The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-12-21 00:00:00

TOWN COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS,

A special meeting of the Council was held on Wednes-
day, to consider the New Dock Bill, which provides for
the erection of docks at Waiving. the erection of :addi-
tional dock warehouses, the purchase of the land at the
North Shore, from the Earl of Derby, and the establish-
ment of electric telegraphs between Liverpool and Holy-
head.

The MAYOR stated that he had received four memo-
rials, praying that a rate-paying clause might be inserted
in the bill. One was from the inhabitants in Vestry as-
sembled ; another was from the Liverpool Guardian So-
ciety ; the third was from the owners of lands and houses;
and the fourth was from the owners and occupiers of
private warehouses.

Memorials from eleven of the wards, signed by upwards
of 1800 burgesses, also praying for a rate-paying clause,
were here handed in ; and the whole of the memorials
were read by the Town-clerk. The preamble of the bill
was also read by the Town-clerk. and then the Council
formed itself into a committee.

Mr. BRAMLEY-MOORE ooserved that it was compul-
sory upon the Council to go to Parliament this year to
obtain powers to build additional warehouses, because
the last act contained a clause which bound them to go
for these powers within two years from the passing of
that act. On this point they had no choice ;go they
must.

Mr. HENDERSON observed that the compulsory clause
had been forced on the Council in decided opposition to
the n opiions of the members.
_ _ _ _

Mr. AIKIN believed the Town-clerk would tell them
that they were bound to go to Parkament.
In reply to Mr. HonosoN, _ _

The towN-CLERK said, that if the Council failed to
comply with the compulsory clause, an application might
be made to the Court of Queen's Bench, and a mandamus
would issue, to which the Council would have to reply. _

Mr. BRAMLEY-MOORE said it would be unworihy of
the honour of the Council not to comply with the clause,
but, at the same time, if they preferred it, they might go
manfully before the House of Commons, and say that it
was an indiscreet clause, and ought to be repealed. He
would endeavour to carry out their determination, what-
ever that might be. He admitted that if they were not
to go to Parliament this year, the Dock Estate would not
suffer, and the works would not be delayed, because it
would require 18 months still before they could commence
the excavations of the Wapping Dock. What was pro-
posed by the bill was, to erect warehouses round the
Wapping Dock and the Prince's, and not to erect ware-
houses round all the docks in the town, but to suit their
convenience as to the erection of any additional ware-
houses after those at the Wapping and the Prince's. It
was further proposed by the bill to obtain an enabling
power to purchase the strand at the North Shore from
Lord Derby, in order that greater accommodation, at the
cheapest possible rate, might be given in that locality to
the timber trade than Liverpool at present afforded. He
observed that a portion of the New North Docks would
be opened next May, and that there was no instance on
record of docks having been constructed for so small a
sum as those at the north end of the town.

Mr. S. HOLME objected to the preamble of the bill, in,
a speech of considerable length and eloquence. He be-
lieved the Council were now assembled as trustees to
sanction acts which would be detrimental to the town
and the dock estate. In the present day, public bodies
were so much accustomed to wield money by hundreds
and thousands of pounds, that common prudence and
discretion were sometimes forgotten ; and he hoped the
Council would check the Dock Committee from proceed-
ing to Parliament this session, and would induce that
committee to consolidate their Dock Acts, which at pre-
sent were somewhat like a tangled web, difficult to be
unravelled. With reference to the building of additional
dock warehouses, he observed that, although there were
large imports of corn and sugar within the last twelve
months, yet that one-third of the private warehouses of
Liverpool were now empty, and that a reduction of rent,
to the extent of 20 per cent. had taken place in warehouse
property. He objected to dock warehouses being built at
the public cost, and to the Dock Committee becoming a
trading body. They bad no right to itnurp the trade of
the town, release themselves from local taxation, and then
throw the burden of that taxation upon the shoulders of
those whom, by their trading, they had deprived of em-
ployment. He was not opposed to dock warehouses in
the abstract, if the land were leased to, and they were
built by, mercantile associations ; and if this had been
done, then that flagrant act of injustice, of taking the
public funds and using them to bear in competition with
private enterprise, would never have been committed.
He stated that it would cost upwards of £6,000,000 of
money to erect warehouses upon the plan, and at the cost,
of those at the Albert Dock round all the docks of Liver-
pool ; and independent of the injury this general project
would do to private property, he entered at some length
into the financial affairs of the dock estate, with the view
of showing that that estate was not in a position to incur
such a tremendous debt. He then complained that the
scheme of going further to the north would destroy the
present system of centralization, which had been found
to work so well, and he pointed out land at the Queen's,
and at the Brunswick Docks, which might be purchased
for centralization purposes. He then defended the ware-
house owners from the attacks made upon them by one
individual, as he said, in pamphlets, leading articles, and
letters ; and he concluded by saying, that if the rating
were not inserted, he would be an advocate for the with-
drawal of the bill.
Mr. MANN stated that from June to October last the
Albert Dock warehouses, only part of which were then
opened, had not only cleared themselves, but had left a
sum equal to about £30,000 per annum.
Mr. HODGSON thought it alike unjust and uncalled-for
to invade private property in the manner proposed by the
bill, and he should certainly vote against the preamble.

Mr. STEWART thought regard ought to be.had to ex-
isting interests, and that it would be a madness and a
monstrous inconvenience to erect warehouses round all
the docks of Liverpool. He was an advocate for the pur-
river frontage.
dutycah ac os er
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possess r
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possibleanm ite ntto itbo of the
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now to introduce a rate-paying
competent ln reply
The TOWN-CLERK said it was questionable whether,
tfoorm ther. Pcrooucnt
ceiir ,
clause into the bill.

Mr. BRAMLEY-MOORE said the Parliamentary Com-
would not be guilty of any equivocation, and that if the
Council decided that the warehouses should be rated,
then a clause to that effect would be inserted in the bill ;
and if parliament would not allow the clause to be in-
serted, because of any non-compliance with the standing
orders, then the bill would, if possible, be withdrawn.
Mr. EARLE thought the bill ought to be withdrawn,
particularly as Mr. Bramley-Moore had said the Dock
Estate could go on very well without it. He had a great
horror of going to loggerheads about dock warehouses,
and he had a gentleman in his eye—a gentleman who had
a pair of spectacles on his own eyes (Mr. Evans)—who
had done a great deal of good and a deal of harm on this
subject. He (Mr. Evans) had bearded the warehouse in-
terest, and snapped his fingers in their faces : he had got a
sort of warehouse mania, every owner of a warehouselooked
upon him as an enemy, and he had a sort of headlong im-
petuosity. (Laughter.)
Mr. HODGSON moved an amendment, as follows :
" That, considering the present state of the money mar-
ket, and the large works now in course of construction by
the trustees, ft fa not expedient to apply for the powers
sought at present, and that the bill be limited to au ap-
plication to parliament to extend the time limited by
the Dock Act of 9th and 10th Victoria, and such fur-
ther powers as are necessary for explaining or amending
the provisions of the dock acts relating to the management
of the existing warehouses, and the goods housed therein,
and the recovery of freights and charges."
Mr. KAYE seconded the amendment.

Mr. AIKIN spoke strongly in favour of proceeding with
the bill, and expressed his surprise that the Council should
now talk of withdrawing the measure, merely because of
the state of the money market, when, in October last,
they were unanimously in its favour. He stated that every
interest in Liverpool was promoted when the docks were
cheaply worked ; and he was averse to the imposition of
local burdens upon them : it looked like killing the

for the sake of the golden egg

Mr. BRAMLEY-MOORE explained one or two clauses of
:I
jn wectethrsee,
the bill which would facilitate the trade of the port, and
which it was very desirable should be passed ; and in reply
to Mr. Holme, he denied that the Dock Committee were
traders. All the coopers employed at the Albert Dock
were coopers belonging to Liverpool,—so that no injury
was done to the trade of the coopers by the erection of
that dock.
V '
sl lu
course of the debate descanted o
called M r.
the Nictor
111. s
tceoe ms polfa itnheed
trade that
ot
fhnetia,
eCv
aopruznrtctyi 1,
had,
,
of
but never once allude, descanted
to what more especially related to
the interests of the docks.
Mr. EVANS proceeded at great length to express his
opinions in favour of the bill and against the warehouse-
owners. He thought the best security the bondholders
could have was in the erection of additional warehouses.
If private warehouse-owners could not stand the competi-
tion of dock warehouses., the best way for the Council
would be to obtain a register of their names and pension
them (loud laughter.) But, then, were the proprietors of
old rumbling coaches to be compensated because they had
been driven off the road by the introduction of railways ?
He maintained that private warehouse-owners had built
their own warehouses at their own risk, and that they had
gone on building them, though oftentimes warned during

Dec. 21,1547.

the last ten years that dock warehouses vroUld be erected
in Liverpool to a great extent.
Mr. BRAMLEY-Mathez said that if the preamble were
passed the bill might afterwards be thrown out upon the
rating clause, or any other clause.
The Council here divided on Mr. Hotigson's amend-
ment, when there appeared :—For the amendment, 28.—
Against it, 22.—Majority, 6.
The amendment was accordingly carried. The follow.
ing gentlemen voted in the division :
For the amendment, Councillors—Messrs. J, Holme,
J. Woodruff, J. G. Morris, W. Preston, J. Stitt, R. B.
Hill, T. Littledale, jun.. J. A. Tinne, R. S. Henderson.
T. Toulmin, H. G, Harbord, S. Holme, J. A. Tobin, C.
W. Reade, T. Kaye, R. C. Gardner, H. Denson, W.
Earle, W. Bennett, J. Parker, J. Plumpton, S. Booker,
R. L. Jones. Aldermen—Messrs. D. Hodgson, A. Swain-
son, J. Holmes, J. Cooper, and W. P. Bushby.
.

Against it, Couneiliori—Messrs, W. V Walthew,
Evans, J. Tyrer, G. H. Horsfall, J. Aikin, G. Hort, J.
Stewart, T. Robinson, T. Rimmer, T. Boyden, J. Rogers.
G. Booker, G. H. Lawrence, T. Lloyd, R. Benn, and W.
Mann. Aldermen—W. Nicol, J. N. Wood, J. Bramley-
Moore,E. Molyneux, T. Chilton, and the Mayor.

Mr. AIKIN expressed a belief that many had voted for'
the amendment under the impression that the rate-paying
clause could not be inserted.

Mr. EARLE.—If people don't understand what they ara
voting for, what are we to do with them ? They ought to
go home and get a blister on their heads—(loud laughter.)
Mr BRAMLEY-MOORE.—Does the amendment excluda
the purchase of the North Shore ?

The TOWN-CLERIE.—It does.
Mr. BRAMLEY-MOORE.—Then we shall make you I&
present of the bill.
The Council adjourned upon the understanding that
the Doc k Committee would take the amendment into
consideration, and that the bill, altered in conformity with
the terms of the amendment, would be submitted to
another special meeting of the Council, which will bit
convened for the purpose in a few days.