The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-06-04 00:00:00

MEETING OF THE TOWN COUNCIL

The Town Council met on Wednesday, for the despatch of
business. The MAYOR presided.
The proceedings were not commenced until a quarter after
eleven o'clock, owing to there not having been a sufficient
number of members in attendance to form a council. Indeed,
when the Mayor had taken the chair there were only twenty-
oue members present.
The MAYOR accordingly rose, and said that a quarter of
an hour had been lost by reason of the members not being
more punctual in their attendance, and that if more punctual-
ity were not observed on future occasions, he would think it
necessary to adjourn the council. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. HENRY HOLMES said the old council only allowed
five minutes for the members to be in their respective places.
Mr. THORNHILL thought the resolution of the old council
a very proper one.
The DETUTY TOWN-CLERK then read the proceedings of
the last monthly council, as well as the minutes of those held
in the interim.
Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE complained that the members sit-
ting in the lower end of the council chamber were unable to
hear the proceedings, owing to the low tone of voice and ra-
pid manner in which the deputy town-clerk read them, and
suggested the propriety of having an elevated desk placed at
the upper end of the room for that officer.
Mr. EARLE thought that if the members maintained si-
lence, the proceedings would be beard distinctly.
Mr. SHELL differed in opinion with Mr. Earle, and corro-
I borated the opinion expressed by Mr. Lawrence.

THE IRISH MAIL-PACKETS
The proceedings of the finance committee, comprising a
bridge across Wallasey Pool and the Irish mail-packets, hav-
ing been read,
Mr. CASE rose to move their confirmation. He said the
committee had given no opinion with respect to the contem-
plated removal of the Irish mail-packets from Liverpool to
Birkenhead, but that they had left the consideration of that
subject to the council.
The MAYOR read a petition from the Liverpool Guardian
Society, in which they stated that the circumstance of Liver-
pool having been the Irish mail-packet station had been of
great value to the town ; that the sum of £lOO,OOO by this
means had been annually expended in the borough ; that the
distance, which was alleged to be fifteen miles shorter from
the metropolis to Birkenhead than it was from the metropolis
to Liverpool, was in reality only i miles shorter ; that it
only amounted to a saving of a quarter of an hour in point
of time ; that if it were intended to have another mail-packet
besides the one from Birkenhead, to sail from Liverpool, an
expense without any benefit would he incurred ; and that the
mails could be accelerated by a quarter of an hour, if that
were considered of any advantage, on the present line. The
petition was signed by " George Walker, president," and
thirteen of the officers of the Guardian Society, and it con-
cluded by praying the council to resist the attempt.
'The DEPUTY TOWN-CLERK read a letter from Mr. Deane,
of Liverpool, in which that gentleman stated that he was
concerned for the hotel and shopkeepers of the' town, who
had expressed themselves adverse to the proposed removal of
the station to Birkenhead—that though the change was about
to be made in order, as it was said, to obtain a speedier com-
munication between the two capitals, the difference in paint
of length was only seven or eight miles, and in point of time
about a quarter of an hour; and that in respect of conveni-
ence nothing would be gained by the change. Mr. Deane
concluded by saying it was to be hoped that the corporation
would take up the subject and oppose the proposed scheme.
A letter from• Lord Sandon to Mr. Deane was next read, in
which his lordship gave it as his opinion that he saw no
means of moving in the matter unless the corporation,
charged as they were with the interests of the whole com-
munity, took it up, and urged the government to state the
reasons by which they had been induced to make the change.
Mr. CASE sad that according to a return, moved for by
Mr. Stanley, it appeared that the Irish mail packets had been
90 days too late in their arrival in Dublin, in the year 1840,
to forward the letters through the provinces—and that up to
the 14th of February, 1841, they were 26 days too late in the
Irish metropolis to effect the like purpose. He apprehended
that those detentions had caused the alteration to be effected.
There were, he remarked, two Irish mail packets sailing from
Liverpool in the day ; one was in the morning and the other
in the evening. The former, and the former only, it was in-
tended to alter to Birkenhead. The evening mail would go
as usual from Liverpool.
Mr. WOOLRIGHT suggested the propriety of having a
strong memorial sent from the council in opposition to the
change.
Mr. AIKIN thought it was in vain for the council to be ap-
plying for an increase of mail packets unless all the facilities
of landing were given to the public of which that port was
capable. The difficulty of landing in Liverpool was a great
cause of.complaint, and until that evil had been removed
passengers would be sent elsewhere. A great many of the
evils were capable of being removed without much trouble or
expense. Almost all the packets congregated, at present,
at one spot; by reason of which passengers had to pass
through two or three packets before they could reach the
quay, whereas, if a distribution took place, greater facilities
to landing would be afforded. Attached to the present slips
stages for cargoes might be constructed, similar to the one
for foot passengers, by which they could be landed at low
water. Under those circumstances, he begged to move—
" That a committee be appointed to take into consideration
the best means of facilitating the landing and embarking of
passengers at Liverpool, and to report to the council thereon,
with instructions to take immediate measures to secure the
continuance of the passing of the Dublin mails through Li -
verpool."
Mr. EARLE seconded the motion.
Mr. EVANS thought there could be but one opinion on the
matter. With regard to the conduct of the government, in
reference to Liverpool, he thought there was great reason to
complain. In the present instance, the interests of Liver-
pool had been given over to the nobles and• squires of Che-
shire. Everything great in railways had originated in Liver-
pool ; and, therefore, he thought that mere decorum ought
to have induced those in power to make the people of the
borough acquainted beforehand with their intentions, and to
ask them whether they could make out a case that would
obviate supposed necessities.
Mr. BIRKETT presented a petition from a large number of
the publicans of the town, which had been got up in the
morning of that day, and in which they alleged that the con-
templated change would cause serious injury.
Mr. Arms; expressed his conviction that the government
could facilitate the trains along the present line by two hours,
if they were so inclined. There was an unaccountable delay
of three quarters of art hour at Birmingham, for instance.
which might be availed of.
Mr. JOSEPH HOHNBY said, as connected with the rail-
ways, he had no hesitation in saying there would be no diffi-
culty whatever in carrying the mails in two hours less tune.
It had been considered exceedingly desirable, and had fre-
quently been discussed by the board of directors, who would
be glad to carry it into effect immediately.
Mr. SHELL was anxious for inquiry to be instituted before
anything decisive were resolved upon. The council should
recollect that a quarter of an hour, gained by the despatch of
the mail from Birkenhead, might be of great importance;
the whole kingdom of Ireland being involved in the question.
The MAYOR informed the council that arrangements had
been made whereby the letters for Ireland would be sorted
without going to the postoffice, and that this system, by
which considerable despatch would be gained, would come
into operation either in the present or the next week.
Mr. Sucre expressed himself unwilling to divide the
council on the subject, but thought it extraordinary that the
members should, on the mere idea of some trifling injury to
Liverpool, commit themselves to a proposition without hav-
ing first appointed persons to make suitable inquiry.
Mr. Aikin's resolution was then passed unanimously, and
the following committee was appointed for carrying it into
effect ;—Messrs. Woollright, Bright, Houghton, Henry
Lawrence, Evans, Benn, and Aikin.
BIRKENHEAD GAS AND WATER BILL.
Mr. ISAAC HOLMES wished it to be distinctly understood
that he had not concurred in the determination of the finance
cemmittee not to offer any opposition to the Birkenhead gas
and water bill, which bill had now passed through parliament
and conferred a power upon Mr. Jackson, of Birkenhead, to
charge whatever rates he pieased for the supply of gas and
water to the inhabitants. He (Mr. H.) was well convinced
that in the course of a few years it would be found that the
bill in question would be detrimental to the interests of the
Liverpool corporation, so far as the property they held at
Birkenhead was concerned. In conclusion, Mr. Holmes
protested against the manner in which himself and others of
the Birkenhead commissioners had been treated by the
finance committee.
Mr. Casp rose for the purpose of setting Mr. Holmes
right. The finance committee had considered it unwise to
interfere with any opposition to the bill in question. Mr.
Holmes had alleged that the bill passed without any limit
being put to the rate. This was not the fact. Mr. Jackson
had been limited to a per centage of profit, and that amounted
to a limit of the rate. The conversation here dropped.
INLAND WAREHOUSING COMMITTEE.
The proceedings of the inland warehousing committee hav-
ing been read,
Mr. BIRKETT moved their confirmation.
Mr. EVANS regretted that the committee continued to in-
sert matters in their petition which he thought were untrue.
lie had on a former occasion proved that the warehouses
were not of the value they asserted, and that the warehouses
which would be affected by the inland bonding bill did not
amount to a quarter of a million in value. The next assertion
in the petition with which he found fault was that in which
the petitioners asserted, that the present warehouses were
competent to do the work of the town. He denied it. It
was only a day or two before that he had found great diffi-
culty in getting warehouse room for cotton ; and they all
knew that the flour and grain at present on its way to the
port would increase the difficulty. He objected to a petition
which contained allegations that he firmly believed were not
supported by fact. He knew not whether the council would
wish to be troubled with the subject again, but he did think
that it was not asking the council to be too fastidious when
he asked it to refuse its assent to what was not exactly cor-
rect ; and, on that account, he hoped that the petition would
be again referred back to the committee in order to the re-
consideration of those particulars.
Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE said that the petition bad been al-
ready sent to parliament.
Mr. Evasis said it was a breach of trust to forward the
petition after the former discussion which had taken place in
the council.
Mr. HARBORD expressed his belief that the allegations
contained in the petition were founded on facts. (Hear,
hear.) In reply to the assertion just made by Mr, Evans,
that at the present time there was a great want of warehouse-
room in Liverpool, and that he (Mr. E.) found great diffi-
culty in finding such room for his cotton, he (Mr. H.) beg-
ged to say that Mr. Evans's clerk called at his office on the
morning of the previous day, and inquired for room for a
cargo of cotton. He (Mr. H.) gave him a list of rooms suf-
ficient to contain double the quantity, and on asking whe-
ther he would have them, he turned round and said, " We
must see whether we can get anything cheaper first." (Great
laughter, and cries of " Hear, hear.") He was surprised to
hear Mr. Evans assert, under such circumstances, that there
was a want of warehouse-room in the town ; either his clerk
must have told him an untruth, or he must have done so
himself.
Mr. EVANS was surprised to hear, for it was the first he
had heard of it, that his clerk should have gone to Mr. Har-
bord's to make inquiries, because his clerk had express or-
ders never to do anything of the kind. He appealed to any
merchants in the council whether there did not exist a diffi-
culty in the getting of warehouse-room ?
Mr. BRIGHT thought that no overrated statements should
be suffered by the council to go to the legislature, and ex-
pressed his regret at not having been able to be present on
the last day, in consequence of a domestic loss, to support
Mr. Evans's motion in favour of the inland bonding bill.
Mr. PROCTOR thought it somewhat singular that Mr.
Evans should have been permitted to take up the time of the
council with a subject which had been disposed of on a for-

mer day.
Mr. JOHN HOLMES denied that the petition had stated
any falsehood. The estimates of two competent persons had
been laid before the committee, and they valued the amount
of warehouse property, which would be affected by the pro-
posed scheme, at upwards of two millions.
Mr. BIRKETT denied that there had been any breach of
trust on the part of the committee; said that Mr. Bright was
altogether unacquainted with the subject, and said that the
value of warehouse property, as set forth in the petition, had
been understated, for proof of which he referred to the opi-
nions of practical men in opposition to parties who knew no-
thing about it. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. EvANs asked whether he would be allowed to reply ?
The MAYOR. answered in the negative; and the proceed-
ings were confirmed.
SALARIES Or THE TRF.ASCRER AND HIS CLERK.
The anditors of the Corporation Accounts, in a letter to
the Council, after alluding to the want of some check to re-
ceipts of the Markets and of the Town Dues, respectfully
sailed attention to the inadequate rentuneratien of the %reit-