The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-03-01 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

The Me o .--11 ad onb ted ly, in that case, they were to con-
tend in Parliament.

Mr. Citopratt thought it a very improper question.
Mr. EARLE thought it a very proper question.
Mr. Councillor J. HOLMES.—We have decided that the bill
must. be opposed if that motion is not agreed to.
Mr. Councillor ''ABLE.--That is speaking out.
The MAYOR.—It would be understood by the committee that
the bill was to be risked on this point.

TOWN-CLERK'S EMOLUMENTS.
The next point was a report on the applications of various
solicitors on the subject of preparing leases.
The To WN -CLE al( then read the report, from which it appear-
ed that all leases, from time immemorial, had been prepared by
the town-clerk, on one uniform system, for which he had receiv-
ed a fee of one guinea, and•the full charge to the public had
been, including all, £3 4s. 6d., and that the system pursued was
the same as that pursued generally in other places. The com-
mittee, therefore, could not concede to this application. Signed
Wm. Rathbone, chairman.

The M IYOR put the report to the council, and it was adopted.
There were other parts of the report of this committee relat-
ing to the town-clerk, who, from his own personal feelings, wish-
ed to retire. The town-clerk then left the room.
Mr. Councillor RATHBONE said that the parliamentary busi-
ness connected with the'dock estate might come on, and they
would be left in complete confusion if the town-clerk should,
under those circumstances, be called to London without any ar-
rangement being made as to his office. He felt it therefore his
duty to submit to them a proposal for a legal arrangement for
the Town-hall. A hope had been expressed that the arrangement
would not be made to put any political partisan into the office.
He begged to state that that had not been the feeling of the
committee on this question ; they had looked entirely to the way
in which the legal appointment of the Town-hall could be best
conducted. The committee had not spoken to any member of
the profession on the subject. Mr. Rathbone then proceeded to
read over the various duties to be performed bythe Town-clerk,
and the various situations he had to fill, amounting to twelve
separate offices. These were the legal appointments that were
to be filled. He would now read to them the report, which
stated, that after mature consideration the committee recom-
mended that the business of the corporation should be confined
to the town-clerk, and that he should have an assistant, That
the town-clerk should be clerk of the peace ; and that: his assist-
ant should act as his deputy in all cases during the town-clerk's
unavoidable absence. That neither the town-clerk nor his de-
puty should be allowed to carry on any private business as at-
torneys or solicitors but to the corporation of Liverpool, and if
this plan were adopted there was a reasonable prospect that the
public business would be conducted on an uniform system.. he
committee strongly recommended that, in orderto the advantage
of the public, the assistant-solicitor should, whenever required
to do so, conduct the prosecution of offenders. - That the remu-
neration of the town-clerk shouldnot depend on.fees, and that
what he received as fees should be accounted for to the treasurer.
That the town-clerk and assistant-solicitor should have fixed
salaries paid by the treasurer; and the committee recommended
that the town-clerk's salary should be £2500 per annum, _and
that the assistant-solicitor's salary should be £lOOO perannum..
The connnittee had reason to believe, on inquiry,' that by this
arrangement such a sum would be raised as, after paying the
salaries, would leave a considerable balance of saving .to the
borough funds,

Mr.-Councillor BIRCH felt that it was a very onerous office to
undertake to call into question the services of Mr. Rathbone
and the committee; but he must say, as a member of that coun-
cil, that he for one was not prepared to sanction the payment of
sn heavy a sum as £2500 per annum to any officer whatever.
lie was folly sensible of the very great abilities of the_present
town-clerk ; he must allow that he was a man very highly gifted ;
but although he had every respect for him and his great talents,
he could not think so very indifferently of the profession at large
as to suppose that, in the event of Mr. Radcliffe relinquishing
the situation, it would be impossible to find other men to perform
the duties he now did, and at a less amount than £2500 per
annum. If it was the intention-of Mr. Rathbone to move that
that report be adopted, he must move an amendment, for he
could not bring himself at all to consent to the grant of so large
a slim as £2500.

Mr. Councillor EARLE hoped Mr. Rathbone would not pro-
pose that it be adopted that day. They ought to consider about
it a little. He should wish to make some inquiries about it him-
self..

Mr. Councillor RA TH BONE said it was not his wish to force
anything on the council. He had given his reason why he
wished it to be brought forward. Perhaps the most convenient
course would be to move that the report be printed,"and that it
be taken into consideration on Wednesday next. He thought
it very desirable that the matter should be arranged as soon as
possible. It was quite impossible that that the locum tenens of
the town-clerk's office should make his arrangements till he was
clerk by a vote of that council.
Mr. Councillor L. HEywoRTH would beg leave to second
that the report be printed, as the sum was so large that he thought
it right that the public should know whether they were doing
right or wrong.

'The 111Aveii understood there was no opposition to Mr. Rad-
cliffe, as an individual, as town-clerk, but that gentlemerywisbed
a little time to consider as to the question of emolument.
Mr. Councillor HATHBONE must candidly confess, without
any disrespect to the profession at large, that there was but one
man in the town who was capable of filling the situation of
town-clerk. (Cries of "No, no.") Gentlemen might differ
from him. Mr. Radcliffe had a business, he believed, which
brought him in that amount to his own chair, and it was there-
fore a question with them whether they should offer him an
amount equal to his own business to be the servant of the coin-
mon council during pleasure. He did not think a public body
could have any individual, for the honour of being town-clerk, to
sacrifice his professional practice for a less amount. if Mr.
Radcliffe became their servant they might in three months
throw him adrift on the world. On the merits of Mr. Radcliffe
it was needless for him to enlarge. He believed that during the
last month he had seldom been more than three hours asleep.
There were improvements brought forward with a.rapidity
which must assure people of his talents and legal acquirements.
He must candidly confess that he did not think £2500 was
one bit too much—he should rather have said £3OOO than £2500.
He did not think that £2500 was too much for that large town
to offer for the services of town-clerk. The sum was already
well earned by him from what rhey had got out of his brains in
the different reports that had been submitted. He would con-
clude by moviug that the report be printed and taken into con-
sideration on Wednesday, the 2d of March.
Mr. BIRCH would merely observe as to one point—as to the
exclusive eligibility of Mr. Radcliffe. He had already admitted
Mr. Radcliffe's capability. He very well remembered that the
same argument was held out about Mr. Foster. He thought
Mr. Radcliffe's "exclusive eligibility" just as ridiculous. The
profession at large was very enlightened, and many were coin.
petent for the situation.
Mr. Councillor BOLTON thought they ought to have the town-
clerk and assistant for £3OOO.
Mr. Councillor-Ravinoria thought those remarks were out
of place ; if they were going into a discussion on that subject
let them go into it at once.
Mr. Councillor JORDAN would move that the discussion be
deferred until Wednesday next.
Mr. Councillor BOLTON said the town-clerk was before them
as a candidate for one of the offices, and they knew his merits,
but they had no candidate before them for the office of assistant.
He thought the salaries should be taken into consideration on
Wednesday next.
Mr. Councillor EARLE thought the salaries should be fixed
before the appointment.
Mr. Councillor RATHBONZ believed he was authorised to say
that Mr. Radcliffe would not take less than £2500, and it de-
pended on the emolument whether they had him or not.
r. Councillor JORDAN (after much discussion as to the day
when they should take the subject into consideration) would
move, in order to put an end to a discussion which had no end,
"that the report respecting the legal offices be taken into con-
sideration on Wednesday next, so far as respected the emolu-
ment of the two offices and the appointment of town-clerk ; but
that the appointment of the assistant be adjourned to a special
council meeting to be held on Friday next, at eleven o'clock."
Mr. Councillor RATHBONE seconded the motion, which was
put and carried. _ _

The Ms v oft said the subject was of such importance that they
would perhaps take it first into consideration on Wednesday
next, which was the monthly s_pecial meeting.
The town-clerk now entered the room, and thillsTort an.
nounced to him that, after a discussion, the question respecting
himself was adjourned until the following Wednesday.
The MAYOR announced that he had received a letter from
Mr. Thomas Harvey, solicitor, begging to withdraw his claim
for legal compensation. ".

COURT OF REQUESTS.
The TOWN-CLERK proceeded to read the report or the com-
mittee appointed on the 4th rebrintry last, to consider the sub-
ject of the Court of Requests, with a view to an application to
parliament to extend its jurisdiction beyond its present limits
of 405., to secure the strict administ ration of justice, and to sim-
plify and amend the law by preventing delays. The committee
agreed that it would be highly beneficial if, the practices of the
Court of Record were amended and improved, if the vexa-
.tious removals of Causes were prevented, if the powers of
the court were extended to the seizure of goods of parties ab-
•seonding, if the poWers of the court were extended beyond
the limits of the borough, and if the fees of the court were
limited, and the salaries of the officers fixed by law in lieu of
fees. And, second, with regard to the Court of Requests, that
the jurisdiction of the court should, be extended beyond the
limits of the old borough; that the constitution 'arid practices of
this court required Considerable alteration and amendment;
that the amount of small debts taken cognizance of might be
extended to £2O. That the committee recommended a. bill to
be brought into parliament for effecting those objects. Signed,
J. Walmsley, chairman.
The MAYOR said they had heard the report read; it was a
subject which required very great attention. The town-clerk
had corresponded wittr• differenfirrofessional met: in all parts a.
the kingdom relating to it.
Mr. Alderman Fessin Would ask tke nature of- the debt's
generally collected in the Court of 'Requests—if they were not
generally ale-house scores? He thought that this bili was cal-
culated to set aside the trial by jury.
• The MAYOR could not inform him as to-the nature of the debts.
Mr. Councillor WA imsLigY stated that the trial by jury would
he continued, and, with regard to the nature of the 'debts, debts
for spirits were nit recoverable there, tut debts for ale were.
Mr. Alderman FREME found that the Court of Conscience
had been very highly landed in the newspapers, but he thouhY,ht
they should not 'begin in the new reform council to set them-
selves up against trial by jury. He thought they ought rather•
to unite with Lord Brougham in endeavouring to extend the
local' courts bill; it admitted of trial by jury, and a man should
always be tried 'by his peers. A large portion of unjust. debts
were broirght forward at the Court of Requests. Persons were
Very frequently charged once or twice over for a debt, and if
taken 'before the Court of Requests, the debt was summarily de-
cided on. And when they considered also that, twiny of those
small debts were incurred by the extravagance of the wives of
tradesmen who got things unknown to their husbands, who,
perhaps, heard of the debt for the first time by a summons from
the Court of Requests; and, on the other hand, for debts in-
curred for ale when the parties did 'not know what they were
about, they ought to be very cautious in giving any court sum-
ry power to arrange those debts.
Mr. Councillor RATH BONE, as far as he understood Mr.
Freme's remarks, he moved 'that when men got drunk they were
not responsible for their debts; and When a man had the mis-
fortune to have an extravagant wife he was not to be responsible
for her debts. (Laughter.)
After some further conversation the report *as put and
carried.

Mr. Alderman BaowN then moved that it be printed and
'distributed amongst the Members of the council, which was se-
conded by Mr.Councillor J. Cropper, and carried unanimously.

WATCH COMMITTEE.

The TOWN-CLERK 'then read the watch committee report,
which was of great length, and set forth the various arrange-
ments which have been enteeedinto with regard to the police,
and the duties they would have to perform. That there should
be a north and a south police station, and that the oil gas works
on Rose-hill had been fixed on as a convenient situation for one
of the stations.

The report was then unanimously adopted.
Mr. Councillor WA LMS LEY then moved that the purchase of
the oil gas works be•recommended to the watch committee, with
full powers to arrange with the director of the oil gas works as-
to its purchase.•
Mr. Councillor TIJORN HILL seconded the motion.
Mr. Councillor J. Honies said the watch committee .uneni-,

mously recommended that these premises shoed be purchased,
and he therefore would submit that Mr. John Cropper and Mr.
Wahnsley be authorised to complete the purchase.
Mr. Councillor WALMSLEY expected that sufficient land
would be sold off so as to. render the expense to the council very
small.

Mr. Councillor HoLmEes proposition was then agreed to.
COMMISSION OF THE PEACE.

The MAYOR announced that about a Week ago be had re-
ceived the colt mission.ot the peace, Wit some doubt had ,arisen
as to whether it was necessary to issue detlitnusses to the differ-
ent magistrates. They had written to London respecting it,
and had now received word that dedienusses must be issued as in
all other cases. They were written fort and he should have
pleasure in meeting the magistrates on Monday.
Mr. Councillor RATHBONE wished to' know on whonf the
charge of the dedimusses must fall. He should object on prin-
ciple to pay for them. They gave their time. and their trouble,
and he thought that enough. He did not care fur the £3 or £4
expense; he would undertaketo give the amount 'away ; but he
objected. to the charge from principle.
The MAYOR said an order bad been issued for the payment of
the amount to the treasurer; but that it had afterwards been can-
celled by the finance committee, who thought the honour and
glory of the thing sufficient inducement for the members to pay
the expense. . _ _ .

Mr. Councillor RATHBONE gave notice that he should move
that that order of the finance committee be rescinded.
The council then separated at three o'clock, and will meet
again on Wednesday (to-morrow.)

kinporto.
UNITED STATES. -
Europe, Marshall, fm New York, with 1 parcel contents unkn, J T
Crook-1 box do, 12 S Mackenzie-1 do, liamnett and co-1 do, M
Wotherspoon-213 bales cotton, Cropper, Benson and co-129 do, T
Wilson and !co-63 do, T B Blackburn-100 cks flaxseed, W Lindsay
—llB dot Baring, Bros and co-62 do, T Dixon-99 cks cloverseed, T
Dixon and co-18 do, 1 sample box, Collmann, Lambert and co-500
brls turpentine, 200 wet salted hides, 500 cks flaxseed, Dennistoun and
co-1 brl nuts, Dr Mackenzie—a quantity shooks, hoops and heading,
Fitzhugh & co-44 chts 13 bdls tea for exportation, T Hatton jun, and
co-100 bales cotton, 30 cks flaxseed, 14 cks cloverseed, 2 bales conts
unkn, Order—P Dk

Bltcher, Heron, fm Mobile, with 681 bales cotton, W Stewart-21
do, Keill and Courant—K Dk.
BRITISH AMERICA.
Norval, Harkness, fm St John, N B, with 230 ps birch and 630 ps
pine-timber, 12 c x 4 deals, 754 c 10 staves, abt 8 fins lathwood, 46 oar
rafters, Gibbs, Bright and co—River
SOUTH AMERICA.
-

Mary Queen of, Scots, Kelly, fm. Ceara, with 424 bags cotton, N
Cairns-51 do, M`Calmout, Bros and co-152 do, Cotesworth & Powell
—lOO do, N E Bieber-21 do, A Swainson-50 do, J A Murta-176 do,
J Duncan-52 do, T Hesketh-72 do, J Bum and co-14 do, W Bailey
—2O do, R and W Ilarrisons-12 do, T Hayley-12 do, T Cockshott-
-44 do, 446 o & c hides, Order-76 o and c hides, Cotesworth & Powell
—2OO do, J Cockshott-130 do, Duarte Bros-2376 o & c horns, Order
—43 t fustic, Hadfield, Wood and co—P Dk
Jane Sheriffs, Manson, fm Valparaiso, with 130 t Nicaragua wood,
Kinnaird and co-200 tons copper ore, T Naylor and co-120U coker
nuts, said Master—P Dk

LONDON CORN EXCHANGE, FEBRUARY 26.
We have had several vessels fresh up since Monday from Essex and
Suffolk. Fine samples of Wheat fully support last hlonday's prices,
but the trade is by no means brisk. The same observations apply to
Barley, and in deans of both sorts, White or Gray Peas, or Oats, we
have not the slightest variation in prices to note since our last.
AVERAGE s ht. Brly did, I Oats. d
Rye.
ia d
la 1 Bns. 1 Peas.
W s
Of the week ..... 40 7 28 11 '2O 3 27 4I 34 2 134 0
Of duty
weeks, regulating 39 0287119527 0 1 33 11 133 9
Duty on Foreign . . ,47 8 19 10 ilB 3 28 9 119 9i 19 9
The alterations in the Duties this week are is less on Wheat, and
and is Gd less on Rye.