The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-12-12 00:00:00

TOWN COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS

On Wednesday the usual monthly meeting of the
Council was held. The Mayor presided.

FINANCE COMMITTEE-BIRKENHEAD FERRY.

The proceedings of the Finance Committee comprised a re-
commendation that the committee be authorised to purchase
one or more steam-boat or steam-boats, for the efficient work-
ing of the Birkenhead Ferry, and to put the Hotel and premises
in tenantable repair.
Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE moved the confirmation of the
proceedings, and, in doing so, stated that the weights and
measures office were discharging their duty in a most ad-
mirable manner, and that it was desirable that the chair-
men of the various committees should now forin them-
selves into an audit committee, for the purpose of exercis-
ing some surveillance over the audits of the audit officer.
He then explained his reasons at some length for think-
ing that the foregoing recommendation of the Finance
Committee with reference to the working of Birkenhead
Ferry should be immediately adopted. He said that if
the committee built two new boats, the ferry would be
efficiently worked, and then in all probability a tenant
would come forward and take the ferry and hotel off the
hands of the Corporation.
Mr. PROCTER seconded the confirmation of the pro-
ceedings.
Mr. Tnomsorr moved, as an amendment.
.

" That the Corporation Offer the Birkenhead Ferry to be let
by auction to the highest bidder, he giving satisfactory security
to keep the ferry worked by steam-boats. That, if no bidder
comes forward, the Corporation cease to work the ferry ;
that the steamer Fanny be sold by auction to the highest bid-
der ; that the ferry be thrown open to all steam or other boats,
—the Corporation to maintain the right of ferry by employing
one row boat to go over once a day."
He stated that the total loss by the working of the ferry
amounted to upwards of £lBOO.
Mr. HODSON seconded the amendment.
Mr. PARKER opposed the amendment, upon the ground
that the recommendation of the Finance Committee was
the wisest which could by possibility be adopted.
Mr. ROBINSON twitted Mr. Parker upon his miraculous
change of sentiment upon this subject since he was elected
a member of the Finance Committee.
Mr. JostAs BOOKER supported the recommendation of
the committee.
Mr. MANN and Mr. HARBORD also supported it, be-
cause they were willing to believe that the committee were
now desirous of affording accommodation to the inhabi-
tants of the south end of the town to Birkenhead Ferry.
Mr. AIKIN supported the amendment. He, like Mr.
Robinson, expressed his astonishment at Mr. Parker's
change of views, and said that Mr. Mann and Mr. Harbord
were a pair of gudgeons for catching at the bait about get-
ting ferry accommodation at the south end of the town.
Mr. Samuel Holme, Mr. Denson, Mr. Tobin, Mr. Coo-
per, and Mr. Hodgson followed.
Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE replied,
The Council then divided. when there appeared—
For Mr. Thompson's amendment 2l
. . . 22

Against it
Mr. TOBIN moved, as another amendment, that the
Corporation offer the Birkenhead ferry by public auction
to the highest bidder, he giving security that he will work
it by steam-boats.
Mr. HODSO:g seconded this amendment.

Upon a division, there were 28 for, and 28 against this
amendment. The Mayor gave his casting vote against it,
and it was accordingly lost.
Mr. WAGSTAFF moved as another amendment, that the
proceedings of the Finance Committee be confirmed, ex-
cept the recommendation that the committee be autho-
rised to purchase one or more steamboats for the efficient
working of the ferry, and to put the hotel and premises
into tenantable repair.
Mr. TRomsoN seconded this amendment. _ _

A long discussion ensued ; and, upon a division, Mr,
Wagstaff's amendment was lost by a majority of 30 to 27,

Before the division took place,
Mr. H. HORNBY gave notice, that in the event of Mr.
Wagstaff's amendment being carried, he would move that
the management of the ferry be taken out of the hands of
the Finance Committee, and intrusted to another com-
mittee of the Council.

Mr. BENNETT moved another amendment, that the pro-
ceedings of the Finance Committee be confirmed, except
that it be an instruction to the committee to advertise the
ferry and hotel for two consecutive weeks, to be sold by
auction, previous to any plans being taken for the con-
struction of new boats and the repair of the hotel and
premises.
This amendment was adopted as an instruction to the
committee; and the tedious discussion of the subject,
which lasted nearly three hours, was thus brought to a
close. It was understood that at the auction the Corpo-
ration would not sell the property under a certain re-
served bid.

The proceedings were confirmed.
DOCK COMMITTED

The proceedings of the Dock Committee comprised an
agreement for the purchase, from the Earl of Derby and
Lord Stanley, of land north of the present Dock Estate.
This gave rise to another long debate, but eventually
the purchase was confirmed. .

Mr. PooLE was elected a member of the Dock Com-
mittee, and Mr. Henderson was elected Chairman of the
Dock Committee, by a majority of eleven, over Mr. Nicol.
The numbers were—
Mr. Henderson 3l
Mr. Nicol

The Council adjourned at five o'clock to eleven o'clock
to-morrow, for the disposal of the remainder of the
business.

POLICE

INTZLLIGENCE

On Friday a great number of persons were fined for
having short weights and measures.
Sarah Kenna, a marine•store dealer, was sent to gaol
on Thursday, for fourteen days, for having stolen property
in her possession. Her license was also revoked.
Thomas Horsfall was committed for trial, charged with
having embezzled £5O belonging to Mr. Bolderstone, iron
founder, Stanhope-street.
Mr. Rushton, after further enquiry, dismissed the case
against Messrs. Hodson for shipping foreign sailors as
British seamen, and stated that there was no imputation
on those gentlemen. The penalty for the offence is £2O.
On Saturday John Ryan, an Irishman, was fined
twenty shillings and costs for having kept a pig in a cellar
beneath his dwelling. Mr. Rushton told the pale-faced
defendant that the effects of the nuisance were visible
in his visage,