Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-06-26 00:00:00

JOSEPH MONDELL, ESQ.

Liverpool, June 23, 1857.
My dear Sir,—l am in receipt of yours of yesterday's
date, and am left to assume that the newspaper reports
are correct. Now, what I complain of is, that as a mem-
ber, and in a meeting of the dock committee, you have
said much to mislead the public mind. Messrs. Maclver
never have done what you so authoritatively alleged they
did, and I leave you to clear up that point with your
informants at your leisure ; and as for dock accom-
modation, as a well informed member 'of the com-
mittee. no one ought to know better' than yourself
that Messrs. Maclver, in proportion to their requirements
and wants, are not better( but worse off comparatively
than any other parties. You and I may rate ourselves
upon our importance as shipowners; but I beg to remind
you that a member of the dock committee does not go
there to rewe,.ent himself or a class, but to represent the
ratepayers of Liverpool ; and that it is not according to
the whim or caprice of members that dock accommoda-
tion is afforded, but in accordance with the requirements
and demands of the dock ratepayers, and of the port of
Liverpool; and a shipowner, as such, has no place in the
dock committee, but simply in so far as he is either a
ratepayer, or the representative of ratepayers or of the
town council. Therefore, when accommodatioa is granted
to Messrs. Maclver, or to any one else, just bear
in mind that it is not accommodation to Messrs. Maclver
as shipowners or shipagents, but to the dock ratepayer's
and commerce of Liverpool. I must repeat to you what I
have often said to the dock committee as a bo ly, that all
that Messrs. Maclver have ever asked for or obtsined has
been accommodation for the ratepayers ; and if you are of
opinion that the interests of ratepayers would be affected
in but little or no degree by the carrying out of such doc-
trines as you promulgate in the dock committee, there is
nothing to prevent your trying to withdraw that accom-
modation, and so bringing the question to speedy issue, as
between those parties really interested (the ratepayers)
arid the dock committee. At the very time you held
Messrs. Maclver up before the public as enjoying special
facilities, you were perfectly aware, in common with all
the other members, that the British and North American
mail service can be carried on irrespective of the Liver-
poet dock committee. But I imagine that while the dock
committee continue to be composed of men of common sense
they will see it to be the interest of the dock estate rather
to provide for, than gratuitously throw obstacles in the way
of the public service, audthe more especially while that ser-
vice contributes its full quota to the revenue of the dock
estate. Allow me to remind you,ts a member of the dock
committee, how seldom the Atlantic steamships which
you so much despise have during any one year been able
to gat into the Liverpool Docks, owing to the state of the
tides. When you have satisfied yourself upon this point,
you will see that if such vessels coming to the Mersey
had been made contingent upon their always getting into
the Liverpool docks, there would have been no public
service of the kind from Liverpool ; and at the same time
you will not forge' that these vessels have paid dock dues
all the same whether they got into the dock or lay in the
river. The dock committee are quite satisfied that
Messrs. Maclver are not, and never have been, the
recipients of special favours unwarranted or inimical to
the interests of the port, and I cannot snbmit quietly to
an individual member making the reverse appear to be
the case for any purpose. Ido not ask anything from you
as a member of the dock committee beyond fair play for