The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-03-05 00:00:00

THE WATCH COMMITTEE

The proceedings, resolutions, and reports of the Watch
Committee were next read, amongst which wets the follow-

REPORT

The Watch Committee beg to lay before the council the
criminal and other police returns for the year 1840.
Although the criminal classes have not in the aggregate
decreased during the past year in the same ratio as in 1839,
there has been a considerable diminution in the number of
individuals in custody more than once, and of course a cor-
responding decrease in the number of hardened offenders.
Number of individuals in custody for felony; as suspicious
characters, &c.—ln 1840, 4893; in 1839, 5005.

In 1840 the convictions, to the whole number of prisoners
in custody, were forty-four per cent.; and in 1839, fifty-one
per cent.
In the class of juvenile thieves there is a decrease—in
1840, the number known to the police was 139 ; in 1839, 171.
The number of burglaries and housebreakings in 1840 was
233 ; and in 1839, 219.
The number of felons apprehended in the act by the police
in 1840 was 136 ; and in 1839, 132. The total number of
offences prevented by the police in 1840 was 212 ; and in
1839, 237. _

The number of prisoners apprehended by the police sub-
sequent to the commission of the offence, from a description
of their persons was, in 1840, 1507 ; and in 1839, 1567.
The following is a comparative summary of the criminal
returns for the last two years :—ln custody in 1840, 17,522 ;
in 1839, 18,074. Committed in 1840, 7504 ; in 1839, 9213.
Discharged in 1840, 10,018; in 1839, 8861.
The following gives a summary of offences against the bye-
laws :—Number of offences in 1840, 4903—Penalty, £958 Bs.
6d. Ditto in 1839. 3282—Penalty, £BB2 13s. 6d.
The number of fires in 1840 was 129 ; and in 1839, 103.
The amount of property lost in 1840 was £6128 ss. ; and in
1839, £8530 9s. gd.

The amount of property saved under the roof of the build-
ing or buildings on lire was, in 1810, £161,125 ; and in
1839,1:159,278 9s. 6d.

The number of brothels was, in 1840, 568 ; and in 1839,
591. During the past year, 72 disorderly houses were closed
in consequence of being inicted, and 84 by removals of the
parties, reformation, transportation, and death—in all, '156.
There were, however, 133 houses of this description opened,
leaving a decrease in the number of brothels of 23.

The: number of houses where prostitutes lodge was, in
1840, 209 ; and 1839, 184. During the past year 2)

)8 were

closed, and 43 new ones opened.
The number of prostitutes inhabiting both descriptions of
houses was, ifi 1840, 2489 ; and in 1839, 2404. .
JostuA. WALMSLEY, Chairman.
•

Sir J. WALMSLEY laid on the table certain returns con-
nected with the Police-office, which he said were compiled
and accuracy, and moved that the tabular
contained in them be printed, and a copy sent to
each member of the Council, the magistrates, and the secre-
tary for the home department.—Ordered.

with great care

forms,

, -
THE BILLET-MASTER.
Sir J. WALMSLEY moved the confirmation of Mr. Com-
missioner Dowling as billet-master, without any further emo-
lument than he had at present.—Agreed to.
_ _ .

FURTHER INCREASE OF SALARIES.
Sir J. WALMSLEY rose again, and moved that the salary
of Mr. John Hewitt, foreman to the fire police establishment,
be increased from £lOO to £l2O.
Mr. TuouNurm. seconded the motion.-
mously.
Sir J. WALMSLEY next moved that the salary of Mr. Wm,
M`Fadzen; superintendent of scavengers, be increased by OR
sum of £3l.
Mr. SLATER seconded the motion.—Carried unanimously
The proceedings of the Improvement, Markets, Town-hall.,
Education, (from which Mr. Alderman Earle was allowed to
retire,) Church Expenditure, and Courts of Law and Re-
questp Committees, were next read and confirmed.

—Carried unani-

HE PARKS COMMIT

Mr. SANDBACII moved the confirmation of the proceedings,
resolutions, and reports of the Parks Committee.
Mr. EvANs said if he wanted any additional reason for
opposing the project of erecting parks, it was to be found in
the reports which had just been read, by which it appeared
that the quantity of land intended for the purpose was cut
up into detachments; that it was intersected by Lodge-lane,
and that it wanted consolidation. He would wish that, once
for all, this question would come on for discussion, and that
the Palls Committee should not be entering into communi-
cations with Lord Sefton, which,
he was convinced, could
never end in any real business. They had laid out £lOO
now, and he hoped that that would be the first and last of
their expenditure ; for the subject ought really to be put into
a shape in which it could come once for all before the com-
mittee.

Mr. JOHN HOLMES agreed in the sentiments given utter-
ance to by Mr. Evans,..knowing well that they could not
pay even theinterest on the sum required without a borough
rate.

Mr. SANDBACH thought it unfair of Mr._Evana to Burk

ouuncil in due time, and in

it judgment:

subiioitted Tho
?latien would he laid before the
he again hoped they

a interi.

TOWN-CLERK said the council would not be cow-
" assing the proceedings at present in

mitred in an

ne ordinary-mod

Mr. Is
I4vans per,
Mr. 13USHELL said that _ _ arks Committee had been
unanimously elected by the council, it was unfair to pass any
ti:ing like a vote of censure upon them without first learning
That they had to propose. The suggestion made by Mr.
- - fair one, namely, that the council ought
re before them,

nc IloLmEs thought the remarks made by Mr,
ectly applicable.

of tLe details of
Mr. J

The proceeding

.s the PI

rents until the plans v

g of them to condemn a measure,
-• •

ieh they knev

(Hear, hear.)

t the discussion very uncalled fo
firmed.

I' committee were then c

THE HEALTH COMMITTE

The proceedings, reso'
Co,nrnitt

)ns, and directions of the Health

-...,c were next read, and the report of the committee
in reference to Lord Normanby's bill, intituled " An act for
the better drainage 'd improvement of buildings in large
towns and villages -
-med.

~ eon.

JEWISH DISABILITIES

Mr. EvAtis moved the following resolution :—That there
are in the borough of Liverpool many inhabitants of the Jew-
ish persuasion ; that many of them are natives of the town,
and are persons of property and consideration here, who, as
well by reason of their property as by the respectability of
their characters and their intelligence, are in all respects
qualified and entitled to possess all the rights of citizens :
that the council have heard with great satisfaction that there
is a bill before parliament to enact " That it shall be lawful
for persons professing the Jewish religion to subscribe the
declaration contained in an act of the first year of her present
Majesty, intituled, An act for the relief of Quakers,' " &c.,
provided always, that in making such declaration as afore-
said, such person shall declare that lie professes the Jewish
religion : that the council are anxious to declare their hearty
concurrence in the wise and liberal views evinced by the
present measure : and that petitions be therefore presented
to both houses of parliament, praying that this bill may pass
into a law.

Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE seconded the motion, in which he
professed hearty concurrence.—Carried unanimously.

On the motion of Sir. JOSHUA W.ALMSLEY, it was resolved
that the Mayor be empowered to take the necessary prelimi-
nary proceedings preparatory to laying a rate of 2d. one
hundred and seventy-nine thousandths of a penny in the
pound on the old borough and out townships.
The council then adjourned.