Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-01-05 00:00:00

HEALTH COMMITTEE

The proceedings of the health committee were then
read.

Mr. Rae took occasion of referring to some efforts that
were being made in reference to the establishing of a new
public cemetery. He believed that Board would do all
in their power to assist in this object, and he hoped the
ratepayers would take the matter in hand vigorously.
The proceedings were confirmed.
The proceedings of the Roads' Improvement Committee
were then read and confirmed.

FINANCE COMMITTEE.
The proceedings of this committee were read. They
contained a report from the sub-committee, stating " that,
in compliance with the resolution of the Board, your
Finance Committee beg to lay before you the returns
made by the various committees of the estimated
expense for the year ending 24th April, 1859,
for maintaining the different establishments under their
various superintendence, together with a similar report
from the Ferry Committee, including an estimate
of revenue from that source. According to these esti-
mates the year's revenue amounts to £26,466. The
gross expenditure amounts to £16,766, leaving. the swill
of £9,700, out of which is to be paid to Mr. Laird under
an award in his favour of £1,661, leaving a balance of
£8,039. It follows that if these estimates of receipt and
expenditure are realised, there will remain a surplus of
£8,039, available for the payment of interest of the
bonded debt of the Commissioners." The proceedings
were confirmed.

Mr. Aspinall asked how the wool market was pro-
gressing in Birkenhead ?
The question was not answered, several gentlemen
holdinc, that Mr. Aspinall was not in order.

Mr. spinall then drew the attention of the Board to
the rent that was being received for the Tap at Monk's
Ferry, which was only £1 a-week. He thought this
was very much below its value, and it would be better to
get rid of it altogether.
The Chairman said it would be well for the law-clerk
to see Mr. Laird, with the view of getting themselves
out of the trouble in reference to this tap.

This was agreed to.
Mr. Rae asked if there were not £lO4 expended on
advertising the Wool Market.
It was explained that the matter was referred back to
the Finance Committee, and it would be again brought
before the Board before payment.

FERRY COMMITTEE

The proceedings of the Ferry Committee were then
read. _ _ _ _ _

The following are the ferry. receipts of December,
1858. For the same month iu 1857 the amount of
receipts was £2,123 8s 9d. ; for 1858, £1,873 6s. 6d.
The receipts from the 24th April-to the 31st Decelber,
1857, were £20,823 15s. ld. ; for 1858, £19,420 4s. 4d.
The expenditure for the same period was, in 1857,
£14,645 ss, 10d.; in 1858, £15,778 10s. ld.

Mr. Bradley asked if it was the fact, that Mr. Ewart,
the magistrate, had crossed over from Monk's Ferry, and
refused to pay any fare, on the ground that the Com-
missioners had no right to charge.
The Chairman said, it was true that Mr. Ewart did
cross over to Liverpool and refused to pay any fare, but,
when he returned he paid both fares, stating that he had
been misinformed, and that he regretted having taken
such a step:,... (Hear, hear.)

. ,
Mr. Bailiff' asked, whether a man having a contract at
Woodside, could use the Monk's ferry.
The Chairman replied in the negative. The Com-
mittee were anxious to have contracts for Monk's
Ferry, but without the consent of the Railway Company
they could not have it. Two years ago he had an inter-
view with the Railway Company, and it was then in-
tended to charge £2 10s. for a contract ticket. The
Company, however, would not agree to it, because they
said it would injure their traffic. But now that the
Company were not afraid of increasing their own rates,
he did not see why that Board should not have some
small share. If the Company would agree to their
charging £2 10s., the Committee were uanimously in
favour of recommending the Board to adopt it.
The proceedings were confirmed.
LIBRARY COMMITTEE.

Dr. Baylis, in moving the confirmation of the pro-

ccedings, mentioned that the subscription for a testimonial
to the late secretary, Mr. Dutton, was proceeding very
_ _

well, and that the presentation would take place on
Friday, at five o'clock.
The Chairman moved that the thanks of the board be
presented to Mr. Dutton, for his exertions in promoting
the interest of the library. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Rae seconded the motion, which was carried by
acclamation.

The proceedings of the Gas and Water Committee were
confirmed without any discussion.
This concluded the business of the board.

LITERATURE

SOUTHERN LIGHTS AND SHADOWS : Being Brief Cotes
of Three Years' Experience of Social, -Literary, and
Political. Life in Australia.—By Frank Fowler. Lon-

don . Sampson Low, Son, and
This is an amusing little book on Australia. It is the
work of one who spent some two years in the colony in
various capacities, social, literary, and political," and
must have had opportunities, one would think, of obtain-
ing materials for a larger and more pretentious publica-
tion than this, on a country respecting which there has
been so deep an interest excited at home,—and more
especially, as the author boasts, that " no man ever strove
more zealously to make himself acquainted with a coun-
try than I did during my two years' sojourn beneath its
fig trees." The reason assigned for the smallness of his
book is thus ingeniously stated,—" If I crush my obser-
vations and experience into a duodecimo, it is only
because, as an old traveller, I have learnt how to pack a
good many things in a small compass:' But packing a
carpet-bag, and writing a book, are not exactly
alike,. either in the operation itself, or the object of it.
His packing process, however, has just had the effect of
converting what was doubtless intended to be a veritable
book into a mere brochure.
THE LANCASHIRE ALMANAC, FOR 1859, has duly
made its appearance this New Year, and it again recom-
mends itself to Lancashire people, and to all, indeed, who
have any connection with the county, by the copious
amount of valuable information it contains upon local
subjects, in addition to a large collection of statistical e
o
teicaaltoand
other intelligense of more general interest.
of
distinctly marked her
.c de uo
iwmt Yn
rnanwiehsicthheallAltmheanraacilwalasyo
lainnesexarce delleistnti
• Altogether it is, a most desirable manual, have can-
stantiy at hand; and it is,published at an extremely low
price.