The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-04-02 00:00:00

WATER COMMITTEE,

The proceedings of this committee contained the statemen is
of revenue. Sc.c., for the past year. The receipts were
£64,946 13s, exclusive of water supplied by metre, which was
estimated at about £6,000, making together £70,946 13s.
This showed an increase noun the previous year of £2,773.
The amount of arrears showed a gratifying decrease, as
compared with the preceding year.
Mr. Alderman Cooper moved the confirmation of the
proceedings. He stated, in reference to the memorial from
the inhabitants of Liverpool, as to the supply of water from

Rivington, that the report of Mr. Duncan upon the memorial
could not be prepared before last Saturday, and as the
committee were not able to undertake it that day, it was agreed
to defer it until the following (last) Monday. The committee
sat on Monday to consider the report, which would come before
the council in the regular course, toge, her with the report of
the committee upon it. It was a subject of very great im
portance, and it would be well if members of the council would

in the meantime read the report, and see what the cost and
expense of acceding to the request of the memorialists would be.
Mr. aide seconded the motion.
Mr.. Steains asked how the Old Haymarket was supplied, as
regarded the proportions of Rivington and well water.
Mr. Cooper said the town generally was supplied in the
proportion of about half and half. He did not particularly
know how that part of the town around the 01(1 Haymarket
was supplied.
Mr. Steains said he had received a letter from Messrs.
Hobbs, of the Old Haymarket, complaining that the water
they received was discoloured, and unfit for human use.
Mr. Cooper said he had received a letter from Messrs. Hobbs
himself.

Mr, Alderman Bennett said, as regarded the water being
unfit for use, every one who received it in anything like the
proportion of half and half must come to the same conclusion.
The water was now attaining, in many parts of the town, a very
unfavourable character. Along the line of Whitechapel the
water was now in a stinking and improper state for use. (Oh,
oh, and hear, hear.)
Mr. Hodson : Oh, really, Mr. Mayor, these are very wrong
statements. (Elear, hear.)
Mr. Earle : Never mind, let him go on.
Mr. Bennett said he was quite p•epared to verify
everything he stated in the fullest manner, and he could
have stated even more than he did. He did hope that
interruptions from gentlemen like Mr. Hodson should go
for what they were worth. As regarded the quantities of
of water, mixed and unmixed, he could give Mr. Steains
fuller information than the chairman of the committee
had given. In the week ending March 7th, there were
24 million gallons of spring water mixed with Rivington
distributed, and 13 million gallons unmixed. In the
week ending the 14th March, 26 million gallons mixed.
and 14 pure. In the week ending March 21st, 23
million gallons mixed, and 13 million gallons pure.
In the week ending March 28th, 18 million gallons
mixed, and 13 million gallons unmixed, showing that in
every instance more than half as much spring water was
distributed, perfectly pure, as there was of the mixed
water. The council bad heard that a resolution was
passed on the 7th of March, and placed on the books, to
the effect that'satnples of the water should be shown at
each meeting of the committee, of the Rivington water
unfiltered and filtered, of the Prescot reservoir water, the
mixed Rivington water, and the Green one
water. These samples were brought on the Satur-
day following the resolution, and he asked
any gentlemen of the committee whether these samples
were at all fit for drinking, not only for human beings,
hut even for animals. ("Oh ! oh !") They were so
disgusting, he w,ls sure there was not a single member
who could recommend them to be used for drinking.
Mr. Earle : Tlnre are several

Mr. Bennett said the committee were then told that
there was very great expense attendant on bringing the
samples, and that they ought to be satisfied with samples
once a month. This was agreed to, but it was understood
that the samples should be brought in the same shaped
and sized bottles. Instead of that, however, the sampl—
came at the end of the month in spindle shaped bottles
alone, from which the colour could not, well be tested.
He was very much surprised, on speaking to a. medical
gentleman, to hear that the engineer had volunteered him
him samples of the water.

Mr. Earle : What is the name of that gentleman ?
Mr. Bennett : Dr. Edwards is the gentleman, Mr.
arle.
Mr. Earle : Oh, very well, sir. I have not the honour
of knowing him.
Mr. Bennett said Dr. Edwards had been offered two
gallons of each water gratuitously each week. Surely,
when satupLas were thus obtained, the committee had a
right to the same courtesy. (Hear, hear.) There
was also in the proceedings an account of the
leakage, of that small, insignificant leak, amounting to
£3,461, of which £1,700 had been expended in the
present year, up to the 4th of March, being somewhat
more than £l5O per week, not including the salary of
Mr. Oakes. As regarded the memorial, he had hoped
that when a memorial of that importance came before
the Council, the engineer would have had the report
prepared for the last Council day. On the last day,
however, they were told that the report could not be
prepared in time for that Council, but that it would
certainly come on this Council day. He had heard it
stated, on the last Saturday but one, that that report would
be produced, Last Saturday he attended, bat he did not
recollect that anything was said about the memorial or
report. He received, however, a note signed by Mr.
Shuttleworth, informing him that a special meeting was
to be held on Monday the 30th, to consider the report of
the engineer, and to prepare a report to the Council
thereon. He had seen the engineer, Mr. Duncan, at the
latter end of the week, and told him if the report was
postponed until Monday it would be too late for the
present Council, but Mr. Duncan assured him he
had seen the Town Clerk, who told him that the
report might be taken on Monday, and yet form
part of the committee's proceedings of Saturday, and
accordingly come before the present Council. On Monday
the town clerk stated that This would be contrary to standing
orders, as the summonses had been issu,d. He complained
that the report had not been laid before the committee
on an earlier day, contending that there had been ample
time, and that the inhabitants had every right to expect it.
He had been no party to the delay, which was as severe a
disappointment to him as it could be to any of those who
signed the memorial. There had been very gross neglect,
in which he at least had had no share.

Mr. Hodson said one would suppose from the number of
" P." Mr. Bennett made use of, that he was a man of such
extraordinary importance that the whole of the respor2sibility
of that immense question must fall upon his shoulders, and
that in fact the whole of the members outside himself were
a mere nullity and a fare. (Hear, hear, and laughter.)
Mr. Bennett stated that any remarks which fell from him
(\lr. Hodson) must be of very little importance. Now, if
any man had ever placed himself in such a position more
thoroughly than another, it was Ur. Bennett, who
for the last six years had never allowed a Council to
pass without giving them a lecture upon the water question,
until out of doors as well as in the Council
he had become a perEct nuisance. (Hear, hear, and
laughter.) What else could anybody think of his getting up
there that day without any motion to propose, but for the
purpose of poisoning the minds of the people against he water?
He told the Council that the water stunk. He (Hr. Hod-
son) declared emphatically that it did not stink, and ho was
surprised Mr. Bennett should have the audacity to come into
that room and state what he know to be incorrect. (Oh,
oh, and order, order.)
Mr. Bennett : I should have risen to order, had it been
anybody else but Mr. Hodson.

The Mayor : I must beg of gentlemen to keep order.
Mr. Hodson said ho was sorry if, in the heat of the moment,
lie had said ono word offensive to Mr. Bennett. (Hear,
hear.) But really when Mr. Bennett said the water was
stinking, when he as well as any man in the room must know
that if the water did stink in any particular part of the town,
it must be from local sources over which the committee had
no control, it was enough to justify any ono in feeling some
indignation. What was the fact in the case of Messrs,
Phillips ? It was found on examination that it was not the
fault of the water, hut an evil totally disconnected
with the water.. Was that, then, a fair way of argu-
ing a question about the water supp'y of that
large town ? The only thing which, to his mind, was some-
what remarkable was, that there was a difference in the
amount of mixing the Rivington and Liverpool supply.
He observed that for some time they were not getting as
much of Rivington as they had been. But in certain
districts of Liverpool the water was as pure and pellucid as
it could possibly be. In his own house in Islington he
believed he had had the Rivington water from the moment
it was first supplied to Liverpool. He wished any gentle.
man would come and try it—it was realty beautiful water:
He could see no difference between the wafer he used
to-day and that he had used three years ago. If that were
so, were there two sorts of water supplied ? Were there
two separate supplies ? If in Whitechapel the water was
offensive and foul smelling, how was it that he had such
beautiful water when the supply came from the same source ?
Ha thought that Mr Bennett ought to give every oppor-
tunity for the water committee to prepare their report. Mr
Duncan'a report was ready, and was a very elaborate one.
It was a matter requiring immense calculation, as it was
necessary the town should exactly know the amount requi.
site to be expended, before getting a second supply.
Mr. Earle said he had been reminded that that was'' April
Fool's Day."
Air. Bennett : By Mr. Hodson.
Mr. Earle said it was not by Mr. Hodson. He had thought
the old joke of attempting to make fools of people was at an
end. He left it to the world to judge who was the greatest
fool at that meeting. (Hear, hear, 'and laughter.) He had
thought Mr. Bennett was put upon the committee to further
the proceedings, that he should see everything done and judge
for himself, but on no occasion did Mr. Bennett ever come
forward for the purpose of giving to the public a fair and proper
statement. (Hear, hear.) He might say, if it was not using
too strong a word, that Mr. Bennett was actually „,„id,-,,i a
nuisance by the committee.
Mr. Bennett: Hear, hear.

Mr. Earle : Well, I 'am glad yen ti 1.11( so. (Laughter.)
Mr Bennett flounced oat of the Committee tho other day,
because the elaborate statement of Mr Duncan, showed the
enormous amount they would havo to expend in the event of

their carrying ont tho scheme of his, for having two supplies
of water. At the same time he showed that the concern was
a ruinous concern as it was, and that he would have the com-
mittee go to the expense of £200,000 or £300,000
to make it still more ruinous, and perhaps to
bring a borouch rate upon the inhabitants instead of
reducing the rates, He fearlessly asserted that the water
was excellent water for drinking. (Hear hear) He was
not prepared to say, that if it were pnt in juxta-position
with the water they had formerly, the la.ter will not
be found to have a greater brilliancy. Nobody contended
that. But he contended that there could not be a more
perfectly pure, good, and wholesome drink than they had
at present. (Hear, hear.) Did Mr. Bennett knew that
the poorer classes of the town felt the advantage of hay
ing so enormous a supply of water? They had but to
turn the cock and they got as much water as
they liked. Some people, or his own friends, the
other day thanked him for having enabled them to
have water at command. It was very unfair and improper
of Mr. Bennett to come forward and endeavour to gull
the town. lie hoped, as Mr. Bennett had said so much
upon the subject, that he had at last talked himself out,
and that nobody would ever care one straw for what he
said any more. (Laughter and cheers.)
Mr. Alderman Parker reminded the Council that
Everton and the district of S ,ho street were not supplied
with Rivington water. He invited all the members of
the Council who wished to judge for themselves to go to
the Paul street baths, where they would see the water
quite discoloured.
Mr. Ald. J. 11. Turner remarked that the water in
AbercromV square was still very much discoloured, and
Irkd occasionally a disagreeable smell
Mr. Earle: It is not so in my house—it must be some
stink in your own house. (Loud laughter.)
Mr. Aid. Cooper in replying, again explained the case
complained of by Messrs Phillips. He also stated that he
had pressed upon the committee the necessity of having
the report before Saturday, but Mr. Duncan said he could
not be ready until then. Saturday being the election day,
the members of the committee could not take it up,
although lie was himself perfectly ready to have attended.
and gone into it that day, so anxious was he to have it
ready for the present council, but the members generally
would not attend.

The Town Clerk'observed that he distinctly stated at a
meeting of the committee that any proceedings that took
placeafter the issuing of the council summonses could not
be brought before that council. He did not know whether
Mr. Bennett was present at that meeting or not.
Mr. Bennett said that fact was well known to every
member of the council, and it was only upon the strong
representation of Mr. Duncan to the contrary that he
was misled.

The proceedings were then confirmed without further
discussion.

The proceedings of the Library and Museum, Hackney
Carriages, and Baths Committee were confirmed. They
c.)mprised nothing of interest.

SPECIAL COMMITTER ON THE DUTIES OF WATER Exam..
The proceedings of this committee were read, and also
the following MEMORIAL.

To the Town ',Council of the Borough of Liverpool.
The Memorial of the Committee of the Live, pool
Ship' ners' Association,

SIOWETH—That a bye law has been recently passed by
your body, under the " Liverpool Improvement Act, 1855"
having for its object to define a certain space of about 500
yards long from north east to south west in the river
Mersey, btween the south end of the Prince's Dock Parade
crud Birkenhead, within which it shall not be lawful to
moor ships. That such bye law is proposed to be submitted
for confirmation to the Honourable Mr Baroc Martin, at
the present assizes, notice of such intended application
for confirmation having been given. That this associa-
tion is of opinion that such bye law, if confirmed, will
be highly prejudicial to the trade of the port, and will
occasion much risk and danger to vessels by the abstraction
of the most secure anclio.-age ground in the river, and by
various consequences which, in the judgment of the
association, must of necessity result from such abstraction;
and your memorialists would observe that, although the
space abstracted would appear by the bye law to be only
about 500 yards long, it must practically greatly exceed
that length; That your memorialists would respectfully
submit that snch bye law was passed without that full
and deliberate inquiry into the qae,stion of necessity for the
same, and into all the serious consequences which might
result from it, which the very great importance of the
subject demanded ; and they consider that, before any
limitation was placed on the anchorage ground of this
river, the opinions of shipowners, shipmasters, pilots, and
others competent to give information thereon to the council
should have been taken. That your memorialists deem it
but just to the shipping interest of the port that such an
inquiry should take place before any further proceedings
we taken with respect to such bye law. That there will
be ample time for such inquiry between this and the
August assizes, and during the spring and summer months,
when the nights are light and the river clear of fogs, the
grounds which your memorialists understand are urged for
such bye law connot apply. Your memorialists therefore
respec!fully request that no further proceedings for the confir.
illation of such byo law ho taken until full inquiry has been
made into the necessity and expediency thereof, and evidence
taken as to its propable effects on the shipping of this port,
and that you will he phased to instruct the Town Gerk to
postpone the application for the confirmation thereof for the
present. .TAMES SMITH, Deputy Chairman.

The Town Clerk said, that in consequence of this
memorial, he had sent to the assize court to ascertain
when Mr. B iron Martin would take the question, and he
was informed that Friday had been appointed for the
purpose.

. .
Mr. Alderman 13.1 d observed, that the memorial had
not been before the committee, but he thought he might
say, on behalf of the committee, that there would be uo
objection on their part to postpone the bye-law—(hear
hear) —though at the s,ne time he should say that he did
not agree in the objection raised in the memorial.
Mr. Alderman Parker asked if they could make bye-
laws affecting both shores of the Mersey?
The Town Clerk replied that they could-
Mr. Clint, as a member of the committee, had no °Wee_
tion to the postponement of the bye-law, but it should be
remembered that emigration vessels were anchored almost
immediately opposite the landing stage, for the purpose of
advertising them. He also thought that safety of life
should be considered before the convenience of the trade
and shipping of the port.
Mr. Aikin differed with Mr. Clint. He thought the
convenience of the passengers across the ferry should
depend on the trade and shipping, and not the trade and
shipping on them.
Mr. W. Earle differed with Mr. Aikin. He was no
shipowner nor broker, and he could not allow dead
merchandise to come into competition with human life.
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. Alderman Bold observed that six millions of people
crossed the ferry every year, and that if, in case of a fog,
any of the boats struck against a ship, no assistance
whatever could be afforded to her passengers.
The general proceedings were then confirmed, and the
memorial was referred to the committee, with the under-
standing that the bye-law should be postponed.

GAS COMMITTEE.

The proceedings of this committee contained nothing of
any public importance.
Mr. Kitchen moved their confirmation, which was
agreed upon.

BIRKENHEAD DOCKS COMMITTEE.

Mr. All Holme moved the confirmation of the proceed-
ings, which merely embraced routine business.
The motion was carried.
THE NEW PUBLIC LIBRARY.

The proceedings of the special committee appointed to
make arrangements on the occasion of laying the founda-
tion stone of the new public library and museum, con-
tained the following