The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-03-30 00:00:00

THE PRESIDENT AND THE BRITANNIA

Up to the hour of going to press with our first edition
(two o'clock this morning), we are without any intelligence of
either of these ships. The President has been long expected:
,he has, in all protability, been detained beyond her ap-
pointed day of sailing, in order to bring despatches from the
British Minister in the United States. The Halifax steamer
is but scarcely due, and the expectation of her arrival so
early is a compliment to the line to which she belongs, the
vessels composing which having invariably hitherto accom-
plished their trips with surpassing speed and regularity.

MEETING ON THE BIRKENHEAD GAS AND
WATER-WORKS BILL.

Yesterday evening, at seven o'clock, a public meeting took
place at the Town Hall, Birkenhead, called anonymously, by
placard and advertisement, of the rate-payers and owners of
property in Birkenhead, to adopt such measures as might be
deemed necessary to oppose the Birkenhead Gas and Water-
Works Bill now introduced into Parliament,—one clause of
which is to the effect, that W. Jackson, J. S. Jackson, and
others (whose names are recapitulated), and all others who
have already subscribed, or may subscribe to the undertak-
ing, and their executors, &c., shall form a company for the
purpose of supplying gas and water to the township, " with
perpetual succession" and power to purchase and bold lands
within restriction contained in the act applied for:
The advertisement further announced thal the bill had
passed the Committee of the House of Commons, and stood
fora third reading on Wednesday (to-morrow) the 31st inst.

The meeting was pretty numerously, and certainly respect-
ably attended ; and Mr. Laycock was appointed chairman.
The CHAIRMAN opened the business in a brief and com-
prehensive manner, after which

Mr. MALLABY, clerk of the magistrates, entered upon a
long statement of the objects of the meeting and the purposes
of the bill. He warmly advocated the cause in which Mr.
Jackson had embarked, and contended that those who op.
posed him were mistaken in their policy, and acted in a man-
ner contrary to the general interests and well-being of the
township. He furnished a variety of statistical details, shew-
ing the benefits that would accrue to Birkenhead from the
bill now in progress, and endeavoured to rebut all the argu-
ments that had hitherto beeu advanced against it. His prin-
cipal plea was, that at a time when no money could be raised
for the purposes stated in the bill, on similarly advantageous
terms, Mr. Jackson had come forward, and at a cost of
£30,000 supplied the desideratum required ; and above all, he
remindedthe meeting that Mr.Jacksonhad, by the concurrence
of the commissioners appointed by the rate- payers, obtained a
monopoly for the term of 75 years, upon which, in the terms
of the existing contract, he could charge a per centage of
profit of 40 or 50 per cent, if he thought fit to do so ;—but
that, by permitting the present bill to pass, his contract
would be so affected, by merging thereinto, that the ratepay-
ers would not be subject to a charge involving a profit of
above 12 per cent. lie statistically showed the gain to the
township annually that would arise from the passing of the
bill now sought for. The gas, if the bill passed, would be
supplied for bs per 1000 feet, in place of 10s. On the water
10 per cent only would be charged for domestic purposes,
and in this department Mr. Jackson was bound to put down
fire-plug, and to supply water gratis in cases of fire. Mr.
Jackson, he assured the meeting, expected no additional ad-
vantages from the bill, but what, as a proprietor, he would
participate in, in common with others in the township. (Ap-
plause.)

Mr. APPLETON lamented that he should be in juxtaposi-
tion to the last speaker, and those whom he supported. He
entertained the most friendly personal feeling towards Mr.
Jackson • but he took an opposite side on public grounds.
He considered the bill a second gas bill for Birkenhead. He
was in favour of Mr. Jackson having the supply of gas in
perpetuity by the first bill ; but he expected that the town-
ship would have the reversionary interest of that bVI, which
he considered would be worth £lO,OOO. per annum. They
might be told that at the end of Mr. J.'s contract the bill
would be returned to them ; but then another bill was to be
thrown upon them from the same quarter. The revenue
from the gas bill last year had been £400., and in 20 years it
would probably be £4OOO. He thought that even with the
present small corporate estate they should expect better
things. The ratepayers ought to defend themselves against
a second gas bill, and not to give their interests away to any
company. He moved a resolution to the effect that the bill
should be opposed by the ratepayers by all means within
their power.
The motion was seconded by Mr. MEACOCK.

Mr. STANSFIELD said, that the ratepayers ought to sup-
port the holders of the present lease for 75 years, without
any restriction as to their profits. The statement mad:i by
Mr. Mallaby had removed all his objections. If the bill
passed, it would limit the profits to 12 per cent., which was
as little as would remunerate a company to supply the pub-
lic ; and it would save the township from being charged 30
or 40 or 50 per cent. for gas, to which they would be other-
wise subjected. He considered, indeed, that the act sought
for would be a great boon to the township, for which they
ought to be exceedingly thankful. With respect to water,
he believed that that necessary of life would be supplied by
Mr. Jackson, of the best quality, from Oxton. He con-
cluded by moving an amendment to the following effect :
That the meeting, having the fullest confidence in the com-
missioners, from the straigtforward manner in which they
had acted, considered it a guarantee that they would consult
the interests of the township in carefully revising every clause
of the bill befure parliament, for lighting Birkenhead with
gas and supplying it with water ; and that a copy of the bill
as amended be sent to each commissioner seven days before
a meeting of that body held for consideringn the same.
Mr. CHRISTOPHER BENTHAM seconded the motion. He
considered the original motion as a vote of undeserved cen-
sure on the commissioners, which could only arise from an
ignorance of their competency, their probity, and their ex-
ertions for the benefit of the township.
Mr. SMITH strongly opposed the amendment. He ob-
jected to the power being taken out of the hands of the rate-
payers. He supported the first motion.

Some explanations were then made by several speakers.
Mr. STANSFIELD stated that the saving in the gas to the
township by the new bill would be from £2,000 to £3,000.

Mr. FRANCIS did not oppose the bill as regarded the water,
but as regarded the supply of gas. The bill, in that respect,
was fouuded on a false assumption, that there was no supply
of gas now, whereas the township had already been supplied
for nine months. He thought the residue of profits beyond
a fair per centage should go to the improvement of the town ;
and he had never yet heard of a company who had handed
over any surplus profits, except to the proprietors.
Mr. .13aonEatp thought no man better qualified than Mr.
Jackson to carryout the objects of the bill with greater ad-
vantage to the public, He was surprised that it should be
opposed by Mr. Appleton and Mr. Smith, both of whom had
supported Mr. Jackson's contract.
Mr. SMITH and afterwards Mr. APPI.ETON successfully
rebutted this accusation of inconsistency.

Mr. JACKSON (the holder of the contract, and in whose
behalf the bill was forwarded) defended himself against the
accusations of personal benefit attributed to him.
Mr. MALLABY, in explanation and reply, grappled with
the opposers of the bill, giving a sketch of the advantages
hitherto derived from the exertions of Mr. Jackson in fur-
nishing gas for the township, and thereby inducing an acces-
sion of residents, and promoting the public good. Mr. J.
was the highest bidder when the contract was first advertised.
He again explained that the saving to the township by the
passing of the hill would be £2,500 a-year. He pledged
himself that Mr. Jackson would be no individual gainer by
the passing of that bill, and explained that in such case Mr.
Jackson could not, under any circumstnnces, charge above
12 per cent. ; whereas, if his present contract remain, he
might charge a much higher amount.
Mr. APPLETON then withdrew his motion, and the amend-
ment was carried without further opposition.
A vote of thanks was then moved to the chairman, and the
meeting abruptly broke up.