Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-07-08 00:00:00

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present the.pipes are being laid, and the gasometer, tank,
and buildings are in a forward state. Relating to public
order, we have duties imposed on us by one of our acts
which we are at present powerless to perform, for by the
recent general police act we cease to have the management
of the police, and find considerable difficulty even in
carrying out our by-laws. I entertain the opinion that
the board will soon find it necessary to employ a class of
officers as special constables or orderlies for the purpose, or
else obtain a restoration of our former district police, in the
manner enjoyed by neighbouring commissioners. Public
convenience may sooner or later require the establishment
of a market. For this we have the requisite powers
under one of our acts. There are several objects pro-
motive of general improvement not expressly specified
in any of our acts which yet, .as the only governing
body sitting by the free election of the inhabitants,
it seems fitting for us to take up ; I will name one
only—it is a free public library, and perhaps museum.
In a community of at least 13,000 people there is the usual
proportion of young persons, and
.of badly educated persons
of riper years, and these have claims upon us which, in the
present advanced state of civilisation, are generally recog-
nised. To provide means of rightly occupying leisure by
the cultivation of the intellect, and by storing the mind with
sound and useful knowledge. would be one of the greatest
checks to social deterioration and crime. Granting this, I
trust an early institution of such an establishment may
receive the attention of the board in such degree as may be
legally practicable. I shall complete this general view of
our position with the subject of our finances, and these, I
am happy to say, stand on a sound and satisfactory basis.
Our liabilities consist, first, of a bond debt of £5,900
borrowed in five sums by the former Wallasey commissioners ;
and, second, of moneys borrowed by us from the Public
Works Loan Commissioner, for sewerage works and roads,
amounting in the whole, at present, to £8,500, with pros-
pect of increase to £15,000. The latter is in course of
payment by equal annual instalments, and will be cleared
off in twenty years from the date of loans; and it seems
desirable to pay off the former also, by a reserve of funds
for the purpose. Besides these two items, our liabilities
will include the cost of gas and water works, which will be
repaid by their own revenue in twenty annual instalments ;
and ultimately also the purchase money of the ferries, which
will become a bond debt whose interest will be paid out of
revenue. Our ways and means are, first, certain lands

wuose value is at least equal to the old bond debt; and,
second, the general and special rates upon an assessible
value at present £46,405; but this value is constantly and
rapidly increasing, which will be apparent when I state that
in 1819 it was only £32,927, showing an increase in ten
years of £13,478; but those figures do not present a fair
c3mparison, because ten years ago, previous to the
introduction of the Public Health Act, lands were
assessed in fall as were the houses, but that act
relieved the landholders to the extent of £3,000 in their
assessment, besides laying the expense of all sewerage upon
the occupiers. Now, adding that sum to the present assess-
able value, it gives £49,405, making the actual increase on
. •
assess

_..gents. in ten years no less than 50 per cent. Supposing
only the same ratio of increase in the ensuing ten years, we
shall have a total value of £70,000 ; but, from the vast
works hastening to completion in the docks, and our own
progressive operations in rendering the district ir--
morr resirable as -

4 a place of residence,- with upwards of
£3,000 acres of surface in a locality of great natural
salubrity and beauty, that ratio will be vastly accelerated,
and we may reasonably expect that in 1869 it will touch
the sum of £lOO,OOO. Our general district rates were at
one period 2s in the pound ; they are now Is 3d only, and
inclusive of the special district rate in the highest rated
township, they are only is 9d in the pound,and this notwith-
standing the large works of drainage and other improve-
ments which have been carried forward during the last
-gra]. years. The total of local burdens, inclusive of poor
9s 10d in the pound. Comparing eleven
ibouring parishes or districts (including ev-

rates,_ averages

Liver-
.
iimpal expenses are defrayed by

GLIe oorougn estate, and therefore enjoy an advant;ge),
find their average local burdens are 3s 7d in the pound,
being 9d more than ours. Birkenhead is is 6d more than
ours. Toxteth-park is is 10d more than ours. We have,
indeed, to look forward to a lighting rate and water rate,
which may at first be felt, but will gradually become insig-
nificant as burdens, whilst they will lessen the other items
of our taxation, as one valuable feature in our accounts will
be that whilst each rate will be kept distinct the whole
will be virtually one, the surplus from and one being appli-

cat. ,ne deficiency in any other one, excepting of courst.
the special district rates for sewerage, the costs of which
will be met by those who reap the advantage of the works
—.441 - -

au are pain on. On the principles of finance on which
our operations are carried on, it is obvious that the district,
at no very distant period, will be in a state of great comfort
and independence. Oar sewerage, roads, gas, and water
works, will be entirely free from debt, and the expenditure
•,, 1

on ineir Demur wit/ ne confined to maintenance and exten-
sions, which will then be much more than covered by
revenue, so 'that the general district rate will have very few
and light demands upon it, over and above salaries and
establishment expenses, with ordinary wear of roads and
sewerage. The sketch I have now presented may suffice to
show that ours is no light or unimportant office, but that a
work of greater interest or responsibility can hardly engage
the time or attention of any gentlemen. There is nothing
to hinder our making this large district one of the most
healthy and comfortable, and the very cheapest for residence,
within any reasonable distance of the great town where. our
business avocations are carried on. The area lay before us
at first almost a blank, few of the moral or sanatory evils
attendant on growing aggregations of men had obtained
footing. and consequently the removal of such as had com-
menced was no difficult work ; no great constructive mistakes
had been committed whose rectification would have been
costly ; no financial burdens rested on the inhabitants like
an incubus forbidding all effort at improvement ; blunders
of neighbouring places becanie our beacons; modern science
had directed parliament to enactments empowering non-
corpora'

e communities to govern themselves in such Manner
as to secure the best practicable sanatory conditions and
social well-being, and we took hold of those advantages at a
time when they can be most fully carried into effect. The
accomplishment of these objects is the trust which we have
accepted at the hands of the ratepayers. I hope that any
Cattempt to draw your earnest and careful attention to them
all will not be altogether useless, and that the results of this
most critical and important year may entitle us to receive
from our constituents the praise of fidelity. (Applause.)

APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES

tr. Hill said, he wished to make a motion relative to the

appointment of committees, and in doing so he would state,
for the information of new members, that they had had two
standing and one special committee. From the experience
of the works and health committees, it was considered desir-
able that they should have another committee to attend to
the gas and water; and he would, therefore, move that
there be four committees, namely, the works and
health, the finance, the ferry, and the gas and water
committees.

This motion was agreed to.
It was moved by Mr. Hill, seconded by Mr. Holmes, that
Messrs. Hill, Hughes, Parr, Fishwick, Littledale, Eyre,
Marshall, and Byerley compose the works and health

nmitte

The board approved of the nomination.
Mr. Hill moved, and Mr. Ball seconded, that Messrs.
Holmes, Kerford, Ball, Fishwick, Roberts, Byerley, and
Harrison compose the finance committeE
Mr Tf;11

moved, and Mr. Hughes seconded, that Messrs.
Littledale, Hughes, Fishwick, Caine, Hill, Kerford, Ball,
and Holmes compose the ferry committee.
Mr. Hill moved, and Mr. Fishwick seconded, that
Messrs. Hill, Marshall, Hughes, Eyre,- Ball, Holmes, Fish-
wick, and Parr, compose the gas and water committee.
"" 1---ard were unanimous in their approval of this

nomination,
Mr. Hill said there was another matter to which he would
call attention, in reference to a sort of committee which he
might call the plan committee. Mr. Caine and the chair-
man bad been appointed as a committee to look after the
interest of the board in a part of the land called the Hooks.
He moved that they be re-appointed and empowered to take
such steps as might be necessary. to enforce their claim.
The board then adjourned till the 21st instant, at seven
o'clock in the evening.

S. HELLEWELL, 2 and 3, Quadrant, and 53, Castle-street,
Liverpool, gratefully acknowledges the entensive patronage
he has received from his friends and the public generally,
durinp the eleven years he has been engaged in the Indian
Rubber and Gutter Percha trade, both as a manufacturer
and dealer. His success in uic ;,,,t7oduction of every variety
of waterproof and airproof fabrics, and their .ipplio.tion in
the manufacture of garments, life belts, beds, deck,; sea,.
and fishing boats, &c.; and the equally important adapta-
tion of the same materials to mechanical purposes. He,
therefore, deems it due to himself, and to those who may
intrust him with their orders, either for export or home use,
Ito state, that he is prepared to afford them every advantage
he enjoys from lrong experience - a thorough acquaintance
with the market—and the preference he has established
with the best manufacturers, both us to terms, and the
prompt exec'ation of his orders, either here or else,.
where ; and, for large wholesale ot•ders he is open to treat
with consrmers, or exporters, OP, the most liberal term.—,
+* am, tat delgtertissinent.