The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-05-30 00:00:00

WEST DERBY FLORAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.
—lt affords us much pleasure to notice the revival of this
useful society, under the most promising auspices. The
fa-A meeting was held on Friday last, at the National School-
room in the village, for the exhibition of Tulips, Plants,
Fruits, Flowers, and Vegetables; but, owing to the short
time which had elapsed since the revival was determined
upon, the room was not so well filled as could be wished.
The show, however, passed over most pleasantly ; and from
the good feeling evinced by all parties, and the many offers
of additional support received by the honorary secretary,
Mr. Billison, it may be confidently anticipated that the next
exhibitions will be in every way worthy of the many wealthy
and influential residents in the neighbourhood. The show
on Friday was directed chiefly to tulips, of which there was
a goodly display, and, for the variable season, exceedingly
fine blooms. The most successf,l competitor was Mr. W in-
ward, who has for many years ardently devoted himself to
the cultivation of this flower. From the short notice already
mentioned, some of his neighbours were not at all prepared
to contend with him ; but another time he may perhaps find
some difficulty in winning so many prizes. A fine dish of
strawberries, grown by R. Jones, Esq., obtained a prize :
one of them was rather above four inches in diameter. In
gooseberries, cauliflowers, and cabbages, Mr. W. P. Freme
was highly successful. The first prizes for currants and as-
paragus were awarded to Mrs. Thornton. There were some
tine cucumbers, including two very large " Kenyon " twins.
T. O'Grady, Esq., showed several pans of fine pansies, but
not for competition. Amongst the other prizes for flowers,
&c., were--for a Clematis cerulea grandifiora, extra prize,
Mrs. Thornton ; Ericas, (fine heaths.) first prize, Mrs.
Thornton—second, (for three,) Mr. Billison ; best basket
of plants, 'l. Jones, Esq.---:second, Mrs. Thornton ; extra
prize—best calceolarias, (varieties,) R. Jones, Esq.; a fine
specimen of ixias, about five feet in height, E. Hunt, Esq. ;
mushrooms, extra prize, R. Jones, Esq. At the September
exhibition, in addition to the usual awards, prizes will he
offered for the neatest cottage gardens and their production.
We understand the active secretary contemplates endeavour-
ing to establish, in conjunction with these exhibitions, a so-
ciety for the mutual instruction of gentlemen's gardeners ;
and as such would afford them an attractive and useful mode
of spending their evenings, we hope he will be so seconded
in his praiseworthy efforts that he may succeed.

WORKING OF THE FIRE-ENGINES.—We stated in our
account (in a second edition) of the recent great fire in
Union-street and Jackson's-lane that about the commence-
ment of the conflagration, and when it was hoped that timely
exertions would arrest its ravages, numbers of labouring
men who being unemployed were looking on, were asked to
assist in working the engines, and refused to do so, though
offered fair wages, to the astonishment of several of the au-
thorities present as well as of ourselves, who were in no
small degree mortified to observe a manifestation of feeling
that indicated a low and lamentable state of morality
amongst that class of men. Shortly after publishing that
account, however, it was intimated to us in several quarters
that there existed some cause for the apathy shown on the
occasion—namely, that on some former occasions of fire, and
particularly on occasion of that at the Duke's warehouses
shortly before, a considerable number of the men who had
worked the engines or carried out goods did not, by some
inadvertence or want of proper regulation, receive. their pay
tickets—and that others who did, considered the sums paid
for their services so inadequate for the laborious and often
dangerous kind of work, that a spirit of discontent was
raised amongst them, and that this becoming known to the
general body of labourers, induced the refusal noticed to en-
gage in similar occupations. From what has subsequently
transpired it appears that there is at least some foundation
for this statement, and that the men (who from their station
in life and their necessities cannot be expected to do much
gratuitously) were not, after all, so much to blame as at first
supposed. On Friday, a conversation took place on the
subject in the Police-court, between Mr. Rushton, the ma-
gistrate, and Mr. Maxwell, inspector of salvages for the
fire insurance companies,—and from what was stated it ap-
pears that, so soon as at any fire the fire-police have suc-
ceeded in arresting it so far that no further apprehension
exists of its endangering life or extending to further property,
the chief management in supplying men to work the engines,
in directing their operations under the superintendence of
Mr. Hewitt, and particularly in removing the goods, should
that be deemed advisable, devolves upon Mr. Maxwell, who,
it must be admitted, invariably shows much anxiety and dis-
cretion for the benefit of those for whom he is concerned.
Mr. Rushton having heard of the alleged discontent amongst
the men, put some questions to Mr. M., and the latter stated,
that the allowance made by the fire offices, and to which he
was restricted, was to pay them at the rate of 3s. Gd. per day ;
that at the Duke's warehouses a number of men had been
employed by him from nine o'clock and six in the morning,
for which they were paid at that rate, for three-fourths of a
day, or only 2s. 74d., while the police paid the men they en-
gaged at the engines Gd. an hour. Mr. Rushton remarked
that the pay stated appeared to be inadequate, and that the
system required amendment, which we think it does, parti-
cularly when night-work, wet clothes, &c. are considered.
It is futile to expect men to devote their best exertions,
which are all-important in such emergencies, for so small an
amount ; and the fire offices will probably for their own
sakes be induced to adopt a more liberal and discreet system
in future. While on. this subject we may state that we have
learned from several individuals that on the suggestion of
several persons in authority in the fire police, and others who
take an interest in the speedy suppression of fires, that an
improved system is in contemplation in the hiring of men to
assist the police in working the engines, &c., and which pro-
mises to be of great advantage. It bas frequently happened
that old and approved hands on such occasions cannot be
found when their services are wanted, there being no tie upon
them beyond their being volunteers, their being otherwise
employed as profitably, their removal to other parts of the
town, &c., so that new hands not so adept or so faithful, are
necessarily engaged, and impositions, too, (not, perhaps, to
be altogether avoided in the confusion of large fires,) are fre-
quent. It is suggested that in future leen who have shown
themselves active and willing under the eyes of the fire po-
lice, should have a preference to strangers at future fires, and
for this purpose should each be provided with a badge. We
highly approve of such a plan, but with all due deference
throw out a suggestion as an amendment, without which, we
fear, it would not be found fully efficient : it is that the men
receiving badges or tickets for good conduct and sobriety,
-should also be required to muster before the police authori-
ties, say once a month, (or oftener,) to show their faces, and
have a register of their names and places of abode duly kept
up. By this means they would be called up by the consta-
bles on dirty at any time, and sent from their buttes with all
possible despatch, to any tire. As their attendance periodi-
cally would require some expenditure of time, and in conside-
. ration also that they should always hold themselves in readi-
ness, we should propose that, on passing each muster, they
should each receive the sum of say is., or 'l2s. per annum.
This would be an inducement, in the nature of a tie upon
them. Some system of simple and not irksome discipline
might also be introduced to render them more expert; and
thus we should always have an efficient body ready to co-
operate with tire regular fire-police, and who might be called
" the assistant firemen."

PUBLIC-HOUSE CASE: SUSPENSION OF A POLICE-OFFI-
CER.—On Friday last no less than 14 publicans and five
beersellers were brought before the Police-court for in-
fringing the law ; of the former four were fined £4 each, one
£3, one £2, and the rest acquitted. One beerseller was con-
victed in the penalty of £4, and another £2, and the rest
were acquitted. The following case deserves more than a
mere passing notice. Patrick Hart, publican, of Lower
Harrington-street, appeared to answer a charge of having
his house open on Sunday morning last for the sale of spirits,
contrary to the clause introduced into the Improvement Act.
Mr. Trafford, barrister, appeared for the defendant. David
Haines, officer, No. 267, stated that, on Sunday morning
week, about half-past nine o'clock, he saw a man and woman
go into the house of the defendant, and, shortly afterwards,
one of them came out with a bottle containing rum. In con-
tradiction of this, Mr. Trafford called two servants and a
lodger, who swore they were in the house all the morning,
and no drink whatever was supplied to any one. The lodger
stated that the landlady had refused to comply with his re-
quest for drink, at the same time observing that she was glad
of the regulation, as it gave them rest on a Sunday. Mr.
Trafford put it to the magistrate whether he would convict on
the testimony of one man only, when he was contradicted by
the positive evidence of two witnesses. Mr. Rushton : " Yes,
I shall. I don't believe the evidence of the servant girl at
all." It appearing from the cross-examination of Haines,
that officer 06 had gone into the house of the defend-
ant at the time, and had some conversation with the

landlady, that officer was sent for, and, in the meantime,
the case stood over. Bowman Adamson, publican, of
Garden-street, appeared under a summons for selling ale
on Sunday week, contrary to the Improvement Act.
Mr. Harden, barrister, appeared for the defendant. Haines
stated, that on Sunday morning week, about eleven
o'clock, he saw a woman come out of the back door of
Mr. Adamson's public-house with a jug containing ale in
her hand, and that he saw, through the window, a female
serve her with the ale. It appeared from the closa-examina-
tion of the witness, that he had been out, dressed in plain
clothes, watching the public-houses from eight o'clock that
morning. Mr. Harden said, he trusted the magistrate would
not think that sufficient evidence on which to convict the
defendant. It was the unsupported testimony of an officer
who was the informer, and acting in the character of a spy.
Mr. Rushton said, he would not have the witness called a
spy, and it did not reflect any credit on those who had in-
structed Mr. Harden to call him one. Mr. Harden assured
the magistrate that he was not so instructed, but he had used
the term himself in consequence of what the witness had
then stated. Mr. Rushton said, the officer was not a spy,
but one of the detective police force, and he had gone out
dressed in plain clothes by his (Mr. Rushton's) orders, in
order to detect those who infringed that act of parliament,
an act which was working well for the town in diminishing
crime, and it was essentially necessary to adopt that system
to disciover those who were guilty of selling in the pro-
scribed hours. After some further observations from Mr.
Harden on the evil consequences which, he said, were
likely to result from the system, and' remarks from Mr.
Rushton in justification of that system, Mr. Harden said,
he would call witnesses to contradict Haines. Miss Mary
Adamson, sister of the defendant, was then called. She
stated that the bar of her brother's house was locked up at
twelve o'clock on Saturday, and was not opened till one the
next day, with the exception of a short time between ten and
eleven on Sunday morning for the purpose of being cleaned.
The only two females in the house were herself and the ser-
vant. The latter was called, and fully corroborated the evi-
dence of Miss Adamson, adding that no ale whatever was
sold on Sunday morning. Haines, the officer, here assured
the court, that the last witness was the female whom be had
seen through the window hand the jug to the person who
broke it in the street. The servant, who appeared a very
respectable young woman, said the officer must be mistaken,
as she had not done so. She was subjected to a rigid cross-
examination by Mr. Rushton, but the only material fact
elicited was, that there was no window at the buck of her
master's house at all, and, therefore, the officer must be
stating what was not true. Miss Adamson also assured the
magistrate there was no window at the place mentioned by the
officer. Mr. Rushton said he would have the fact ascertained,
and desired Mr. Leverett, one of the superintendents of
police, to accompany the officer and the female to the place,
to see the officer point out the window, and then to ascertain
whether it looked into the defendant's house. Mr. Leverett
departed for this purpose, and, on his return, being sworn,
said he had seen the window pointed out by the officer
and it was that of a boarding-house, next door to the one oc-
cupied by the defendant. Mr. Harden said Haines had
sworn positively that the witness bad handed the jug. Mr.
Rushton (to the servant) " Were you in this boarding-house
that morning ? Witness. No sir, I was not." Mr. Leverett
yaid there was a female servant at the boarding-house not un-
like the witness, and Haines said he had mistaken the one for
the other. Mr. Harden said the female who broke the jug
in the street was forthcoming if the magistrate wished to in-
vestigate the case any further. Mr. Rushton said what had
occurred would prevent him from taking tiny other uncorro-
borated case that day. The officer had sworn positively that
the witness was the female who had supplied the ale, and it
turned out he was mistaken The case must be further in-
vestigated. Mr. Rushton then desired Mr. Leverett to bring
the servant at the boarding-house to him, as he wished to
speak to her, and, in the mean time, the officer runs be sus-
pended. In the case of Mr Hart, officer 96 was called, but,
his evidence affording no corroboration to that of Haines, the
case against him was dismissed. Four informations against
other houses also shared the same fate. On Saturdtvlr
ynoene,di
andootuwb;:itthl,o,
that ale
r; a
sHseo pi
(I) rn.
Sundayß s Rushton)
morning
ascertained
tiami nuesadde
Rushton, seeing police-officer Haines in court, told that
in the passage in question, but not at Mr. A;)dharoril,s,covi
hebe
that the police-officer had seen it handed to a part through's'and
rwhas
the window of which lie spoke. He (Haines
rash in saying that it was handed by the some woman'
had appeared in court to give evidence for Adamson who
had
Rushttin concluded by saying he would cotitider what'ah 10
he done ha woisld do taithing bONtilyi ktict 11 I "
t'llt* might
hoc Hid tivOtti