The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1849-11-13 00:00:00

SPIRITUAL DESTITUTION IN LIVERPOOL. —ln com-
mon with all our large towns, Liverpool suffers from the
want of church accommodation. Commerce has thickly
planted human dwellings where heretofore nought was
visible save what appertained to the daily toil of the hus-
bandman ; the limited space afforded by the parish church,
although, under such circumstances, adequate to the ne-
cessities of a large district, is, under existing demands,
wholly insufficient ; and though, from time to time, expe-
dients have been resorted to in order to meet the growing
difficulty, the population of our town has far outstripped
every effort in this respect. Where perhaps a dozen
churches were required, one has been erected. However
the wants of every district have, as nearly as practicable,
been met in some way, still the aspect in certain districts
is awful to contemplate. We may instance a district in
the parish of West Derby, lying between Crown-street,
Smithdown-lane, and Brunswick-road ' • though not very
extensive, this district contains no less than 14,800 souls
—a population exceeding that of several of our cities for
whom it was formerly thought necessary to provide not
only a cathedral, but several parish churches ; yet in this
district the only churches are St. Mary's and St. Jude's,
and in these churches are only a limited number of free
seats. A number of the friends of religion have, therefore,
formed themselves into a committee, for the purpose of
initiating the project of erecting two churches in this
district, one to be erected in Paddington, which will be
first undertaken ; a population of 3,000 souls will be as-
signed to it, and it will afford accommodation for 1,200
persons ; one-third of the seats will be free. The total
expense of this undertaking, including the endowment,
will be £6,000, and when this sum shall have been raised
the work will be commenced. The project has the sanc-
tion of the bishop and other dignitaries of the diocese,
and we hope it will be met on the part of the affluent
with a spirit worthy to respond to that impulse which
induced its promoters to inaugurate it.
STRANGE CONDUCT OF A LIVERPOOL JURY.-It may
be remembered that at the last Liverpool assizes the jury
in one of the causes, whilst locked up, were supplied with
brandy and cigars. An application for a new trial in the
case (Higginbottom v. Waters) was made in the Court of
Exchequer on Wednesday, by Mr. Martin, who stated
that the jury, being locked up, were unable to agree to
their verdict, the question being how much they should
deduct from the acknowledged claim of the plaintiff. In
this state, being equally divided, they agreed to find for
the plaintiff generally, and to ask the Judge (Mr. Justice
Wightman), who had retired to his lodgings, to make
such deductions as he thought right. The learned Judge,
however, refused this verdict, and sent back the jury to
the court-house, and here it seemed some communication
took place between Mr. Higginbottom, the plaintiff's son,
who had been a witness in the cause, and one of the jury.
One of the jury made a signal to Mr. Higginbottom, by
lifting up four of his fingers, which was supposed to indi-
cate £4O; and another juryman, addressing Higginbot-
tom, said aloud, " No, allow him only £20." Several of
the jury deposed that in the course of their deliberation
spirits and cigars bad been supplied to others of the jury
by young Higginbottom, for the express purpose of en.
couraging and enabling them to hold out against the
solicitations of the six jurymen who were in favour of the
defendant's claim ; and after the communication took
place already alluded to, and the jury returned a verdict
for the full amount claimed, several of the jurors inti-
mated to young Higginbottom that, notwithstanding their
verdict, he ought to allow Waters (the defendant) £4O,
and that Higginbottom promised so to do.—Mr. Baron
Alderson could not understand how the officers of the
court could permit such things to go on as were described
in the affidavits now stated by the learned counsel.—Mr.
Martin was afraid that irregularities such as he described
were not uncommon. He was informed that refresh-
ments often found their way to jurors who were holding
out.—Mr. Baron Parke : Take a rule to show cause.

LOCAL MEETINGS.

WEST DERBY GUARDIANS.—At the usual weekly
meeting, on Wednesday, Mr. Brown, the government in-
spector of parochial schools, attended for the purpose of
suggesting the propriety of appointing pupil teachers in
the Workhouse Schools, and recommending that the
schools be thrown open to the outdoor pauper children.
After a conversation, the chairman intimated to Mr.
Brown, that his views met with the approbation of the
board.—A call of sixty-five per cent. was ordered to be
made upon the declared averages, by two instalments, the
first to be paid on the 27th of November, and the second
on the 24th of December. •
BIRKENHEAD COMMISSIONERS. At the monthly
meeting on Tuesday, Mr. R. Bryans took the chair. On
the proceedings of the Market Committee being read, the
Chairman said it was satisfactory to observe that many of
the vacant shops had been let, and he had no doubt the
market was doing better now than it had ever hitherto
done. The sum of £8 was ordered to be paid to Mr.
Hector Watson for damage sustained by himself and pony,
in consequence of the state of one of the roads. Mr.
Ravenseroft brought forward a motion that proceedings
should be taken against the railway company to compel
them to complete their bridges, but on the suggestion of
Mr. Mallaby, a deputation consisting of Mr. Watson and
Mr. Mallaby was appointed to confer with the railway
company on the subject. The receipts of the ferries since
April last exceeded by £2,000 that of the corresponding
period of last year. The :proceedings of the committee
contained a recommendation to increase the ferryage by
the night boats from 2d. to 6d. Mr- Fox brought forward
a motion for the' appointment of four additional members
of the Finance Committee in consequence of the increase
of business, but an amendment by Mr. Mallahy, that the
chairmen of all other committees be, ex officio, members
of the Finance Committee, and that the Finance Commit-
tee be the Parliamentary Committee, was agreed to.
HISTORIC SOCIETY OF LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE.
—On Thursday.evening last, the first ordinary meeting of
this society, for the current season, was held in the board
room of the Collegiate Institution. Hugh Neill, Esq..
a member of the council, in the chair. There was a re-
spectable attendance of members and visitors, and means
were adopted for the first time for securing a regular au-
tograph record of the attendance at the various meetings.
The table was literally loaded with books, prints, antiqui-
ties, and curiosities, all of which had been presented to
the society since its last ordinary meeting in June; and
the curator assured the society that these were but odds
and ends in comparison with the stores which he knew to
be in reserve, till the society has a suite of apartments of
its own. The following articles attracted much attention.
The original deed to which is affixed the earliest known
impression of the Liverpool Corporation seal, of the time
of Henry VI., presented by Lord Lilford, of Oundle.
Northampton. A collection of very interesting medieaval
shoes, Roman pavements, &c., from Charles Roach
Smith, Esq.. of London. A curious bone skate, found in
Moorfields, London, from E. B. Price, Esq.' London. A
variety of antiquarian publications, edited by himself. from
J. Orchard Haliwell, Esq., F.R.S., Brixton. A valuable
collection of documents connected with the borough of
Liverpool, including the recent surveys of the town, &c.,
by Hugh Neill, Esq. From Mr. Wroot, of Lincoln, a
Roman vase and several curious bronze keys. From P.
R. M`Quie, Esq.. an interesting collection of Liverpool
directories. From various learned societies in Liverpool
and the metropolis, sets of their publications. We also
noticed the names of Dr. Thom, Dr. Hume, Messrs.
North, Aspland, Sharpe, &c., among the donors.
DOCK CommtrrEE, THURSDAY,—A recommendation
that the use of boards be allowed for the erection of tem-
porary places of worship near the docks was agreed to.—
A recommendation that shed accommodation be afforded
at the Nelson Dock for continental steamers trading to
Holland, France, the Mediteranean, &c., was approved,
the chairman intimating that the parties interested in the
trade expected an increase in that branch of shipping, if
additional facilities were provided.—Berths at the north-
west corner of George's Basin were granted for the
steamers connected with the Chester and Shrewsbury
Railway Company.—A statement was read by the secre-
tary, showing that many of the men employed at the
north docks had' been attacked and ill used by Irishmen,
on the north road, when they were going to and returning
from their work. On Sunday morning last a body of the
Irishmen alluded to waylaid a party of the dock workmen;
the latter were most brutally treated. One of the men
was throvin into the canal, and an attempt was made to
drown him ; it was only with the greatest difficulty he
succeeded in making his escape, and then by swimming
to the opposite side. Another received a serious scalp
.wound, and several were otherwise injured. In reply to
a question, the surveyor said the affair is not what is
known as a faction fight, neither could he assign any rea-
son for the attack made by the Irishmen ; they were
principally men out of employment. The secretary said
he bad called the attention of the head constable to the
matter. After some conversation, during which it was
stated that the disturbances took place within the juris-
diction of the borough, it was referred to the committee
to make inquiries, and offer a reward for the apprehension
of the offenders.—Plans of turn-stiles for the landing-
stage were submitted, and approved by the committee.
They are to be placed at each end of the bridges, and
passengers will thus be kept in the proper footway, with-
out any direction from the police; fifteen gas lamps are
also to be placed on the stage and bridges.
THE WESLEYAN CONTROVERSY.—On Friday evening
a meeting was held in the Amphitheatre in this town, for
the purpose of affording to the three discontented and
expelled Wesleyan ministers an opportunity of explaining
their alleged grievances. Mr. M`Taggart took the chair,
and the meeting ;was numerously attended. The chair-
man delivered a very able and soothing address in in-
troducing the three gentiemen. These parties, how-
ever, seem to :make little impression on the public
mind, except disgust at their unmeasured libels and slan-
ders on better men than themselves, and, indeed, the
body which has discarded them, seems to cling closer to,
and support more liberally, the Methodist cause since
these disappointed men commenced their itinerant, and
apparently very lucrative career ; for, as we learn from
the Leeds Times, the largest sum ever raised in one col-
lection, at Leeds, was at the Wesleyan Missionary meet-
ing on Monday week. It amounted to £622 6s. 31d.,
and at an adjourned meeting on the following evening,
another collection was made, amounting to £391 ss. 4d.
The total of the anniversary collections were £1340.
These large sums were intended as a demonstration in
support of the conference. The Rev. William Arthur
made a speech, which was enthusiastically cheered. He
entered into an elaborate defence of the management of
the missionary concerns of the Wesleyans, against the
charges which have been brought, against it. Upon the
question of salaries he said—" 1 made a statement the
other day, at a town in this district, that has been
thought to be really incredible. The statement was this
—Dr. Bunting, at the head of the establishment, has:an
income precisely what I shall state. He has a house to
live in, and coals and candles found, and in cash, coming
into his own hands, exactly one hundred and fifty pounds!
(Sensation.) But,' said a person, has he not some in-
mcalsolmnestoittuhteironqurarte
yr—esi,s
uhee niso,t pilepressitdecnerttoaintlhye.
f
Te in-
come
oe 1 of rgoi
' And what is bis salary ?' Precisely nothing at all.
(Laughter.)
But does he not hold several other offices
in the Methodist body ?' Yes, he does. ' What is his