The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-09-30 00:00:00

WORKING OF THE MUNICIPAL ACT.

We copy, from the Hull Packet, the following specimen of
the working of Reform, and the beneficial result of the march
of " equality of civil right" in the formerly peacefully, and
orderly governed town of Beverley, in Yorkshire, the local
government of which place, since the municipal act, has fallen
mainly into the hands of those parties who haveso much dis-
tinguished themselves in the economical and pure government
of this and other towns. It would appear that the " Reformed"
Town-council of R.,-;erley, are resorting to a new expedient of
" raising the wind" to avoid the odium which the imposition
of a borough rate would case upon their political party. We should
not feel much surprise if the Salons of our own council-room
were to follow this example, and resort to a similar expedient:—

TOWN COUNCIL.
A meeting of the council was held on Saturday last:—pre-
sent, the Mayor, in the chair; Aldermen Brereton, Hodgson,
and Sandwith ; Councillors Pottage, Brigham, Biunigton, Page,
Sumner, Phillips, Robinson, Dawson, Nutchey, and Brown-
rigg.
Mr. Nutchey said, before I bring forward the motion of which
I given notice, I wish to ask the town-clerk whether the old
corporation didn't authorise their chamber clerk to collect and
enforce the payment of their rents.
The Town-clerk—Yes, they did.
Mr. Nutchey—Here, then, is a precedent for my motion.—
The council has no funds in hand; and, if we have not some
money, we sha'nt be able to pay our debts. I mean nothing
disrespectful to the tenants, who, I think, are highly respect-
able, and well able to pay their rents; and 1 therefore move
that the treasurer of this borough be authorised by the council,
under the seal; to collect and enforce the payment of the several
rents due at Michaelmas next, on the 13th of October ❑ext.
Mr. Page—l beg leave to second that motion.
The Mayor would be very sorry to occupy the time of the
council unnecessary, but could not hesitate to express that, in
his opinion, the motion was an insult to the tenants, who were
respectable men, and would be dared to say, pay their rents at

the, usual time.
Mr. Phillips observed that however surprised he might be at
Mr. Nutchey's motion, that surprise was increased by hearing
it seconded by Mi. Page, who, of all the.members of that coun-
cil, was perhaps the most conversant with the usual practices as
to the receipt of rents. Did they know of any circumstances
which induced them to believe that the tenants would not pay
their rents as usual ? If so, perhaps their might be an argu-
ment for arming the treasurer with power to enforce their pay-
ment so immediately upon their becoming due; but he well
knew the motives which actuated Mr. Nutchey to
Mr. Nutche—Hear, hear. The motives? the motives ?
Tne Mayor—Order, order. Chair.
Mr. Nutchey—(Greatly excited)—I say, Hear, hear. The
motives? _ .

The Mayor—And I say, Order, sir. Order.
Mr. Nutchey shouted very violently, and thumping his hand
on the table.—l wont be called to order by vou.—l say, Hear,
hear. The motives.? Hear, hear. (To the Mayor.) Who are
you, to call me to order?
The Mayor—Sir, if you go on in this way, I will order the
constables to remove You. -Officers, do your duty.
Mr. Nutchey—(Thi•owing his chair behind him with a loud
noise, and putting himself in a fighting attitude,)—l should like
to see the man who dare lay a hand on me. (To the Mayor.)

Do you think I care for such a fellow as you ?
Mr. Brereton, and several other members of the council,
called—Order. Chair, chair,—put on their hats, and were
walking out of the room.
The Mayor—l'll not sit here to be insulted in this way.—l
dissolve this meeting.
Mr. Nutchey--(To the Mayor)—You're a ignorant, ass!—
Eight of you men stop back;—we'll have a meeting of our own.
He's no power to dissolve us.
The Mayor then left the room, accompanied by many of the
council, leaving four or live remaining. It is understood that
several of those who had first left the room returned on being
sent for, and Mr. Thomas Sandwith was called to the chair ;
and, after some desultory conversation, the Meeting was ad-
journed until Tuesday evening.