The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-04-24 00:00:00

Balance 25th March, 1840

1,057 3 8

£66,623 15 2

Errors excepted.
Liverpool, 25th March, 1840.
CHARLES HART, Treasurer.
Examined with the vouchers produced, and found correct.
ISAAC HUTCHINSON, /
JOHN WILKINSON,
Auditors.
JOHN PATON,
JOHN' DEAKIN, ,

REPORT OF THE CHURCHWARDENS AND
SELECT VESTRY,
For the Year ending 25th March, 1840.
In conformity with annual custom, the Churchwardens
and Select Vestry present to the Parishioners a statement of
their Accounts for the Year ending 25th March, 1840.
, Notwithstanding the high price of corn and other provi-
sions during the year, it is satisfactory to state, that, through
tue good management of the Governor, there has been an
increase only of three farthings more per head per week, or
£2BO 9s. 6d. for the whole year, and upon the whole net
expenditure upon the Workhouse there has been a diminu-
tion of about £220.
The Churchwardens and Select Vestry, by the early payr,
ment of the Rate during the present year, have been enabled
to get an allowance of interest upon the parish bills, by which
a considerable saving has been accomplished.
Several important regulations have been suggested by the
Treasurer, in his department, since the last Vestry in Sep-
tember, which have been approved of and adopted by the
Select Vestry ; by means of which the returns of the Rates
paid to the Colectors, and the examinations of the n by the
Treasurer, are daily secured ; and thus the recurrence of
such errors and omissions as were formerly complained of
will be, in a great degree, prevented. This system, too, will
unquestionably promote the prompt and efficient Collection
of the Rates, by which means only the Registratioh can be
accurately and completely kept up. And the Select Vestry
have again the pleasure of bearing testimony to the unwea-
ried assiduity of their Treasurer, who has accomplished, to
their entire satisfaction, the object proposed by the union of
the Rate-book *Office with that of Treasurer, viz., that of
greater correctness in both departments, with considerable
saving of expense to the Parish.
The Churchwardens and Overseers, along with the Governor
of the Workhouse, visited during the last year, the Appren-
tices in the Manufactories at Patricroft, Winslow. Congle-
ton, Havannah Mills, Luddenden Foot, near Halifax and
Rochdale, and they have much pleasure in reporting that
they found them healthy and comfortable ; and it is a simple
act of justice to bear testimony to the admirable system and
regulations observed in Messrs. Gregg' Factory, at Quarry-
bank, Mr. Hobson's Silk Manufactory, at [the Havannah
Mills, and at Messrs. Smiths' Worsted Spinning Factory, at
Luddenden Foot.
The result of the improved collections, and of the system
of economy prevailing in the parish expenditure, leads the
Churchwardens and Select Vestry to indulge the hope, that
a further reduction in the Rate, of at least one penny in the
pound, may be made for the ensuing year, provided that the
levying of a borough watch-rate of sixpence in the pound
should not be compulsory in this parish. After having ad-
verted to the subject of the watch-rate, it may be convenient
here to explain to the inhabitants the exact object of Mr.
Baines's act of last Session, and its bearing upon the Parish
of Liverpool, as considerable misapprehension has gone
abroad upon the question. Under the Municipal Corpora-
tions Amendment Act, the Council of certain boroughs were
reouired to establish a day and night police, and the expense
of such establishment was directed to be borne out of the
corporate estate. But in those boroughs in which there had
been previously a power to levy a watch-rate, the act proceeds
to charge upon the inhabitants a sum equal to the average
expended upon the watch during the preceding 7 years. The
average amount so paid by the parish of Liverpool was 48527;
or from 3d to 3d in the pound upon the parish assessment ;
and the parish has contributed that sum annually to the Cor-
poration until the present time. In several boroughs, how-
ever, where a day and night police was established under
the Municipal Corporations Act the corporate revenues were
inadequate to the maintenance of the police force in addition
to other corporate expenses, and it early became necessary,
therefore, for the Town Councils to lay borough rates to
make good the deficiency ; but as the new police were not
s ultcd w rrpWia thrOugLo,..k _on F. La ,if
although all the borough had contributed to the borough
rate, it was soon perceived that it was unequal and unjust
to pay the expense of the police-force out of the borough
rate. And it was to remedy this injustice, and for no other
purpose, that Mr. Baines, the member for Leeds, brought in
and obtained the passing of the act of last Session, which
enables each Town Council to levy a rate, not exceeding six-
pence in the pound, upon the annual value of all property
watched, to be recovered from the overseers in the manner
of a county rate. It happens that, for the want of a few
words to narrow its application, the act in question is consi-
dered to apply to all boroughs having ,a police force, but
there is a great difference of opinion as to the amount of
rate being compulsory or discretionary with the Town
Council of each borough. Sir Frederick Pollock and Sir
William Follett, on a case submitted to them on behalf of
the parish of Liverpool, advised that the amount is at the
discretion of the Council ; and on the other hand, the At-
torney-General, Mr. Wightman, and Mr. Rogers, are of
opinion, upon a case submitted by the Town-clerk of Liver-
pool, that the Town Council have no discretion in the matter,
and must enforce the whole rate of sixpence in the pound.
If such be the case, and the rate of sixpence must be levied,
instead of a probable reduction of one penny, it will he ne-
cessary to lay an additional rate upon the inhabitants of
threepence or fourpence, because a rate of sixpence in the
pound upon the assessment value of all property watched is
equal to a parish rate of at least eightpence in the pound,
the sum actually collected by the parish being from -X75 to
£BO per cent. only of the actual rates laid. The Church-
wardens and Select Vestry, however, have the satisfaction of
stating, that a deputation from their board have had several
interviews with Mr. Baines, the member for Leeds, and have
succeeded in satisfying him of the justice, and even nec6sity,
of amending this act of last Session ; and he has accordingly
introduced a bill into the House of Commons, which, if
passed into a law, will relieve the parish from all apprehen-
sion in this respect. And there is every reason to believe
that the bill will pass, unless the Town Council of this
borough should oppose it, on account of the facility given to
them by the act of last Session of transferring a large sum
annually out of the pockets of the parishioners into the cor-
porate treasury, without imposing upon the Council any
obligation to show (as the Municipal Act requires before a
borough rate can be laid) the inadequacy of their income for
all legitimate corporate purposes.
The Dock Bill, which the Select Vestry were intrusted to
oppose by the Special General Vestry held last month, as to
matters injurious to the interest of the parish, has been read
a second time, and will go into committee on the seventh of
May, or very soon afterwards. The Select Vestry have
taken the necessary preliminary steps in accordance with the
resolutions of the inhabitants, and it will remain for their
successors to carry them out.
The Deputation appointed by the parish last year strenu-
ously opposed the Prisons' Act Amendment Bill, by which a
great expenditure would, in all probability, have been im-
posed upon this parish, and the bill was eventually defeated
in the House of Lords, and at present there is no prospect of
the measure being revived. But the Churchwardens and Se-
lect Vestry regret to find, that there is an earnest endeavour
to establish inland bonding warehouses, a measure which,
whilst it would gratuitously interfere with existing property
at the outports, must give rise to a great increase of revenue
officers, both along the lines of the transit of goods and at the
bonding towns, or must greatly endanger the revenue. The
Town Council look upon this bill, if not with approbation,
at least with a degree of indifference irreconcileable with their
bounden duties as the public protectors of the corporate es-
tate, which is so largely interested in the bonding system now
existing at the outports. As they, however, think fit to aban-
don the post they ought to maintain, it will deserve the con-
sideration of the parishioners whether, as the parish is inter-
ested next in degree td the corporation in the conservation of
the property of the town, they should not instruct the Select
Vestry to oppose the inland bonding bill to the utmost of
their power.
Tho Select Vestry have, during the last year, made addi-
tions to the workhouse for the reception of Lunatic Paupers,
by which it is expected that an annual saving to the parish
Of .£3OO at least will be effected. They have also made alter-
ations in the house for the comfort of the inmates, and seve-
ral reservoirs have been made for the better supply of water,
which had begun to fail. These extraordinary expenses will
account for the greater sum appearing this year under the
head of building and repairs for the workouse.
The Churchwardens and Select Vestry take leave to bring
under the consideration of the Vestry, the devoted and un-
wearied attention of Mr. and Mrs. Dowdall to the arduous
duties of their offices as governor and matron of the work-
house. Since their appointment there has been gradually a
diminution in the comparative expenditure in the workhouse,
wiextfsplreiandingeveitivneolrisod:datentsaidiistio;lin the articles produced there has been an annually
increasingtndaoi
munsoi
ed•
of the
ittaosohusenweratnti
the
teeaehs
parishioners
sAenfhrwketsai
well-tried
the same time, the sick and aged
y
cenrir-eitaarsr
egtrDowdall,ibdhnenaarkant drt
ncrwfhm. kindfaithful
character.
ahhoncfweoatt
edtncl
rande.
as
Dowdall
riiaAys:
escape
anceenosdp
ttnanh
astnoeht
as
df
con-
sideration oti
at-
tentions
t
e
Parish, the Select Vestry would recommend to the parish-
ioners the allowance of a sum of money, not. exceeding one
hundred pounds, to enable him to effect an
.insurance upon
his life—the benefit of similar liberality having been felt in
t h ec
willas e o fbteh the
eleant IN 1
fromr
the Governor
pr
preceding
cleldairndgman.
It t
that a great number of measures are now
part of
n thisprogress r e po report
Parliament materially affecting the interests of this parish
awFsrasori
sdmt
ae
nMnscr. ea,n NadVnadi
Selectn e w
they,r i
Vestryg
ti
ht , e or
ef
fthenc i
recommend
evuce
continue
ptnoo
mo r
neo
edffii
vet
eeh ,
that
oh
hse t
sC s
efficientbt
pr ec n 1 i
d
of £lOO for the ensuing year should he continued.
Since the General Vestry in October last, the district of
• the late collector, Mr. John Walthew, has been gone through
by his successor; and, it is gratifying to state that, instead
of any deficiency, there is a small balance of from X,4 to £5
in his favour.
The attention of the Select Vestry having been called to
the important services rendered to the sick poor by means of
the Eastern Dispensary, the Select Vestry recommend that
a sum of one hundred guineas be voted to that charity, upon
e Select Vestry,
ry.
the same condition
ditifornom
JAMES ECKERSLEY, Secfetaasththeemotihneurtedsisnpfetnhsaries.
Extracted
Liverpool, 25th March, 1840.