The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1849-03-13 00:00:00

MEETING OF THE TOWN COUNCIL

The monthly meeting of the Council was held on
Wednesday. _ _ _ _ .

The MAYOR said that he had to inform the Council
that the office of alderman for Castle-street Ward was
void, by the absence of Sir Thomas Brancker for more
than six months from the borough, and that it would be
the duty of the Council to fill up the vacancy at the next
Council.
The proceedings of the Finance Committee included an
offer from Mr. Winder to become tenant of the Birken-
head Hotel, on a lease of seven years, commencing with
£l3O for the first year, and increzzing £2O each year.
The committee recommended that, although the offer of
Mr. Winder was £lO a-year more than that of Mr. Jones,
the offer of the latter gentleman be accepted in preference,
as he was well known in the neighbourhood, and was
much more likely to Tender the property ultimately more
valuable than a stranger. Mr. Jones had also given an
assurance that he would not hold the Council responsible
for any irregularity in running the boats.—The proceed-
ings were confirmed without any observations.
Mr. HENDERSON, in rising to speak upon the proceed-
ings of the Dock Committee, said it would be necessary
for him to trouble the Council with a few observations in
reference to the two bills which had recently been before
parliament, one of which was to change the constitution
of the dock trustees. That was a most important subject,
as it involved the control over the dock estate which the
Council at present exercised. They were all aware that
when the docks were first formed, the Council had given
land for them, and that in consequence the Council had
always exercised a control over the dock estate. It there-
fore appeared to him to be his duty to call forthwith a
special meeting of the Dock Committee, which he did.
He regretted, however, that the Dock Committee did not
assist him in his endeavours to resist the bill, but he was
glad to say that, through the exertions of the Town-clerk
and Mr. Driffield, who had rendered him great assistance,
the bill had been defeated in standing orders. (Hear.)
With regard to the other bill for rating the dock estate,
although this Council shewed at its last meeting a deter-
mination to resist and veto the proceedings of the Dock
Committee on. it, and had approved the principle of the
bill, the majority of the Dock Committee had passed a
resolution to the effect
i that they would petition parlia-
ment against the bill n their individual capacity, and
would take measures independent of the Council in fur-
therance of such opposition. These proceedings appeared
to him to be unconstitutional and irregular, and he con-
sidered those parts of the minutes, as entered upon the
proceedings of the Dock Committee, invalid. The Town-
clnedra kt
he should, therefore, like the Town-clerk to state
what he deemed the legal course in dealing with these
The TOWN-CLERK.—It appears to roe that there are
wa
proceedings. , however, had more legal experience than himself,

certain resolutions on the minutes in the book, which I
cannot consider the proceedings of the Dock Committee
at all. (Hear, hear.) The Town-clerk then read over
the resolution of the majori'y of the members of the Dock
Committee to oppose the bill individually, and the ap-
pointment of the sub-committee. He then said,—l re-
commend the Council to refuse to take into consideration
the minutes in the book referring to the appointment of
the sub-committee.
Mr. HENDERSON.—Then I beg to move that the re-
commendation of the Town-clerk be adopted. He moved
the following resolution :—" That the same be, and they
are hereby approved, ratified, and confirmed ; but this
Council, as trustees of the Liverpool docks, decline to
take into consideration a minute entered in the book of
the proceedings of the said committee, under date of the
10th of February last, and relating to a bill for rating the
dock estate, and a report entered in the said book under
date of the 22nd of February last, purporting to be a re-
port of a committee appointed on the said 10th day of
February last, to take nil sicP. • and means within their
10,4: rowers to prevent the clock-rating bill rec!Eiving
saTietfon of the legislature, the same minutes and
not being, the opinion of this Council, proceedings of
the said committee.
Mr. POOLE seconded the resolution. _