The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-03-10 00:00:00

BIRKENHEAD POLICE COMMISSIONER,S

A general meeting of the Commissioners of Police for the
township of Birkenhead was held on Tuesday evening, in the
Town-hall, for the -transaction o!' business. The following
commissioners were present,—Messrs. J. D. Case (chair-
man), W. Jackson (deputy chairman), J. S. Jackson, J. H.
Green, William Cole, Samuel Stansfield, W. Watson, C.
Bentham, A. Kerr, John Walker, D. Appleton, R. W.
Pritchard, Wm. Laycock, Gilbertson, James Parker, Fry,
and Pym ; Mr. Mallaby, law clerk, was also present.

LIGHTING AND WATCHIS:G COMMITTER

The proceedings of this committee were read, from which
it appeared that the magistrates had fined four men in the
service of the Gas Company for dragging some heavy gas
pillars over the foot-paths, ss. each and costs; and that in
the commissioners' books only ten shillings was acknow-
ledged as having been received. The committee, therefore,
intimated their wish to be informed whether the commis-
sioners were not entitled to the whole.

Mr. Wm. JACKSON after entering into the circumstances,
asked the law clerk whether the commissioners were not
entitled to the whole fine?

Mr. MALLABY referred to the act; and stated that the
whole fines paid by parties convicted were, by law, to be paid
to the treasurer of the commissioners, to he applied for the
general purposes of the township. If the commissioners
themselves were parties in the case, one moiety of the fine
would go to the overseers of the poor.
Mr. Wm. JACKSON asked whether the police had a right
to any part of the fines in the cases which they brought before
the magistrates?

The CHAIRMAN, in reply, stated, that no part of the fines
levied under the Improvement Act had ever been received by
the constables. They were paid over to the treasurer—at
least they ought to be, and were so ordered by the magistrates.
Mr. Wm. JACKSON said that might be; but, with all de-
ference to the chairman, the practise had not been so, for in
all cases where the police or informers were concerned, they
received a portion. _ _ _

The CHAIRMAN declared that it was quite absurd and ridi-
culous to suppose that the magistrates would, for one mo-
ment, listen to any such proposal as that. They would not
recognise such a right in any policeman, unless the Act of
Parliament recognised it.
IVlr. War. JACKSON repeated, that in the instance which
bad been discovered the commissioners only received 10s. in-
stead of 20s.

The CHAIRMAN was not aware of it, but he would inquire
into the matter.

Mr. BENTHAM said there was another question, whether
Mr. Palmer, the Special High Constable of the Hundred,
might not consider himself the constable of the township,
so that a portion of the penalty might go to him ?

The CliAlßMAN.—Certainly not:
Mr. MALLAIJY.—The fact is, the whole fine belongs to the
Commissioners.

After some conversation the appropriation of the 108. in
question stood over for further inquiry.
Mr. Wm. JACKSON said the nest question he bad to ask
was this, in what situation Mr. Booth, the constable, stood
in relation to the commissioners? There were three sets of
policemen, the court-feet officers, the county constabulary,
and their own ; and he wished to know whether the commis-
sioners or the magistrates had controul over Booth ?
Mr. ikIALLABY replied that the controul was with the
magistrates and the commissioners.

Mr. Wm. JACKSON next inquired whether the constables
of Birkenhead, when once sworn in, had jurisdiction beyond
the township?

Mr. MALLABY replied that it was for the constables to
exercise their own discretion in going beyond the township.
They should only do so in case of emergency, when the con-
stables of the adjoining township could not act.
Mr. WM. JACKSON then asked what power the Commis-
sioners had over the gaol ? Mr. Case had exerted himself
successfully in obtaining a grant of £3OO from the county for
the gaol ; and he now wished to know whether it was the
property of the Commissioners ?
Mr. MALLABY and the CHAIRMAN entered into some ex-
planations ; and it appeared that the Commissioners have
the control of the gaol. There was some difficulty, however,
in the question, owing to the grant made by the county ; but
the circumstance of that grant did not supersede the autho-
rity of the commissioners.

Mr. Wm. JACKSON observed, that, such being the case,
there was no reason why the gaol should not be made com-
fortable to the occupants and creditable to the township.
But if the £3OO deprived the coramis:sioners of its control, be
would at once give notice of a motion that it be returned to
the county.

Mr. J. S. JACKSON asked at whose expense the prisoners
in the gaol were maintained?

Mr. MALLABY.—At the expense of the county.
Mr. WILLIAM JACKSON wished, also, to know whether
Booth and the other officers were bound to convey commit.
ted prisoners to Chester, or whether it was the duty of the
special high constable?

The CHAIRMAN, in reply, said the question was not yet
entirely settled. It was under the consideration of a special
committee of the county magistrates, of which he had the
honour to be one ; and he thought it was likely to end in the
special high constables of all the hundreds so conveying
prisoners.

Mr. WILLIAM JACKSON next asked, whether it was the
duty of the special high constable, or of the commissioner's
own constables, to serve magistrates' summonses ?
Mr. MALLABY replied, that all the constables of the town-
ship were bound to execute any precept delivered to them.
Mr. WILLIAM JACKSON said the question then came
whether, under the police act, the constable- had power to
apprehend poachers in the Birkenhead boats ?
Mr. MALLABY thought they had.
The CHAIRMAN.—It is a question, how is the constable
to know whether a man is a poacher or not?

Mr. MALLARY added that he did not mean to say the con-
stables were allowed to take a man into custody because they
were informed he was a poacher, or even if they knew them-
selves that he was, if he was not then in the act of pursuing
game. Poaching was not one of the offences for which a
man could be so taken.

Mr. WM. JACKSON.—Then, supposing that one of our
constables commits an act not legal, are we liable?
Mr. MALLABY.—Certainly not; he is liable himself. _

Mr. Wm. JACKSON inquired, in the next place, how far
Mr. Palmer's authority extended over the township—whether
the local act interfered with the general act under which the
special high constable was appointed—and whether he had
the same power to act in Birkenhead as in other town-
ships ?

Mr. MALLABY thought that as special high constable of
the hundred of Wirral, Mr. Palmer had a right to act in
Birkenhead the same as in other townships, hut he had no
right to interfere with the jurisdiction of the commissioners.
Every constable of the hundred might act within the pre-
cincts of the township if be knew of a felon being there, and
might seize him.
Mr. Was. JACKSON.—But can our constables go into the
adjoining townships?
Mr. MALLABY said yes; because they were constables of
the county.

Mr. WM. JACKSON wished the Law-clerk would give his
attention to the subject of the out-townships contributing
towards the expenses of the gaol, as they sent offenders
there.

The CHAIRMAN then entered into some details respecting
the gaol; and promised, again. that inquiry should be made
concerning the division of tines.
Mr. BENTHAM suggested that the inquiry should be ex-
tended further back than the case brought forward by Mr.
Jackson.

The conversation then terminated, and the proceedings of
the committee were confirmed.

MARKETS' COMMITTEE.

The proceedings of this committee comprised an enlarge-
ment of :the market.laccording to a plan produced. They
were confirmed, with the exception of the part relating to the
market, which stands over for further consideration.

ROAD AND FINANCE COMMITTEES.
The proceedings of these committees were confirmed with-
out eliciting any remarks of importance.

FERRY COMMITTEE

The proceedings of the Ferry Committee comprised a re-
port which recommended that the Woodside ferry-boats be
run, in addition to the present hours, from twelve at night
till five in the morning, by which means there will be a com-
munication with Cheshire during the whole night. The ad-
ditional expense would be £5 per week; but so many ques-
tions were involved that, although a majority of th
committee were in favour of it, they left the decision to th
general board.
Mr. WM. JACKSON moved that the discussion on this sub-
ject be adjourned till the first Tuesday in May.
Mr. FRY dissented from the report. It was necessary for
the commissioners to understand what the £5 additional
consisted of, for it wanted explanation. Did it comprehend
the expense of working, merely as regarded coals, steam,
and gas?
Mr. Wm. JACKSON.—.es; and wages.
Mr. FRY, in continuation, said the boats could not, of
course, work themselves; and, consequently, to run them
all night, there must be an additional number of hands.
Mr. WM. JACKSON.—No, no.
M r. FRY said the commissioners ought to be enabled to un-
derstand the matter well. There was nothing mentioned in
the report about wear and tear, which would be considerable,
because at night it was greater than in the day. (No, no.)
lle knew there were some people who thought differently,
but still that was his opinion, and it was corroborated by
the circumstance that the commissioners had, at that moment,
offered a reward of £lO to discover the authors of some
damage done to one of the twelve o'clock night boats.
Mr. W. JACKSON' defended the proceedings of the Ferry
Committee, and said that at the proper time he should be
prepared to show that the additional cost would be no more
than had been stated, and that the extension of the hours of
running would be beneficial.

Mr. PARSER expressed his opposition to the proposal.
Several other commissioners spoke, and then the subject
was postponed till the meeting in May.
The meeting separated a few minutes before nine o'clock,
the proceedings having occupied nearly two hours.

AWFUL CASE OF HYDROPHOBIA.—We regret to state,
that an awful case of hydrophobia has just occurred in
Hercules-street, in this town. A poor man residing in that
street had a dog, which, some time since, was discovered to
be in a rabid state, and when in that state bit the man on the
thumb, who soon exhibited all the alarming symptoms of
this frightful disease, biting of straws and every thing that
came within his reach, foaming at the mouth, &c. When
the dog in question seized the unfortunate individual, so
powerful was the hold he had of his victim, that the man
could not be extricated from his grasp till the animal was
destroyed by having his throat cut. The unfortunate man,
after enduring much suffering, expired on Monday in great
agony.—Belfast Times.

A SELECT DINNER PARTY AT ROME.—A repast, very
unlike the Roman dinner which is described in the Fifth
Satire of Juvenal, has lately been given at Rome. The
guests seem to have been designedly composed of men of
rank and literature. " The following extract," says the
Spectator, " of a letter dated Rome, 7th February, 1843,
describes a very curious meeting in the Eternal City. How
it would have amused and edified the first of the Caesars,
the discoverer of Britain!—` A party of fifty-four gentlemen
of the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, and Dublin, dined
together yesterday, at Melga's Hotel. So large an assembly
was not anticipated ; but there is no doubt it would have
been very much larger if time had been extended, and if the
Means of circulating proposals here were not so limited.
Mr. Barrett Lennard (late M.P. for Maldon) was in the
chair; and, after a few toasts, made an address, of which
the unstudied earnestness and enaaging sincerity could not
have failed to propitiate the indifferent, if there were any such
in the select and intelligent society to which it was addressed.
The University of Oxford found an earnest and eloquent re-
presentative in the person of the Rev. G. Buckeridge. In
acknowledging the compliment paid to Cambridge, Sir E.
Ryan produced a dazzling display of contemporary talent;
and the fame of Dublin University found a friendly expositor
in the Dean of Ardagh. The party broke up after several
hours passed in great hilarity and unanimity. The names
of afew of the gentlemen who made this first effort to exhi-
bit to foreigners something of the united force and energy of
our English Universities, may not be without interest, and
are annexed below ;—President, Thomas Barrett Lennard,
late M.P. ; Hon. and Rev. H. C. Cust, Hon. G. W. Miles
Hon. G. Browne, Hon. R. Plunkett, Hon. and Rev. E. H.
Tracey, Sir J. Hawley, Bart., Sir H. W. Baron, Bart., Sir
Edward Ryan, Professor Badham, D. Badhana, Esq., M.D.,
'
G. Bell, Esq., M.D. the Very Rev. the Dean of Ardagh,
Rev. G. Buckeridge, Rev. E. S. Trench, Rev. J Hutchin-
son, &C., &C.