The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-03-06 00:00:00

WALLASEY LOCAL BOARD OF HEALTH.

The usual monthly meeting of the Commissioners
connected with this board was held last evening at-the
public offices. 'Chcirch street, Egremont. Mr. Pooley
occupied the chair. The other Commissioners present
were—Messrs. Caine, W. R. ani.E. W. Coulbarn,
Singlehurst, Hughes, Odell, Fishwick, Wilson, and'
Littledale. _ _ .

The Clerk read the minutes of the last meeting, which
were adopted and confirmed.

THE WORItS AND HEALTH COMMITTBE.

The prweedings of this 'committee were unanimously
adopted, on , the motion of Mr. Caine, seconded by Mr.
Hughes. They were total'y devoid of public interest.

THE FINANCE AND WATCH COMMITTEE,
Upon the proceedings of this committee being re;.d,
Itir.W. R. Coulborn persisted that the names of the parties
who had not paid their rates should be r ad over and
published, in order that it might bt known who had
resisted the payment of the rates. He moved a resole.
tion to that effect, but subsequently withdrew it.

SPECIti, FERRY COMMITTEE.

Before the proceedirtgs of this committee were
read, the Chairman alluded to the memorial
forwarded to the Board of Trade, relative to the
state of the ferries which hod met with prompt attention,
and from the report that had been given, that there was
no alarni to arise from the state of the ferry boas. There
was no ground for alarm. That would be highly grati •
fying to the public, agd also to Mr. Coulborn, and he
did hope, that aftor such an expression of opinion from
such a high authority, that it would be satisfactory to
all parties.
The Clerk then read the following.
11f EMORTAL : -

To the Right Hon. the Lords of the Committee cif Privy
Council appointed for the consideration of matters
relating to trade and foreign plantations.
The humble memorial of the Local Board of Health for the
district of NVallassy, in the county of Chester.
Sheiveth—.

Thaitieiaiish of Wallasey is situate at the, north east
end of the bthidfed of Wirral', in the said county of. Chester,
opposite the town and docks of Liverpool, and is bounded
on its eastern side for an extent of nearly three miles by
the river Mersey.
That the said parish contains a resident population of
9,000 or upwards, a large number of whom are engaged in
mercantile and other pursuits in Liverpool, and in the
summer months there is a considerable addition thereto
from persons who resort to the said parish for recreation
and sea bathing.
That there are within the said parish three ferries, or
reputed ferries, called respectively Saacombe, Egrernont,
and New Brighton ferries, alt of which are in the hands
of the same persons as lesses.
That the only direct communication between the parish
of Wallasey and Liverpool is by means of one or other of
such ferries, and the boats plying therefrom, several of
which boats are used for the conveyance, not only of pas-
sengers and goods, but 'also of cattle.
That one of such ferries is distant from the landing.
stage at Liverpool three miles, another two miles, and the
third one mile, or thereabouts.
• That the Mersey is a tidal river, varying in width be-
tween Wallasey and the opposite shore from about three
quarters of a mile, at the landing stage at Liverpool to a mile
and a half opposite New Brighton ferry, with a very strong
current, and frequently a very heavy sea running. .
That great dissatisfaction has, for some time past, pre—
vailed in regard to the management of, and the condition
of, the steamboats employed on the said ferries; and an
occurrence of recent date, namely, the sinking of one of
such boats, though understood to have been accidental;
has increased the alarm of the public, many of whom
entertain a belief that some of the boats are not fitted for
the service they are required to perform.
To allay all apprehension of danger, if unfounded, or to
provide a remedy, if well founded, your memorialists
believe the interference ot your right honourable board to
be equally necessary.
Your memorialists in seeking such interference are not
unmindful of the periodical surveys held on the steam-
boats referred to, under the provisions of the Merchant
Shipping Act, 1854, but they consider some more stringent
examination necessary to remove the feeling which now
exists in the public mind.
Your memorialists therefore humbly pray
That your right honourable board will be pleased to
direct to be made a thorough and searching investigation
of all the steamboats employed on the ferries before
referred to, both as regards construction and strength of
hull, efficiency ot engines and machinery, management and
adaptation to the service upon which such steamboats
are severally employed; and as regards iron boats, whether
they be constructed in water tight compartments.
(Signed) Henry Pooley, Chairman,
Harold Littledale,
Nathaniel Caine,
Henry Fishwick,
John Wilson.

The following was the answer to the above, the read-
ing of which was received with the greatest applause :
Office of Committee of Privy Council for trade, Marine
Department, Whitehall, Feb. 28. 185'7.
_ _

aria directed by the Lords ofThe-Committee of
Privy Conurlil for Trade, to acknowledge the receipt of
the memorial of the Wallasey local board of health, com.
plaining of the inefficiency of the steatn•vessels plying
the ferries from Seacombe, Egremont, and New Brighton
to LiVerpool, and praying a searching examination into
the condition of all' the boats employed, and I am to
acquaint you, for the information of the memorialists,
that they have referred the matter to the surveying
officers orthis board at Liverpool, appointed' under the
Merchant Snipping Act, 1654, for the purpose of seeing
that the provisions of that act relating to passenger
steamers are duly observed, and have received a report
from them on the subject.
A copy of this report is enclosed for the information of
the memorialists—l am, sir, your obedient servant,

.
T. H. FARRER.
J. K. Hassell, Esq., Egremont, Birkenhead, Cheshire.

[copy.]
Surveyor's Office, 9, Duke-street, Liverpool.
21st February, 1e57
As the first six statements of the enclosed memorial
have reference chiefly to the situation, boundary, and
population of the pairish of Wallasey ; the number of
ferries, their distance from Liverpool, and the mode of
communication with this port, and to a description of the
river Mersey, we consider that it is only to the latter
portion of the memorial that our attention is requested.
viz., the condition of the ferry steamers, and the cause, of
the sinking of one of them.

With respect to the condition of the steamers, we have
to report that we consider them to be in good condition,
and in every way fit for the service, which they have to
perform, Had we not, declarations would not have been
granted to them for the present half yearly certificates.
There are five built of iron and two of wood. All the
iron boats have two watertight bulkheads, and some of
them have tour; and the wooden vessels are as strongly
built as is necessary.
With res,pect to the sinking of the steamer Wallasey,
we have every reason to believe, from an inspection which
we have made of the vessel since she has been raised and
placed in dry dock, that she struck upon an anchor, which
started a butt of one of her planks, and that any vessel
under the same circumstan-ees would have met the same
fate. She is very strongly built, and, from the repairs
which she is now undergoing, we have every reason to
believe that when she is again placed on the ferry, she will
be nearly equal to a new vessel.

The machinery of all the vessels is constantly inspected,
and is in good working order.
_ _

- -
We think it rights to state that when surveying and
inspecting the steamers plying from these ferries we have
always found the owners ready and willing to make good
anything that may be pointed out to them as deficient,
either in the steamers or their equipments.
(Signed) James Mostyn.
Charles Barber.
George Syder.

Mr. Hughes moved the confirmation of the proceedings
Mr. Littledale, then,
,aftesgo few preliminary observa-
tions, in the course of whicltt he stated that he had no
faith in the report that had been furnished from the
Board of Trade, because it was scarcely likely that the
examiners would stultify themselves, moved,
" That this board would feel much obliged by the surveyors.
for the Board of Trade giving specific answers to the fol-
lowing questions :—The surveyors say that the whole
of the iron boats are in at least two water tight bulkhead
compartments. Commencing with the Queen of. Beauty,
built in the Clyde, 1815. She is in three compartments,
that is, there are two iron bulkheads, which separate the
engine room from the fore and after cabin. Arc they suffi-
ciently strong that, should a hole be made in the after cabin,
to keep the vessel afloat, there being a space of upwards of
40 feet without any water tight compartment. Would not
the weight of water in that spats cause the vessel immediately
to sink ? Also, what is the thickness of the plates in
the same vessel ; so that, should she in a heavy sea off New
Brighton (when 400 people are on board) be struck by a log
of wood, are the plates of sufficient strength to resist a
blow of that description ? The board and the public in general
think the above named vessel the • most useful boat of
the five iron vessels in Messrs. Coulborn's employ ; and if
the surveyors will say that that vessel is perfectly safe, that
her iron tight bulkheads would keep her afloat on being struck
in any compartment, they would 'relieve a great deal of fear
and apprehension existing in the , parish on that accoun'.
The Commissioners beg to say that their idea of a water-tight
bulkhead is that on any one compartment being filled with
water, the vessel will still keep afloat."
Mr. Odell seconded the resolution.
Mr. W. R. Coulborn said he did not r7se for the
purpose of objecting to the resolution, btit he thought,
that every body should mind their own business. He
expressed his great surprise that Mr. H. Littledale, who
had made such gross statements at the public meeting
with regard to the ferries, had not come forward
and acknowledged that he was wrong. He
(Mr. Littledale) had stated that there was not
a single boat that had a watertight compartment, that

was proved to be wrong. as was also the statement th,it
be had made with regard to the Woodside Ferry, and
felt surprisEd that Mr. Littledale had not had the ma''{
courage and honesty to come forward to that board ao
admit that what he had stated was an error.
After some conversation the board Givided upon •
resolution, there being five on each side, and the Ch,lr,;
man gave a casting vote against Mr. Little
resolution.

THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE. , •
The proceedings recommended that strenuous 01)1
position should ba made to the Birkenhead Gas ape
Water Bill, and the Clerk was directed to take '
necessary steps to oppose it in parliament.
The resignation of Mr. Neville, as a member of le%
lb.!
A
board, was accepted. Mr. Neville had been disquail
by non-attendance.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

LIVERPOOL.

• BEE'oRE MR. AMIN.'
MURDEROUS ASSAULT BY A HUSBAND.—Williart
Halfpenny, the keeper of ga beer house in Albert stee.,
Everton, was brought up by detective officer Scott,
remand, charged with having committed a murderous a
il',
sault7on his wife. The prisoner had been in custody for
last fortnight, as the wife was not able to attend to c;i;
sequence of the injuries she had received. S )te
appeared, but was in an extremely weak s"t;
and spoke so low that her evidence had to
repeated by Mr. Clough. She detailed a series of dun'
assaults committed on her by the prisoner, who, it Irs
peared, beat her about the head and body. He "scthe
poker and other things, and beat her head agairl', -,t
wall, until he nearly killed her. A woman sou ~(1
daughter of the prisonervvere examined, and corroborOet
•he statement generally of ill usage. The Prist°
was sent for trial. rl,O
THE RACES.—THE FANCY BALL AND THE " FAO' der
A tall, thin, hungry looking genius, named Alesl,ol,
M'Farlane, charged two ill looking fellows, named
Willstead and Joseph Hanley, with having r°"(131
him of his watch and a ten pound note, on Tlt'.„l,.
night last, about eleven o'clock. 'in the ,
boarhood of St. George's Hall. The prisoners I:to-
defended by Mr. Bluck. The complainant des° oil
himself as a " Provincial Bill Poster," from Belfast, 31,6
his statement was as follows :—He said he came,Peoi
from Belfast, on " pro fessional business, and after i,,i,1e:14
Tuesday night, be was in the locality of St. Georges 'lied
when two men seized him by the neck, nearly strong
him, and at the same time, robbed him of a tee Prjf.
note, anti cut the chain off his watch, and escaped,
ing him half dead. Detective Smith, said, the coelPiiii
ant told him of the robbery about half past eleven, abej
described the appearance of the persons who r° bees
him, and said, the complainant stated that he had ,iOO
one of the men at the races, and from the deseriP,".Bi,
given of him, he at once knew him and where be hlef
He went to a house in Albion street, where be Po;
Hanley lived, and at two o'clock he found him C0:1/6ej
in, and arrested him The prosecutor then idea° ,b)
him as one of the men who robbed him. He (SIT bulb
was at the races on Tuesday, and having seeug °Ole
prisoners there, he suscected that Willstead r_a'icect
second man. Detective officer Laycock said, "6, ite
to the race course on Wednesday, where be sa,.,..sid
prisoner Willstead, and be arrested him. On .!ea`;, 011
him, he found a guard chain which was cut, elvhi,s,
was identified by the prosecutor as that stolen fro" d ho
The prosecutor was cross examined by Mr. Black, 5°330
answered as follows :—I went to the races on-. Toes .it
and met Billy Harvey there. Who is Billy Harvey, °re
Billy Harvey, sir, is a respectable " gentleman bill Plen't
from Belfast. I met the prisoners at the races. That
into a tent, and was there twenty or thirty minutes. is
was the time the second race was over. I came 110111 e
4a
a cart with them from the races, and went to Jack Sat"j' a
public house in Charles street. Went after that t? g,
sparring room in Newington, where two men were hos,l;iie
I was not drank at the time, but I had had some ale.
„,to
j
prisoners were at the sparring room, and I asked al',
take me back to Jack Savage's, as I could then fi,_flu„joir
way home. When I got towards the neighbouvu°4,4l
St. George's Hall they seized me by the throat and 101°-iett
me nearly senseless, taking my pocket book with a tco
pouna note, and cut my guard chain, and took toy" 103 e,
also. I swear the prisoners are the men who robbeuA pp
Mr. Bluck made an able speech for the prisoners, a° hied
the part of the prisoner Hanley he produced
td
witness to prove an alibi, but his Worship exPre;;:o
his decided opinion that the complainant's story
ful
quite true, and lie would therefore seud the prisoners
trial at the assizes.
rEud
THE EFFECTS or DRINK.—A respectable looking P.e,;ing
named Charles R ,binson, described as a rigger, res"o.
in Duncan street, was charged underthe following circle
stances. Mr. Campbell defended the prisoner.
Mary Stephenson, of Henry street, stated that after twedo
o'clock on Wednesday night the prisoner called et 10
house and knocked furiously. She refused to let himdje
as he was much in the habit of annoying the place' „,,r
then went to an adjoining smithy, took a large hatil:,/,
and smashed in the door, when "she gave him into etts'''oi
In reply to Mr. Campbell,- the witness said the hollsBl,Ero
not belorg to the defendant's father, but she lived ti 7,01
and was his wife's mother. Mr. Campbell said his be
had been indulging too much on Wednesday, arl'had
instructed him to say he was very sorry for whet had
taken place, and he would pay for any damage thtti,e
been done. The complainant said, the prisoner h" -flt
bound over on a previous occasion. The prisoner tbd
ordered to find two sureties, in £lO each, to keel'

peace. SO'
WHAT Is AN OFFICER'S DUTY ?—A POLICEMAN
PENDED.—Mr. James Whittaker, an outfitter, carrYbilice
business in Old Hall street, was charged bi cut
constable 442 with being drunk and disorderly, a";"Adtv'
having interfered with him in the execution of his yble
Mr. Campbell was for the defendant. The OrOlJ
said about half past eight o'clock he was oa duty in bet
Hall street, when he saw a number of females o' dOO
character creating a row at a public house door, $.11,0
going to put them away, the defendant interferec;o
him, and said he did not know his duty, but, in orue-io
convince him to the con•rary, the constable took I;jr,
into custody, and locked him up on the charge. orcl
Campbell made an able speech for the derenee,„t
tta
called a witness, the purport of whose evidence Icf"
show, that the p2licernan told a person who was ,be is
company of Mr. Whittaker. that he must not eon pet
the streets, and that Mr. Whittaker told him he d'"l,e iv%
know his duty, whereon he was locked up for ;tll°
drunk and disorderly. Mr. Aikin said, he did thin
to be
peceman bad exceeded his duty, and ordered him
suspended. He discharged the defendant.

BIRKENHEAD.
BEFORE MESSRS. CISE, SHAW, AND COLON* 4100
STEALING JOINERS' TOOLS.—William 'Little, NO°
reminded until-this day, was again plac-d in the davno .:,
a charge of stealing a quantity of joiners' tools,
which was some very expensive moulding planes, .01
the workshops of Mr. George Lacey, a builder in C°:o4'
street, Birkenhead, in whose employ the prisoa P„,,eo
From the evidence of James Matthews, Mr. 1.";c;e1
foreman, it appeared that an entrance had been rujbicJ
into the workshops by forcing open three doors. ;eet,
he himself had safely locked on the evening of the roe of
and was the 'last person to leave the premises. been
the- doors 'bore several, marks of a jemmy having r,e
used for that purpose. Four moulding planes were Iley's
duced, which he fully identified as being Mr. le the
property. The prisoner was detected througP
instrumentality of John Prenton, an assistant Taer
Sharp, of Paradise street, Liverpool, to whom the PrI9;01):
had offered the planes in pledge, but who very 131:1011
refused to advance anything on them until he (the Prijd dot
produced the owner,.which the prisoner said he 'o°l%oo'
and left the shop for that purpose, but did net re- 01
Prisoner, who said nothing in answer to the charge'
then fully committed for 'ti ial.
. ll°
HAWKING WITHOUT A LlCENSE.—Margaret M`ne•lrl. pose'
charged with hawking stockings, &c.. without a
in Tranmere. County Constable.,Stanley stated thrticsee
apprehended the prisoner on Wednesday last, ja log
mere, as she had no license for hawking; before "; tiS
so he bad heard her offering them for sale. Noalfe',2°ell
complaints had been made by shopkeepers, 0 tn-tite
persons as the prisoner going about selling goods tlie,
great injury of their trade. Upon examination 0.0 es
prisoner's bundle, it was found 'to contain 180 Pil,licted
stockings, 9 pairs of socks, and other articles. o°ll,-
in the penalty of £lO, or fourteen days iMDTiSODDIeri",a,"
STEALING FROM THE WORKS OF THE GREAT FLOOll'
James Swift; alad lately 'in the employ of the °Levitt
Thompson, the contractors for excavating the great The
was charged with stealing brass engine fitting. eve
prisoner was detected in offering them for sale at 3 rti-foll
store dealer's in Birkenhead. The fittings, wer,e,
identified by one of Messrs. Thompson's engineer"'
days hard labour at Knutsford.

• of
The bronze statue by Moore, the eminent sculP,'°lelf
6' the poet of all circles," Thomas Moore, has arrived s.,"llis
in Dublin. Early steps will be taken to have it plane of
t'tsarddessiignncedollloegcaelistytr,eoept.posite the entrance of the -.11"
Oa
THE QUEZN OF. THE BEGGING LETTER WRITEE'*-- r Cri
Tuesday this notorious character was placed at the, bathe
the Marylebose Police Court, charged with having 'l,,ns, of
most artful manner obtained money from 111 r. Broo'hf the
Doctors' Commons. She appealed to the feelings
s.°o 0
prosecutor on behalf of her daughter. who was au° arse'
undergo a
•very painful operation. Her tale, of pesos
-turned out an entire fabrication. She Was sent to P
for three months.

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