The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-11-12 00:00:00

Nov. 12,1814.

MEETING OF THE TOWN COUNCIL.

On Saturday, at twelve o'clock, the first meeting of the
Dew Town Council took place at the Town Hall.

ELECTION OF MAYOR.
The MAYOR said that it was hardly necessary for him
to inform the Council that their business was to elect a
Mayor for the ensuing year.
. Mr. G. 1.1. LAWRENCE then rose and said he begged
10 Propose. as candidate for that office Mr. Alderman
1a Propose,
Lawrence—a gentleman who had had the honour
ra seat in the Council ever since the municipal corpora-
-Lions' act came into operation; and he thought he might
;
ties Whig
mention that during the heat of political excitement which
Then prevailed, Mr. Lawrence was then elected by both
and Tory, as a Councillor for Great
cieairl°9ge's Ward, and that he had discharged his duties as
man of the Watch Committee not only with great
credit to himself, but by so doing he had gained the ap-
Probation of his colleagues in the Council, and he believed
of the public at large. (Hear.) He (Mr. Lawrence)
hespeak from his own observation on that subject, but
ee preferred rather to refer to a vote of the Watch Com-
mittee, which had been read at the last meeting of Council.
(Hear.)He (Mr. Lawrence) had therefore every confi-
"lee that Alderman Lawrence would preserve the rights
and Privileges of the Corporation, and in his character of
thchief magistrate would maintain its dignity. He bad,
erefore, great pleasure in proposing him as Mayor for
the ensuing year. (Cheers.)
with
,Mr- Aserreaee seconded the proposition, which he did
great satisfaction, as, from the zeal and ability Mr.
Lawrence had exhibited in his career in the Watch Com-
mittee, he could recommend him to the consideration of
tee Council, because he would fill the duties of Mayor with
Zeal and intelligence, for the good of the town at large.
He etas, moreover, a great contributor to the different
Public charities ; and he was sure he would devote the
whole of his time and ability to the interest of the inhabi-
tants. He seconded the nomination
Mr. D. HODGSON said he did not know whether he
should be out of course in making an observation, but
ete thought it was a question in which every member of
the Council might with great propriety express his opi-
u
He thought it was better, then, to inquire how
thedetail of the mayoralty would be conducted rather
!n make observations at the period of its close, which
l'eteht, in some measure, seem rather to partake of fiat-
;ere than sound judgment, but when they had an oppor-
"elite of stating what they really believed, and what had
come under their observation as to the conduct of a
member of the Council, it was only right to give expres-
sion to it. He believed that Mr. Alderman Lawrence,
laie,had from the first maintained all those principls
were dear to the great majority of the Council,
se
• not waver in his conduct, but continue to support
hthi,ose principles, whilst at the same time be would exhr-
n— a just consideration for those who differed with him.
He 'ad, therefore, great pleasure in supporting the elec.-
-ea p
ee
et Mr. Lawrence. (Cheers.)
The motion being ut and carried unanimously, Mr.
Sands then resigned the keys of his office to Mr. Law-
'rence, and complimented him upon his appointment.
.1 The MAYOR having then taken the usual oaths, ad-
;'hreseed the Council as follows :—He returned thanks for
.ue hieb and distinguished honour the Council had con-
erred upon him ; an honour of which he felt proud, and
which he assured them Re could appreciate as much as
any one could do. He bad had a seat in that Council for
Il'ne Years, and during that period be had discharged the
duties of his office to the best of his abilities, and with
iti„euetnent, faithfulness, and zeal, and he trusted that in
l' new office be should continue to do so. In order to
d 0 that he must ask the aid and support of the embers
of the Council, and with that aid he trusted he should
conduct the business of he Council with credit to him-
self and to the satisfaction of the community at large.
V
ePulause.) His worship then said that the next busi-
was to supply the places of t! e retiring Aldermen.
e THOMAS BRANCKER.—Mr. Mayor, I wish you
good morning. [Sir Thomas here left the room, merely
e
tit)" tee Purpose of remaining outside while his own elec-
wee,ee and that of others in the place of retiring Aldermen,
proceeded a ith. We may remark, that, with
rtenteiP"Wion of the Mayor, Sir Thomas was the only
andTeeeAlderman present.]
e'nuouneil then proceeded to the election of aldermen
-decou Ihe voting papers being duly examined, the Mayor
there te;.l. the following gentlemen unanimously elected,
(mayor no other nominations :—Mr. James Lawrence
Mr. Joh' Sir Thomas Brancker, Mr. David Hodgson,
Swains: Shaw Leigh, Mr. Thomas Sands, Mr. Anthony
Peet 13,:iii!‘lr. Thomas Berry Horsfall, and Mr. William
Sir Thorn
then usher francker and Mr. Anthony Swainson were
orsfall and
iered ieto the room by Mr. B rkett. All the
newly-elected Aldermen, with the exception of Messrs.
took the Bushbv, who were not in attendance, here
e usual declaration, and had their signatures at-
e by Mr. John Holmes and Mr. Hugh Hornby.
Sir T APPOINTMENT or. TOWN-CLERK.
HOMAS BRANCKER said he rose to propose a gen-
tleman to fill the vacant office of Town-Clerk, whose
election he trusted would be mit with unanimous appro-
bation. (Hear.) He (Sir T. Brancker,) might state
that he had the good fortune of introducing the gentleman
he was about to propose into the service of the borough.
He believed it was his casting vote, as magistrate, which
aPeointed him clerk to the magistrates, and from that
day to the present he had felt increasing satisfaction at
the vote he then gave; for every year had satisfied him
tn,,oarne.fknd)enhoardeoenflythe talent, zeal, and ability displayed
ee'r Shuttleworth. (Ilear, hear.) He (Sir T.
been a member of the Council for
much
ocrars and a..half, but during that period, he had seen
Loth
here
the businese performed by the Town-Clerk,
was past,eand in London; and without referring to what
he would say a very undue share- of labour bad
fatnose llen on the shoulders of Mr. Shuttleworth. (Hear.)
,eeratleieien who had been on deputations to London
__`)eo,•ehe thought, vouch for Mr. Shuttleworth's tact
nt in
the
parliamentary business connected with
free e °lgh• He (Sir Thomas Brancker) had been there
petlitg, and could say that Mr. Shuttleworth's anxiety
tels e welfare of this Corporation, and his diligence and
Heeaverance in performing his duties, were above all praise.
belt br' hear.) He would not longer detain the Council,
egged to move that Mr. Shuttleworth be appointed
mnClek, with a salary of £2,000 a-year. (Cheers.)
had ,J,Oefte SHAW LEIGH fully concurred in all that
euen from Sir Thomas Brancker, and bad great
Alsreee in seconding his proposition.
wish faeelLEY-MOORE remarked that be did not
to raise he on any opposition to Mr. Shuttlewortb, whom
elnhNevderkered it fit and proper person to fill the office of
floe
,•;t. l ; but he wished to know what was the inten-
Town.ci`ee Council as to a separation of the office of
Peace, elk, Prosecuting Solicitor, and Clerk of the
uvrottehe: because that would make some difference as to his
,Pon the question of salary.
amide Mr. Moore was speaking, Mr. Horsfall, one
newly-elected Aldermen, here entered the room
amid loud cheers, and was ntroduced by Mr. Hodgson.
At a subsequent stage of theft roceedings, the former gen-
tleman took the usual declaration.]
Mr. LACE suggested that Mr. Shuttleworth should be
Permitted to be present, as there did not appear to be any
°Peosition to his appointment, which was agreed to.
Mr. AIKIN and several Councillors rose to speak to a
`Point of form, as to the question of dividing the offices,
upon which Sir Thomas Brancker agreed to amend as
follows :—" That Mr. Shuttleworth be appointed Town-
Clerk of this borough and Solicitor to the Corporation
with a salary of £2,000 a year, with the necessary clerks
for the discharge of the duties."
Mr. BRAMLEY-MOORE rose to propose an amendment.
wiehed to have a proper division of labour. If the
To -•
- solicitor's office be made to merge into the
e Q
veccn-Cleat-, the duties of both would not be efficiently
_4(l properly discharged ; and in support of this position
need only state the increase which had taken place of
ell Years. In 1837, the number of prosecutions was 353,
e 0 1843 they bad increased to 614. A committee ap-
pointed to investigate the duties of the paid officers had
ade
ee , a report to this council recommending a division
wasoelabour. (Hear, hear.) The reception of that report
R, moved by Sir Thomas Brancker. and received the
peeeelion of the Council. Mr. G. H. Lawrence had also
~pressed a warm approval of the scheme, and only co-
Penned rn that the committee had treated the subject as it
tdieght to be, and not as it really existed. The lamented
calh of the late Town-clerk had now given them au
and unity of treating the subject as it ought to be;
he should, in support of his own opinions, remark
ti at the scheme had received the most direct approba-
eC .nof the late Town-Clerk. Mr. Shuttleworth also,
auh•-"sePeti Town-Clerk, had given his opinion on this
tJect, and he thought that that opinion ought to have
tor, Weight with the Council on the present occasion. Mr.
we4,l#V,ee-Moore then read extracts from Mr. Shuttle-
s statement, in which he said that it vies absolutely
ary that f..ome arrangement should be made by
tent which some person should always be in the office compe-
1, EH
advise and confer ; and that, from his experience,
ee
free,"B, of Opinion that the principal ought to be relieved
rejtietoe details of business. and employ himself in di-
em e„F Others, and seeing those directions carried out ;
theti'tr- Shuttleworth had also declared that the scheme
to proposed—the scheme which lie (Mr. Moore) was
deeisee.;leocating—was the best that could be possibly
shall eu• He moved, as an amendment, " That there
to th '"e three distinct appointments of d,fferent persons
aria Le offices of Town- Clerk. of Solicitor of Prosecutions
Air ng, and of the Clerk of the Peace."
ICieSnAW seconded the amendment.
Clerk: A• LACE said no such office as Deputy Town-
Opal or Prosecuting Solicitor, was named in the muni-
; and as to such an officer having all the prose-
the „ns' if any solicitor in the town chose to look after
T 'r°seeuti ,he might take every one from the
o,Len-hall "8
Mr s,:
Proseou.UTTLEWORTH said the way in which all the
la cons I°ns were given to the Prosecuting Solicitor, was.
one er
Puttin equence of the magistrates binding over the chief
tier„ or police to prosecute ; and then the latter func-
Me? consulted th Piosecuting Solicitor.
13tateerr said the present was the proper time for
eeeeieg the legal officers of the Corporation on a most
Officers ,-,teeting- As to the recommendations of the Paid
state of keeninettee, they were given under a very different
/15...ir fort Vngs to what now existed ; and it. was hardly
emir• tif_etn now to be tied to those sentiments. He
laticisineutrcleertkt)s huand4hand.a good deal to do with the legal
The
[ter
of the Town-hall ; and he was quite satisfied that
r
effieie' er Plan was, to have one head over the whole, with
him. ( Hear
years °n on the FinanceH hear.) Any one who
Committee during the last two
vas most be convinced that the proposition now made
toe, beck the better plan. As Mr. Shuttleworth might
xeiel ceneidered as the Town Clerk, he thought. he
va6s!t,ret,iraly be asked what his opinion on the subject now
mrk.eLor, hear.)
Ism Atr.tt
juntosoN said, that, having the greatest confidence
peeicirktl
.rleworth, and he believed in saying so he was
he very atmosphere of feeling in that Coon-
sub jeeatr. near!)—thev were in a position to deal with
With mr.eb:ith the utmost freedom ; and he disagreed
kett as to the propriety of asking Mr. Shut-