The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-06-02 00:00:00

BIRKENHEAD AFFAIRS.

ELECTION OF COMMISSIONERS UNDER THE BIRKENHEAD
IMPROVEMENT ACT FOR THE ENSUING YEAR.

The annual election of commissioners for Birkenhead will
take place this day. The act under which they arc elected is
similar to that of the common council elections of this town,—
namely, that one-third of the whole number (in this case 21)
go out every year, Two others of the commissioners, Mr.
Coxon and Mr. A. A. Dobbs, having retired, the full number
to be chosen is therefore nine. The following are the can-
didates : _ _ .

CONSERVATIVES.—Messrs. James Ball, David Appleton,
James Smith, Thomas Walley, Thomas Gilbertson, Robert
Singlehurst, William Jackson. Thomas Davison, (in place of
Arthur Acheson Dobbs, for two years,) and Richard Fry, (in
place of John Crowe Coxon, for one year).
"LlBERALs."—Messrs. Edw. Broadrip, Wm. Cole, Wm.
Fry, John Howe Green, Thomas Hanson, Wm. Horner,
William Laycock, Joseph Robinson. Pim; and Richard Wil-
liams Prichard.

Much interest is excited in the township in regard to the
result of this election, the principal question being the run-
ning of a tram-road through and across the public streets
from the Chester and Birkenhead Railway • to the ferry.
The Railway Company have applied to go " over all." The
conservative party are opposed to so serious, danger-
ous, and inconvenient an obstruction, as the Communication
could be made by tunnel; the liberal party are in its favour,
for reasons best known to themselves.
Great exertions have already been made on both sides,—
each party having, as it were, resolved to gain their point.
Two public meetings have been held on the subject, and at
both the company were defeated in their desire to obtain
the general concurrence of the public. Thus discomfited they
.
have withdrawn, for the present, their application to pirli.a-
ment ; but should they succeed this day in gaining a majority
through the election, it is apprehended by the conservatives
that they will renew their proposition. It is thought advisa-
ble, therefore, to restrain by a more decided expression of
public feeling than has yet been manifested ; and as the
conservatives are, on this question, on the popular side, no
doubt is entertained of their 'success at the poll.
The qualification for a commissioner is a rating of £35 a
year, and an instance of the dishonourable manner in which
the " liberal" party have deprived one gentleman of his vote
should be recorded. Mr. Sedden, shipbuilder, has been an
old inhabitant of Birkenhead, where he has always paid high
rates. Some short time ago he gave up his building-yard on
that side the water, and took one in Liverpool. He still,
however retained his house, for which he pays £4O a-year,
and if he had been fairly treated he would, according to the
average of assessments in the township, have been rated at
at least £37. He was, however, assessed at only £32, and is
therefore declared to be ineligible !
The election commences at ten o'clock, and closes at four.
Should the result be known. in time we shall supply it in
our second edition this afternoon.

THEATRE-ROYAL.--" Jack Sheppard" was produced,
with decided success, last night. The cast was very strong
but we must postpone all comment till our next number. The
acting was admirable, and we would recommend the public
to lose no time in seeing it. The other pieces went off re-
markably well.

SUICIDE OF A LETTER-CARRIER.--We have this moment
(midnight), while on the eve of going to press, learned that
the well-known and active letter-carrier, named Fazakerley,
has a short time since, put a termination to his existence.
It appeared that he had yesterday evening been apprehended
on suspicion of having appropriated or made away with a £2O
note ; but no examination as to the fact had taken place.
On being brought into the Bridewell he requested
to be put into the room separate from the other prisoners,
and this request was complied with. About eleven o'clock the
person visiting the room, found that he had committed
suicide by strangling himself with a piece of cord which he
had about him.- His wife was also apprehended on suspicion
of being concerned, and at the time of uur writing is not
made aware of her bereavement.

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COCKERMOUTH ELECTION. - THE NOMINA-
TION ON SATURDAY.

(From our own Correspondent.)
The proceedings at the hustings this day occupied near
four hours. Mr. Wood, the bailiff of the borough, and re-
turning officer, having gone through the necessary forms,
Mr. Horsman was proposed by Mr. Clift, of Cockermouth,
in a short address; and Mr. Hodgson, of the same place,
was his seconder : lie also was very brief.
Mr. Birkett, draper, proposed General Wyndham ; and
Mr. Joseph Hodgson, (brother to Mr. Horsman's seconder,)
seconded his nomination.

A Cockermouth chartist named Geldert, next attempted
:o address the meeting, but was refused a hearing until the
Avo candidates had spoken. .

Mr. Horsman spoke at great length, dwelt mainly on the
General's unfitness for the office to which he aspired, but
was very guarded about naming the ministry he had joined.
General Wyndham spoke at considerable length, and with
tolerably good effect, occasionally making some excellent
hits at the Scotchman.
Mr. Hansom,, a chartist leader from Carlisle, afterwards
spoke at great length, and denounced in strong terms the
conduct of the Whigs, and that of Mr. Horsman in particu-
lar, whom he designated a " needy Scotch adventurer."
This led to a long wordy war between Mr. Horsman and
the Chartist deputation from Carlisle, who had attended for
the purpose of aiding their friends in Cockermouth against
the new lord of the Treasury. After having called each
other divers hard names, the matter was brought to a close.
The town was very quiet and all went off peaceably. The
show of hands was as nearly equal as possible, but it was
given in favour of Horsman.