The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-01-10 00:00:00

CHESHIRE AND WALES.

A NEW FAIR, " for the sale of cattle, horses, pigs, &c.,
and for other general purposes," is appointed to be held
on the 4th of February nest, at Carnarvon.

TICE BIRKENHEAD COMMISSIONERS have appointed a
superintendent, at 30s. a week, whose duty it will be to
inspect the boats, in order to see that the cabins are kept
in proper order, and the ventilation attended to, as well
as to regulate the arrivals and departures.
AN Inozr CHURCH is about to be erected in Birken-
head for the accommodation of seafaring men. The
scheme has been originated mainly by the Rev. Mr.
Welsh, whose earnest and active ministrations in connec-
tion with the Emigrants' Home Chapel have been pro-
ductive of so much3..ood.
CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAlLWAY.—Traffic for the
week ended January 1, 1854 :—Railway Passengers,
parcels, &c., £3,028 4s. Od.; goods, £1,530 3s. 3d.;
Steam-boats : £2BB 6s. 11d. Total, £3,846 14s. 2d. In-
crease as compared with the corresponding week last year,
£329 ss. 6d.

BIRKENHEAD FERRY RECEIPTS.—The total receipts
at the ferry; for the month of December, 1853, were
£1,581 4s. 7d.; 1852, £1,390 Os. 2d. From the 24th of
April to the 31st December, 1853, £17,546 Ps. 10d.; for
the same period in 1852, £15,237 ls. Bd. Total expendi-
ture from the 24th of April to the 31st December, 1853,
including the cost of the new boat, £15,430 17s. sd.
MONK'S FERRY.—On Monday week, according to his
annual custom, Mr. Hilliar, of the Monk's Ferry Hotel,
provided two large rounds of beef, which were distributed
during the day, at the vaults, by Mr. Markey, amongst
the engineers, guards, firemen, porters, and others em-
ployed on the Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire Rail-
way ; each man also received a pint of ale. Nearly one
hundred partook of Mr. Hilliar's bounty.
ROBBERY BY A WASHERWOMAN.—A young woman,
named Ann Jones, was on Thursday charged before the
magistrates, at Birkenhead, with stealing a sovereign and
some wearing apparel from the house of Mr. Thomas
Riddle, engineer,.Holt-hill, Tranmere. The prisoner was
employed as charwoman by Mrs. Riddle, and some years
ago she abstracted the money from a dress, besides steal-
ing some articles of wearing apparel. Two dresses were
found in the house of the prisoner's father which were
identified. The girl was committed to trial.
CURLING MATCH.—On Thursday, a match ai this
favourite Scottish game took place on the ice at Birken-
head-park, between six Liverpool gentlemen and six
Birkenhead gentlemen, all members of the Royal Mersey
Curling Club. After a close contest, in which both parties
exhibited some skilful play, the Birkenhead gentlemen
were victorious. The competitors afterwards sat down at
Woodside Vaults, to an excellent dinner. The evening
was spent in a convivial manner, and the company sepa-
rated in the hope to meet again.
HINDERTON AND BIRKENHEAD TURNPIKE TRUST.—
Lord Palmerston, in reply to the memorial respecting the
state and management of this trust, has officially com-
municated, to the gentlemen transmitting it, that the
already accumulated arrears of interest, amounting to
£3,200, which were attempted to be capitalized by the
trustees, have been entirely extinguished, and, by a pro-
visional order, the rate of interest at £5 per cent., which
has been paid of late years upon the trust debt of £3,400,
has been reduced to £3. 10s., by which means the lia-
bilities of the trust, as well as the prospective burthens of
the ratepayers, will be greatly diminished. Lord Palmer-
ston also states that he has required the trustees to report
upon the other numerous and heavy complaints of the in-
habitants set forth in the memorial, and especially whether
the trustees contemplate any new arrangement of the toll-
gates, for the relief of the township of Tranmere.
SINGULAR CHARGE OF CRUELTY TO AN ANIMAL.—
At the Birkenhead police-court, on Thursday, a singular
charge of cruelty to an animal was preferred by Sir George
Stephen against a labouring man, named Robert Gould-
stone. There were seven other young men implicated in
the alleged cruelty, but the defendant was the only person
summoned, to try the legality of the proceeding. The
charge (which was for having fastened or tethered a drake
and repeatedly shot at it so as to cause its death) was
brought under the 12th and 13th Victoria, cap. 92, en-
titled "An act for the better prevention of cruelty to
animals." Mr. Greatley, for the defendant, contended
that the information could not be sustained under the
statute, for it was clear the legislature never intended it
to include birds. The evidence being gone into, the case
broke down, and Was dismissed. Sir George then laid an
information against the following persons :—Thomas
Jones, Thomas Cottrell, John Thomas, Wm. Knowles,
Joseph Gouldson, Jas. Knowles, and Thos. Downham.
SEACOMBE FERRY.—At a meeting of the Wallasey
Commissioners, on Thursday, a report was read from the
ferry committee, detailing the steps they had taken to
obtain the opinion of counsel as to the leasing of the ferry,
and recapitulating the opinions of Mr. Cowling and Mr.
Welsby on the subject. Considering the conflicting na-
ture of these opinions, the committee deemed it desirable
to take the opinion of the Attorney-General, who gave it
as his opinion that money borrowed under the provisions
of the Public Health Act could not be applied in the pur-
chase of steam-boats or other property which was not of a
permanent nature, nor did he consider that they could
have steamers. The committee, therefore, felt that they
would not be justified in recommending any other course
than to decline the contract entered into by the late board
with Mr. Smith for the lease of Seacombe Ferry, or to
press the inquiry respecting New Brighton or Egremont
ferries.—A letter was read from Mr. John Grantham, ask-
ing whether the committee intended to take up the three
ferries, and if they did, whether they would be disposed
to lease to parties who would engage to give more fre-
quent communications than were at present enjoyed, and
to place on the ferries a class of vessels superior to any
that had yet sailed on the Mersey. Mr. Pooley said he
hid given a verbal answer, advising Mr. Grantham to
apply to the parties who now had the power to lease the
ferries without its coming through the board.
NEW Mono-HALL von CHESTER.—We are informed
that the project, which we lately noticed, for converting
the present theatre of this city into a spacious and hand-
some hall for musical and other public purposes, is so far
matured that a prospectus will be issued in a few days.
The Ecclesiastical Commissioners have offered the old
building and the adjacent premises upon very advantage-
ous terms ; and an influential committee has been formed
for carrying the scheme into effect. The sum of £3,000
will be required for the necessary alterations and the pur-
chase of an organ ; and that amount it is proposed to raise
in £5 shares, for which several applications have already
been received. The hall, when completed, will seat 1,400
persons, with room also for an orchestra of 300 performers.
The want of such a building has long been felt and re-
gretted in Chester ; and from the facilities which the
erection of so commodious an edifice will afford for extend-
ing intellectual and social recreations, and for promoting
means of moral enjoyment and instruction, it is thought
that a fair rate of interest on the outlay will be realised.
The theatre has been thoroughly examined in all its parts
by practical builders, who have made a most satisfactory
report as to its stability, and its capacity for adaptation to
the required purposes. We trust, therefore, that Chester
will soon possess a music-hall capable of affording the
accommodation so often desired in this city.—Chester
Courant.

CHESHIRE SESSIONS.—The annual sessions were held
on Monday, at Chester. The estimated receipts and
demands at the January and adjourned sessions and
spring assizes were thus set down :—Receipts : Balance in
hand, £2,934; police rate, part received, £877; county
rate, ditto, £Bl4 ; arrear of last quarter, £77 ; ditto of
county rate, £317 ; repayment by gaoler, £6OO ; fines,
prisoners earnings, &c., £4OO ; from Parr, Lyon, and Co.,
balance of river Weaver cheque last quarter, £2,000; river
Weaver, £4,000 ; total, £ll,o22.—Denzands : New build-
ing at house of correction, £5OO ; house of correction and
Chester Castle, £2,872 ; balance of contract for alterations
at nisi prius court, £l5O ; prosecutions at sessions, £2,102 ;
at assizes, £3,146; police, including deductions for super-
annuation fund, £1,790 ' • general payments, £1,900;
bridges, £350 ; lock-ups, £560 ; advanced to goalers, £5OO ;
total, £13,870; leaving a balance of £1,347 against the
county on this quarter. The estimated demands and
receipts for the Easter sessions and adjournments were—
Receipts : From lords of twas:ury for expenses of prose-
cutions for half year cuffing -31st December last, £6,995 ;
repayment by gaolers, £5OO ; fines, &c., £4OO ; river
Weaver (uncertain if bad weather continues) say £4,000;
constabulary rate, £2,008 ; total, £l3,9o4.—Demands :
Balance as per former estimate, £1,947 ; Chester Castle
and house of correction, £2,807 ; advance to goalers, £5OO ;
general payments, £2,760; prosecutions, £2,376; bridges,
£088; lock-ups, £220; police, say £1,790; new buildings
at house of correction, £500; total, £13,481, being a
balance of £432 in favour of the county on the quarter.
A county rate of id. would produce £1,738, leaving
_.a
probable future balance of £2,162. A county rate of -1(1
was then ordered.—On the motion of Mr. Case, the
salaries of two petit constables in the hundred of W irrall
were ordered to be increased from £62 to £55 per =ma.