The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1849-12-04 00:00:00

THE LIVIRML ST/iNDARD.

LOCAL MEETINGS.

DOCK COMMITTEE.—A letter from the secretary of the
Shrewsbury and Chester Railway, asking permission to
erect a shed on the quay of George's Dock Basin, was
referred to the Committee of Works.—A letter from Mr.
Thomas Maddocks, relative to the inequality of dock rates
as affecting certain kinds of packages, bales, &c., was
referred to the Finance Committee.—Mr. Bold asked
whether the proposed alteration in rates for the Albert
Dock Warehouses was to come before the General Com-
mittee for confirmation ? The chairman said the com-
mittee had nothing to do with it, the rates were to be ap-
proved by the Mayor, the chairman of the Dock Com-
mittee, and the senior magistrate of the borough.
Several members expressed themselves to the effect, that
as there were a great many alterations to be made, they
ought to be brought before the general committee. After
some further conversation, it was agreed that the commit-
tee should be made acquainted with the basis of any
change, and a copy of the alterations proposed was
ordered to lie on the table.

THE SELECT VESTRY.—The usual meeting was held on
Tuesday last, the Rev. Rector Campbell in the chair.
The proceedings of the Finance Committee included se-
veral cases in which landlords had agreed to compound
fcr the rates of their tenants. Confirmed.—lt was re-
commended that the salaries of Mr. and Mrs. Coates, the
govertor and governess of the Industrial Schools, should
be increased to £220, the sum they originally received.
—The Medical Relief Committee, it appeared, had re-
commended a vote of thanks to Dr. Duncan for his ser-
vices during the cholera. The chairman drew attention
to a letter which had recently appeared in the Times (in
connexion with the water question,) in which it was stated
that 8000 persons had died of cholera this year in Liver-
pool. Mr. Abraham, chairman of the Medical Relief
Committee, said the total number of deaths in the bo-
rough from cholera had only been 5000. Some mistake
must have been committed ; for so far the mortality dur-
ing the present year had not been so great as in 1847. It
was then proposed that, in accordance with this recom-
mendation of the Medical Relief Committee, the board
should pass a vote of thanks to Dr. Duncan for his ser-
vices. Mr. Miller demurred to this, as did Mr. Dover,
reminding the board that they had entertained a very dif-
ferent opinion of Dr. Duncan's services on a previous re-
cent occasion. Mr. Dover and Mr. Hodson also spoke
against the proposition of the Health Committee of the
Corporation to close the church-yards in the town, for
which they thought there was no necessity. The vote of
thanks to Dr. Duncan was then carried without a divi-
sion. The other proceedings were confirmed.—The re-
port of the Special Committee of the Vestry, appointed
to investigate the charges preferred by the Houseowners'
Guardian Society, against the collectors of rates on cot-
tage property, was read. It stated that, from the evi-
dence, the committee were willing to admit that a few
cases of hardship might have occurred, but not that the
collectors had acted with the greatest possible severity,"
as was alleged. Much of the acrimonious feeling amongst
tenants had arisen out of the belief that they were not
liable to rates, landlords having, in many cases, told them
that no poor rates would be demanded ; and this year,
when, for the first time, called upon to contribute to the
parish rates, they appealed to their landlords, who, in
most cases, recommended them to resist to the last. The
committee blamed the collectors for recommending occu-
piers of houses to tenements where the rates were paid by
the landlords, as this was an unjustifiable interference on
their part with private property. The allegation that the
mode of collecting amounted to an emptying of the houses,
had not been in any degree proved. The committee re-
commended that a different mode of collecting should be
adopted, and were of opinion that a large revenue might
be raised if the tax were to be received by small fort-
nightly payments. Mr. Williams moved the reception of
the committee's report, and stated that if it was received,
he should be prepared, on a future day, to submit a reso-
lution to the board for the settlement of the whole ques-
tion. The report of the proceedings before the Select
Committee, issued by the Houseowners Guardian Society,
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thTehme
mode
eticomf
collwasectseincognddied. Mr.
d empty
the houses, and moved, as an amendment, that the com-
mittee's report be referred back, with a recommendation

to them to fay before the vestry a definite plan for the
collection of rates on small property. Mr. Denton se-
conded this. Mr. Brown said the report of the house-
owners was one tissue of falsehood. After some further
rather sharp language, the amendment was put, and lost
by 17 to 7. The report was then received.