Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-02-01 00:00:00

L NORTHENR DAIL/ TIMES.

tested against the, queition of free trade being dragged
into the inquiry.`
Digby Seymour withdrew his amendment; and
the motion for a committee, enlarged -S0 as to constitute
an inquiry into the state of British shipping and the re-
strictions affecting it, was then agreed to.

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

---
Mr. MELLon moved for leave to introduce a bill to
amend the Corrupt Practices Prevention Act, and to
make further provisions for the detection and punish-
mentf of bribery, treating, and undUe influence at par-
liamentary and municipal elections. After adverting to
the insufficiency of the existing law, which had become
a dead letter, he stated his own plan, which was to
punish bribery with imprisonment, and to release from
all consequences which of the bribers or the bribed
should give informntioa against the other, and to visit
with penal inflictions the payment of any money for
election expenses, except through the election auditor.
Sir F. KELLY. did not believe that any increase in the
severity of the laws against bribery would be effectual
against it. Those who disregarded the consequences
now would disregard it then, still he promised all the
assistance in his power for the furtherance of this or any
other measure against bribery, hoping a similar assist-
ance for his own plan.
Lord PALMERSTON said that, so far from the House
being indifferent to bribery, he believed that the feeling
against bribery was stronger in that House than
it was out of doors. He trusted that their mutual
efforts would put down the offence, and supply
the admitted deficiences of the Corrupt Practices Act.
The Government was not indifferent in the matter, and
had already announced its intention of dealing with it.
Mr. STEUART said that the object was not the severity,
but the certainty of punishment.
Leave was then given to bring in the bill.
Mr. MELLon further obtained leave to bring in a bill
to

amend the Election Petitions Act.
Mr. STANLEY obtained leave to bring in a bill to
enable a majority of two-thirds of the rate-payers of
any parish to rate their parish for purposes of general
benefit.
Mr. HADFIELD obtained leave to introduce a bill en-
abling the parish of Manchester, and the boroughs of
Birmingham, Leeds, Sheffield, and Bradford, to be
appointed warehousing places.
Mr. SCHOLEFIELD obtained leave to introduce a bill
for preventing adulteration of articles of food or drink.
Mr. JOHN LoexE obtained leave to introduce a bill
for amending certain laws relating to attornies and soli-
citors in England and Wales.
Mr. FRENCH, in the absence of Sir R. Ferguson,
obtained leave to introduce a bill to facilitate internal
communication in Ireland by means of trainroads or

tramways.
The House then adjourned at eleven o'clock.

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

ST. ANNE'S DISPENSARY, AND EYE AND EAR INSTI-
TUTION, 13, ROSE-HILL.-New patients entered on the
books last week, viz.:—Relieved at the institution, 152 ;
relieved 'at their own dwellings, 64—total, 216. Visi-
tors, Messrs. E. Watts and George Jordan. Hon. Sec.
and Treasurer, Joseph Kitchen, Esq.
THE CUNARD VOLUNTEERS. Yesterday, at noon,
about 230 men in the service of the British and North
American, Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, were
sworn in before W. Brown, Esq., as members of the
Company's Volunteer Artillery Company. We are in-
formed that this corps will muster from 300 to 350
when it is fully organised, which it will be very soon.
COLLEGIATE SCHOOLS.7In the recent list of success-
ful candidates for admission to the Royal Military
Academy, Woolwich, is the name of Joseph Lobley,
standing 20th out of 64. Mr. Lobley obtained a third
class at the Cambridge local examination last Christmas,
and a first class at the Oxford examination at midsummer.
FIRE AT BIRKENIIEAD.—Yesterday morning, shortly
before one o'clock, Police-officer Hanlon found that a
fire had broken out, in the stove-room at Mr. Walker's
timber-yard, Oliver-street, Birkenhead. Hanlon and
two other officers scaled the wall, and on entering the
stove-room found that the fire arose from the overheating
of the stove. The damage done was not very serious,
and the fire was extinguished by the application of
buckets of water.
INQUEST AT BIRKENUEAD.—Yesterday morning Mr.
Churton, the county Coroner, held an inquest at Bir-
kenhead, over the body of Eliza. Rickets, aged 38 years,
the wife of a labouring man residing at 220, Beckwith-
street. It appeared that the deceased was taken sud-
denly ill on Saturday night, and died before Dr. Lam-
bert, of the hospital, could reach the house. A verdict
was returned that the deceased had died from natural
causes.
ELECTION OF MANAGER OF WOODSIDE FERRY.—
On Monday evening the Ferry Commitiee of the Bir-
kenhead Commissioners proceeded to the election of a
manager of Woodside Ferry, in the place of Captain
Reed, who resigned, on his appointment to the command
of the clipper ship Red Jacket. There were upwards
of 100 candidates, and the successful applicant was Mr.
M'Kelvie, who was purser of a large screw steam-ship
sailing from this port.
LIVERPOOL DISPENSARIES. Number of patients
during the past week.—New eases received advice and
medicine at the institution : North, 251 ; South, 128 ;
total, 379. New cases visited at their own homes, and
supplied with medicine : North, 86 ; South, 79 ; total,
165. Rev. Rector Campbell, A.M., president; Captain
Bourne, vice-president of North Dispensary; Mr. Charles
Booth, vice-president of South Dispensary ; Mr. Francis
Mill, treasurer; Mr. F. H. Langley, secretary. Office,
Leith-offices, Moorfields.
YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.—The lec-
ture-last evening, at Hope-hall, was by the Rev. Hugh
Stowell Brown, the subject being "Latimer in the
Pulpit." T. Mackay, Esq., presided, and the hall
was densely crowded, not only every seat, but even all
the available standing room, being occupied. Such a
subject could scarcely fail to be interesting, and the
lecturer was listened to with the greatest attention
throughout, frequently eliciting applause. Before the
meeting broke up, votes of thanks were tendered to Mr.
Brown and to the chairman.
SERIOUS FIRE ix LivEnrooL.--Between ten and
eleven 'o'clock on Monday night, a considerable quantity
of smoke was seen issuing from a large warehouse situate
at thebottom of Greenland-Street, and corner of Chaloner-
street, immediately opposite the Queen's Dock. An
alarm was given, and it was at once seen that the fire
was of an alarming character; for the flames issued
through every crevice, and shortly afterwards through
the roof, creating great fears for the safety of several ad-
joining timber yards, warehouses, &c. In a short space of
time reels were on the spot from Brunswick and Salthouse
Docks, Sod-street station, &c., and engines and brigades
from liatton-garden and the West of England stations.
By this time the fire had assumed a very dangerous ap-
pearance. There was a plentiful supply of water, and no
fewer than eleven jets were put into immediate operation.
About half-past eleven o'clock the whole of the roof of
the warehouse fell in with aloud crash—the flames buist
forth afresh, apparently with additional vigour, and
among the large number of persons collected, a report
spread that several policemen and men of the fire-brigades
were buried in the ruins. Great consternation was the
result ; but there was no foundation for the report
The engines and reels having poured immense quantities
of water upon the burning mass, by half-past twelve
o'clock the flames were considerably subdued; so much
so, that the men of the brigades ventured 'into the pre-
mises, and ultimately ascertained that the room on the
ground floor was filled with cotton and logwood; the
second floor, with cotton and sacks of flour ; and the
room above, with Egyptian bans in bulk ; while in the
cellars were quantities of rosin, Sce. It was believed
that the fire originated on the second floor amongst the
cotton, which eommunic,ated to the flooring of the room
above, and these two were in a blaze, Nearly the whole
was destroyed, and the top portion of the premises was
gutted. - -By one o'clock the fire was got under.
A portion of the warehouse was occupied by Mr. E.
P. M'Knight, who resides at New Ferry terrace,
Rock Ferry, and the other portion by Mr. Robinson,
Marine-store dealer. It was said that the premises and
stock were insured. Amongst those present Who
rendered efficient service, besides the fire brigades, under
the superintendence of Messrs. Hewitt and Barrett,
were Major Greig, Mr. Superintendent Quid, and Mr,
Duncan, the water engineer,