Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-11-07 00:00:00

Estate Inundation Bill," of last session, gives
the Dock Trustees extraordinary poW-ers of
raising money. But the representatives of the
Birkenhead interests, Messrs. LITTLEDALE and
LAIRD, appear to be apprehensive that the
money will not be forthcoming to the extent
anticipated by the promoters of the bill; and it
does appear strange-that after the facilities that
were. given by
.both houses of 'Parliament of
opposing and throwing out that measure, that,
they should now be-alnrmed at what it is likely
to produce. The new Conservancy Commission
is bound to complete the Birkenhead docks
within a definite period of time. What more
can our Cheshire friends desire ? Can they be
afraid that money lenders, when they know the
true condition of the Liverpool Dock Estate,
will refuse to lend more upon it, and that in
this way the completion of the Birkenhead docks
may be deferred for an indefinite number of
y ears.

The New Commission will enter on their duties
under difficulties of a peculiarly delicate nature.
Their predecessors had, only a small balance of
about 100,0001. at the close of the last half-year,
and this, with what they have since received,
has, in all probability, been reduced to nil by
current expenditure. Commencing business
With an empty till will be found exceedingly
awkward. The first sum required will be about
1,200,0001. for the payment of dock bonds
falling due, and about 350,0001. to be paid the
Corporation, on account of the Town Dues.
Then will come Manchester for the expenses of
its parliamentary opposition to the Town Dues ;
.Birkenhead will urge a similar demand, and by
the time all the ready-money claimants are
satisfied the Conservancy Commission will find
that it has got through somewhere about
1,700,0001. Before one sixpence has been ex-
pended on the Birkenhead' Docks it will find
that a sum of 1,550,0001. annually will be
required to pay off Dock Bonds and the
instalments of the compensatidn due to the
Corporation. Manchester must have her -Par-
liamentary expenses paid, for all her agitators
have done has been " for the benefit of
Commerce."—What a glaring imposture!
Birkenhead must also be paid her Parliamentary
expenses, but, certainly, with:some more cogent
reason ; but that Liverpool can have more docks
on this side of the river, until the Commission is
allowed to feel its way and satisfy itself that it is
immersed in debt up to the chin, is altogether out
of the question ; and this, we regret to say, the
Dock Committee's long list of memorialists
will find to be the case.

The present Dock Trust will expire on the
first of January next ; the powers they now
possess will pass into other hands ; and is it to
be supposed that 'Parliament will sanction
projects devised by a defunct body ? No such
thing. -Enere wilt be no Parliamentary cam-
paign, then, next session. The Members of the
Commission have to be elected by the Dock
ratepayers; and just at the time, we might
suppose, they were beginning to feel their
whereabouts they are to go to Parliament to
revise or reconstruct their own constitution. Here,
then, two sessions must pass over before we shall
hii've any dock authorites so constituted as to
project plans and carry them through'Parliament.
This is the precise position in which our dock
affairs are placed at this moment. We can't go
back to the old regime, and how we are to get
forward, with anything more than the comple-
tion of the Birkenhead Docks, as sanctioned last
session, must be a profound puzzle to all who
know anything of the subject. The Chairman
of the Dock Committee does not appear to be
master of the situation ; and those, who wish for
more than can be granted, would do well to seek
other counsel before they think of appearing
before Parliament this session to ask for 8G6,000/.,
as it would only lead to their being "snubbed "
a second time.

IT is .rumoured in circles likely to be well
informed that Mr. JAMES HOLME. acting on his
own conscientious impression of what is just and
right, does not intend to put himself forward in
opposition to his colleague, Alderman PRESTON,
for the Mayoralty, although it is said that several
of the extreme Tory party in Council are re-
solved to put him in nomination, even if against
his own inclination. We should not be at all
surprised if both rumours proved correct. We
are aware that Mr. HOLME, if he acted on his
own convictions, would shrink from any act
savouring of personal bitterness to a political
opponent. and that his own refined and well
matured judgment would suffice to indicate that
the proper, the dignified, course for him to
pursue, under the circumstances, would be
voluntarily to withdraw his claims in favour of
one who has an acknowledged priority to the
honours of the next Mayoralty, For Mr.
HOLM S's own sake we should rejoice that this
should be his present determination, and that he
will adhere to it on the day of election. How-
ever much we may differ with Mr. HOLME in
politics, we are bound in justice to respect him
as a citizen. And we should certainly regret if
we were not placed in a position to congratulate
his accession to the civic chair, when his turn
comes fairly and honourably for filling that
office. And we are much mistaken of these
sentiments are not participated in by his sincerest
and most ardent friends in the Council. But on
the other hand' there is no doubt that there is ,
a party in the Council blind to any consideration I
save that of faction. This party are utterly in- I
capable of generous impulses, and, will, no doubt,