The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-12-21 00:00:00

TOWN COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS

A special meeting of the Council was held on Wednes-
day, to consider the New Dock Bill, which provides for
the erection of docks at Wapping. the erection of addi-
tional dock warehouses, the purchase of the .land at the
North Shore, from the Earl of Derby. and the establish-
ment of electric telegraphs between Liverpool and Holy-
head.
The MAYOR stated that he had received four memo-
rials, praying that a rate-paying clause might be inserted
in the bill. One was from the inhabitants in. Vestry as-
sembled ; another was from the Liverpool Guardian So-
ciety ; the third was from the owners of lands and houses;
and the fourth was from the owners and occupiers of
private warehouses.
Memorials from eleven of the wards, signed by upwards
of 1800 burgesses. also praying for a rate-paying clause,
were here handed in ; and the • vf the memorials
were read by the Town-clerk. The preamble of the bill
was also read by the Town-clerk, and then the Council
formed itself into a committee.

Mr. BRAAILEY-MOORE ooserved that it was compul-
sory upon the Council to go to Parliament this year to

the last act contained a clause which bound them to go
for these powers within two years from the passing of
that act. On this point they had no choice ;go they
must.

Mr. HENDERSON observed that the compulsory clause
had been fox ced on the Council in decided opposition to

the opinions of the members

Mr. AIKIN believed the Town-clerk would tell them
that they were bound to go to Parliament.
In reply to Mr. HODGSON,

The tOwN-cLERK said, that if the Council failed to
comply with the compulsory clause, an application might
be made to the Court of Queen's Bench, and a mandamus
would issue, to which the Council would have to reply.

Mr. BRAMLEY-MOORE said it would be unworthy of
the honour of the Council not to comply with the clause,
but, at the same time, it they preferred it, they might go
manfully before the House of Commons, and say that it
was an indiscreet clause, and ought to be repeal2d. He
would endeavour to carry out their determination, what-
ever that might be. He admitted that if they were not
to go to Parliament this year, the Dock Estate would nut

suffer, and the works would not be delayed, because it
would require 18 months still before they could commence
the excavations of the Wapping Dock. What was pro-
posed by the bill was, to erect warehouses round the
Wapping Dock and the Prince's, and not to erect ware-
houses round all the docks in the town, but to suit their
convenience as to the erection of any 'additional ware-

houses after those at the Wapping and the Prince's

power tc

Lord Derby, in order that greater accommodation, at the
cheapest possible rate, might be given in that locality to
the timber trade than Liverpool at present afforded. He
observed that a portion of the New North Docks would
be opened next May, and that there was no instance on
record of docks having been constructed for so small a
sum as those at the north end of the town.

Mr. S. HOLME objected to the preamble of the bill, in
a speech of considerable length and eloquence. He be-
lieved the Council were now assembled as trustees to
sanction acts wh;ch would be detrimental to the town
and the dock estate. In the present day, public bodies
were so much accustomed to wield money by hundreds
and thousands of pounds, that common prudence and

discretion were sometimes forgotten ; arid fie hoped the
Council would check the Dock Committee from proceed-
ing to Parliament this session, and would induce that

sent were somewhat like a tangled web, difficult to be
unravelled. With reference to the building of additional
dock warehouses, he observed that, although there were
large imports of corn and sugar within the last twelve
months, yet that one-third of the private warehouses of
Liverpool were now empty, and that a reduction of rent,

to the extent of 20 per cent. had taken place in warehouse
property. He objected to dock warehouses being built at
the public cost, and to the Dock Committee becoming
I • I. -.-••• 11,111. rt the +l,llll. of

le town, release themselves from loi
wow the burden of that taxation u

!al taxation, and then
Jon the shoulders of

those whom, by their trading, they had deprived of em-
ployment. He was not opposed to dock warehouses in

the'abstract, if the land were leased to, ar►d they were
built by, mercantile associations ; and if this had been
done, then that flagrant act of injustice, of taking the

private enterprise, would never have been- committed.
He stated that it would cost upwards of £6,000,000 of
money to erect warehouses upon the plan, and at the cost,
of those at the Albert Dock round all the docks of Liver-
pool; and independent of the injury this general project

into the financial affairs of the dock estate, with the view
of showing that that estate was not in a position to incur
such a tremendous debt. He then complained that the

Dec. 21, 1847.

the last ten years that dock warehouses would be erected
in Liverpool to a great extent.
Mr. BRAMLEY-MOORE said that if the preamble were
passed the bill might afterwards be thrown out upon th•
rating clause, or any other clause.
The Council here divided on Mr. Hodgson's amend-
ment, when there appeared :—For the amendment 28.--
Against it, 22.—Majority, 6.
The amendment was accordingly carried. The follow•
ing gentlemen voted in the division : . _

For the amendment, Councillors—Messrs. J, Harm'.
J, Woodruff, J. G. Morris, W. Preston, J. Stitt R. B.
Hill, T. Littledale, jun., J. A. Tinne, R. S. Henderson..
T. Toulmin, H. G, Harbord, S. Holme, J. A. Tobin, C.
W. Reade, T. Kaye, R. C. Gardner, If. Denson, Vi•
Earle, W. Bennett, J. Parker, J. Plumpton, J. Booker.
R. L. Jones. Aldermen—Messrs. D. Hodgson, A. Swain-
son, J. Holmes, J. Cooper, and W. P. Bushby.
Against it. Councillors—Messrs, W. Walthew, E•
Evans, J. Tyrer, G. H. Horsfall, J. Aikin, G. Holt, S.
Stewart, T. Robinson, T. Rimmer, T. Royden,J. Roger*
G. Booker, G. H. Lawrence, T. Lloyd, R. Berm, and W.
Mann. Aldermen—W. Nicol, J. N. Wood, J. Bramley-
Moore, E. Molyneux, T. Chilton, and the Mayor.
Mr. AIxIN expressed a belief that many had voted for
the amendment under the impression that the rate-PtlYint
clause could not be inserted.

Mr. EARLE.—If people don't understand what they axe
voting for, what are we to do with them ? They ought to
go home and get a blister on their heads—(loud laug,hten)
Mr BRAMLEY-MOORE.—Does the amendment exclude
the purchase of the North Shore?
The TOWN-CLERK.—It does.

—Then we shall make you $

Mr. BRAMLEY-MOORS
present of the bill.
The Council adjourned upon the understanding that
the Dock Committee would take the amendment into
consideration, and that the bill, altered in conformity with
the terms of the amendment, would be submitted to
another special meeting 'of the Council, which will ba
convened for the purpose in a few days.