The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-07-29 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

CORRESPONDENCE.

NUISANCE.
7'O THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL ST.INDARD.

Sir,—l shall feel obliged to you for drawing the attention of
the proper authorities to the disgraceful exhibition which takes
place every Sabbath day iu the vicinity of St. Nicholas's Church:
I allude to thb crowd of noisy and importunate liishwotnen who
frequent the -neighbourhood of Chapel-street, carrying their
baskets of oranges, &c., which they openly offer for sale, even
at the gates of the Church-yard. So audacious have these par-
ties become, owing,to their impunity from correction, that they
have actually set up stalls for the sale of these things in the
street, and that, during divine service. It is time for the po-
lice—if they are to ba of any use—to interfere, and put a stop
4o such disgraceful proceedings. - •
I am, Sir,
A MEMBER OF ST. NICHOLAS'S CONGREGATION.

4. *0

TO `THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STAND,IRD.

Sir,—You' will lay. the licenied victuallers under a great obli-
gation, if you can inform them by what law or semblance of
justice the following fine was imposed :—A publican who keeps
a very respectable house, had to appear before Mr. Hall, for al-
lowing three drunken men to remain in his house. He was
ready to swear that these three men came into his house intox-
icated—he drew them no drink,—but, as they were noisy, he
sent for one of the new police to assist him in (jetting rid of them.
This the policeman did, and, to the no small surprise of the pub-
lican, be inforined against him for permitting drunkenness on
his premises. He received a summons to appear before Mr.
Hall, by whom he was fined, in spite of his solemn asseverations
that he onl • wished to be rid of these drunken stragglers. Was
this right? Yours, &c., A PUBLICAN, NOT YET FINED.
[The magic rates can only act on the evidence before them ;
from what we have heard of the case, the policeman swore that
other drunken men were in the house- If there be any blame,
it must attach to the policeman.—En. L. S.]

THE POLICE AND THE PUBLICANS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

Sta,—History furnishes us with numerous instances of per-
sons who,'at one period of their lives, were incessant in their
demands for liberty and equal rights, but who, when they had
obtained the helm of power, exercised it with more despotic
sway than their predecessors whom they had so often and so un-
sparingly maligned. The proceedings of the present corporation
afford an apt illustration of this truth. Before they got into
power their speeches were exuberant in professions of freedom
and liberality; but now that they have "the ball at their own
toot," we find their previous sentiments and their subsequent
conduct unquestionably at variance with each other.
In order to prove what I have-advanced,4migkrtrefeeto many
acts of the new council; but it may suffice, for the present, to
allude to the crusade entered into against the persecuted publi-
cans. The police are now under the orders of a committee of
the council, therethre the acts of the police are to be regarded as
emanating from our new corporation. And how do the police
act towards thepublicans of Liverpool ? They enter quite un-
ceremoniously into any Jerry shop, public-house, tavern, &C.,
by day or by night, survey the countenance of every one pre-
sent, and please themselves how long they stop, or what private
conversation they may listen to; and this kind of conduct they
repeat as often as whim or private pique may direct them. Not
unfrequently an information is laid, the publican is summoned
to appear before the magistrates, and, whatever he may chance
to urge ia his`own behalf, he is almost certain to be fined, be-
. cause, forsooth, the immaculate police cannot tell a lie, for they
are in all cases actuated only by disinterested Motives and in
almost every case it is vain for the publican to attempt to set up
a defence, because his fate may be said to be prejudged the mo-
ment that the policeman lays his information. Nay, they are
scarcely allowed to call forward a witness in their own vindica-
tion, however dearly they may be able to prove their innocence
in opposition to the disinterested evidence of the immaculate
policemen. How long such a state of things will be allowed to
continue in Liverpool is vet to be known ; but, if we may be
permitted to judge accoraiug to common justice and common
sense, such a system of tyranny and oppression will be met with
that determined resistance and fearless opposition, that ever
stops the march of despotism and consigns its unworthy agents
to the odium and oblivion that they merit.
Were it not for trespassing on your limits I would furnish you
with the names of many respectable publicans who have been
made the victims of our new corporate governors. There are
many useful objects to which the corporation might direct their
attention, and on which they have yet bestowed but little, and,
by doing so, they would acquire more credit for themselves, and
be conferring a greater benefit on the town, than by harassing
the publicans, through persecuting whom they fancy they will
be able to show the efficiency of their new police, and thereby
to prove the invaluable benefits of the municipal reform bill.—
Yonrs, &c., JUSTITIA.

MEETING OF THE PROPRIETORS OF THE
LIVERPOOL AND MANCHESTER RAILWAY.

On Wednesday, at one o'clock, a meeting of the shareholders
in the above railway company was held at the Cotton Sale-
room, convened for the purpose of declaring a dividend, and
also for submitting a plan for raising 1:427,500. to pay off sums
which have already- been borrowed, by creating a number of
new shares of £5O each, the present shareholders to have the
liberty of taking them up, and those not taken up to be offered
to the public. The meeting was numerously attended. Mr.
Charles Lawrence was• moved into the chair, after which Mr.
Booth, the treasurer, proceeded to read the report of the direc-
tors. The report, amongst other things, announced that during
the last half year, to the 30th of June, there had been a pro-
greSsive increase in each pats of the company's business.
There had been received—

From passengers by coaches £57;914
For merchandise.
For coals 4,000

Total receipt in six months ....£109,355
The expenses in the same period were—
For bad debts ....
Coach disbursements 10,202
Carrying ditto
Charge of direction
Interest
Locomotives .
Police
and other charges, making in the whole £69,953 for expenses in
the half year, and leaving a nett profit of £39,402. The ex-
penses of the locomotive power had been considerably increased
in consequence of some accidents which had occurred to the
waggons, and also in consequence of a strike of the locomotive
engine men, which had obliged the directors to engage extra
hands. This inconvenience would, however, for the future be
prevented by requiring the men to enter into a contract to serve
for a specific period. The report then adverted to the Grand
junction line of railway, which is to connect the Birmingham
with the Manchester line, and to the nurthern line, both of
which it was calculated would bring a great increase of busi-
ness to the company. The report went on to announce that
the new railway tunnel in Lime-street will be opened to the
public on Monday, the 15th of August next, and it was antici-
pated that its central situation would be found a great public
convenience. Though the expense attending the erection of
this building and the tunnel would not be less than £150,000, it
was determined that no alteration should be made in the rate of
fares, the directors being fully confident that a liberal policy
towards the public was the best. The new and inure substantial
rails which were being laid down, owing to the increased price
in iron, had been of greater expense than was at first antici-
pated. It was also the intention of the directors to erect a com-

nlodious station at Manchester corresponding with that at
Liverpool, and with that view extensive premises had been
purchased in the neighbourhood of Water-street, near the I rwell.
I he report also stated that several improvements in the engines
had been tried and would be adopted, and no expense would be
spored in this respect. The directors had lately established an
.ciditional train to leave each end of the line at seven o'clock

in the evening, whici;nronaised to be of great public conveni-
ence. The directors proposed, in order to meet the mortgage
debt of £427,500 due by the company, to raise a number of
'shares of £5O each, to be offered to every proprietor of a £lOO
share. It was proposed that the advance for every £5O share
should be paid by instalments; £lO on the first week in Feb.,
1:i0 on the first week in August, 1837, £lO on the first
week in February and in August, 1838, and £5 on the first week
in February and August, 1839, this rate of payment being cal.
culated to take up the mortgages as they came due. The divi-
.dends of the advanced instalments to be paid six months after
the same shall be paid till August, 18-10, when all instalments
-being paid up, the dividend would be paid on the whole amount
of shares.- Such shares as were not appropriated to be sold at
the discretion of the directors as appointed by the act. It was
recommended by the directors, that, in order to cover the debt
which had been incurred, they should be empowered to make
shares from time to time, and sell them, according to the act.
The nett revenue fur the past half year has been £39,402.25. 7d.,
which, with the surplus of the previous half year, £1,569. 7s. 7d.,
made a total of £10,971, 10s. 2d.- The report appeared to give
general satisfaction.
Mr. BitArritwAiTri wished to enquire if the directors were
empowered by the company's act to sell shares.
Mr. CLAY replied that a clause in the act enabled them to
sell shares as they pleased.
The CHAIRMAN then announced that it was proposed that £5
per share dividend fur the last half year should be paid on the
20th of August next. which would leave a balance of £1127 15s.
2d. to be carried to the next half year's account.
Mr. COG LAN thought that as there was a great call on the 9th
of August for the Grand Junction Railway, it would be a con-
venience to many if the dividend were paid before then.
After some discussion, it was determined that the dividend
shoal be paid on the Bth of August.
A resolution was then put to the meeting, to the effect, that
the company fully recognised the right of the original share-
holders and owners of the £25 shares before the railway was
opened to receive interest on their money, and that the company
would pay interest to them after the rate of five per cent. per
annum, from the time their instalments were respectively paid
till the time the railroad was opened to the public. This was
agreed to. _ _

Mr. Lewis MOZLEY said, there was one point connected with
the report which he wished to enquire into. It was with regard
to the_ paying off a part of the debt by the creation of 291 shares
of £lOO which would be all that would be required. He wished
to ask if the whole number of shares would be sold because they
would be creating a large surplus stock, calculating the value of
each £lOO share to be £3Ol He wished to ask what course
would be adopted with this surplus, and if it would be necessary
to bring so much stock into the market ?
The CHAIRMAN said the dumber of shares they sold would be
regulated by the price they got. if they could sell £lOO shares
for £3OO they should not want so many. _

Mr. Boont, the report says, that shares shall be sold—not
how many—sufficient to meet the debt.
Mr. LEWIS MOZLEY enquired, if a surplus should arise after
the payment of 10 per cent. ou both the old and new stock
would they still make the shares or pay the debt out of the
surplus.?
Mr. BOOTH : Make the shares and divide the profit.
Mr. LEWIS MOZLEY would then move, that that portion of
the report which authorised the creation of new shares for the
purpose of paying off the debt should be adopted.
'!he motion was seconded and carried.

141 r. COGLAN said that there were hundreds of owners of
quarter shares in humble circumstances, to whom it would be
impossible to purchase the 101 l shares about to be allotted, so
that, in this case, the wealthy proprietors would have a great
advantage over them. He would suggest that a portion of the
shares should bo appropriated to quarter shares to meet this dif-
ficulty, so as to enable the poorer shareholders to purchase
quarter shares.
The CHAIRMAN said they had considered that point, but on
looking at the small number of these shareholders on the list,
the directors did not think it necessary to give that advantage.
The report was then adopted, and ordered to be printed and
distributed amongst the sharehelders, and the meet ing:broke up