Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-10-20 00:00:00

Cautratts

CONTRACT FOR COALS.
THE GUARDIANS of the POOR of the ToN4nship
of TOXTETH-PARK are desirous of contracting for the
SUPPLY of COALS for the use of the WORKHOUSE, in
Smithdown-lane, from the 27th instant until the 25th day of
March next. Tenders must be made in the Form, which may
be obtained at my Office, and must be sent to me on or before
the 26th instant.
The Guardians do not pledge themselves to accept the
lowest or any Tender.
By order of the Board,
WILLIAM CLEAVER, Clerk.
2, Elliott-street, Liverpool. 1

Sunicipat elation

TO THE ELECTORS OF ABERCROMBY WARD.

GENTLEMEN',
THE Period for which I was elected a Councillor for
your Ward will shortly expire, and I should not have
Presumed to offer myself again to your notice, had I not been
solicited to do so by a deputation fro,m a highly-respectable
body of Electors. I may be excused being flattered by this
compliment having been paid to me, and I accede to their
wishes with pleasure. The kindness of my brother townsmen
has been the cause of bringing me so frequently before the
public, that my opinions are sufficiently well known, without
its being necessary for me to enter into any explanation respect-
ing them on the present occasion.
I have always been a strenuous advocate for a Comprehensive
Improvement of the Borough, so that its thoroughfares may
be rendered more convenient for the business transactions of
the public, and its dwellings more comfortable and healthy for
the Labouring Classes, whose occupations compel them to
reside within its boundary. Above all other improvements, I
should like to see such approaches made to our Piers and
Landing-stages as would render them safe and commodious-to
the public, and an ornament to our existing dock works. At
present they are in a state dangerous to all pedestrians, and a
disgrace to our noble port. /t is high time that the Mersey
Docks and Harbour Board and the Town Council should take
this matter into their serious consideration, with the view of
effecting this loudly-called-for improvement. The Mersey
Docks and Harbour Board have proposed a plan for facilitating
the transit of merchandise and cattle across the river, and a
most judicious step it is ; but why has not some thought been
bestowed on the convenience and safety of millions of human
beings who cross the Mersey in the course of the year? The
facility given to the transit of merchandise and cattle will, of
course, increase the danger and difficulties of w:lich the public
so justly complain. I defy the art of man to devise any plan
for forming a really good and unobjectionable approach to the
river, without the sacrifice of George's Dock Basin. The
scheme is chiefly opposed, I believe, by the ship iwners, under
the erroneous imprersion that it would be lain:ions to the
docking of their vessels. I use the term " erroneous " because
I have high authority for stating that the dreaded injury is
imaginary, rather than real. Let those eminent engineers, the
Messrs. Hartley, who have shown such wonderful talent, and
ingenuity in the construction of our dock works, be directed to
design a plan upon the pthciple I have suggested, and will
answer for it that every difficulty will vanish, excepting that,
perhaps, of providing the funds to meet the expenditure ; but
I should be sorry to think that, with our Wasted commercial
spirit and enterprise, even this difficulty may not be overcome.
If the Electors do me the lonour of sending me again into
the Council Chamber as their Representative, I shall support,
to the utmost of my power, as I have ever dont, those measures
which may appear to me best calculated to promote the welfare
and happiness of the vast and busy community in which we
live.—l am, with much respect, Gentlemen, your faithful
humble Servant, _

WILLIAM EARLE.
Abercromby-square, Bth October, 1859.

TO THE BURGESSES OF LIME-STREET AtARD,
GEN TLEME ri,

HE pe, iod of my delegated trust as your representative
in the Town Council is about to expire. A deputation
o your body has done me the honour to wait upon me with a
view to its renewal. With pleasure I accept their invitation
and deem t therefore no less a privilege than a d'i.ty to addres
a few words to you on the occasion. Whether they shall be
parting wcrds, or merely preliminary to a continuance of our
connection as constituents and representative, is a question for
your sole decision.
My conduct as a member of the Town Council for the last
three years, is before you. It is for you to decide how far that
conduct has exceeded or fallen short of your expectations.
But this I think I may venture to say—all that I promised,
when, in compliance with a numerously-signed requisition, I
placed my services at your disposal, has been zealously and
faithfully performed. What I under ook to do, if you con-
ferred upon me the honour of representing you, was simply to
discharge the important duties thereby devolving upon me to
the best of my ability. Perhaps I May be allowed to add,
without incurring the charge of presumption,,, that even p•ur
opponents and mine cannot deny that this pledge has been
fully redeemed.
Should there be, however, any doubt on this point, I shall
be happy to render the fullest possible account of my steward-
ship, whenever and wherever the opportunity is afforded.
The matters to which I alluded three years ago, when, at
your request, I • ffered myself as a candidate for your suffrages,
have certainly not diminished in importance ; nor do they re-
quire less unremitting attention on the part of your represen-
tatives.
The Town Dues question has been settled, if not exactly as
we could have wished, and as justice demanded, still in a man-
ner far short of absolute confiscation. The part I took in
effecting a compromise, when nothing less than such spoliation
was sought by some of our envious op
is ponents in the neigh-
bouring towns, known to you all. For property held by as good
a right as that on which some of our assailants enjoy their private
estateswe have obtained some compensation, though by no means
an equivalent. This question having been thus settled, it seems to
me a matter worthy of consideration, whether we should' not
now endeavour to come to some similar arrangement with re-
spect to the River Weaver Tolls, which are so heavy a burden
on one important branch of the trade of Liverpool. These
Tolls are far in excess of what is necessary to maintain the
navigation, and the surplus is applied to county purposes.
This may be a very convenient arrangement for Cheshire
landed proprietors, who seldom have to pay a county-rate of
more than a penny in the pound, but it is not exactly in confor-
mity with the principle on which they assailed the Liverpool
Town Dues. . .... . .

The precise information !relative to the Corporate Estate,
ordered to be furnished on the motion of Mr. Robertson Glad-
stone, of the non-compliance with which order, after a lapse of
twelve months? I complained three years ago, has not yet been
supplied. It is most important that, wherever the hitch lies,
and whatever may be the motive for withholding it; this infor-
mation should be forthcoming ; and should you again return
me to the Council, I will continue to use my best exertions to
obtain it.
I have endeavoured, as you are aware, to prevent the adop-
tion of a new mode of disposing of Corporate property, which
I consider most unjust to the present ratepayers, since it
inflicts upon them increased taxation for the benefit of pos-
terity entirely uncalled for; and, failing in this attempt, at
least to insure publicity and fair competition on all occasions
of sale or lease, so as to obtain the best possible terms for the
public, and prevent even the suspicion of collusion and jobbery.
The importance of this question can hardly be over-rated.
With proper administration of the Corporate Estate, annually
increasing in value, and judicious economy in expenditure, I
believe there will be no necessity for a borough rate ; but that,
otherwise, it will he unavoidable.
Although a complete separation between the Corporate and
Dock Estates has .been effected, the interests of the two are,
and must ever be, so interwoven, that a member of the Town
Council, anxious to do his duty, will always have to keep a
watchful eye on the prOceedings of the Dock Board; and the
Council-Chamber is certainly the place in which he should
direct the public attention to these proceedings whenever he
considersit necessary
so to do. Ard this duty has become all
the more important since the transfer of its jurisdiction from
the Corporation to a body of gentlemen, many of whom have
no interest in the permanent welfare of either estate.
The time may not be far distant when some determined
stand against the extravagant expenditure of a body so con-
stituted will be necessary; and 'especially on the part of the
owners of fixed property, tvho are the persons most interested
in the proper management of the Dock Estate. Should such
necessity arise, I trust that I shall never be found wanting,
either as your representative,'or; if' that honour be denied me,
as a simple member of this great community very largely in-
terested in its welfare.
Being firmly convinced, after much inquiry and serious
reflection, that the rating of the Dock Estate, and all other
public property, towards the support of the poor, is a measure
recommended not less by its justice than by its expediency, I
need hardly assure you that I shall persevere in the use of my
best efforts to accomplish that object, in whatever way they
may seem to be most likely to be available.
In conclusion, gentlemen, I venture to hope that no further
exposition of my sentiments or intentions will be deemed neces-
sary from me in this address. At your Ward Meetings, Ishall
be happy to afford any other explanation which may be required.
For the present, therefore, I will only say that what you have
found me in the past, you will, if you think fit to renew my
trusteeship, find me in the future,—a zealius and painstak-
ing friend and advocate of every measure calculated, in my
judgment, to promote the prosperity of the town and port, and
the general wellbeing of the inhabitants.
I have the honour to be, gentlemen, yours, very respectfully.
JAS. R. JEFFERY.
Compton-house, October 3, 1859.