The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-03-04 00:00:00

ECIL

MARCE:4 1S 6

TOWN COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS.

After entering into Very minute details as to the internal
Management of the magazines, the report concluded by recom-
mending greater precautions to be taken in the transport of
gunpowder, and also that it would be desirable that another site
should be fixed on for the magazines.
At a meeting of the finance. committee on the 29th of Feb.,
it was resolved that Mr. Walinsley be authorised to purchase
~the Oil Gas Works on Rose-hill. for a police station.
- The MAYOR.—Was it tha4ileastire of the council to confirm
,the finance- committee report.
Mr. Councillor JAMES LAWRENCE understood that the sale of
land in Hope-street was postponed for one month.
The MAYOR.—Transactions had in the meantime taken place
satisfactory to both parties, and, if tha council confirmed this,
he apprehended the matter would be settled.
Mr. Councillor J. LAWRENCE understood they were not satis-
fied with this second arrangement.
Mr. Councillor AIKEN.—The finance committee, instead of
waiting to have their.actions confirmed, had given orders for a
lease to be made out. The Christian Society stated that they
were damaged to-the.exteat of £6(l by the arrangement, and the
Medical Institution were equally benefited by it.
The MAYOr:.-13,:iliaps the council would defer any comments
they might have till the reading of a memorial sent to him by
the Christian Society on the subject.
Mr. Councillor EAet_E rose on another po,int. respecting the
Lyceum. He could not thiak but that it wild be a great pub-
lic nuisance to let the cellars under it; and it would be no great
emolument to the proprietors. The bottom of Bold-street was
already too narrow without the carting of merchandise there.
Mr. Councillor MAXWELL understood that point was arranged
before.

Mr. Councillor EARLR differed from Mr. Maxwell. (The
)natter was then referred to the minutes, and found to have been
so arranged.)
Mr. Councillor EARLS thought it a very improper resolution.
It had established a great public nuisance for about the benefit
of ss. a year to each of the proprietors of the Lyceum.
Mr. Alderman STUART differed from Mr. Earle; the carting
'would be arranged to be carried on behind the Lyceum.
Mr. Councillor EARLE.-It would be a nuisance in Lyceum-
place.

IMPROVEMENT • COMMITTEE.
The TOWN-CLERK then proceeded to read the reports of the
improvement committee relating to several contemplated im-
provements in various parts of the town, principally as to %widen-
)rtg some of the streets, and purchasing the property of patties
in those streets.•
Mr. Councillor RA WDON, on behalf of the Commercial Bank,
entered into a long explanation of negotiations which had taken
Place lietivat the proprietors and the old council for the sate of a
Part of the premises for contemplated improvements, but which
negotiation had never been completed, and that they could not
longer keep the land open for sale. They wanted £:):3(1.) for the
land.

The MA.yon, es one of the old council, could btate that that
'4l; equal to £27 a square .yard, did appear to them a mon-
strous sum, and that was the reason they hod not purchased it.
After some discussion this particular was left to the commit-
tee; and the report confirmed.
WATCH COMMITTEE REPORT.
- The Mayoa would ask Mr. Shi,3l if ho would wish to have it
read.
Mr. Councillor Sui t. did not know why heshould be pointed
out rn particular._ • ... • .

The Mayon did so in perfect good nature. He would take
care and not do it again.
The TOWN-CLERK then read the report containing the condi-
tions of service pf the constables; recommending the new con-
stables to be immediately sworn in ; that a number of the old
force be dismissed.—'Then followed the report of the contracts
for clothing for the police entered into.—The .appointineuts of
the head constable, superintendants, And inspectors, confirmed.
That ten additional police be sent to Toxteth-Park to prevent
the frequent robberies.—Then followed a report respecting the
fire-police.—That the committee do represent to the committee
oil the dock bill that it was, necessary for economy and good
order that the" Whole constabulary force of the town should be
under one controlling and regulating committee, acting under
the directions of the common council of the borough; and that
this committee cannot apprehend any difficulty in making any
arrangement of the police on this principle.—That the best
thanks of the committee are due to Mr. Walmsley for his im-•
Portant report on the state of crime, made to that committee.
The MAYOR stated that the whole of the constabulary force
came into operation on Monday last.
At a meeting of the watch committee, held that day, resolved
that Messrs. Walmsley, Cropper, and Mellor, be a sub-commit,
tee for the purpose of examining the proceedings of the police
force.

STATE OF CRIME IN LIVERPOOL.
at The watch committee submitted the following report of the
ate of crime in Liverpool :--The report was to the effect that the amount of crime would
ItlwaYs necessarily bear a proportion to the facility with which
Could be committed. 'Those who afforded ease and a prospect
encouragement in cise of success to delinquents should be
li!ost vigilantly watched, and in case of detection should be
visited with the utmost rigour of punishment which the law
could inflict. The class here alluded to. were receivers of
'stolen property, keepers of brothels, public-houses, taps, and
beer-shops. The first named of these were the most dangerous,
;ad were in fact the chief supporters of every class of
ilepreda-
,°,ll, as without them they would not be able to dispose
of their
th',lI-gotten commodities to the requisite advantage. in Liverpool
ere were numbers of persons pursuing this avocation, and
wi"ugh it might be impossible to eradicate them entirely, yet
th .11 well-regulated police. who would pursue them with a
,rgour which should leave them no pause, numbers of them
allid abandon it. There were in this town between 300 and
v public-houses, nearly one-fourth of the whole of the licensed
public-houses,
of Liverpool, which were habituaily kept open until
r4er twelve o'clock, 'and from 900 to 100 U were opened on each
134" Y morning_ between the hours of tour and six o'clock,
-oeu they were filled With the most depraved characters unl
hurch time. There were between 60 and 70 taps and severatil
nandreds of beer shops, which were entirely' supported by the
hiost infamous individ u als. In Williamson-square and its fin-
121ediate vicinity there were upwards of twenty saloons, in which
thieves and prostitutes were nightly entertained. There were
la the town fully three hundred brothels, in alt of whim'h, spirits
ielciald be obtained ; otie.huudred of these were in the neighbour-
pd or Williamson square, and within a circuit of fifteen
-.mutes' walk.
thThe late Mayor, James Aspinall, Esq. had issued an order
Was
all public-tiouses should be closed at stated hours. This
tias for a time rigorously carried into execution.. Previously
ble aumber of drunken and. disorderly persons who had been
4,,Nught before the magistrates, had been from 100 to 120 each
11.7 during the tune that this order was in force, without
R4telaxation which subsequently ensued, the number of per-
U brought up on the above charges diminished to fifty.
fortunately the law did
•not 'well bear the chief magistrate
I,ilt There was one publican in Brick-street who chose to set
take dens at defiance, and eight or ten individuals were daily
every" from there for disorderly. conduct. At length, bow-
, license
charge was brought against him, and he lost his
beetS Since then, Brick-street, which had been most
otor;
houses°as, was reformed. The taps of disorderly nublic-
th! were let off, and sold liquor under the sanction of
1,„. Publicans' license. The saloons where crime abounded
3,1 was matured, possessed the allurements of the dance, the
ti'"g, and the comic recitation. The result of the investiga-
-4413 had presented a frightful picture of depravity. The number
4brothels was very great, and some of them contained three
ta.,a es, others ten. The average might be taken at four to
did In In all there would be upwards of four thousand. These
either aot all procure a subsistence by prostitution alone, but were
thieves themselves, or the companions of thieves. There
aj,!*:
.numberless weak individuals, who thus suffered them
v s to he plundered, and who from the dread of exposure, re-
to come to come forward. The known robberies in one house
had amounted in the space of twelve months, to the sum
Ivh6l9°o- Each girl of this description, cohabited with a man
th,-,,Lived by plunder. Besides these, there were upwards of a
hioi!ttad notorious male thieves. There were five hundred
icei: Who worked at intervals but steal when they can. There
the nearly six hundred more employed about and frequenting
or a 9°llS, and upwards of twelve hundred under fifteen years
who were the willing and active tools of the adult Jelin-
sot
, • The combined efforts of these, took from the public a
Dmv which, however, incredible it might appear, could be
£7ooeLbs documentary evidence. It amounted to nn less than
Rilatru,Per annum. If it were found that an effective and vie
with ~)°,,c6 and active magistracy were ineffectual to do away
fur etr it would be necessary to apply to the legislature
4!,.'ed powers.
re rt councillor J. CROPPER, jun., begged to move that the
printed.
taTj• Councillor EARLE said that in printing the reports the
Withett °I the Parties furnishing them ought to be printed along
Ports
of He would wish his own name to appear on the. re.
"' committees which he . furnished, but he did not wish to

•
et4srtecateasintgenious ealculator. who drew up this report may be
as t °. the " tottle of
vision hole." but we suspect he is in
four_ 01 his fractional di. Should the average not be
a-flay' females to each ?

On Wednesday a special meeting of the cnuticil was held vs
eleven o'clock, according to acljk)ururnent, principally for deter-
mining on the,report presented at the previous council meeting
relating to the office of town-cierk. It was also -the monthly
special meeting.
The TowN-cLERK read the witiptes of' the preceding meeting,
and also oc the last gitaitertneeting held un the 3d of Feb.,
and afterwards by adjournment.
FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT

The TorOrr.cCaux then proceeded to read the report of the
finance committee relating to a number of petty expenses.
Amongst others the putting in perfect repair of St. Thomas's
Church- on the plan of the surveyor was recommended. That
the cornices of the stone, which had failed in many places,
should be made perfect with cement, and afterwards that the
whole 'should be oiled over and painted stone colour; and the
tower also was recommended to be rebuilt, The estimated cost
of repairs was stated at £893. 3s. 10d., and of building the tower
£2,400. A number of items of expenditure were also voted for
alterations in the fish market.
The MAYOR said plans were lavingon the table for the inspec-
tion of the members or tile council.
The report of the finance committee of the 12th of February
was then read, in which, amongst other private applications of
minor importance, it was resolved that the land in Elope-street,
adjoining the medical institution, should be offered the Medical
Society for 20s. the square yard on a lease of 75 years,- subject
to the usual restrictions; and it was further
•reSolved, that. the
remaining land heuffered to Mr. Pearson um behalf of a reli-
gious society for 15s. &square yard.—That the town-clerk be
authorised to pay £52, the price cf the stipendiary magistrate's
commission.—At a meeting held' on the 19th of February a let-
ter from the proprietors of the, Lyceum, thanking the council
for the liberty granted them, and praying fora lease of six years.
Resolved thit the lease be subinittedi—Resolied that the wheels
of the moveable landing at George's Pier be repaired at the
lowest terms, they having got broken during the late gale by
one of the steamers.—That the town-clerk take counsel's opinion
on the 92d section of the, municipal bill.-7. Resolved that the va-
rious' annuities (the particulars of which were read over) be
recommended to be continued.—At a meeting of the finance
committee on the 26th of
,February. That the thanks of the
committee be given to Lieutenant Fox and to Lieutenant Ro-
binson for their full report respecting • the powder magazines.
The report of Lieutenant Robinson on the powder magazines,
which was of great length, was then read. The effect of it was,
that no danger could accrue to the tow nof Liverpool if an ex-
plosion were to occur. The report, however, stated that the
usual precautions used at powder mills were not in this instance
generally made use of, and that the building was of an inferior
nature. The report recommended that the public should be
more efficiently guarded against accidents, and that the build-
ingohould be made fireproof.
- Mr. Councillor SNIEL interrupted the reading or the report
by inquiring if it sere necessary to read all the details? It
took up the public time needlessly, and he thought it a matter
which might very well be left to a committee.
The Mallon.—Mr. Shiel would perhaps recollect that the
nuance committee had adopted that report, and the proceedings
were brought there to be confirmed by the council. if it was the
wish of the council that it should not be read, of course he would
stop it; but it would ill become him not to have reports read
Which were not known to the public.
The council signified their assent that the reading should
proceed.