Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-12-03 00:00:00

entrucn EXPENDITURE COMMITTEE.

The proceedings of this committee contained 'a recom-
mendation to confirm the appointment of Mr. Charles
Smith as organist of St. Luke's church, during the pleasure
of the Council, at a salary cf £3O per annum, commencing
kern the 17th day of February last. The minutes also
mentioned that Mr. Steains had been elected chairman,
and Mr. W. P. Jeffreys vice chairman of the committee.

SisratNs moved the confirmation of Mr Smith's
appointment, stating the circumstances under which he was
originally appointe.:, and which were already several times
before the public.
Mr. W P. JETPRZYS seconded the motion, which was
unaninviusly passed.
Th 3 general proceedings were then confirmed.

WATRR CO MSI ITEM.

The proceedings of this committee contained a report
from 'Professor Brandt on two specimens cf the Itiv ngton
water, the general effect of which was, that in thcse speci-
mens there appeared to be nothing objectionable except
the co our. A further report by Professor Brandt, and one
by Dr. Clarke, are to be submitted. A sub-committee had
been appointed to consider the practicabili'y of supplying
the two kinds of water by different pipes.
Mr. nooses said, in accepting the office of Chairman
of tht Committee, he felt the very great difficulty of his
position even at the commencement, when ho knew that
he had to follow gentlemen such as Mr. Holt and Mr,
Cooper, and the difficulties with which they had had to
contend during the many years that that subject had been
beLre the town. Ha was, indeed, particularly grateful to
Mr. Earle for the very kind manner in which that gentleman
proposed him for the office he now held, and also for the
very generous support and kindae,s which had been she wn
to him by every member of the Committee since he occupied
the chair. The object of all the members was but one, in
common, to endeavour, if possible, and as quicky and
rapidly as they could, to settle that long- vexed question,
and he thought it was now in a fair way to be settled
(hear, hear). Tho proncedings of the Committee were so
fall, and almost every subject which had been before the
Committee was given so much in detail, that it was not
necessary for him to occupy the attention of the Council
by any remarks of his own. If there were any subject
With which any gentleman in the Council was not conver-
sant, he should be happy to afford all the information in
his power. He begged to move the confirmation of the
proceedings.
Mr. EARLE seconded the motion.

Mr. ROBERTSON asked why the collection was less this
ye,r than the previous year. There was a difference of
21; per cent.
Mr. lionsoN said, last year was almost the very best
collection they ever had. This year the difference, as the
Treasurer told hini, was owing to the difficulties of the
times.

Mr. ROBERTSON : Then, I understand that there is no
calling off in the water rate, only in the colleodon.

AIi:EARLE : Certainly.

Mr. Hoosog said, 11Ir. Jeffery had just informed him
that yesterday he signed 100 summonses as a magistrate,
for the payment of water rates.
The proceedings were then cmfirmed.
LIBRARY AND MUSEUM COMMITTEE.

The proceedings of this committee wore read.
Mr. PICTON moved their confirmation. Ho said that the
lending libraries had increased in their usefulness and
extent to such a degree that the public were beginning to
press for additional accommodation. The committee had
taken the subject into their serious consideration, and
were desirous, under the sanction of the Council, to do
whatever might be necessary to increase that accommoda-
tion, an i disseminate th 3 adv.mtages enjoyed from libraries
to a wider extent. There were, however, considerable
difficulties in the way. The premises the committe':
rented at the north and south end, although very well
adapted for the purposes of the institutions when first
opened. wore now too contracted, and it therefore became
a serious question how far they would be justified in laying
out a large erm of money in increasing the accommodation
of premises belonging to others. To get other premises
was a matter of considerable difficulty, And the committee,
in consequence, now proposed as a means of temporary
relief to increase the hours of attendance at the libraries,
so as to give a greater degree of atten ance in
the distribution of books. The libraries would
for the future be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m , with
the exception of a few hours in the middle
of the day. That arrangement, would throw considerable
additional labour on their atondants, who would have to
ba compensated in some way; but the committee 03 imated
that, while the additional exneuse would be only £56 per
annum. the extension of the aceemmodation of the libraries
would be equal to 30 per cent. The question of the
permanent enlargement oDthe lending libraries was one of
a more serious character, and at prevent the committee
did not see their way clearly in the matter. They could
not afford anything out of their present funds to purchase
promises. and in the present transition state of the Corpo-
rate funds, they could not expm in such a matter any
considerable outlay on the part of the Council. (Hear,
hear.) He might state, in regard to the central library,
that the inquiry for bodes had increased three-fold, and
that hundreds of people had to go away from want of
accommodation in the reading-room. It became most
necessary, in consequence, that the new buildings should
be completed as soon as possible, and he was happy to say
that the surveyor, he believed, was now ready to receive
e.titnates, and proceed with the erection of the buil ing.
(ifear, hear) It would be gratifying to the town to know,
that of its kind the library was the largest in point of
numbers of readers and volumes of any in the Kingdom,
perhaps in the world. (Hear, hear.)
The proceedings were confirmed.
The proceedings of the Hackney Carriages and Baths
Committee were also confirmed. They contained nothing
of interest.

BIRKENHEAD DOCKS' COMMITTER.
The, proceedings of this committee contained a cone-
spindence between the committee and Mr. Harold Little-
dale, relative to a speech delivered by that gentleman in
Manchester, and published in the newspapers, in which he
stated that several ships, loaded with wool, belonging
to his house, arriVed in the river Mersey about the 20th
September, and were detained so lo g in the river that
the wool could not be brought forward at the market on
the Bth of October, by which he had suffered a consider-

At LEWIS & COMPANY'S, Ranete,gh-street.
DOTS are CLOTHED from the Ages of Six to Twouty Year

able loss. The committee produced a statement from the
harbour masters, showing that the vessels were all berthed
on the 2nd of October, except two, which were berthed on
the sth and 6th of October;

The proceedings also included the following report upon
the position and progress of the Birkenhead Docks' Works,
drawn up by the Town Clerk, at the direction of the Com-
mittee :

The following was the Town Clerk's

REPORT.

Ia accordance with the directions the Birkenhead Dock
Committee, the Town Clerk submits a " Report of all
the proceedings of the Corporation, as respects the Bir-
kenhead Docks, F.it:ce the passing of the Birkenhead
Docks Act, 1855."

In this report the subject will be considered—first, as
regards the outer works ; and, secondly, works on the
Pool. The Birkenhead Docks Act of 1855 transferred
to the Corporation the undertakings of the Birkenhead
Dock Trustees and the Birkenhead Dock Company ; and,
after reciting " that it is expedient that the Birkenhead
Docks should, with as little delay as possible, he con-
structed and completed in such manner as may render
them most available for the commercial purposes of the
port of Liverpoul, in connection with the Liverpool
Docks," and that the same rates, dues, and charges
should be levied in respect of -the Birkenhead Docks as
are now or hereafter levied in respect of the Liverpool
Docks, and that all the decks should be placed under the
same control and management, and be consolidated with
and become part of the existing estate of the Liverpool
Docks. It is enacted that the Corporation shall, either
alone or conicaCy with the trustees of the Liverpool Docks,
prosecate a bill in Parliament, in the next sesiion, for ob-
taining the requisite powers fer accomplishing the several
objects aforesaid.
By another section it is enacted that, unless Parliament
shall otherwise determine, the Corporation shell, and they
are hereby required, immediately after the Ist September,
1856, to proceed the construction of the several docks
and works which the trustees and company, respectively,
are empowered to construct ; and wholly to complete the
said docks and works iu accordance with the plans
sanctioned by the subsisting provisions of the several
Birkenhead Dock Ac's, before the Ist day of Sept., 1858.
This act received the royal assent
.23rd July, 1855, but
the undertakings did not vest in the Corporation until the
delivery of the bands thereby directed to be issued, viz.,
the 23rd of August following. But on the let of August
the Council appointed a committee "To take all steps
considered most advisable in relation to the undertaking
under that act," and to confer with the Dock Committee,
and adopt all such proceedings as may be proper under the
circumstances, or arising under the act.
At a meeting of the committee on the 3rd of August,
1855, it was resolved, "'That the Dock Committee be
requested to appoint a deputation of their body to meet
this committee on Monday next, for the purpose of making
arrangements for the Birkenhead property ;" which meet-
ing was accordingly held on the 6:,h of August, when it was
resolved that the bock Committee be r quested to allow
the dock surveyor to examine the whose "Undertaking
vested in the Corpoaation under the act, and to report,
with plane as to the mode of making that undertaking
most availeelle for the commercial purposes of the po;t
of Liverpool,

It was well known that the subject of the bast plans
for the Birkenhead Docks had been a question much dis-
cussed and disputed, at different times, by the Birkenhead
Dock Trustces themselvee,'and that at the expiration of the
year 1850 Mr: Bendel had ceased to be their engineer,
and that Mr. Abernethy had,, mainly in consequence of
the exertions of Mr. John Laird,. an original promoter of
the Birkenhead Docks and a most influential member of
the trust, been appointed in his place. Mr. Abernethy
prepared plans for the completion of the docks on a prin-
ciple differing essentially from those of Mr. Bendel,
inasmuch as the low-water biuiti, proposed by the latter,
and bu:horis-d by parliamant,. was abandoned, and a
half-tich, basin, with gates into the river Mersey, was
substituted.

It was also known that, in the session of 1851 and
1852, attempts had been made by the Birkenhead Dock
Trust, supported as wail by the funds as by the evidence
of the engineer and other servants of the Shrewsbnry
and Chester and Cheshire Junction Railway Companies,
to obtain the sanction of parliament to this alteration ;
and als.), that when the former company arst resolved
to take land on the south resecve for a railway station—
land now claimed by the Great Vre;tern Railway
Company—it was in anticipation, as expressed in the
resolution, of the docks being completed according to
the plans of Mr.. Abernethy, instead of those of Mr.
Bendel.

In accordance with the resolution of the Birkenhead
Docks Committee of the council of the 6th of August,
3. B. Hartley, the Liverpool dock surveyor, considered the
subject, and, on. the 6th of October, submitted to them
plans of new works, upon which the commissioners
resolved—" That the same ha referred to the Dock
Committee, and that they be respectfully requested to
favour them with their views thereon, and how far those
plans were calculatel to make the Birkenhead Docks and
property most available for the commercial purposes of the
port in connection with the Liverpool Docks."
-These plans- were approved by the Deck Committee,
and were submitted to and approved by the chairm.n of
the Shipowners' Association, and Mr. M'lver and Mr.
Hamilton, representing the Ocean Steam Trade, and to
other gentl;men largely interested and experienced in the
commerce of the port. Their opinion being unanimous in
favour of the proposed plans, application wt.s- made to
Parliament in the following session (1356) to authorise
the construction of the' Birkenhead Docks on this
_ _

The bill was opposed by various persons, having parti-
cular rights and interests, for which proteetioa was desired
to be obtained, bu; principally by the Great Western
Railway Company (representing the Shrewsbury and
Chester Railway Company), and the Cheshire Junction
Railway Company. These companies, notwithstanding
their proceedings before Parliament, in 1852, on this
occasion urged the completion of the docks. according to
Mr. Rendel's design.
During the progress of the bill, and indeed before it
went into commit:me, negotiations were opened by the
Corporation with the Emlway Companies, in order to
agree, if possible, upon a plan upon which the docks might
be completed in a manner satisfactory to all parties, and
so early as March, 1850, the Great Western Railway
Company sent in a memorandum embodying their views as
to the nature of the works at Birkenhead; but as they
required that the south reserve shotild especially be devoted
to railway purposes, an adrqu ite plot of ground thereon
being devoted to an hotel, those requisites could not be
complied with. Netwithstanding their rejection of these
terms, the committee, anxious to afford every reasonable
facility for the railway trefftc at the Birkenhead docks,
appointed* a sub-committee to confer with any gentleman
appointed by the Great Western Railway Company, and to
consider whether any further facilities for railway purposes
would be for the public advantage. The Great Western
Directors declined eny conference, and proceeded, as before
stated, to oppose the bill, which was ultimately lost.
Having regard to the opinions Expressed by Mr. Hartley
and other engineers of the highest eminence aed of the
greatest experience, that the works, as designed by Mr.
Mendel, could not be maintained at the requisite depth by
the Means proposed and being desirous that the works
executed, should be those most available for commercial
purposes, tt-e committee of the Corporation immediately
after the loss of the bill of that session, again opened
communications with the Great Western Railway Com-
pany, with a view, so far as practicable, of arranging a
Alen satisfactory to railway interests, to the local
-
authorities on bolt sides of the pool, and to the commercial
bodies.

After some correspondence between Mr. Hartley and Mr,
Brunel, the folmer prepared a plan which, it was thought
would substantially meet the views of all parties, and hav-
ing in the month of October, 1856, submitted it to the com-
mittee, a meeting was fixed for the 21st of that month, at
the Town hall (an earlier appointment having been post-
poned by the illness of- Mr. Brunel), at which the Great
Western and the Cheshire Junc:iou Railway Companies, the
Birkenhead Commissioners, and the Wallasey Local Board
of Health, wore invited to attend.
Representatives of these various companies and bodies
did accordingly attend at the time and place fixed ; and a
memorandum of requisitions, together with •a plan of
proposed works, being handed in by them, a lengthened
discie.sioa ensued, which ended in a promise, on the part
of the committee, to consider their demands, and forward
a reply in Tithing. •
This reply, dated the 27th of October, was. accordingly
thspatcheel, and expreseed the inability of the committee
to agree to the proposals made to them, inasmuch as these
proposals involved nearly the whole of the South Reserve
for the special purposes of the two railway companies. The
reply also contained an invitation to another meeting,
which took place on the 31st of October, at which Mr.
Laird handed in a Nailer amended plan, which ho stated
had received the approbation of the deputation. To this
pan the attention of Mr. Hartley was requested by the
committee ; and, with the addition of an enlargement of
the existing Morpeth Dock, was deposited by the Corpo-
ration, in obedience to the standing orders of P.trliame.nt.
The bill of 1856 contained not only clauses authorising
the construction of the works according to Mr. Hartley's
plans, but also clauses for the repeal of' the existing acts
relating to the Birkenhead Dock Trustees and Birken-
head Dock Company, thirteen in number, and for con-
solidating and re-enacting, in an amended form, many cf
the provisions interspersed through these various acts,

BOYS' CLOTHING MADE wag GREAT TASTE, at LEWIS and
COMPANY'S, ItaAglikgl4-streQt:

and essential not only to confer the necessary powers for
the proper completion of the undertaking. but for its
permanent management. The act of 1855 limited the
borrowing powers of the Corporation to £500,000, a sum
insufficient to complete the works according to Mr. Ben-
del's plans, and it was proposed by this bill to extend
those powers, so as to authorise the borrowing of a sum
sufficient to complete the whole works; but as the
Committee rejected the bill 011 preamble, all these powers
necessary, upon whatever plan the works were to be
constructed, were also refused. To avoid a recurrence
of this difficulty, two bills were deposited for the session
of 1857; one to authorise the construction of works
according to the plans then deposited, with powers to
borrow money for their completion, and called the Con-
struction Bill; and the other called the Management
Bill, relating to the repeal and consolidation of acts and
the management of the undertaking, with further bor-
rowing powers to be exercised in the event of the Con-
structien Bill being defeated. Both these bills were
read a second time, and re erred to a committee, of which
Sir James Graham was the chairman ; and to which com-
mittee was also referred the Mersey Conservancy Bill, ana
several other bills relating to the town dues of the Corpora-
tion and to the harbour of Liverpool. The Construction
Bill and Management Bill stool first and second in the
group, and according to usual practice, would have been
considered in that order by the committee. But although
the importance of settling the plan, according to which
the Birkenhead Docks were to be completed, and the
delay which would ensue if that course were not
adopted, was not forcibly urged by Mr. Hope
Scott, the leading counsel of the Corporation, the cam-
mitten determined to proceed with the Mersey Conser-
varcy Bill first, and to postpone the other bills until
they had arrived at a decision upon it. The committee
was engaged on the preamble and clauses of that bill
from the 20th of May until the let of July, on which day
they intimated their opinion that as they had passed the
Conservancy Bill, the Corporation ought not to proceed
with the Construction and Management Bille. The
counsel for the Corporation expressed their readiness
and anxiety to go on with the Construction Bill, but,
after some discussion, a day was given to the Corporation
to consider the course they would pursue; and on the
let of July, the subject having been maturely considered,
Mr. Merewether, one of the leading counsel for the
Corporation, addressed the committee, and his observa-
tions are quoted, because it seems important to show
that it was owing to the course pursued by the committee,
and not to the Corporation, that those bills were not
proceeded with. Mr. Merewether said :—Sir, in our most
earnest desire to proceed with this bill, we have employed
the time which the committee were kind enough to give
A, in full consideration of the position in which affairs
eon are. That consideration, sir, has been applied to ihe
solution of two difficulties. The first,. (and, of course,. in
all propriety I give that peecedence)is your understood and
expressed determination in no sort to depart from the prin-
ciple of the decision et which you have arrived on the lust
bill. On the other hand, there is, if you will permit me to
say so, the equally firm resolve of those whom I hare the
honour to represent, to de nothing which' should he tor-
tured by our opponents (whom, of course, we have to-
consider)lnto the remotest acquiescence in the principle
of that decision. We have endeavoured, sir, to consider,
every alternative by which those difficulties might be
solved. We thought it might he possible, and not
ic-
consistent a ith your determination, to refer to the legisla-
tion of 1855, in which a power was ,given to the Corpo-
ration to do certain things, with a fixed contemplation
of their having to make a transfer ultimately to
others. We also considered that it might be possible
that out of the bill should be struck the naming of any
operating hand, so that the bill might present ieself not in
c nAllict with the views of the committee, or as a waiver of
our own. But we find, from those who are competent to
advise us upon that subject, that by the forms of the other
House of Parliament, a bill so framed could not pass
through the standing orders, because, when it arrived at
the House of Cords, we should have to make a demi iration
of the source from which the funds were to be supplied,
and by whom those funds were to be supplied. Tee con-
sequence is that that bill so shaped, sir, would not pass
the House of Lords, or would return to you having
expressions in it at variance with your view. There was
a further alternative, sir, which was thin, that the bill
might pass as it is framed at present, but that there
should be a clause inserted at theond, binding a transfer
to the parties, who, at some given date, should represent
the governing body.. But, when we come to refer to the
bill, sir, we found that, in the money clauses, it was
imperative upon the Corporation to raise the money,
and that upon the security of the borough fund. Of
course, sir, you will understand that, upon finding that,
it occurred to us that that created an insurmountable
difficulty in pursuing the bill in that shape ; because,
although the proposition might have been that there
should be an execution by the Corporation of the
works, and a payment during the execution by them,
they being bound to transfer at first cost upon payment
of interest, inasmuch as the source from which those
funds were to come would be the borough fund, you
will readily see that a person paying to the borough
fund in the year, say. 1858, bet who should, by death or
removal have left Liverpool at the time when the repay-
ment took place,. would be suffering the penalty of haying
been there during the expenditure, and net there at the
time of the payment. Consequently, sir, that presented
also an insurmountable objection. Now, sir, as tar as in
us lies, we bslieve that we have contemplated the
various alternatives, the various modes by which, under
present circumstances, this bill might be proceeded with.
In the interval, also, sir, we have had an onpartunity
of considering the full effect of what fell from your-
self, which, though expressed perfectly clearly at the
time, was not so clear to as, at the moment, as re-
gards the consequences ; and perhaps you will permit me
to read a very few words of what fell from yourself and
myself yesterday.—Chairman (to Mr. 2lerewether) : It
would not be your wish needlessly to occupy our time ?
Merowether : Certainly not.—Chairman : The
committee most certainly will adhere to the decision
which they have taken upon the larger measure ; they will
not recognise as the governing body, to whom these new
powers are to be confided, any other body than that which
is established in the bill which we are about to report
to the house.—Mr. Merews thee : That I quite. under-
stand, sir, and you will not hear a word from me upon
the subject. You will not hear from me a word of en-
deavour, on this bill, to induce you to alter your decision
on the lash—Chairman : And clauses must be inserted
suspending the operation of the bill of construction, such
as we shall shape it after hearing evidence, till the new
trust be established ; or, if we see no prospect of that,
as the House of Commons will have decided upon the
bill which we shall report in the course of a few days,
it will be open to us to reject the preamble of this bill
instead cf amending it. Now, sir, those lest obser-
vatiens, falling from yourself, of course one did net at
the moment see the full consequence of. At this period
of the session things are a matter of time ; and upon ex-
amining the time, and what would be the prospects of
the bill so suspeided, with the object which you have
indicated, we find that, practically, it would amount to
an impassibility of this bill pasting during this session.
Now, sir, I have candidly told ..the committee what bas
passoi through our minds. We, believing that this is the
best plan, and the one which should be executed—that it
is the best plan to be executed, bath for Liverpool and for
Birkenhead, are honestly desirous of going on will this
bill ; but we find that the circumstances of the case, and
the decision of the committee, have surrounded that pro-
ceeding with the bill with such insurmountable difficulties,
that, however reluctantly on our parts, we must wi,hdraw
the bill, leaving the responsibility of that withdrawal in
the quarter, whatever that may be, to which the responsi-
bility belongs.
It should not be omitted that, notwithstanding what
had taken place at the various meetings before mentioned,
the works bill was opposed on petition, by the Great
Western and Cheshire Junction Railway Companies,
who prayed that the authorised or Rendal plans should be
carried out.

The Mersey Conservancy Bill, as introduced into the
House of Commons by the promoters, viz., the Great
Western Railway Company, and the Manchester Cham-
ber of Commerce, and Manchester Commercial Associa-
tion, proposed to render it inverative upon the new
Board to proceed immediately after their election with
the construction of the Birkenhead docks, according to
Mr. Rendel's plans; but this provision was altered by the
committee of the House of Commons introducing the
words "if they snail think fit ;" thus giving an option to
the new board to proceed at ell according to those plans.
This clause was further altered in the House of Lords, by
striking out the words "if they shall think fit," and
introducing the word " substantially," and the clause now
sands in the act, "The Board shall immediately after the
commencement of this act proceed wish the construction
of the outer works at Birkenhead, referred to in the
Birkenhead Dock Act, 1853, with a view to the comple.ion
of the same substantially, in accordance with the plans
that have been sanctioned by Parliament." Thus giving
a power to 0 e New Board to consider their plans with a
view to their revision to some extent.

The act also provides, that until the board shall take
possession of the Birkenhead clocks, under the provisions of
this act, the Corporation shall proceed with the construc-
tion of the works authorised by the Birkenhead Dock Acts,
and after tl e board shall have entered into possession of
the same Birkenhead docks, they shall assume all contracts
and all liabilities of the said Corporation in respect of the
said works.
The act received the royal assent on the 25th of August