The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-10-10 00:00:00

WATCH COMDIITTEB.

The proceedings, resolutions, and reports of the Watch,
Lighting, Cleansing, and Fire-police Committees were
read, comprising the appointment of assessors for the
lighting and cleansing rates for 1833-4; the appointment
of collectors of the lighting, cleansing, and the fire-police
rates in the parish of Liverpool, for 1833-4 ; the appoint-
ment of collectors of the lighting and fire-police rates in
the new parts of the borough, for 1833-4 ; the proceed-
ings for laying the usual fire-police rate of one halfpenny
in the pound, for 1833-4. The old collectors, were re-
appointed, and the proceedings were confirmed, with the
exception of that part relating to the fire-police rate,
which stands over.

DOCK COMMITTEE.-TRANSIT SHEDS.

The proceedings, resolutions, and directions of the
Dock Committee were read, comprising a resolution that
it is inexpedient to erect transit sheds on the west quay of
any other existing dock than the Prince's Dock.
Mr. SANDS moved the confirmation of the proceedings,
observing that the committee was compelled to pass that
resolution, otherwise they would be compelled under the
Act to go on building more sheds.
Mr. MOLYNEUX seconded the motion.
Mr. BIRKETT said, as the motion confined the opera-
tion to the west quay of the dock, he would not offer any
opposition to it. He wished to guard the council against
any expression of opinion against transit sheds, as they
were calculated to be exceedingly useful. They ought
not, however, to be on the west side of the dock quays
under the present regulation.
Mr. SANDS said that they would not be prohibited from
building sheds, even supposing this resolution should
pass, they would be compelled to build them on one of
the other existing docks.
The MAYOR read a memorial from Mr. John North,
on behalf of the Warehouse Association, against the reso-
lution. The memorial set forth that the sheds were on the
wrong side of the dock under the present regulations as to
loading and discharging. If the sheds were on the side
of the dock on which the vessels discharge they would
come into play : they would give greater facilities to bu-
siness, and increase the dock dues. The memorial asked
that further time should be granted. _ _

Several members asked fora postponement of the ques-
tion.

The TOWN-CLERK said the council must either con-
firm or annul the resolution then, or within a week from
that time.

Mr. BIKKETT said he wished the resolution to pass,
with an expression of opinion appended, that the council
express no objection to the use of sheds. He was pre-
pared to show that the transit sheds were exceedingly
usefel. . .

Sir THOMAS BILANCKER said it was necessary that the
council should either affirm or deny.
Mr. HODGSON proposed that the words "at present"
be added.

The TowN-CLERK said the act required an explicit
confirmation or otherwise, and the conditional term as to
time would be illegal, while the addition proposed by Mr.
Birkett would have no efficacy.
Mr. AIKIN blamed the warehouse party for having made
the sheds useless, by the insertion of a proviso that goods
should not be suffered to remain in them more than 24
hours without being subjectyto a month's rent. If goods
might be allowed to remain in them a few days they would
be useful to the merchants.

Mr. TURNER proposed that the subject be postponed
for a week.

Mr. BRAMLEY-MOORE did not see the necessity of
postponement; the Dock Committee were in such a posi-
tion that they could not stand still. The simple question
was, whether they should be compelled to proceed with
the erection of new tran6it sheds, or whether that liability
should be taken from them, they still retaining the power
to build sheds if expedient.

The TowN-CLERrx gave it as his opinion on the clauses
of the act, that, if this resolution passed, the committee
would only retain power to build sheds on the east side of
the docks. _ .

Mr. PARK ER contended in favour of the postponement
of the question. He was for no interest, or no party, only
for the good of the town and the burgesses. He blamed
the lavish expenditure of the new assize courts, and spoke
strongly of his independence.
Mr. GRIFFITII said there was no use referring back the
question even for a week. It was admitted that the west
side did not answer, and as the resolution did not touch
the east side, where was the use of postponing it?
Mr. HARBORD said. in reference to what had fallen
from Mr. Aikin, goods had been deposited in the sheds

the best part of a fortnight, in consequence of a regula-
tion which had been adopted, that packages might remain
there till they had passed the Queen's scales. If the
docks were better worked they might admit double the
quantity of shipping. If the sheds had been on the dis-
charging side they would have worked double the quan-
tity of shipping.
The TOWN-CLERK said, in answer to a question, if the
council annulled this resolution, then, according to the
45th section, they would be compelled to erect sheds on
some other dock. If the council came to no resolution
that day, or for a week afterwards; the Dock Committee
resolution would stand confirmed.

Mr. NzcoL said he was one of the Warehouse Commit-
tee of the dock trust ; if any merchant had desired to dis-
charge on the west side, it would have been conceded to
him.

Mr. COOPER said if the question remained as it was, it
could make no difference. Who were the parties to com-
pel the committee to build ?
The TOWN-CLERK.—Any person who chooses to ap-
ply for a mandamus.
Mr. COOPER.—Which is nobody.
Mr. TURNER, seconded by Mr. ASPINALL, moved that
the subject be postponed for a week.
Mr. EVANS said an assertion had been made that the
docks were badly worked. He desired that gentleman to
show that any docks were better worked. It would have
been more seemly in the warehouse interest, after the evils
which they had inflicted on the community, to have offered
no opposition to this resolution. It would have been more
seemly in them to have met together, and resolved to allow
the completion of the warehouses on the Albert Dock.
What would strangers say when they viewed that dock ?
What would the world say? That Liverpool was com-
pletely sacrificed to one interest, and the empire at large
defrauded of its rights.
Several members expressed their opinion in favour of
the postponement of the question.
Mr. SANDS intimated that he had no objection to the
postponement for one week.
Mr. BLACKBURN read the 46th clause. It appeared to
him from that clause that they were discussing about
nothing. The Dock Committee, if the resolution passed,
were not compelled to build, but the power would remain
to build on either side of the docks.
The TOWN•CLERK said, now that his attention was di-
rected to the concluding words of the clause by Mr. Black-
burn, he agreed with that interpretation.
This put an end at once to the discussion, and the pro-
ceedings were confirmed.
The proceedings of the Improvement Committee were
read and confirmed.