The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-03-13 00:00:00

MEETING OF THE WEST DERBY RATEPAYERS

On 'Thursday morning a meeting of the ratepayers of West
Derby. was held at the Workhouse, Lowhiil, "tor the purpose
of determining on recouin►ending one or more persons to the
board of guardians of the West Derby Union, to fill the situa-
tion of assistant overseer and collector of the potir's-rate within
that township." The place of meeting was crowded.
Mr. SAMUEL PIEHCE, the senior overseer, was called to the
chair. He read the requisition requesting the overseers to call
the meeting, and briefly stated its purport. It was also made
known to the meeting that Mt. Pennell had sent in his re,ig-

nation as a rate-collector.
A very desultoty discussion then ensued as to the utility of
the meeting, some geutlemen affirming that it was quite un-
necessary, and others affirming that the recommendation of the
meeting would have great weight with the guardians.
Mr. HARDY, fur the purpose of putting a stop to the dialogue,
would beg to ask from whom the meeting emanated, and what
was the object contemplated. (Here several persons cried out
" Don't you know ?" Did'nt you hear the reqoision read ?"
and one gentleman exclaimed, "'That man had better sit down.")
Mr. H. said that they must have very limited capacities, else
they would have seen his motive in acting as he had done. As
to that person who had said, "That man had better sit down,"
he should only say, "That fellow had better have held his
tongue." His object was to learn whether they could have any
confidence as to the recommendation of the meeting being at-
tended to.
Mr. T. Ssurn was of opinion that, if the recommendation were
made, the board of guardians would attend to it; if not, they
would of course appoint whoever they chose.
Mr. FAULKNER said that the affairs of the parish had hitherto
been well managed, and it was nut with their good will that
they were driven to the necessity of change : but the necessity
was imposed on them by the poor-law commissioners, acting
under the act of parliament. If, however, they were to be
driven to change, he hoped that it would be made as light as
possible. The assistant overseer, he said, had very great duties
to perform, and he was in favour of a total separation of toe
officers of collector and assistant overseer; but, if they were
over ruled in this desire, they must of course submit. He then
proposed Mr. Dolling as a fit and proper person to be recom-
mended to the guardians to fill the office of collector.—The
motion was seconded by Mr. Tilos. FEMME.
Mr. CHADWICK, seconded by Mr. TnomAs LOI7A TT; moved
that Mr. John Eastwood should be the person recommended.

Mr. PENNELL said that he, should not be doing his duty if he
did not state that it was the decided wish of the majority of the
ratepayers that the whole of the taxes should be collected by
one person. There was a plan which, if they adopted it, the
poor law commissioners might perhaps be induced to accede to
—namely, to divide the township into two districts—the muni-
cipal and the rural—and to have a collector for each district,
both of whom might collect all the taxes. One person, he felt
certain, would not be able to do the whole duty.
Mr. T. -.Sie au said that the poor law act was opposed to that.
Theioliject of that act was nut to divide and do the work well,
but to:centralize; and their overseer would have to superin-
tend, not the half of a township, but two or three distinct town-
ships. The poor law commiasioners would tack on to theirs
that of the Park and some other places. (Cries of " No, no.")
Mr. It. WILLAN said that the duties of assistant overseer
would be very light, and he thought that the better plan would
be to have two collectors, one of whom might also fill the office
of assistant overseer.
Mr. PENNELL eventually shaped his proposition, for the di-
vision of the township into two districts, into the form of a mo-
tion, which was seconded by Mr. Duciewoimi ; but a great
deal of animated and warns conversation ensued before it could
be brought to the vote, so that at last the meeting had nearly
lost all knowledge of the import of the motion.
The CHAIRMAN having obtained silence, stated that the-shn-
ple question for their decision was, whether the township should
be divided into two districts for collecting purposes.
The motion was then.put to the vote, and carried by a large
majority, there being only five or six dissentient voices.
Mr. PENNELL said 4 that as it had been determined to divide
the township, he thought it would be advisable that the munici-
pal or town collector should also be the assistant overseer, as
he would, from the fact of his residing within the town, be al-
ways accessible to the guardians and overseers. One part of
the duty of the assistant overseer would be to make out the lists
of the county cud borough voters, and of all persons eligible to
serve on juries : and it should, therefore, be a point of especia
importance to select an individual who would act impartially in
the drawing out of those lists. As concerned himself, he would
observe, that he defied any man on earth to bring a single case
against him wherein he had acted partially in the performance
of that duty. On one occasion, the overseer desired him to
make out the lists of parliamentary electors; he did so. insert-
ing the names of all who were entitled to be upon it; but when
it was published, he found therein the names of six persons Who
had no right to be there. (Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") He
did not say to what party in politics they belonged; but this he
would affirm, that they all belonged to one party.
Mr. SANDERS, the law-clerk, cautioned Mr. Pennell that
what he had uttered, whether true or false, was a libel against
the overseers. If true, he said. their conduct ought to be
brought before the House of Commons.
A gentleman stated that the six names were claims which had
been sent in, and the overseers thought it incumbent on them
to insert them in the list.
Mr. FAULKNER then modified his former motion, proposing
that Mr. Dolling should be recommended to fill the offices of
municipal collector and assistant overseer for the whole town-
ship.
Mr. T. SMITH wished to know how many Officers were to be
thrust upon Mr. Dolling: he had already two or three, and it
was very material that they should not overburden any one.
(Laughter and cheers, and great interruption.) They had heard
patiently the encomiums which had been passed on Mr: I).; he
wished to know if they were determined to hear nothing on the
contrary. (Cries of "have you a motion to make?") He had
a high respect for the gentlemen who nominated Mr. Dolling,
and would take their recommendation as soon as that of any
one; but he—(Great disturbance, and cries of " Hear him,
hear him.")
Mr. It. WILLAN rose and passed a very high eulogium on the
official conduct of Mr. Dolling.
-Mr. SMITH then attempted to address the meeting again;
but so great was the noise and contusion that he could not
proceed.
The CHAIRMAN said that if he (Mr. S.) had any motion to
make, he hoped he would come to it as soon as possible.
Mr. SMITH would willingly submit to their condemnation if
what he had to say should not be deemed worthy of their con-
sideration. (Loud shouts of "Go on !" " Hear him !" and
make a motion 1") He had a motion to make, and one of
great importance; but he thought it could signify little whether
lie made it at the beginning or at the close of his remarks. On
one occasion he had looked into some portions of one of Mr.
Dulliug's account books,—the only one which was accessible to
him; and though he was sorry to say any thing disparaging
against him, for nothing but civility had passed between them,
he hoped that he should be at all times ready to do his duty.
The book into which he had looked was the highway cash book,
which was under the superintendence of Mr. Dolling, and he
felt boundao state that that book was in the most slovenly and
scandalous condition of any account book he had ever set his
eyes upon. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. DOLLING indignantly denied that the book was in his
charge. He bad not meddled with the book for the last six
months; and when he had done so, it was merely to oblige the
collector, Mr. Orrett.
Mr. SsitTH had been told that it was part of his duty to keep
that book. (Great confusion.) He had wished at the first to en-
quire what Mr. D's duties really were, but he had been
checked, so that he was in some measure left to presume that
such was the fact. Mr. S. Concluded by moving that a small
committee should be appointed to examine the book, but the
motion was not entertained.
Mr. HErsay YATES then moved that Mr. John Rowland
should be the person to be recommended as assistant overseer
and municipal collector.
Mr. HARDY seconded the motion, and spoke in favour of
Mr. John Rovvlanil's competency and character. He also men-
tioned that the law-clerk had told him that if he should persist
in pressing his motion, and it were carried, the board of guar-
dians would not entertain the recommendation. If that was
not treating them with contempt, he knew not what it was.
(Cries of " Shame, shame.") He should nevertheless press
his motion. (Great confusion.) It was pretty conduct, certainly,
when he came forward to nominate an individual, for the law •
clerk to say that the board would not appoint him. He pledged
hib honor the statement was true.
Mr. SANDERS denied that he bad said any. such thing as
had been represented : he had either been misunderstood or
misconstrued.
Mr,T. SMITH rose again to speak on the subject of the high-
way cash book, but he was assailed with loud cries of " Spoke,
spoke," "Sit down," "Go on," &c. We understood him to
reiterate his statement that the hook he had mentioned was un-
der the care of Mr. Dolling. He said that he had now done his
duty, and he left the matter to the meeting. (Great confusion.)
The CHAIRMAN threatened to dissolve the meeting, unless
more order were preserved. He was certain that not• half a
dozen individuals knew what was going on; (Hear, hear.)
The amendment of Mr. H. Yates, for the recommendation
of Mr. Rowland, was then put from the chair, when about two-
thirds of the meeting voted for it. The supporters of Mr. Dol-
ling, however, maintained that it had not been carried, and
demanded, amidst cries of " Carried, carried," and " Divide,
divide," that the votes should be taken again. It was ultimately
agreed to divide—the friends of Mr. Dolling going into the
yard, and those of Mr. Rowland remaining in the room. As,
however, only 19 left the apartment, and about 60 remained,
the dissentients admitted that the amendment had been carried.
Mr. CHADWICK, seconded by Mr. LovATT, then moved that
Mr. John.Easiwood should be recommended as the collector for
the rural district.
Mr. Ton ere IN, seconded by Mr. THORNTON, proposed that
Mr. Wilhain Hodgson should be the person recommended, and
spoke highly of the ability and conduct of the nominee.
Mr. HARDY mentioned that Mr. Eastwood was a householder
and ratepayer in the township, and the other person nominated
was neither the one nor the other. In recommending an indi-
vidual to a responsible situation, they should not look to com-
petence merely.
Mr. JESSE WINWARD requested that he might have the
liberty of replying to that last person : he did not know who he
was ---(" No, nor any one else")—and then proceeded to speak
in a very flattering manner of the character of Mr. Hodgson.
He concluded by saying that the young gentleman could have
guarantees to any amount.
'['he motion and amendment were then put to the vote; but,
as the show of hands was pretty nearly equal for both, the meet-
ing again divided. The Chairman decided that the majority
was in favour of Mr. William Hodgson.
A discussion ensued as to the amount of salary which should
be paid to the collectors and assistant overseer. It was ultimately
agreed to recommend that both collectors should be paid by a
per centage (3 percent.) on the amount collected, as heretofore.
As to the assistant overseer, Mr. WILLAN proposed that he
should receive £lO per annum for his services.—Mr. Ilartoy.
moved that the sum should be £6o.—Mr. WILSON Said that, as
they were almost entirely in the dark as to the duties of the
assistant overseer, the better plan would be to leave to the overt.-
seers and board of guardians of the township the discretion' of
recommending to the poor-law commissioners (who) havethohe
fixing of the salary) whatever sum their better knowledge l
t
deem adequate for his services. This proposal was ultimate y
adopted by an almost unanimous vote.
The business of the meeting, which lasted three hours, was
then terminated with a vote of thanks to the chairman.

SINGULAR PETRIF ACTH/N.—Oa Tuesday last the stone get
ters at the Oak Bottoms-stone delph, Breightmet, near Bolton
discovered a tree of about thirty feet long, and forty inches in
cireuttiferance, in a petritie:l state, in a solid rock, aliout forty
feet from the surfaceof the earth, and at least thirty feet beneath
the surface of 'the rock. The inside of the tree is completely
petrel-led, and it is covered with an incrustation of carbonised
matter.
BINDING WAREHOUSES IN MaNcitusTEn.—We are in-
formed that,- on Thursley last, there was a numerous attendance
of the yommittee appointed to further the above object at the
Town Hall. The horoughrreve having taken the chair, a num.
bet of letters were read from members of parliament, promising
their support to a measure having for its object the extension of
the privilege to Manchester. It was also stated, that nearly
four thousand signatures, embracing those of most of the id-
floential merchants, had already been attached to the petition.
—Manchester Courier.