The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-06-18 00:00:00

FEES IN THE COUNTY COURT.—Prior to the recent
indisposition of the judge of the county court, his honour
stated to the court that the statutory fees allowed to attor-
neys practising in the court did not embrace the cost of
getting up the case ; costs for extraneous services are to
be awarded subject to the circumstances of particular
cases, and the approval of the judge. Since then this
opinion has been confirmed by Lord Campbell, who has
pronounced the statutory fees to apply solely to the plead-
ings in court; other charges may be made for services
performed and expenses incurred in getting evidence, &c.,
out of court.
DISTRESSING ACCIDENT.—On Thursday afternoon, an
accident involving loss of life to three human beings, and
injury to two others, occurred at the North Docks.
Amongst other property to be appropriated to dock space
is the Old Vauxhall Boiler Yard, which is surrounded by
a wall, and was necessary, of course, that this wall
should be taken down ; and with a view of more readily
razing it, workmen were set to excavate about the founda-
tion, and whilst five of them were so engaged on the day
stated, in consequence of having too far undermined the
foundation, it gave way, and the wall fell, with a great
crash, completely burying three, and partially two, of the
men beneath it. The two but partially covered with the
ruins were taken out very little injured • not so, however,
with their less fortunate companions. When found, their
bodies presented a horrid spectacle, as they were most
dreadfully crushed. They were immediately conveyed to
the Northern Hospital ; but two of them were either dead
when taken from the ruins or died on their road there, and
the third expired immediately after arriving. The names
of the deceased parties are Hugh Lloyd, of Bootle ; Thos.
Curran, of Lightbody-street ; and John Gerrard, from
Kilshaw, who resided in Slate-street. Two of them, we
believe Lloyd ana Curran), were married men, and have
left families totally destitute.
CRIME IN LIVERPOOL.—The annual report of the
head constable on the Liverpool police establishment,
with the statistical returns for 1849, just published, em-
bodies some very important details relating to the effici-
ency of the police force, and the state of crime in Liver-
pool. The number of fires in the borough, in 1849, was
56, and in 1848, 70, being a decrease of 14. The value of
property lost by fire in 1849, was £16,400, and in 1848,
£20,525, being a decrease of £4,125, and the property
saved by the exertions of the fire brigade was £42,000.
The total number of crimes committed during the year in
the borough was 22,884, being a decrease of 241 on the
preceding year • and 15,801 of the perpetrators were ap-
prehended by the police. The value of property stolen
is estimated at £19,938 6s. 4d., of which £11,738 was
recovered by the police. The number of children found
wandering in the streets, and restored to their parents by
the police, was 279. Disorderly houses, 1848, 532 ; 1849,
590 ; increase, 58 ; known prostitutes, 1848, 1,576 •, 1849,
1,653 ; being an increase of 77. The houses for the re-
ception of stolen property have also received a con-
siderable augmentation ; in 1848, there were 82 of
these places, while, in 1849, there were 149, being an in-
crease of no fewer than 64. The number of thieves,
whose residences are known to the police, in 1848, was
1,270, in 1859, 1,460.
THE BIRKENHEAD DOCKS AND THE COMMISSIONERS
OF WOODS.—It appears that the Commissioners of Woods
have agreed to make a free grant to the dock trustees of
the estate known as the south reserve, on the trustees un-
dertaking that all moneys which they may raise by sale,
or on the credit of the south reserve. shall be applied, in
the first instance, to the prosecution of the works author-
ised by the act of 1844, and the first act of 1847. The
Commissioners of Woods also make a free grant to the
trustees of the spaces of foreshore on each side of the great
float, which will be reclaimed by means of the wharf walls
to be built under the several walling acts, such spaces to
be afterwards conveyed gratuitously by the dock trustees
to the respective owners of the lands in front of which
they are reclaimed, as soon as such landowners shall have
built their respective wharf walls of sufficient substance
and durability. The Commissioners of Woods vest abso-
lutely in the Crown the foreshore on the north side of the
intended low-water basin, extending to Seacombe Ferry
Slip, and known as the north reserve, and agree to pay
the dock trustees the sum of £22,000 for so much of the
river wall as is already built in front of the north reserve,
the money so paid to the dock trustees to be expended in
continuing the river wall ia front of the south reserve and
the south walls of the low-water basin ; the Commission-
ers of Woods undertaking to continue the building of the
river wall of the north reserve at the expense of the Crown.
The dock trustees are to construct, within twelve months
from the present time, a temporary dam across the mouth
of the intended low-water basin, sufficient to exclude the
water from the site of the basin, and from the foundations
of the walls to be built at the cost of the Crown. With
respect to the excavations from the low-water basin, the
Commissioners of Woods reserve to themselves the option
of adopting one of three arrangements, which they lay
down. These arrangements involve an undertaking on
the part of the dock trustees to dig and deliver (at their
own expense), on the north reserve, the surplus quantity
of materials remaining after they have taken what they
require for their own works. The Commissioners of
Woods undertake to construct, at the cost of the Crown,
a good and sufficient carriage-road, with a causeway for
foot passengers, over the Seacombe side of the north re-
serve, within twelve months after the perinanent embank-
ment across Wallasey Pool shall have been completed and
open for traffic. The Commissioners reserve to them-
selves the liberty of executing the works undertaken by
the Crown by their own engineers and officers, or by the
engineers and officers of the dock trustees. The agree-
ment is signed respectively by Lord Seymour, as the first
Commissioner of Woods, and by Mr. Ellis, as the chair-
man of the dock trust.