The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-06-08 00:00:00

MEETINGS- OF THE TOWN COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of the Council was held
on Wednesday.
Sir T. BRANCKER moved the confirmation of the Finance
Committee's proceedings.
Mr. TSNNE complained that he had not heard anything
in the proceedings relative to • the new baths and wash-
houses which were referred to the committee to,
choose a sight of land for. He understood the matter
had been referred to the Town-clerk ; and he certainly.
thought that something might have appeared on the mi-
nutes on this occasion. _ _

Sir T. BRANCKER observed that the Town-clerk was
too much engaged about the Rivington Pike scheme to'
afford tune to the subject of wash-houses and baths.
Mr. PARKER said that, although he might be considered
a little troublesome that day, yet he must draw attention
to some trifling items of expenditure and other subjects.
He found by the proceedings that a sum of £199 had
been paid for extra joiners work at the Tobacco Ware-
house ; and he certainly,thought that either proper esti-
mates should be given in or none. He alluded to the
lavish expenditure during- the last month, which was
beyond description. Thousands upon thousands of
pounds had been expended upon hungry lawyers, rapacious
engineers, extravagant surveyors, little deputations to
London, and little- bills at Birmingham. (Laughter.)—
But not a word on the subject hadthe chairman said; he
viewed everything with composure. The next thing
which he must go to the bottom of, was the debt of
£llO,OOO owing for the Birkenhead estate. An act of
parliament had deprived the burgesses of the fee simple
of the estate on the other side of the water, but it also
empowered some one to obtain compensation money for
the loss. He thought it very important that so large a
sum of money, which was wanted in Liverpool, should
be at the disposal of a certain rival estate. The Mayor
might deny that it was a rival, but he (Mr. Parker)
alleged that it was a rival. He then complained that the
Council and the Finance Committee had been putting
their hands into, the pockets (Stile burgesses of St: Anne's
Ward, namely, against Mr. Norris. The laws of the
land bad been appealed to against Mr. Norris, and the
decision had been given against the Corporation; and be
really thought it very hard that the Corporation should
be pushing their powers beyond the law.
Sir. T, BRANCKER said the large sum of money spent
in law had been spent at the instigation of the health and
water committees, and they would have to pay the shot
out of the rates laid upon the town. He had had a private
communication about the Birkenhead debt,' which it was
not quite convenient to say anything about at present, but
he thought it possible that the matter might beut in a
train of settlement before very long. (Hear,_ hear.)p With
regard to Mr. Norris, he knew not how that gentleman
had been prosecuted. He had asked a most exorbitant
price for his land •, and if parties were.determined to extort
large sums from the Council, it was the duty of the Council
to stand up, and, r: ther than submit to such extortion,
he would let Mr. Norris build his houses, and allow them
to stand until the day of judgment. (Hear, hear.) He
had the interest of the burgesses as much at heart as Mr.
Parker, and, acting for tneir interest, he would set his face
against such imposition in toto. Mr. Norris had been
offered a price for his land much higher than, in the
opinion of some competent parties, it was worth.
Mr. PROCTER.—DoubIe its value.
Sir T. BRANCKER said the Corporation had been com-
pelled in this case to resort to a court of equity. It was
true the Vice-Chancellor had decided against them ; but
the bill had been amended, and if the next decision were
against them, they would appeal to the Lord Chancellor.
He thought Air. Parkerought to be careful before he brought
such charges against the Finance Committee.
Mr. EARLE said that, although a representative of the
same ward as Mr. Parker. he was surprised that any
gentleman should agree in favour of extortion, or that he
should consult the feelings of a constituent merely for the
sake of obtaining a vote, or that he should make use of
clap trap arguments.
Mr. S. HOLME.—How much did he ask for the land ? .
Sir T. BRANCKER.—XIO a square yard.
Mr. S. HOLME.—It is more than three times its value.
THE WATCH COMMITTEE AND THE WAREHOUSE OWNERS.
The proceedings of the Watch Committee having been
read,
Mr. HIGGINS moved, pursuant to notice, that a com-
mittee be appointed to enquire and report why the rate
for the payment of the policemen employed to watch the
property of the warehouse owners, had not been levied
according to the provisions of the act. At the time of the
great fires in Liverpool, and when it was supposed that
some of those fires were the act of incendiaries, forty or
fifty constables were specially appointed to watch ware-
house property, and it was agreed that a rate of 2d. in the
pound should be levied for the watching of that descrip-
tion of property. The maintenance of the constables
would cost £2,100; the rate would produce £1,500: and
the difference of £6OO was to be borne out the borough
fund. But as no trace of the levying of the rate was to
be found in the books, it seemed the burgesses had paid
a sum of £6,000 or £B,OOO during the last three or four
years which ought rightly and properly to have been paid
by the warehouse owners.
Mr. PARKER seconded the motion.

Arr. HUGH HORNBY explained that there were two acts
of parliament, the first was unjust, the second was inope-
rative.

The MAYOR put Mr. Higgins's motion, when there ap-
peared for it, Mr. Eyre Evans, Mr. J. Cooper, Mr. J.
Proctor, Mr. V. Higgins, Mr. J. Parker; against,
Messrs. Shaw, Shand, Atherton, J. Braucher, James
Holme, .Preston, Middleton, Tyrer, H. Hornby, Aiken,
Henderson, Stewart, Tinne, hoyden, S. Holme, Kaye,
Danson, Earle, Bennett, Booker, Lace, Watson, Mann,
Benn, Nichol, J. Lawrence, Sir T. Brancker, Sands,
Swainson, Bramley Moore, Chilton, and the Mayor.

DOCK COMMITTEE.-LOWERING OF THE DOCK RATES.
The proceedings of the dock committee having been
read,

Mr. EvANs said there was a great deal worthy of notice
in the proceedings. There was an intention, for instance,
of lowering the rates upon ships and goods, and of lower-
ing the rates on cotton wool, par excellence.
Mr. BRAMLEY MOORE observed that the subject of
lowering the rates was still under consideration, and that
the reduction, by a subsequent resolution of the com-
mittee, would not be confined t cotton or to any other
article. . .

Mr. EVANS said that cotton was an article of all others
which required the least protection, for it was now re-
lieved from all duty whatever, and it came to the port of
Liverpool exclusively. He hoped the committee would
reconsider whether it was right to lower the rates at all.
They were increasing their debt. The interest was now
upwards of £130,000 per annum. The bond debt was
about 3,250,000, and if all the new works were gone on
with, it would be up to £5,000,000, thereby involving an
interest of £200,000 per annum. There was nothing ur-
gent upon them to incur the risk of hereafter, and nobody
knew what war or other casual circumstances might pro-
duce. He denied there was a surplus income attached to
the dock estate ; on the contrary, he had heard that the
interest of all the new loans was being paid out of the
capital. He called upon the Dock Committee to imitate
the conduct of their predecessors, who had always largely
contributed out of their income to the creation of the
docks, and to wait until the end of the current half-year,
the 25th instant, when the then position of the estate
would he known and published, before they proceeded to
reduce the rates. He considered that Liverpool was only
the nucleus of what they ought to look to hereafter—that
the whole estuary ought to be considered ; and if now
they were acting upon an idea of keeping down Birken-
head, or of rivalling that township, he looked upon it that
they were warring against the hereafter interests of the
estuary._
__ _ _ _

HORNBY expressed his regret that tae dis-
pute between the Dock Committee and Messrs. Grey,
relative to their saltpetre, had not been settled by mer-
chants instead of by an offer to refer it to lawyers.
Mr. BRAMLEY-MOORE said that when the special com-
mittee, who were now engaged with the question of
lowering the rates, submitted their report, he was sure
they would bring before the Council such facts and figures
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the believed that would be realised in the course of'next
year, and would he in addition to the income of the estate.
He believed that without committing himself, lie might
say that a general reduction of the duties on all the items
imported would be trifling and doing no good, and that
the probable reduction would be confined to a certain lead-
ing class of vessels, and to cotton, salt, and a few other things
on which the dues appeared heavy. He was delighted to
find Mr. Evans saying that Liverpool was the nucleus of
what it would be heareafter ; he had heretofore said that
the trade in past years was like high spring tides which we
should never see again, but those spring tides had gone on
rising higher and higher every year, and it was not in the
power of man to divine what the trade of the town would
yet become. (Hear, hear.) He contended that the pre-
sent Dock Committee were following the example of their
predecessors, for, in 1836, those predecessors had reduced
the rates 381 per cent. ; and again, in 1844, they had re-
duced the long voyages from 2s. 3d. to is 6d ; and now he
hoped that the Council would be called together specially
to sanction a further reduction on or about the 25th of the
present month. (Hear, hear.)
The MAYOR read memorials from the organists of St
Peter's and St. Luke's, and also from about fifty musical.
professors in the town relative to the speedy erection of a
suitable organ in St. George's Hall.
Mr. HOLME moved that the resolution to the effect
that the organ be not proceeded with until the hall is
finished be rescinded, and that measures be taken to
insure the completion of an organ by the time the build-
ing is ready to receive it. He had received a letter from
a musical professor. in which he said, " the idea of erect-
ing a small organ in the hall is absurd, and convinces me
that some sinister and blightihg influence must be at work
to lead the committee astray."
Mr. EARLE demanded the name of the writer, taking
the passage to apply to himself, and Mr. Holme declined
giving the name ; but on the passage being again read, he
(Mr. Earle) observed that he had misconceived its import.
Mr. MooRE seconded Mr. Holmes motion.
Mr. DANSON and Mr. SANDS supported it.
Mr. AIKIN recommended the postponement of the sub-
ject for a month. Finally, the motion was carried by a
majority of 28 to 6.
The MAYOR said he had had an interview with the
Post-master of Liverpool, who was accompanied by the
Surveyor General of the Post-office in London. They
stated that the present Post-office was perfectly inade-
quate to the wants of the town, and that they could not
afford increased facilities until the establishment was re-
moved to another part of the town. Their wish was to
erect a Post-office in Lime-street, in connexion with the
Railway Station. It was not quite so near as the present

Post-office, but letters would be instantly despatched
from, and received at, the station, and there would be
some advantage gained in time. The office would be
erected at the expense of the government. Here the c
versation dropped, and the meeting adjourned to Frid"iy►

The adjourned meeting was held on Friday forenoon,
atd was numerously attended.
The MAYOR announced the return of Mr. W. •Thorn.,
hill for Scotland Ward. The reports of the Market Com-
mittees were approved, also a proposition to increase the
salary of each inspector of meat and fish to £B4 per
annum.

Mr. ROBINSON -proposed that in consequence of the
distressing circurnstances•attendant on the death of M:
Graham, who had longbeeno, faithful market inspector,
his salary should be•continued to his widow until the end
of the year.

Mr: IJlvAzis obiected-to this on the ground of lavish
I public expenditure. Mr. Graham had held the situation
for many years at a, good salary, and raig'ut have pro-
vided for domestic casualties. He bad no objection to
the usual quarter's salary.
Mr. KAYE said Mr. Graham had left a large family
unprovided for, and related the sudden and painful man-
ner of his death.
The MAYOR read a: petition on behalf of the widow,
showing that he left her and twelve children (the youngest
only two months old)-unprovided for. The deceased had
also supported .and educated a nephew and niece. He
expressed a sympathy for the family ; but such a vote as
that proposed would .be illegal. Finally the proposition
was negatived, but it was understoad that a quarter's salary
should be paid to the widow.
The report of the Schools' Committee showed that they
were proceeding; satisfactorily.
It was agreed that. Messrs. Gorst should furnish the
Mayor's carriage and horses for five years, at £146 per
annum.

The weekly reports of the Health Committee showed
that the mortality. from fever and bowel complaint had
doubled within the last few weeks. At the suggestion of
Mr. Rathbone, the public baths now lend sheets to the
invalid poor who attend them.

Mr. PARKER, in the course of conversation, regretted
that the Guardian Gas Bill had been withdrawn, and
thought the Council should have supported it.
Mr. EARLE. said the scheme was such that if the com-
pany had gained their bill, they would have been bank-
rupts in six months.

Mr. S. HOLME said he was first inclined to support the
bill, but now that the endeavour to obtain it had reduced
gas to 4s. Gd., he no longer retained that feeling.
A memorial. from owners and occupiers of houses in
Brownlow-hill, complaining of loss and desertion of
their houses by tenants and lodgers, in consequence of
the fever sheds, and praying for compensation, gave rise
to some conversation, which led to a general opinion,
supported by a report of Dr. Duncan to the effect that no
danger whatever was to be apprehended from the fever
sheds or houses as erected in various parts of the town.
Allusion was made to the continued influx of poor
Irish. It appeared that the medical survey of vessels was
strictly enforced, but that immigration could not be much
checked until the passing of the Irish Poor Law ?'sill, and
the Poor Relief Bill.

The Health Committee's proceedings being confirmed,
Mr. HIGGINS moved, as an amendment, that reporters
be admitted to the weekly meetings of the Health Com-
mittee.

Mr. AIKIN seconded the resolution.
Mr. RATIIBONE objected, on the ground that if reporters
were admitted the proceedings would go before the public
in a confused manner, and members might be induced to
make long speeches.
Mr. S. HOLME objected to publication before the pro-
ceedings were laid before the Council, which would be
the case were the motion carried.

Mr. MANN opposed the amendment, and Mr. Parker
supported it. It was eventually lost by a majority of 26
to 7, and the proceedings of the Committee were passed.
Mr. MANN was appointed commissioner for superin-
tending the embankment of Wallasey Pool, in the place
of the late Mr. Houghton.
A petition from the Eastern Dispensary praying for
pecuniary aid, owing to debt, was not entertained, the
corporate funds not being available for charities. The
business then closed.