The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-09-28 00:00:00

LOCAL MEETINGS.

TEA PARTY. AT THE MUSIC HALL.—A social meeting
of the members of the Evangelical Alliance took place at
the Music-hall, Bold-street, on Friday. Tea began to be
served out a little after six o'clock, at which time most of
the company had arrived. The objects of the gathering
were purely social, and were confined to the familiar dis-
cussion, characteristic of the board from which is di- poosed
the cup which " cheers but not inebriates," devotional
exercises and short addresses. The evening's enjoyments
were enhanced by the presence of numerous ladies.
Amongst the gentlemen present were Dr. Raffles, Revels.
Cordeaux, Kelly, Osborne, Lippington, White, Graham,
Rees, M'Owen, Appleford, Roberts :---John Cropper, A.
Dunlop Sutherland, (M.D.) J. Yates Ashton, Michael
Ashton, and Jones, Esars.
MEETING OF BUILDERS.—On Friday evening last, a
meeting of persons connected with building was held at
Mr. Wightman's, Brunswick. Hotel, Hanover-street, to
consult on the propriety of forming an association of
builders. Mr. James Gardner was called to the chair.
An address was read to the meeting, embadying a pros-
pectus of its constitution and objects, which were stated
to be the establishment of a registry-office, fo-r the'sale of
building land, houses, and buildings ; the negotiating of
mortgages and loans ; embracing an agency office for life
and fire insurance. It also proposed to notice the unequal
tax in the shape of stamp duties on the sale and transfer
of property, mortgages, &c., and to give information to all
interested in any acts of Parliament, local acts, bye-laws,
rules, and recommendations affecting buildings; and to
protect any member unconstitutionally prosecuted for an
infraction of presumed laws and regulations, and several
other matters connected with building generally. At the
commencement of the meeting, a question was put from
the Chair, suggesting if it would not be more judicious to
unite with the Houseowners' Guardian Society,—a body
of people which had already done much good in the town,
and might be induced to take up any matter affecting
building, if a goodly number of builders would join them.
After much discussion, it was resolved,—" That, as the
interests of builders could not always be identified with
the interests of houseowners generally, this meeting do
form themselves into a separate society." A committee
was then appointed to organise the society, and draw up
rules for its guidance—to be approved of at a general
meeting to be called when such plans are matured.
MEETING OF PRECEPTORS.—On Thursday evening
last, a meeting of teachers and friends of education was
held in the Concert-hall, Lord Nelson-street, to receive a
deputation from the College of Preceptors. Mr. John
Smith explained the object of the meeting, and urged an
authorised system of examination into the character and
acquirements of teachers, and the granting of certificates
to those who were qualified.—Mr. Parker, one' of the
deputation, supplied a history of the College, of conside-
rable interest: It owed its origin to the Royal Literary
and Scientific Institution of Brighton, in 1845 ; and the
call of that body was responded to by the assemblage, in
Jime last year, of 300 scholastics from every part of the
kingdom. They sought, first, a test of professional abi-
lity ; secondly, that that test should be imposed by a le-
gally authorised body of persons engaged in tuition ; and,
thirdly, that the test should in the first instance be ap-
plied to assistant masters only. The speaker said that
the essay read, and out of which the society had arisen,
concluded in these words :—" We disturb nothing; we
merely seek a guarantee in the first instance for the pub-
lic as to the competency of teachers ; and, secondly, a
guarantee for ourselves to secure a respectable position
and status in this great country, to which we feel, from
the enduring nature of our duties, we are fully entitled."
—Mr. Ross moved a resolution in accordance with the
sentiments expressed, and ably supported it. It was car-
ried unanimously.—Dr. Hodgson moved a second resolu-
tion in further support of the establishment, and pledging
the meeting thereto, which was also 'carried.—Several
other gentlemen addressed the assemblage in terms of
high approval of the objects in view, and the meeting
separated.
BIRKENHEAD A FREE PORT.—The adjourned meeting
of the dock commissioners for the purpose of reducing the
rates of the docks, in accordance with the recent proposal
of the Railway company to the board—viz., to reduce the
rates of tonnage on all foreign vessels to 61., and on all
coasting vessels ld. per ton—was held on. Thursday at the
Board-room, Hamilton-square, Mr. J. H. Green in the
chair. Present—Messrs. Laird, Hicklin, Pike, Nicholls,
Bryans, Thompson, Cole, Watson, Barbour, and Fox.
The minutes of' the last meeting having been read, and
also a report from the committee appointed to make the
preliminary arrangements with the railway company
touching their proposal, and also a copy of the corres-
pondence which had passed between the committee and
Mr. Charlewood, on the part of the railway company,
some conversational discussion ensued upon these subjects.
Mr. Waln then read a letter from Mr. Mallaby, who was
absent, expressing his opinion upon the subject. He
stated that he should be glad that the proposed arrange-
ments were made, if it could be legally done. Mr. Waln
then, at the suggestion of a member of the board, read a
copy of the bond which had been prepared by the railway
company and the committee, Mr. Thompson then moved
the following resolution :—" That the tonnage rates levied
at the Birkenhead Docks be charged from this date at the
rate of 6d. per ton on foreign vessels, and Id. on coasting
vessels ; and that the law clerk be ordered to advertise the
same in the usual way." This motion having been se-
conded by Mr. Cole, it was put and carried nem. dis.
Mr. William Laird bserved that, by this arrangement,
the railway company were to pay all rates on vessels land-
ing cargoes ; and, although nominally the dock commis-
sioners levied 6d. per ton on vessels from foreign parts,
and-id. per-ton on -coasters,- yet-the docks of Birkenhead
were, in consequence of this arrangement, to be virtually
free to the public, and there were therefore now no dues
whatever on ships entering, or goods landed in the Bir-
kenhead Docks.
WEST DERBY BOARD OF GUARDIANS.—On Wednes-
day the usual weekly meeting of the above board was held.
The applicants for relief in Kirkdale were greatly in-
creased, owing to the stoppage of the cotton factory at the
North Shore. Amongst the number was a man named
Townsend, who with his family consisting of eight chil-
dren, had been in the habit of earning more than thirty
shillings per week previous to the suspension of the work-
ing of the mill. In all the cases relief was given prepara-
tory to their being sent to their respective parishes. The
Chairman read the report of the fever hospital. There
were remaining in the house last week 126, admitted dur-
ing the week 35, dismissed cured 26, died 9. The hospi-
tal continues quite full. During last week there has been
a larger number of bad cases than usual. The Chairman
stated to the Board, in the hope that through the public
prints, it might be made known to the public at large, that
many poor creatures were brought to the Fever Hospital
almost without clothing, he hoped any charitably-disposed
persons would send their left-off clothing to the Hospital ;
and he felt convinced that many ladies and gentlemen
would generously come forward and lend their aid in so
benevolent a work. The payments of poor-rates made to
the West Derby Union from the 25th of March to the
18th of September respectively, in the years 1845, 1846,
1847, were, in 1845, £3166 17s. ; 1846, £2933 17s. 9d. ;
1847, £6645 9s. 11d., and of calls made on the 14th day
of September of £l2BB, payable on the 14th, £5OO had
been raid, leaving a balance of £7BB. The magistrates
had given the honorary overseer ten days from the 18th to
pay the balance, and they (the magistrates) had promised
to decide- upon a number of summonses issued against
parties refusing to pay their poor-rates in Toxteth-park.
On the cheque for the payment of the various salaries of
the officers connected with the union, and the money re-
quired for out-door relief being presented for signature, a
great deal of discussion took place, as it appeared from
their banking account that there was not sufficient money
in the bank to meet all the demands. No more cheques
are to be signed, but those required for out-door relief.
The Chairman called the attention of the guardians to a
clause in the Poor-law Bill which had come into operation
on the 3rd September, 1847—That a committee must be
appointed for the purpose of visiting the workhouse, &c.,
and examining all provisions, &c., required for the main-
tenance of the in-door paupers.

DOCK COMMITTEE.—TnURSDAY.

THE WAREHOUSE QUESTION.

The CHAIRMAN said, the Parliamentary Committee
were now anxious to obtain the opinion of the general
Board as to the mode in which they should proceed in
their application to Parliament, respecting the construc-
tion of dock warehouses. Since last week, the committee
had had an interview with the solicitor, and had found
that this being a second-class bill, the general Board had
the option of two courses to take ; and now their advice
and assistance were required as to which of the two courses
it would be most advisable to pursue. The first was,
what. was spbmittesl to tlienl last week, namely, a specific
plan to construct Warehouses round the proposed Wap-
ping Dock, and to raise the transit sheds round the
Prince's Dock. The other course was not to give any
plans whatever which were not absolutely necessary, and,
in fact, plans were not necessary at all, unless the com-
mittee chose to give them. They might go to repeal the
former act ; they might take a general power to build
warehouses wherever they thought it best to erect them,
and they might also take powers to raise a sum of money.
The latter course, being the more simple of the two, was
the one the Parliamentary Committee considered it most
advisable to adopt. It had always been understood that
warehouses would be erected round the proposed Wap-
ping Dock, and that the transit sheds at the Prince's
Dock would be converted into warehouses ; and probably
the plan hereafter would be to extend the warehouses
round the east side of the Prince's Dock. For the carry-
ing out of the plans now, the Parliamentary Committee
thought it advisable to ask Parliament for powers to raise
a sum of £200,000.
Mr. Minx said, that however desirable it might be to
obtain a general power, yet the committee ought to be
prepared with plans to a certain extent. The north,
south, east, and west of the Prince's Dock, presented all
the advantages that the Albert Dock did ; and he was
clearly of opinion that they ought to take powers, and to
prepare plans now for building warehouses round the
Prince's Dock, and for converting it into a close dock. If
they were to go to any expense at all, they certainly ought
to go to the expense of having warehouses there of the
usual height and the proper depth. He thought Mr.
Hartley ought to be instructed to prepare plans for the
making of the Prince's Dock into a close dock; it was
there accommodation could be afforded, and it was what
the public expected to be done. While he would seek for
the general power, he would, at the same time, be pre-
pared with plans for making the Prince's Dock a com-
plete warehouse dock all round.
Mr. SHAND said they could not proceed with the build-
ing of warehouses all round the Prince's Dock at once, or
they would destroy the use of the dock.
Mr. ATKIN wanted the powers to be taken, and the
plans to be prepared.
Mr. GLADSTONE observed that the warehouses might
be built only at one side of the dock at a time.
Mr. AiluN complained of the smallness of the sum of
money about to be sought. Why limit it to £200,000,
when they could get £500,000