The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-01-05 00:00:00

AIEETI

:NG OF CHESHIRE

ISTRATES,

The magistrates of the county of Chester met yesterday,
in the Castle of Chester, for the despatch of business.
The principal subjects before them were the appointment
of a chaplain to the Castle, and of several inferior officers.
the consideration of the bill for the appointment of a sti-
pendiary chairman, and the laying of a county rate.
The meeting was numerously attended. Mr. TRAF-
FORD TRAFFORD presided.
The sum of £2,800 was voted for the rebuilding of a
bridge in Dukenfield.
The report of the visiting justices of Chester Castle
stated that the Rev. H. S. Joseph had been temporarily
appointed to the office of chaplain on the 6th ultimo, and
that the discharge of Richardson, the late gate-porter,
had afforded an opportunity of considering the propriety
of appointing his successor as deputy-governor, at a salary
cif £lOO per annum, being an addition of £3O, he giving
security in the sum of £3OO for the safe custody of the
debtors. Out of thirteen candidates, the visiting justices
recommended James Baker for the appointment. The
report concluded by stating that the discipline of the gdol
was effectually maintained.
The report of the Visiting Justices of Knutsford House
of Correction was next read. It stated that alterations
were in progress for the introduction of the separate
system. Forty-four persons had been committed for dis-
orderly conduct in the Union Workhouses of Stockport
and Macclesfield, all of whom had avowed they had so
conducted themselves because they preferred the dietary
of the prison to that of the workhouse. Something, the
report added, should be done to prevent this abuse; and
wrietphretsheanttatis object sinhouldbe m
view.
Potatoes
etoteos
beingti th e wasH olslllBusge. gaeSsleoteeilde t:ahrayt
them in the prison dietary.
American peas had been substituted for
A long discussion took place upon the part of the re-
port relating to the disorderly prisoners from the union
workhouses.—Mr. JAMES NEWTON, of Stockport, stated
that the prisoners sent from that town were tramps and
wanderers, who applied for food each morning at the union
workhouse. The condition on which breakfast was given
to those vagrants was that they should work for two hours ;
and when they refused to work, they were brought be-
fore the magistrates and committed as vagrants.
Mr. CoRBErr thought the best plan with such char-
acters was to make them work two hours before receiving
the breakfast, instead of giving them their breakfast first.
The CnAinmAN-said that being in an union workhouse
was, no doubt, imprisonment ; and the only question
with these wayfarers and wanderers was which treated
them best—the prison or the workhouse. He doubted
the legality of committals under such circumstances, as
the maintainance of prisoners so committed imposed a
burden upon other townships to which they were not
liable.

Mr. WILLIAMS suggested that the diet in the gaol
should be lowered to the scale of that in the union work-
houses. The evil would then cure itself.
The CHAIRMAN said that was impossible. The gaol
dietary was regulated by the Secretary of State, and the
magistrates could not alter it. The treatment of prison-
ers in the gaols was excellent in many points. Each
prisoner had a room to himself, a separate couch to sleep
on, and books to read. In the union workhouse the
treatment was not so good.

Mr. DAINTRY, and several other magistrates, protested
against the inference going abroad, that the dietary in the
union workhouses was inferior to that in the house of cor-
rection.—Eventually a resolution was passed approving of
the visiting justices report : and, with regard to the dis-
orderly paupers, the visiting justices were requested to
communicate with the officers of the workhouses in ques-
tion, urging them to be cautious in taking in parties who
thus become a charge upon the county, as the legality of
their committments seemed doubtful.
The court then proceeded to the appointment of Chap-
lain to the castle of Chester, in the place of the Rev.
W. G. Eaton. There were twelve candidates ; and this
.number was reduced to two, the Rev. H. S. Joseph, and
the Rev. E. Titley.

Mr. CHARLES POTTS proposed, and Mr. WM. JACK-
SON seconded, the appointment of the Rev. H. S. Joseph.
Mr. CORBETT proposed, and Sir E. WALKER seconded,
the Rev. E. Titley.

On a division the numbers were, for Mr. Joseph 21;
for Mr. Titley 9. Mr. Joseph was then called in, and he
returned thanks for the appointment.
Mrs. Bennion was re-appointed matron ; and Elizabeth
Jones, school-mistress.

A committee was appointed to watch the progress of the
bill for the establishment of the stipendiary chairman-
ship. Much jealousy was expressed of any claim that
Government might make to nominate this officer.
A county rate, of ls. 4d. in the pound, was then or-
dered, and the meeting separated.

THE CUSTOMS REVENUE OF THE PORT

OF LIVERPOOL

Although, at the time we write, the Customs' year has
not quite expired, being usually made up to the close of
the sth January, (this day,) we have to congratulate our
readers upon the fact that the port has made some pro-
gress towards making up for the decrease of revenue sus-
tained up to the sth January last year, occasioned by the
alteration which took place in the tariff. The following
are the receipts during the two years,

April quarter
July do
October do

1845
£928,973
817,279
897,988

£793,427

944:496
1,016,383
858,806

January do

788,872