Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-08-26 00:00:00

LIVERPOOL DOCK BOARD

At the weekly meeting of this board, held yesterday,
Mr. Charles Turner occupied the chair.. The other
members present were Messrs. Bold, Hubback, Farn-
worth, Mondel, Graves, Rankin, Bushell, Hutchison,
Langton, Shand, Inman, Segar, ForwoOd, Boult, Smith,
and Moss.

WORKS'

COMMITTEE

The proceedings of this committee contained recom-
mendations to accept the tender of Messrs. G. B.
Richardson, to supply 2,200 superficial yards of roofing
felt 32 inches wide; of Messrs. M'Murdoch and Co., for
the supply of 7,000 cubic feet of yellow pine timber, to
be delivered at the Canada Works ; of Messrs. J. Bland
for the supply of 60,000 or 70,000 cubic feet of
yellow pine timber, one half to be delivered at the
Canada Dock, and the other half to be delivered at the
Birkenhead Works ; the offer of Messrs. Duffy and Mac-
Ilroy, for the supply of two cargoes of greenheart timber,
the timber to be subject to the approval of the engineer.
Mr. RANKLN moved the confirmation of the pro-
ceedings.
Mr. BOULT thought it would be well if some explan-
ation could be afforded to the board generally as to what
these large contracts were for. They had been in the
habit of passing contracts week after week without the
slightest knowledge of what purpose they were for, often
reaching to many thousands of pounds. There was a
very large quantity of timber purchased that week, and
he had not the remotest notion what it was intended for.
He did not intend by any means to imply the slightest
want of confidence in the committee • still, he thought
the board ought to have some knowledge of what they
were voting these heavy sums for. If they went on in
this way he thought they would prove no better trustees
of the public funds than parliament was ; and he did
not want to get into the parliamentary practice. He
asked the engineer whether he had yet considered the
matter of iron gates at the Victoria Docks. He under-
stood that they had worked very well.

The Engineer said, with regard to the iron gates at the
Victoria Docks, perhaps Mr. Boult did not know what
they cost to keep them in order since they were put up.
The expense of these gates had been a serious item
in the expense for the working of the docks. His
attention had been drawn to the question of iron gates
generally ; and his intention was to use iron gates on
the Birkenhead side, but not on this side of the water.
The greenheart timber would be used for making gates.
Mr. Ritimirr said the common timber was for staging
at the Birkenhead works, and some also to be used at
the landing-stage.
Mr. GRAVES complained that most of the important
recommendations by the committee were omitted in the
weekly notice paper. He thought the board should
have more information on the various points, and that
every recommendation should be embodied in the notice
paper. Although the meeting of the committee might
sit shortly before the board met, he - thought
that as they had a clerk and a press on
the establishment, they should be able to get all these
things in the notice papers in good time. He did not
wish to make any amendment, but simply to call the
attention of the committee to the matter.
Mr. BOLD agreed with Mr. Graves in what he had
stated. He did not see the use of sending out notice
papers, informing them merely that a dock-gateman
was to be appointed next day, or some paltry matter
like that. The same sized notice paper they now
received would contain all the different matters, and
there would, therefore, be very little additional expense.
At the Town-hall, where many more notices had to be
served, and where the Watch Committee sat at twelve
o'clock on Saturday, their proceedings were always
embodied in the summons that was issued on the Satur-
day evening for the council on Wednesday. A form,
such as that adopted at the Town-hall, might be got up,
and the recommendations filled in. He thought the
whole might be struck off in half an hour.
The CHAIRMAN said there was some little difficulty
with reference to the Docks and Quays' Committee, as
their duty was very arduous, and they often sat till three
and four o'clock in the afternoon.
The proceedings were then confirmed.

WAREHOUSE COMMITTEE

The proceedings of this committee contained a re-
commendation to appoint Henry L. Ross, who has just
concluded his apprenticeship, junior clerk, at a salary of
£6O per annum, temporary.
On the motion of Mr. liubback the proceedings was
confirmed.