Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-03-22 00:00:00

the charge. It was thought- necessary to have a head
superintendent for the'-markets', and the whole of the
members of the committee were unanimous on that point.
With regard to the resolution now before them, it was never
concocted at a meeting.
Another member said, the difficulty seemed to be the fixing
of the age of the head superintendent at not over 40 years
of age, and he was of opinion that the officers were never
thought of at all.
Mr. Bowriug said, he could not allow the remarks that
had been made Tby Mr. Woodruff to pass without asking
him who Mr. Luya was a political agent for. He dis-
claimed all intention of having wilfully excluded the officers
by fixing the age at 40 years.
Mr. Chilton said, in the Dock Board, such a resolution
was understood not to exclude the servants or officers.
The Chairman said, that was not the case with them,
as it had been said that they wanted to get rid of the
officers.

......,.......
Mr. Shimmin said, after what had been said he had
little to say. There had been a charge brought against
Mr. Luya. He did not think that it was the intention of
the cgmmittee to dispense with the services of
Mr Luya altogether. He had heard that he
was an turt'ent, but he could not tell to which
party he belonged. This he had heard 'outside,
and had also heard that Mr. Gladstone had a person cut
and ready for this new situation at £3OO a year. He
mentioned that to give him an opportunity of a public
denial.
Mr. Woodruff said he had mentioned that it was talked
of out of doors that Mr. Luya was an agent for a member
of the committee. He had no hesitation in naming the
person, and he knew that Mr. Luya had been a busy poli-
tician, and nobody could deny that he had been a very
busy man in election matters, and it was Mr. Gladstone
that the remark was applied to.
Mr. Shiel was sorry that Mr. Woodruff was not at
the last council meeting to have made his speech,
because it appeared to him that it was altogether
in support of the resolution to which the committee had
come. He had told them of many faults of which Luya
had not been charged. There was no superior officer to
get at these matters. To say that the committee would.
(search out these matters, or can do it, was perfectly impos-
sible. Then Mr. Woodruff had told them that they would
not be justified in making any charge unless it would
remedy all evils. Why it was not in human nature to do
such a thing.
Several members spoke after this, and on the motion
being put, the resolution was carried by 8' to 3.
The following resolutions were then proposed by Mr.
Gladstone, each of which were supported in a speech :
" That, in order to prevent any misunderstanding as to
the intention of the committee prospectively, they desire to
record that, on any vacancy occurring, the appointment of
superintendent to each market might have been restricted
with efficiency to the following reduced scale of salary :
St. John's, £150; 'St. James's, £l3O ; St. Martin's, £l2O ;
total, £4OO. The present remuneration being : St. John's,
£275 ; St. James's £225 ; St. Martin's, £2OO ; total, £7OO
per annum. Thus clearly showing that, with the addition
of the appointment of a head superintendent at £3OO per
annum, the cost of the establishment would still be the
the same to the corporation.
" Regarding the change proposed, however, as essentially
vital to the future well-doing of the markets, this committee
are of opinion that, if the circumstances had even been
otherwise, and that the expenses of the establishment had
been in excess of the former amount, the extra cost would
have been much more than compensated by an improved
management, and corresponding additional pecuniary advan-
tages arising from enhanced rents.
" That the present defects of management are, in the
estimation of the committee, in some measure to be attri-
buted to the want of energy and determination on the part
of the Corporation, in neglecting to correct errors, and to
introduce improvements as opportunity occurred, until at
last the period has arrived when mismanagement has
assumed an authority, and the character awl form of a
custom and principle of daily action.
" That, bearing this circumstance in mind, whatever the
merits or demerits of the present superintendents may be,
in reference to the means they possess in their own persons
for the discharge of duty, this committee does not feel that
they would be justified in discharging. the present superin-
dents, one of whom has held his appointment for a period
of nearly twenty years, because the ability to introduce and
carry out successfuly any new scheme of reform is distrusted,
seeing that the corporation itself has been more or less a
party to such disqualification by permitting error to go by
default.
" That it would have been unnecessary and undesirable
for such head superintendent to be stationary at any one of
the markets ; but that he should have visited the three
principal markets daily, and the others as often as occasion
might require ; and that an office should have been pro-
vided for him in the new building in Dale-street, where
the committee meetings and business of the department
might have been conducted."
On these resolutions being put as they were proposed,
they were carried by 8 to 3.
This was the entire business.

THE FIRE AND LOSS OF LIFE IN MARYLEBONE.

On Friday afternoon Mr. Brent, the deputy coroner,
and the jury empanelled as to the deaths of Sarah Jones,
James Partis, and Robert Moon, the three persons des-
troyed by the dreadful fire which broke out at the Horse
and Groom, Great Portland-street, Marylebone, on the
morning of Sunday, the 6th inst., resumed the inquiry at
the Buffalo's Head, New-road, Marylebone.
The investigation was adjourned for the attendance, if
possible, of the persons who are still in the hospital, to
speak, if possible, to the origin of the fire, and for a post
mortem examination of the bodies.

Mr. H. T. Smith, resident surgeon of Marylebone work-
house infirmary, said he had made a post mortem examine-
of the bodies, and the evidence was that they had died of
suffocation. There was nothing to indicate that either of
the deceased had been intoxicated prior to death.
Mrs. Jane Price, the landlady of the Horse and groom,
prior to the occurrence, deposed that at the time of the fire
there were nine persons in the house - Mr. Price, herself,
two children, Samuel (the barman), Sarah Jones (the
servant), the potman, Moon, and Partis and Cooper
(lodgers). Witness, Mr. Price, and the family slept in the
second floor front. There were two rooms in front.
Samuel slept on the same floor ; and Jones, Partis, Cooper,
and the potman slept on the floor above. Witness and
Mr. Price were the last to go up to bed, about one o'clock
oh Sunday morning. Partis and Cooper had gone up
before, and they were not sober. Sarah Jones, after the
gas was put out went down to the cellar to turn
the gas off at the meter • and she came up and said she had
done it. Mr. Price had previously turned the gas off up
stairs. Was first awoke by a sense of suffocation, and
the room seemed full of smoke. Mr. Price being very
deaf, she shook him violently, and called out, "Oh
dear me, the house is on fire !" He replied, " Oh,
you are dreaming !" She the heard a crackling
noise of wood. burning, and opening the room door, the
staircase was in flames. He saw it, and cried out, "For
God's sake put something on you, and get to the window
with the children." She then opened them and screamed
out, " Fire, fire !" They were almost suffocated with
smoke, but could hear the springing of rattles and shouts
of the people below. The escape appeared a long time
coming, but it did come, and the children were first taken,
and then witness and Mr. Jones were saved. _ _

Mr. Charles Nicholls and Mr. Masson, neighbours, spoke
to what they saw of the fire, and the operations of the
escape which caught fire.
Mr. Price was recalled, and Mr. C. Freeth, of Wigmore-
street, and it transpired that, on the and March, Mr.
Price had effected an insurance in the Sun fire-office for
4300, a previous insurance existing in the Royal
Exchange.
Mr. Boyls, the summoning officer, having stated that
the two men in the hospital were unable to attend to give
evidence,
The jury returned a verdict :—" That the deceased per-
sons were suffocated during the late fire at No.. 128, Great
Portland-street; bnt how such fire originated there was
no evidence. The jury, however, had no reason to believe
that the fire was the result of any criminal act." They de-
sired to express their high appreciation of the promptitude
and courage displayed by Henry Mitchlin, the fire-escape
conductor, the fire brigade, and the police on the sad occa-
sion.

No SHIP SHOULD GO TO SEA without one of Saunders
and Co.'s Patent Self-cleansing Charcoal Filters, cased and
fitted-up expressly for use on board ship. Note the address,
SAUNDERS & CO., 16, Parker-street, Liverpool.
BALLOT MEETING AT HARWICH.-011 Thursday even-
ing, Mr. Whitehurst, on behalf of the Ballot Society,
addressed a large meeting of the electors of this borough
on the question of the ballot. A strong impression was
produced by the speaker's address, in the course of which
he explained, by means of a diagram, the system of ballot
in use in Australia, and put to the meeting the question
whether they would prefer to vote at their election to-
morrow in the Australian way. An universal cry of "Yes,"
proceeded from the meeting. Mr. Campbell afterwards
addressed the meeting.
SERIOUS ACCIDENT WHILST HUNTING.—OR Tuesday last
Colonel Vigors met with a very severe accident whilst
following the Carlow and Island Hounds, at Ashfield, in
the Queen's County. It appears that the gallant colonel's
horse, having stumbled, threw its rider, and then rolled
over him, breaking several of his ribs, and severely injuring
his chest. He was instantly conveyed home in a car, and
medical assistance immediately procured. He is progressing
as favourably as can be expected. Colonel Vigors is only a
short time home from India, where he distinguished himself
as a bravo and gallant soldier, particularly at the taking
of Delhi.