The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1851-04-15 00:00:00

LIVERPOOL DOCK BILL.

The bill promoted by the mereantileassociations- for altering
the 'management of the docks, had, on Tuesday, its preamble
declared proved by the select committee of the House of
Commons, over which Mr. Forbes Mackenzie has presided
from the commencement of the inquiry. The preamble was
agreed to upon this principle—that dock ratepayers are to
elect twelve (instead of eight) members of the Duck Committee,
and the Town Council twelve also (instead of thirteen, as here-
tofore), so that the numbers are equalised. 'I h,•!. chairman of
the dock committee is to be chosen by the Dock Committee
(instead of the Town Council), but he is to be selected from the
twelve returned by the Town Council, whilst the deputy-
chairman will be elected from the general body of the com-
mittee. Another alteration of importance is, that whilst the
Town Council retain the power of vetoing the proceedings of
the Dock Committee, two-thirds of the sixty-four shall be re-
quired to do so, instead of a bare majority.
These being the main terms of the preamble, the committee
adjourned the consideration of the clauses till Friday, but inti-
mated their intention to proceed with the bill for the amend-
ment of the dock acts promoted by the Town Council and the
Dock Committee on Thursday.
On Thursday, when the committee met to proceed with the
second bill, the CHAIRMAN called the attention of the pro-
moters to the fact that this bill proposed, in several important
points, to give the dock trustees additional powers, whilst the
committee had, in passing the preamble of the management
bill, limited the powers of that body.

Mr.iIITRIEE. contended that the preamble of the amendment

acts bill might be declared proved without interfering with any
previous decisions of the committee, and that on considera-
tion of clauses, all those which were included substantially
in the management bill, might be struck out. Under these
circumstances, he trusted the committee would not object to
the preamble, which he was willing to m Airy.

The CHAIRMAN repeated the View he took of the matter,
observing that the committee could not consent to place them-
selves in the position of limiting the powers of the trustees on
the one hand, and extending them upon the other. They
were, therefore, unanimously of cpinion that the preamble be
rejected.
Mr. PAOET, on behalf of the trustees, said he was unable to
concur in the conclusion to which the committee had arrived.
But he would, in the first place, inform hon. members what
had been done by those he represented, since the adjournment
on Tuesday. The town-clerk proceeded that night to Liver-
pool, and fortunately there was a Council meeting the following
day (Wednesday). and to that meeting he communicated the
proceedings of the committee of the previous day, and their
decision thereon. The Council took the resolution of the
committee into consideration, and they resolved, finally, that,
whilst the interests confided to their trust rendered it incum-
bent upon them to reserve the right of opposing the bill here-
after, if they should be so advised, it was open to thegentlemen
who represented them in London to exercise their -discretion
with respect to the insertion of certain clauses. The town-
clerk had only arrived in London at eleven last night with this
resolution ; consequently, there had been no opportunity for
consultation with counsel as to the best mode to be pursued.
As one of the advocates for the trustees, he was anxious that
the discretion to which lie had referred should be exercised
with the utmost deference to the expressed opinions of the
committee; but it was impossible to do so with effect unless
time were given for consideration.

After some conversation, the committee conferred together,
upon which the preamble was declared not proved. It was
then resolved to adjourn till the next day, and then proceed
with the consideration of the clauses in the management bill.
The committee reassembled on Friday.

Clauses up to 47 were agreed to without any discussion of
interest. The 47th empowers the establishment of an emi-
grants' home, at the expense of the dock estate, and on its
being read, _ _ _

_ .
Mr. BURKE objected to the funds of the dock estate being so
applied. An emigrants' home came under the category of a
charitable institution, and ought to be established like the
Infirmary or other institutions in the town, by voluntary con-
tributions. This was the course both in Plymouth and London.
Mr. JAMES defended the clause as it stood, contending that,
as the town was benefited by the influx of emigrants, and the
dock estate derived its share in the general advantage, it was
only just that it should render its contribution in the shape
proposed.
The committee retired to consider this clause ; and, after a
brief absence, the chairman announced that they had deter
were I mine" strike it out . add NO to
-

—ince . ouL, ne . .ten .nen ,trey came to the
warehousing clause, they would give power for one or two such
warehouses to be applied to the purposes of an emigrants'
home.

The remaining clauses were then agreed to, after which Mr.
PAGET read the following, and requested its insertion in the
short-hand writer's notes:—

•' The counsel for the corporation of Liverpool and for the
trustees of the Liverpool docks respectively, after the passing
of the nreamble of the bill nromoted by the American Chain her

of Conimerce, and the resolution of the committee on the bill
with reference to an alteration in the constitution of the Dock
Committee, feeling that inasmuch as the bill must now be
passed by the committee, consistentlywith that resolution, and
inasmuch as if passed by the House of Commons, and by the
other house of parliament, its provisions will have to be car-
ried into effect by the Dock Committee. whom they represent
before the committee on the bill, will endeavour to assist in
securing, so far as practicable, that the enactments of the bill
shall be such as may be practically fulfilled in the best manner
consistently with the decision of the committee; but they do
so under protest, on behalf of their clients, and with the dis-
tinct intimation that, as at present advised, they intend, and
are to be at liberty, to oppose the bill in all its future stages."
The CHAIRMAN assented, and the words were ordered to
appear.

The bill was then ordered to be reported to the house. The
report was forthwith agreed to ; and the committee became
functus officio.

LIVERPOOL COUNTY COURT.—On Wednesday last
Mr. John Smith, President of the Liverpool Guardian
Society, had a second interview with the Earl of Carlisle,
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, on business con-
nected with the Liverpool County Court. Respecting the
administration of the court itself, it may suffice to state
that arrangements for the present are such as are likely to
be satisfactory to the publie. On the important question
of imprisonment of debtors for fraud or contempt, the
grievance under which the suitors in this court have hi-
therto laboured will probably be shortly removed. At
present the committals from Liverpool are to the distant
gaol at Lancaster, involving an expense to the injured
creditor in each case of from fifty to sixty shillings. The
Borough prison, or the gaol at Kirkdale, might be avail-
able'almost without cost. This power, however, resides,
not in the Chancellor of the Duchy, but in the Secretary
of State for the Home Department. Mr. Smith placed
in the hands of Lord Carlisle a memorial from the Guar-
dian Society, requesting Sir George Grey to give the town
of Liverpool the benefit of this provison of the act. His
lordship undertook to give immediate attention to the ob-
ject in view, of which he cordially approved.
A THEATRICAL TREAT.—The Liverpool public will
shortly enjoy the greatest theatrical bonne bouche which
has ever been presented in our time. Most of our readers
are already aware that Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton has
taken the lead in a movement to erect a retreat for
decayed and indigent authors and literary men. He has
given a piece of land on his own estate for the erection of
a suitable building and pleasure grounds. He has done
more than this—he has written a five-act comedy expressly
to aid the fund for endowing this literary Retreat. The
comedy will be enacted in London in a few days, and it
will be represented in Liverpool immediately after. This
is the first place where it will be played, after receiving
the metropolitan impress. All the characters will be sus-
tained by distinguished literary amateurs. Dickens has a
fine dashing light comedy part, which fits him as closely
as a dress glove. Douglas Jerrold, Mark Lemon, Charles
Knight, id et genus omne, have all capital parts in it.
There are only two female characters, which will be
sustained respectively by Mrs. Compton, better known in
this locality by her maiden soubriqv et—Miss Emmeline
Montague—and Miss Ann Romer, who has been recently
metamorphosed into Mrs. Wm. Brough. The proceeds
of this play cannot fail to be enormous. It is believed
that not less than £lO,OOO will be realised by it for the
support of the Retreat. The first reprensentation will
take place in a few days at Devonshire-house, at which
the Queen and the royal family and the elite of the
London aristocracy will be present. This done, a tempo-
rary theatre will be fitted up at the Hanover-square
Rooms, where the amateurs will exhibit at high prices.
The number of representations there will be limited to
three or four, we believe ; after which, as we before said,
the party will proceed to Liverpool, and appear in suc-
cession in all the great towns of the empire. Webster, of
the Haymarket, has bought the comedy for £5OO, after it
has run the gauntlet of the metropolis and the provinces—
, a tolerably striking proof of the estimation in which he
holds its merits. The price of the copyright will also go
towards the Retreat funds. It is said to be one of the
gifted author's very finest productions.—Chronicle.
THE SESSIONS.—The quarter sessions for the peace for
this borough were opened on Wednesday morning, before
Gilbert Henderson, Esq., the recorder. The calendar
was unusually heavy, there being 200 prisoners for trial.
The recorder, in his charge to the grand jury, made refe-
rence to Mr. Rushton's death. He said :—" A distin-
guished magistrate has fallen ; passing so suddenly from
the bench to the grave, that he may be said to have died
in the discharge of his duty—a duty so important to
society, and giving scope to the exercise of so many
virtues, that the faithful discharge of it might go far
to prepare him for the change which has taken place.
Though we have the aid of many of the first and ablest
men in this community as magistrates, yet to him chiefly
was confided the preservation of peace and order, the
redress of wrongs, the protection of the injured and op-
pressed, and the punishment of the guilty. In the dis-
charge of these high duties he displayed the noblest quali-
ties, a vigour of intellect seldom equalled, and an exten-
sive knowledge, together with a clear judgment, a manly
decision of character, and a generosity of temper, never
surpassed. In this court, where many of his decisions
came under review, his name was ever mentioned by the
bar and the profession with the respect they felt to be
due. The gland jury have frequently, by finding every
bill submitted to them, borne testimony to the admirable
discernment with which his preliminary inquiries were
conducted. His character as a man added weight to his
determination as a magistrate ; and those who, by cruelty,
negligence, or by treachery, had violated the domestic or
private ties of society, stood reproved by one whose con-
duct adorned the relations of a husband, a father, and a
friend. I have to speak of him only as an administrator
of justice ; but I may be allowed to add that the statute
under which this court is assembled, and under which
this town is governed, was constructed by him conjointly
with a gentleman who is at present a member of the
council which governs India, and another who is Lord
Chief Justice of England. Few men in private sta-
tion contributed more to this and other great changes,
of which, through life, he was a constant advocate.
Others have attained higher station ; but none have
served the public with more self-devotion, with purer or
more benevolent motives."