The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-10-26 00:00:00

LOCAL MEETINGS.

DOCK COMMITTEE, THURSDAY.—The sub-committee
of works produced a further communication from Mr.
Cubitt, on the subject of the removal of the new landing
stage 100 yards to the north from the position originally
intended ; and they reported that they saw no alternative
but to accede to the removal.—Mr. Royden said the re-
moval would close up the slip at George's Pier, and pre-
vent the landing of cattle from Cheshire.—Mr. Nicol said
the slip would not be interfered with until the new bridges
were ready.—The Chairman said no cattle would be al-
lowed to get over the new stage ; only carriage and saddle
horses would be allowed to cross it.—Mr. Royden thought
that the inconvenience occasioned by interfering with the
slip would counterbalance the convenience of the new
stage. The question was, after a long conversation, re-
ferred to the harbour-masters' sub-committee, to get the
opinion of the harbour-masters, whether the landing
stage, if removed, would or would not be an interruption
to the navigation of the river.—A letter from Mr. Neale,
of the Shipwrights' Association, requesting increased shed
accommodation at the graving docks, was referred to the
Committee of Works.—A letter was read from Mr. As-
kew, thanking the committee for their liberality, in award-
ing him a pension, which, he said, would enable him to go
down the hill of life with comfort.

TOXTETH-PARK.---On Thursday a meeting of the rate-
payers of this township was held in the Public Office, for
the purpose of looking into the present state of affairs,
and devising means whereby they might be enabled to
meet the very great and increasing demand on their funds.
Mr. Sheppard, Chairman of the Board of Guardians,
having been called to the chair. Mr. Appleby, honorary
overseer, stated that the amount collected for the present
year, during the seven months which had already expired,
was £BB9l, and that £2082 still remained uncollected ;
which, compared with previous years, showed that the
accounts had been kept closer this year than on any
former one. Mr. Appleby also stated, that a call of about
£2OOO had been made by the Board of Guardians and the
bank, which; when paid, would leave them somewhere
about £B9 to carry on their affairs during the remaining
five months. Mr. Royden suggested that a rate of ls. 6d.
be levied, but the Chairman and Mr. Appleby thought it
not prudent to pass such a resolution ; they would rather
that no sum be stated for the present ; probably within a
week or ten days, they would be better able to fix the
amount. After several allusions had been made to the
distress which was at present prevailing in the town, and
the probability of its continuing during the coming winter,
it was proposed by Mr. Royden, and carried unanimously
—" That the overseers be recommended to lay such a rate
as would carry then out for the present year."
TILE LICENSED VICTUALLERS.—On Thursday a public
meeting of this body was held at the Portico, to consider
the steps to be taken in respect to the approaching
municipal election. The meeting was held with closed
doors, and the reporters being rigidly excluded, on the
ground that at a former meeting a report of some nonsense
uttered by a member had been too faithfully reported,
while what was uttered of good sense was not made so
clearly to appear. From what appears in the columns of
a contemporary as to the present meeting, it appears that
Mr. Danson was called to the chair. Mr. John Atkinson,
of Park-lane, moved the first resolution, stating that the
meeting viewed with apprehension the manner in which
party spirit had in times past been allowed to interfere
with the choice of representatives to the Town Council,
and bailed with pleasure the feeling now prevalent. Mr.
Allinson, of Park-lane, seconded the motion, which was
carried. A second resolution pledging the meeting to act
on the principle embodied in the first was proposed. The
Licensed Victuallers had a large interest in the borough,
and it was fitting that they should be represented, but
they were willing to achieve this in connexion with other
bodies. The resolution was carried. A resolution was
carried approving of sanatory regulations. Mr. Machan
said that the merchants and shipowners monopolized the
whole of the honors of the Town Council, and no doubt
especially represented their own interests. The other re-
solutions were not of a political and municipal character,
and, with the accompanying speeches, went principally to
point out the advantages of the Licensed Victuallers'
institution. The speakers were Mr. Timothy Parkinson,
Mr. John Atkinson, Mr. Edward Sumner, Mr. J. Evans,
and the Chairman.

WEST DERBY GUARDIANS.—On Wednesday, Mr.
Sheppard took the chair.—Mr. Latham stated the follow-
ing case to the board :—Ellen Birch, a young girl, about
fourteen years of age, who resided in Chisenhale-street
with a family named Rigby, having taken the fever, was
taken to the Akbar fever convalescent ship, and having
had a relapse, was taken to the ship Lavina, where she
remained until Thursday, the 14th instant, when she was
put ashore in a boat at the Pottery steps, Toxteth-park,
along with an Irishman and a boy, in a very weak and
exhausted state. In this destitute condition, she sat down
near to the Toxteth Dock, until a poor, but kind-hearted
woman, residing at 106, Upper Mann-street, who was
taking her husband's dinner, took pity on her, and
escorted her home, where she showed her the greatest
kindness and humanity.—The chairman said such a pro-
ceeding was quite irregular and illegal on the part of the
parish of Liverpool, and most disgraceful to them, and he,
as one of the authorities of Toxteth-park, would protest
most strongly against such proceedings.—The Rev. Mr.
Badnall said, it was, perhaps, some official who had done
this, unknown to Mr. Gray, or the Liverpool authorities.
—Mr. Shaw said the best plan to be adopted would be for
Mr. Latham to go with the poor girl to the parish officers,
and state the case to them there, and see what they would
do. The proposition was ultimately agreed upon.—lt
was moved by Mr. Shaw, that a communication be sent
to the Poor-law Commissioners, in reply to their letter
dated the 18th instant, in reference to the case of Mr. W.
Hodgson, to the effect, that having discharged his duties
as collector of the poor-rate for the rural district of West
Derby to the complete satisfaction of this board, that no
alteration be made in his salary and position with respect
to this board.—Mr. Roskell moved, as an amendment,
that the matter be postponed for a week.—Mr. Mount-
field seconded the amendment.—The original motion and
amendment were then put, when the former was carried.
THE BIRKENHEAD COMMISSIONERS.—An adjourned
meeting of this body was held on Tuesday, to receive
a statement of the affairs of the township, and an account
of expenses incurred by them in prosecuting the gas and
water bills. There were present six commissioners, and
Mr. Greene presided. Mr. Hicklin said, by a document
produced, that the sum of £lBB2 had been expended in
promoting the gas and water bills, exclusive of Mr. Lloyd's
bill, which had not yet come to hand.i He moved that the
statement be entered on the minutes of the general board,
so that the ratepayers might examine it, and was seconded
by Mr. Nicholls. Mr. Thompson complained of misre-
presentation of facts on this subject, from some quarters,
as if the commissioners had some pecuniary interest in the
matter, which he denied. He had felt it his duty to pro-
mote those bills, thinking it was for the general interest
that the ratepayers should have the gas and water in their
own hands. He thought the sums expended in promoting
the bills were reasonable, when Liverpool had expended
£B5OO on a water bill alone. As far as regarded the con-
tract for 75 years, he had no doubt that would ultimately
turn out a mere bubble, for it had been recently discovered
that there was a clause in the commissioners' acts which
prevented them from entering into any contract for more
than three years. Mr. Thompson then argued that all
the public bodies connected with Birkenhead, together
with a majority of the respectable ratepayers were in favour
of the bills, and therefore the interest of two or three in-
dividuals composing the Gas Company, ought not to stand
in the way of such a measure. He then proceeded to
argue in favour of the sanatory bill, and he condemned
all monopolies, as injurious to the public, and even to the
parties themselves in the end. The Chairman, after ex-
plaining the principles upon which he had acted since he
was appointed a member of the committee last year, con-
tended that from the beginning of the proceedings (relative
to gas and water) the money was illegally expended. As
respected the lease from Mr. Jackson, he was not a com-
missioner when that was executed, and subsequently he
endeavoured to prevent certain clauses from being intro-
duced into their bills. Those clauses, however, met with
the approbation of the ratepayers, and, after the bargain
had been once ratified, and forty or fifty thousand pounds
expended in consequence, he was not dishonest enough
to turn round and repudiate it. They were bound to
support Mr. Jackson against any opposition that might be
raised against him. Mr. Hicklin replied to Mr. Thompson,
and the motion was then adopted. The other proceedings
relate to financial matters.

MEETING OF BURGESSES IN ST. PETER'S WARD.—
On Friday evening, a meeting of the conservative electors
of St. Peter's Ward, was held at the Prince of Wales,
Fleet Street, for the purpose of hearing Mr. Henderson,
the present representative, give an account of his steward-
ship, and explain the ground of his claim to a renewal of
the confidence of the electors. Mr. R. Frodsham,
solicitor, occupied the chair, and amongst those present
were several members of the Town Council, and many
respectable townsmen. The Chairman, in the course of
some introductory observations, remarked upon the con-
duct of Mr. Bell, a professed liberal, in coming forward
in opposition to Mr. Henderson, when the latter gentle-
man's conduct as twice a representative for the Ward
had been so highly approved.—Mr. Henderson then
presented himself amidst much applause. He enumerated
the different committees upon which he had acted in
connexion with the Council and the Docks. He con-
sidered warehouses as only of secondary importance, and
he held it wrong for a public trust to expend its funds in
competing with the trade or business of individuals.
(applause.) There was a great deficiency of dock accom-
modation, for in the late gale of wind it had been reported
that there were 140 vessels in the river unable to find
shelter, the docks being full. The Dock Committee would
require a large sum of money to enable them to complete
the docks at present in progress, and for which they had
obtained acts of parliament ; and the best way would be
to sell the quays of such docks as were suitable for ware-
houses, to companies or private individuals, who would
build warehouses under such restrictions as the Dock
Committee might decide upon.—Mr. Dover moved a
resolution approving of the conduct of Mr. Henderson,
and asked the meeting if they were prepared to give up
the council to the radicals, who, he was sorry to say, were
predominant in the Vestry. He adverted in strong terms
to the conduct of the Dock Committee for having built
the Albert Dock warehouses, and said that the corporation
of Liverpool was, he believed, the only corporation in the
kingdom who were traders. They were master coopers,
master porters and warehouse-keepers, and whilst they
charged 4d. per ton for hogshead of sugar, they only
charged 21 per ton for bag sugar. He had stated this to
the Dock Committee. Those who dealt in bag sugar, did
so at the public expense. The Dock Committee lost
nothing, but the bond-holders did.—Mr. John Hall in
seconding the motion defended the Select Vestry from
the animadversions of the last speaker. They had done
their best to keep down the parochial expenditure. The
resolution was passed unanimously.—Mr. Tinne paid a
high compliment to Mr. Henderson, and said that no man
in the council could have a more indefatigable colleague
than he. He hoped that when the burden of erecting the
parks, the law courts, and the prison had been got rid of,
the Council would be able to apply the surplus proceeds