The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-07-18 00:00:00

THE MERCANTILE ASSOCIATIONS AND THE FIR/

PREVENTION BILL.—The delegates from the various
mercantile associations held another meeting on Tuesday-,
for the purpose of considering the steps to be taken upon
the reply of the council to the suggestions made to them
by the delegates, for a more practicable working system
than that proposed in some of the amended enactments of
the bill. Mr. William Brown presided, and the dele-
gates were very numerous. A letter from the mayor, on
the part of council, was read in the first instance; which
stated that the bill should proceed in committee with no
greater haste than was absolutely necessary, so as not to
hazard the carrying of it this session. The council, the
mayor added, would feel pleasure in finding that the
amendments n.ade by the council would render any oppo-
sition to the bill in parliament, on the part of the dele-
gates, unnecessary. The meeting then took the amend
ments into consideration, seriatim; at the end of which
it was resolved, on the wotion of Dir. Todd, seconded by
Mr. William Rathbone, that a petition should be pre-
sented against the bill as it now stands, on the part of the
mercantile associations. A petition was next read, and
adopted, and by a subsequent resolution, Mr. William
Brown, Mr. Crossfield, and Mr. Todd, were appointed.
a deputation to proceed to London with the petition, to
watch the bill, and to take such measures as might seem
to them necessary in its progress. Between one and two
o'clock, a conference was had with the fire committee of
the council, which it appeared was disposed to make some
concessions, but they were not deemed sufficiently satis-
factory, and the deputation proceeded to London by the
six o'clock train. The deputation, when in London, were
further instructed to put themselves in communication
with the fire offices on the subject of insurance. In the
absence of Mr. William Brown, Mr. Stewart was ap-
pointed chairman of the delegates, with power to call them
together when required.
COUNTY QUARTER SESSIONS.—These sessions com-
menced by adjournment at Kirkdale on Wednesday last,
before the Rev. J. Brooks, chairman, the Rev. J. T.
Horton, Peter Bourne, Thomas Rawson, Thomas Rodick,
and William Hall, Esquires. The Grand Jury having
been sworn, the chairman addressed them nearly as fol-
lows :

" Gentlemen,—l am happy to say that the offenders to
be tried at the present sessions are fewer in number than
usual, and the offences are such as to require no particu-
lar observations from me, and are of such a nature as,
from the previous experience of many of you on Grand
Juries, you will be able to deal with without assistance
from the court. However, should anything arise requiring
our assistance, we shall be happy to afford it to you. You
will now proceed to your labours."
From the calender it appears that there were fifty-two-
prisoners for trial, of whom ten could read only imper-
fectly, sixteen could read and write imperfectly, and twen-
ty-six who could do neither. The following presentment
was made by the Grand Jury :
"The Grand Jury at the General Quarter Sessions of
the peace, held at Kirkdale, on the 12th July, 1813,
respectfully submit to the consideration of the bench of
magistrates :

"1. That, in the present state of the law, they are obliged
to find true bills in a number of frivolous cases, which never
ought to appear at the Sessions.
" 2. That publicans and beersellers allowing persons to
get drunk on their premises, and not exercising a proper
supervision for their protection when in that state, is the
occasion of many felonies, and it is the opinion of the jury,
that, in cases where culpable neglect is proved, the licence
should be taken away.
" That the expenses of prosecutions should not be al-
lowed where the felonies have arisen from their being in a
state of intoxication, or from the careless exposure of pro-
perty on hedges, or at the door or front of shops."
PUBLICANS, &c.—Thirteen publicans and beer-sellers
were on Friday brought before the magistrates at the
Police-court, of whom six publicans were fined in penalties
from 10s. to £5, and two were acquitted ; two table beer-
sellers were fined 50s. ; and one case of the latter de-
scription was postponed until the party could attend, he
being at present in gaol, in consequence of not being able
to pay a former penalty. One of the cases enumerated
above falls within that description which demands some-
thing more than the brief notice usually afforded to them.
It was a charge against Mr. William Ratcliffe, publican,
of Vauxhall-road, for permitting drunkenness on his pre-
mises on Sunday evening last. Mr. Harden, the barrister,
appeared for the defendant. The case was supported by
the evidence of Inspector M`Gill, Robert Taggart, 279,
and who were partially corroborated by Inspector Bibby.
The two former deposed to going into the house of the
defendant on Sunday night, about twenty minutes or a
quarter before twelve o clock, and to seeing fourteen
coloured men and five prostitutes. Four of the coloured
men were drunk, and a white man who was in their com-
pany. Inspector stated, that after he went into
the house the landlady, not withstanding his remonstrance,
gave a glass of whiskey to one of the black men who was
intoxicated. Mr. Harden cross-examined the inspector
at some length, with a view of showing that the rewards
they received from the Watch Committee for extraordinary
diligence rendered them not entirely disinterested wit-
nesses. Mr. Harden addressed the bench at considerable
length, contending that there was not sufficient evidence
to warrant the bench in convicting the defendant. Some
warm observations passed between Mr. Rushton and the
learned counsel, in consequence of his remarks respecting
the police. Mr. Harden then called three respectable
witnesses who were in the house at the time, and who
swore that all the black men were sober. A police• officer
(141), who, M`Gill stated, had conveyed home the white
man, in consequence of his being incapable of going
himself, was then sent for, but he did not recollect any
thing of the transaction, until reminded by the inspector,
when he stated that he walked with the person a short
distance, and then he went home himself. On this the
case was dismissed.

GAOLS IN LANCASHIRE.—We take the following par-
ticulars respecting the countygaol and houses of correc-
tion in this county, and the Liverpool borough gaol, from
a recent parliamentary return:—

No. of prisoners No. usually con-
each can contain. fined.

Governor]

No. in

Keeper's
salary.

separate
sleeping
cells.

No. more'Grcatest Daily
than one No. at average
in a one time through
cell. in year. the year.

Lancaster
Preston
Kirkdale
L'pool (bor.)
Salford

£6OO
250
500
350
500

138 495 637 515
178 538 411 325
334 800 533 441.
322 701 684 555
519 733 876 754

The daily average number of prisoners in the New Bailey,
Salford, is greater than that of any other gaol or house of
correction in England, with the exception of Coldbath-
fields House of Correction, in which the daily average is
1,032, and the Wakefield (county) House of C cjialiv,
in which the daily average is 7C9 prisoners. A alerP
of the governor of Chester Castle (county gao - (#52,5!;-`
that of the governor of Knutsford House of figOtion
£330. The governor of York Castle (coup
iirolj, . -1114.'.
£600; of }Wakefield NOM of Correction
•-, r--_-'
- -