was a very awkward thing to call upcin public men, under
such a notice asthey had had that evening, to come there
and find the documents laid before them, to which they
were asked to give their sanction. The accounts might be
perfectly satisfactory to every member of the board, and
he had no good ground to complain of them, excepting
that he thought from the 24th of April to the present time
there had been sufficient opportunity to have had the
accounts laid upon the table for the inspection of every
member of that board, without their being called upon
at a moment's notice to sanction such an outlay as
£24,000, or very nearly £25,00.0. Whatever might be
the result of that evening's meeting, he trusted that
whoever would be at the board next year wolild take good
care that no such orcurrence should happen again. (Rear,
hear.) He for one felt considerably dissatisfied with this
fact as regarded the accounts, and with that only. The
chairman had of course had them in his hand, and had
been able to digest them,
The Chairman : Within the last two hours only—no
longer.
Mr. Bailiff said, as the chairman was a member of the
finanCe committee, the accounts were familiar to him ;
but the members of the hoard, who were not members of
that committee, and who had an equal right to
know how every fraction of the rates was expended
had no such privilege. (Hear, hear.) He thought, there-
fore, with all due deference to the proceedings of the
Finance Committee, that the accounts ought either to
have been laid upon the table previous to that day, or,
which would have been more satisfactory still, a copy
ought to have been sent to each member of the board
(Hear, hear.)
The Chairman quite agreed with Mr. Bailiff that it
would be desirable, if possible, to lay a copy of the
accounts on the table, for the consideration and inspection
of the members, previous to the meeting. It was, how-
ever, very much as a matter of form that the accounts were
passed, because they were not in reality passing an
expenditure which had to come on of £24,000, but a mere
re statement of expenses. every farthing of which had
been already sanctioned and passed by the board, from
week to week, during the past year. (Hear, hear.) It
was a mere statement of past, not a proposal for future
expenditure, and, therefore, when it was signed by the
treasurer of, the township, and confirmed by the public
accountant whom they employed to verify the accounts,
they did not run any very great risk, it seemed to him,
in passing it. At the same time he thought if it would
enable members of fhe board to have en opportunity of
comparing the expenditure of one year with that of
another, it would be a highly desirable arrangement that
the accounts, or a copy of them at all events, should be
laid on the table of the board a few days before the date
of the annual meeting. He believed if Mr. Bailiff would
make a motion that such be the procedure for the future,
there would not be a single dissentient at that meeting.
Mr. Bell agreed that the accounts ought to have been
in the hands of members at least a week before, and
trusted that before another year such an order would be
made. It was extremely difficult to understand the ferry
accounts on hearing them read over, as they were not in
the printed copy then on the table. He begged to call
attention to one item in the law and parliamentary
charges— the item of travelling expenses, £436 19s 9d,
• which seemed extremely heavy. He could hardly conceive
how such an expense could have occurred during the time
the deputation had been in London.
The Chairman said £lB6 of the whole amount was for
the expenses and allowance to the law clerk. The board

were aware that during his absence on parliamentary
business in London, the arrangement was that be wat to
be aPowed £3 per dey, some portion of the amount a'so
was ehowance and remuneration for witnesses who were
brought up in support of the bill to which he had already
referred.

After some further conversation and explanaticn of items
in the accounts,

Mr. Golburne moved that the accounts be paned.
Mr. Bell seconded the motion, which was carried
unanimously.

Mr. Bradley moved the confirmation of the ferry ac-
counts, which waa seconded by Mr. Wilkinson and c.rried.
Dr. Baylis moved, 8111 Mr. M•Wtirter seconded, the
confirmation of the Free Public Library accounts, which
Was:ilsokgreed to.

Mr horaas li. Gilloway was appointed and sworn in
is valuer of the property within the township, nutil the
'urther nomination and appointment of the commissioners.
The board then adjourned to MoMay the Ist of June,

THE RECENT ARREST OF STREET PREACHERS
AT CHESTER RACES.

PUBLIC MEETING AT CHESTER.

On Monday evening a public meeting was held in the
Music-hall, Chester, for the purpose of expressing syni..
pithy with Mr, Reginald Radcliffe and the missionaries
from Liverpool, Alio were arrested and incarcerated in
bridewell at Chester, by order of Major French, one of
the kcal magistretes, for preaching in the streets during
the time the races were going forward. It may be stated
in explanation, that after the arrest of Mr. Radcliffe and
his friends, Itlejer French went to the bridewell and
desired to liberate them, but Mr. Radcliffe refused to b 3
diFehargrd, except in open caurt. Hereupon he and his
friends were ejected, and when the Case came before
the magistrate the following morning it was dis-
missed. The large Music-hall, which is capable of
accommodating between tw.) and three thousand per-
sons, was filled to overflowing with a highly
respectable and influential audience. The platform was
also entirely filled with clergy anl laymen, not only resi-
dents in Chester, but gentlemen from Liverpool and other
places surronnding..

Mr. William Titherington, of the firm of Titberington
a- d Gill, cotton brokers, of Liverpool, and also chairman
of the Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction
RAlway Company, presided. The proceedings were opened
with prayer, and Mr. Titherington at great length explained
the proceedings of the missionaries at Chester, and also the
movements of the Chester in igistrates. lie alluded to the
paragraph that had been inserted in the papers, to the effect
that his partner, Mr. Gill, of this town, had won a largo sum
of many at the races. lie (the Chain-air) deeply regretted
it, bat he could tell the meeting that his partner was as
sorry as himself, and he was in a position to say that he
was quite sure his partner would never again be seen on a
race course. (Hear, hear, and loud cheers.) After some
further remarks, the chairmen resumed his seat amidst
much cheering. A number of gentlemen then addressed
the meeting, and several resolutions sympathising with
the gengemen who had been incarterated in the lock-up,
and condemning the unaccountable conduct of the magis-
trates, were passed with great unanimity, after which the
meetir:g separated.

A clever trick is reported to have been played off on the
King of Naples. Some one sent him his passplrt for the
Argentine Republic, with the signatures of the ministers,
and which were real ones.

TIIE BISHOPRIC OF StritaF, Limiz.—The Sfar says there
is some reason to believe that a gentleman of colour will
be appoitted to the episcopal supervision of the above see,
in succession to Bishop Weeks.
MALTA, May 13. —Admiral Lord Lyons will, it is
repined, pay a visit with the reduced squadron under his
orders, to the King and Queen of Greece. who lately sent
an aide-de-camp to meet him at Syra, to signify their hops
that he would visit Athens.

The Journal des Dehats is piqued at the speech of Lord
Napier, in which he called it the community cf origin and
of interests which exist between the two nations, and
promised the empire of the world to the Anglo-Saxon race.
The Debats is not pleased with this cordiality. It calla
attention to the difficulties of the States with New
Granada, and shows how very much at variance are the
Cabinets of Washington and St. James's.
Minato, May 11.—Narvaez opposed an amendment
reflecting el,. the Vicalvaribts, declaring the intentions of
the Queen ti be concilivory and for an oblivion of past
political diffsrences, in which feeling the cabinet shared.
The amendment was negatived without a division. The
government has pre:ent the law relating to the press.
Caution money to the amount of 15,000 duros is required.
The jury for the trial of press offences is to consist of
primary judges. Newspaper articles are to bear the sig-
natares of their writers.
THE _MURDER BY A LUNATIC AT WORK INGHAM.—
The insanity of Blackwell, who, it wiil be remembered,
was committed for the murder of a man who had slept
in the same room, in order to keep guerd over h'in, has
become, if possible, more dcveloied in his imprisonment.
He has broken the windows of his cell, and tn itie an
attack upon one of the warders, and is obliged to be
placed nader very severe restraint. His insanity ru
rams the same form—that of religious delusion. He
shows great readiness in quoting Scripture, and some-
times stands on a stool nal preaches to his attendants. An
order from the Secretary of S ate will be obtained for his
removal to a lunatic asylum. The inquest on the body of
Rance, the murdered man, was held on Friday eveainr.
The jury returned a verdict of " Wilful murder" against
John Blackwell.

DRILLING M.P.s.—We have not been requested to insert
the following, which has been largely but privately circu-
lated, and to which we have great pleasure in giving a much
better publicity than that intended by its authors : —" Office
of the Scottish Reformation SOciety, Briinhrtrgh, 6, York-
place, May 12, 1857.—Dear sir,—You will have observed
that Mr. Spooner's motion for the withdrawal of the May.
nooth Grant is to be brought forward on Thursday, the
21st instant. It is of the utmost impqrtance that individual
electors should corresp md with their members, urging
them to be present to support the motion. Nothing has
such an influence on our representatives as private con'.
munic itions from individual constituents. As no time is to
be lost, we earnestly hop that you will adopt this sugges-
tion on receipt; and that you will also endeavour to
influence as many of the electors in your district as you
can, to follow the same course. We would further
recommend that such eOmmunicotions should bo forwarded
in every case, as in the event of your representative being
noravotirahle, he may be inluced to abstain from voting;
ft pOssible, it would be most desirable to get up also a
rtition. We are, dear sir, yours very faithfully, GEORGE
LYON, Hon. Sec., EDWARD M. DILL, Acting See. P.S.—
We w uld suggest that your letter should be addressed
to your member, at the House of Comm)ns, London."—
Scotsman.

INSURANCE NEWS.—United Kingdom Temperance and
General Provident Institution. The annual meeting of
this society was held at the London Tavern, on Monday,
C. H. Lovell, Esq., M.D., in the absence of Samuel
Bowly, Esq., of Gloucester, presided; From the report, it
app3ars that the number of new policies actually issued
within the year is 2,568, covering assurances, amounting to
£372,047, and prothicing an annual income of £13,095 2s
10d. In the working men's section, the `number of policies
issued in 1856 was 928, and the amount assured,
£14,699 13s 24, thus making a total of 3,496 policies
completed within the year, and of assurances effected to the,
amount of £386,746. The accumulated capital at Cs*
close of 1835, as shown by the balance sheet was
£138,81038 led, and the annual income £50.063 7s 7d.
The capital at the close of 1856 had reached £167 980 18a
101, and the annual income £51,067 18s 93, exclu,ive of
commission pail on renewal premiums. At the present
time the accumnlated capital may be tet down at 5182,000,
and the annual income at •X 67,000. W. Janson, Esq ,
having retired from the board, Samuel Bowly, Esq., of
Gloucester, was unlnimously elected in his stead. The
report was adoired with acclamation, and with the re-
appointment of the auditors, and a vote of thanks to the
directors and to W. ft. Baker, Esq., the meeting termi,
tinted.

THE CRIMINAL ASSAULTS BY A PARItH
LENIENT SENTENCE„--At the Middlesex sessions, on
Monday, Henry Hills, 49 years of age, described as Es
clerk, of superior education, was indicted for unlawfully
assaulting Hannah Stamp, a girl under 12 years of age,,
with intent, &c. He pleaded guilty. Mr. Serjeant Parry
ani Mr. Metcalfe were for the prosecution ; Mr. Sleigh
for the pHs utter. The prisoner's wife had a school at No,
7, Grundy-street, Poplar, and the prosecutrix was one or
her scholars. He had been guilty of indecent conduct to
many other gills. Serjeant Parry said he was instructed
on behalf of a society for the protection of females, to
which he bad.been standing counsel some years, and of all
the eases which had come ender his notice ;he present was
perhaps the worst, The prisoner had abused gills who
had attended his wire's school 'in sixteen or seventeen
instances, which could be proved, and no doubt in a great
many others ; and there was not one circunistarce of
mitigation in his favour. Mr. Sleigh said the prisoner
had withdrawn his plea of not guilty, and confessed his
guilt of his own accord, and since he had been in prison he
bad written a letter Expressing the greatest contrition for
his conduCt. As far as the prisoner himself was COP-
Mr. Sleigh, was not in a position to urge
in ruin and the greatest possible distress by his con-
duct, hdia,nghe,
in e
ir his favour, but his family had been involvedcumstance which the court would perhaps take
into consideration in dealing with him. The assisiant-
judge sentenced the prisoner to be kept to hard labour for
one year,