The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-12-10 00:00:00

Dec. 10,18 14

TOWN COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS.

On a Wednesday the usual monthly meeting of the
council was held at the Town-hall.
CANCE COMMITTEE.—THE LATE TOWN-CLERK.
tOto Y"VN-CLERK read the proceedings of the Finance
cha naittee, comprising a recommendation for the pur-
se of Mr. Logan's premises, in Oldhall-street, and a
viaeuernendation for the sale of the reversion of a piece of
Pre in Upper Islington, for the erection of an Irish
this!)s yrian Chapel. It appeared from the proceedings
I‘l , committee, that they had received a letter from
Mr,
John Radcliffe, requesting that the late town-clerk's
salary might be paid to the expiration of the current
Zavter, namely, to the end of January next, and that
Mrecommended the council to refuse the application.
13 ra r Cr* H. LAWRENCE, econded by Sir Thomas
Mr, PROCTER
er, moved the adoptions of the proceedings.
Paocrea asked whether it was true that the Pi-
family
Committee had refused a quarter's salary to the
of the late town-clerk ?
Mr.
G H.LAWRENCE replied in the affirmative.
The had recommended the family to be paid all that they
were
mvas ee
rrt. p . entitled to and no more.
Mr• PROCTER believed there was not a merchant in
toGhoe.l
H.
would have refused a similar application
circumstances.
t LAWRENCE said the council bad no power
Lion
liberally, and that they were bound as a corpora-
acting together under the municipal act, to do what
r: right and no more. The surplus income could only
tab applied for the public benefit of the inhabitants and
counicilProvement of the borough ; and, therefore, the
s
of ih had no right to pay gratuities or recompences out
ue a fund.
r,aSir THOMAS BRANCKER said a merchant could do
ionuntd byhe liked with his own, but that the council were
Mr. an act of parliament.
UGH HORN 111 observed that the feeling on the
Part" every member of the committee was to grant the
applicationPPlication if they could, but they were assured by the
town-clerk that, if granted, it would be contrary to law.
THE BIRKENHEAD PURCHASES.
Mr. TINNE said he had heard no mention made of the
payment of the large sum of money
Myr nnr
o.a tsGehs.
Hvandg
ha
es
ek
ne dp a
dh t reason therefor
thewas
for the ehmo ....
need
H. LAWRENCE replied that no apprehension
be entertained on this score. A draft of the leases
had be
approveall.
engrossed
made out and submitted to Mr. Mallaby for his
hoped there d Th and
pai a few days the draft would be returned and
then he expected the money would be
be
chasers in cre vsa
s no delay on the part of the council; and
.would be no delay on the part of the pur-
rnaelng the payments.
..biriticerr expressed a hope that, when the money
ii".'ine,.there would not be a strong desire to catch hold of
lauferh.l
Mr. W
When onn said it was understood out of doors that
u.o,,,Lne money was paid the covenants in the leases
The not be carried strictly into effect.
cants
TOWN-CLERK said this was a mistake. The c0ve-
...44s in the leases would be the same as in the contracts,
Ix] h
the exception of the part relating to the payments.
every other respect the covenants would be the same.
, THE SALTPETRE AND TRANSIT SHEDS.
'vir• Nicoe complained that the sheds erected for the
meeesit of saltpetre had been appropriated to the stowage
of tobacco, and that those who imported saltpetre had to
seek for places of deposit elsewhere.
Mr. G. H. L said the council had constructed
AWRENCE
four sheds to meet the wants of the saltpetre trade, and
th,st, when finished, it was ascertained that two of thse
sheds were quite as much as were required, other parties.
having in the meantime constructed sheds for special
were
purposes. Consequently only two sheds
ere
appropriated for the deposit of saltpetre; the other
wo were let to the collector for the warehouseing of to-
bacco ; but, if the saltpetre trade was inconvenienced, the
collector would give up his two sheds when accommodation
....should have been provided for him at the New Tobacco
Warehouse.
, Mr. BRAMLEY-MOORE said there was a greater evil
taan that complained of, for the transit sheds at the
Prince's Dock were occupied with tobacco, to the great
inconvenience of the port, parties having taken possession,
and there being no means of removing them. They kept
possession moreover free of all charge, in consequence of
a clause in the act which provided that no charge could be
made until after the goods deposited had pa-sed the scale.
Mr. TYRER agreed with Mr. Moore that the warehous-
ing of tobacco at the transit sheds was a serious evil.
The conversation here dropped, and the proceedings
were confirmed.
MR. MILLER'S RESIGNATION.
The proceedings of the Watch Committee comprised a
recommendation of Inspector Henry Morley for appoint-
ment as beadle of the parish. The proceedings, embodied
a report, which contained the heads of the several reasons
for which Mr. Miller, the late head constable, had been
considered incompetent to discharge the duties of the
office. The report was to the effect that, during the time
Mr. Miller acted as head constable, the printed rules and
regulations for the good conduct of the peonse_eorce bad
not been carried out ; that Mr. Miller had not made him-
self acquainted with the duties of his office ; that he had
not attended the bridewells and stations a t intervals during
the day and night; that since his appointment the force
bad declined in general discipline, partly from the forego-
ing causes, and from his having selected young and inex-
perienced inspectors ; that he had kept himself aloof from
the superintendents and inspectors, and that his general
conduct and demeanour had been so haughty and over-
bearing as prevented intercourse with him; that acts of
insubordination and dissatisfaction in the discharge of
their duties had been more frequent in the force under
Mr. Miller than before, and that there was a greater desire
on the part of the men than ever to quit the force ; and
that the cause of much of the insubordination amongst the
officers might be traced to an injudicious system of drill
introduced by Mr. Miller. The report was signed by the
mayor as chairman of the Watch Committee. It further
_appeared that subsequent to his resignation, Mr. Miller
bad applied for a copy of the evidence taken, in his case
before the sub-committee, and that his application was
refused upon the ground that, as his resignation had been
accepted there was an end of the matter. The proceed-
before the
ins further contained a full report of the evidence taken
magistrates with reference to Mr. Parker's
alleged interference, the resolutions of the magistrates
thereon, and the subsequent resolutions of the Watch
Committee.
Mr. HODGSON, seconded by Mr. ASPINALL, moved
the
adoption of the proceedings.
M. Nicol. said he observed by the proceedings that a.
.gmlb-cominittee had been appointed to inquire into the ef-
"cieney of the force, but that the general tenor of the
evidence taken before them appeared to refer entirely to
the Conduct of the late Head Constable, Mr. Miller. He
Wished to know if Mr. Miller was allowed to be present
during the inquiry, to cross-examine the witnesses, or to
offer any explanation ?
The MAYOR replied that Mr. Miller was not present
When the other witnesses were examined. He was pre-
sent only during his own examination. His resignation
'was sent in prior to the termination of the inquiry. Had
it been otherwise, he would have been afforded an oppor-
Nulty of hearing the evidence, and making any explana-
tion in his power.
Mr. HARBORD said that had there been a formal charge
against Mr. Miller, the sub-committee would have re-
quested his attendance; but there was no specific charge
against him. The facts before the council were obtained
°Y the sub-committee when making their investigation
Into the condition of the force.
Mr. Thew. asked whether it did not appear somewhat
singular that the proceedings against him should be pub-
licly read in the council now, six weeks after Mr. Miller
had resigned ? Those proceedings would go forth to the
public, and perhaps prevent the man from getting another
situation.

Mr. BIRKETT agreed
with Mr. Nicol. The proceed-
ings contained a most unmitigated comdemnation of a
Public servant. He did not mean to say that it was not
justified ; but he thought when the council allowed him to
resign, they should have washed their hands of him alto-
gether,
to resit, The fact was, he ought not to have been allowed
; he ought to have been dismissed.
Mr. ASPINALL said he was absent from the Watch
Committee when the report had been ordered to be in-
serted on the minutes, but he was quite sure that that
report would never have been inserted if Mr. Miller bad
not voluntarily come forward, and published a letter in
the public prints, containing a series of misstatements.
The report was inserted in justification of the course pur-
sued by the sub-committee. The Mayor would tell the
tained a
ti
council that, from first to last, Mr. Miller's letter con-
MAYOR admitted the fact.
THE /MAGISTRATES AND THE WATCH COMMITTEE.
tar LACE thought the duties of the magistrates and
Watch Committee so distinct that a magistrate ought
earl
not to be a member of the Watch Committee. It was
zLe
Y intended that the police force should be under
flee of superintendence of the Watch Committee. The of-
-I„,lYa magistrate was merely that of a judge.
I:r; PROCTER rose to order. Certain magistrates had
lected members of the Watch Committee upon the
kdtaY, and on that occasion, and not upon the present,
il'ace should have risen and made his objection.
Mr 'LACE said he was absent from the last council. He
our'shed to record it as his opinion that if they looked at
constitution of the Watch Committee and the position
ishoth 9 magistrates, it was inconsistent that any magistrate
AV sit on the Watch Committee.
serious
Ryon HORNDY thought that if Mr. Lace had any
tnittees 3.bjection to magistrates being on the Watch Corn-
If Mr' ue eught to give notice of motion on the subject.
berso;
'nor yL)aaseacould show that it was unfitting, he (Mr.
magistrate would willingly resign his mem-
-membmemlP of the 'Watch Committes; but atthe same time he
beloss to know how a person was unfitted to be a
era gistr of the Watch Committee because he was a ma-
ate.
lusi4hrn.,;LAcE objected to the term " unfitted ;" the word
brio "' used was inconsistent. He then promised to
te gle subject before the next Council : and the mat-
r dro
I. Pen
r, N •
anno„ oftTu rose to express his great satisfaction at an
ve `‘ecernent, in the proceedings, of the termination of
AtteY: 'unhappy affair, which had of late painfully attracted
liopc,-,414°11*--a termination desirable in itself, and which, he
effect' Would be satisfactory to all parties, because it, in
satcowdieoreprised everything that, as a bsody, the Council
"ere expected or enforced. He sincerely congra u-
to sa the council on the result. For himself, he begged
sense o it was doubly gratifying, because, under a deep.
he h What was due to the council on such an occasion,
4110'4 intended to express himself very strongly on the
tliairct, and to have moved a resolution, which he was
thankful, and he was sure the council also would be
14g"rful. now to be relieved from. Thus happily dis-
d from one duty, he felt that he should be want-
/4.e ° some degree to another, if he omitted to take the
coos:l,l4_ oPportunity of expressing an opinion. to which a
exis„'4cration of the whole subject had led him, upon the
Nivat"l,3g circumstances between the magistrates and the
en Committee, and he felt bound to declare that that