The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-12-31 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL THEATRE ROYAL.—Mr. Simpson,
the manager of the Theatre-royal, Birmingham, has be-
come the lessee of the Theatre-royal in this town. The
rent is to be £7OO per annum, but we believe Mr. Simpson
has only taken it for one year. Mr. Knowles, of Man-
chester, a liberal and spirited manager, was in treaty with
the proprietors, but, as Mr. Simpson agreed to pay £7OO,
and Mr. Knowles would not go beyond £6OO, the former
had the preference. We understand the theatre is not to
be opened till Easter.
MACHINES FOR DRYING CLOTHES.—Machines for
this purpose are used in the large cotton print works in
the neighbourhood of Manchester. These machines, which
are generally made of copper, somewhat resemble a large
or deep washing-tub, with the sides perforated all over
with holes about the size of those in a common cullender.
The goods to be dried are placed in this machine, which
is then made to revolve with great rapidity, causing the
contents to fly to the sides, against which they are pressed
by the centrifugal force, and the moisture they contain is
thus sent off through the holes, leaving the cotton or
whatever it may be in a few seconds nearly dry.
ROCK FERRY.—On Wednesday, the 18111 instant, a
meeting was held at the Royal Rock Ferry Hotel to take
into consideration the feasibility of establishing a night
and day police in that neighbourhood. There was a nu-
merous and respectable attendance, and most of the di-
rectors belonging to the Rock Ferry Company were pre-
sent. The chief difficulty to overcome was for all parties
to agree in assessing themselves at a rate which would
provide an adequate force for the protection of the neigh-
bourhood, it being entirely a voluntary tax. After some
discussion, sixpence in the pound was deemed a sufficient
rate for the purpose, and all parties most willingly assented
to the proposition. The result was that £lOO was imme-
diately raised, with further assurance that this sum would
be augmented. This amount appears exceedingly small,
but when it is considered that the tax is a voluntary one,
and the province of the force is limited, (extending only
to the Rock Park and its vicinity,) funds that will support
two policemen and one superintendent will, no doubt, be
filly adequate to the limited wants of that retired villa.
On Friday, most parties met for the furtherance of these
objects, and at once collected the various amounts. to
place the treasurer in a position to carry out the former
resolutions. Every exertion will be used to light the
township with gas.
WARRINGTON.—On Thursday a public meeting was
held in Warrington, for the purpose of taking into consi-
deration the best means to be adopted to avert the injury
which would arise to the navigation of the ricer Mersey
and the inconvenience of the inhabitants of the neigh-
bourhood, if the contemplated diversion of the Grand
Junction Railway, of which the company have given no
tice, be permitted. Amongst those present were J. W,
Patten, Esq., M.P., J. Greenall, Esq., H. Stanton, Esq.
William Hall, Esq., and many other influential persons.
The first resolution was proposed by John Wilson Patten,
Esq., and was as follows :—" That the proposed crossing
of the river Mersey, at Marshgate, with a bridge of only
26 feet high, would be destructive of the navigation, and
would deprive the inhabitants of this town and neighbour-
hood, as well as of the manufacturing districts connected
therewith, of the advantages they now enjoy from the free
trade of a navigable river." The motion was carried una-
nimously. The second resolution called upon the conser-
vators of the river to resist the contemplated injury by op-
posing the application. The third resolution put forth
the great injury which the inhabitants would sustain by
the proposed alteration. The fourth resolution stated
that a line from Warrington to Huyton was proposed be-
fore a committee of the House of Commons, in 1838, and
would, if carried into effect, avoid every injury and incon-
venience which would arise from the proposed diversion.
A committee was appointed, to adopt vigorous opposition
to the proposed scheme.
SELECT VESTRY.—At the meeting on Tuesday last,
the Rev. Rector Campbell presided; and Mr. Clements,
the assistant poor-law commissioner, was present. It
was stated that there were last week 1,856 inmates in the
Workhouse, at a weekly cost of ls. 91d. per head. The
outdoor cases relieved last fortnight were 7,080, at an ex-
pense of £834, being 204 cases less, although £27 in mo-
ney more, than within the same period last year, Christ-
mas day's expenditure being this year included. On the
suggestion of Mr. Bright, it was resolved—" That, in
future, inhabitant housekeepers of the town sending fever
patients to the hospital shall be requested to pay a weekly
charge, to be fixed by the Workhouse Committee, to meet
the expenditure occasioned by their admission." A let-
ter from the poor-law commissioners was read, instructing
the select vestry as to contracts, by which they might take
articles if offered at a cheaper rate than by public tender.
if it appeared that the public would be advantaged. A.
report on the purchase of the land in front of the Indus-
trial School was presented by Mr. Bremner, and adopted.
It recommended the acceptance of the Earl of Derby's
offer to sell 12,000 yards of land at ss. 6d. a yard, and the
thanks of the vestry were voted to his lordship for the li-
beral manner in which he had met their views. It was
thought desirable that a church should be built on part of
the site, but as Mr. Clements thought this could not be
legally done, the subject was deferred. A notice was
read to the effect that the intended tunnel would pass
under the brick-field west of the Kirkdale Schools, and
that the vestry would hereafter be applied to to assent.
The intended alterations in the Workhouse will be taken
into consideration at the next meeting. Mr. Bremner
submitted the following names as a committee for the
management of the Parochial Industrial Schools, which
were approved of, viz. :—the Rectors, Churchwardens,
Overseers, and Messrs. A. Henderson, Blackburn, Schol.
field, Swainson, Ferguson, Bremner, Maynard, Briscoe,
and Molvneux.

THE COUNTY CONSTABULAttY.—A meeting of rate-
pz.yers of the Woolton district was held on Friday at the
Bear Inn, Gateacre, and was numerously attended by the
seven townships in the neighbourhood of Woolton. It
was called, by placard, in consequence of the recent op-
pressive charges made for the maintainance of the county
constabulary force, which, for the townships of Huyton,
Hale, Halewood, Speke, Torbock, and Woolton. (Much
and Little,) had for the last, quarter amounted to £4ll,
while the poor rates for the same period amounted to only
£230. Mr. Rodick moved that Colonel Williams take
the chair, which was met by a motion that Mr. Robert
Neilson do take it. The last proposition was carried by a
large majority, and Mr. Rodick and Colonel Williams
soon after left the room. The chairman after lamenting
their absence, read a note left by Mr. Rodick, from the
the county treasurer, stating why the rate was so high. It
appeared that, owing to there being police stations to be
erected in the district, the rate was larger than it other-
wise would be. and that these stations were required to be
built by the constabulary act. The Chairman then refer-
red to the 3 and 4 Vict.; c. 88, and read a clause from it
authorising the magistrates to borrow money for the pur-
pose of erecting police stations, to be repaid by yearly
instalments of not less than one-twentieth the sum bor-
rowed. Now, it appeared to him either the magistrates
were about to incur a most enormous outlay, or to pay for
the whole of the police stations at once, which he con-
ceived to be very wrong. (Hear.)—Mr. Laverock thought
the county constabulary a worse than useless body. In
place of suppressing disturbances, they acted as spies and
extorted from them enormous fine. Under the old system
order was kept, and there were fewer robberies. (Cheers
and cries of " order.")--The Chairman said that, inde-
pendently of the county police, there were in that district
no less than 73 special constables, at a cost of about £22,
and, according to the statement he held, it would appear
that the cost of maintaining the force amounted to three
times as much as the county rate. He chewed that if they
appointed their own constables they would save £1,300 a
year. The county police were efficient near large towns,
but in rural districts they were not to be found when most
wanted.—A motion was then agreed to appoint a com-
mittee to confer on the subject with the magistrates. It
was stated that two paid constables would be enough for
the whole district,--but how were they to be paid?—The
Chairman said he supposed by the district, but there would
be a difficulty in this as they had no power to lay a rate on
all the district.—Finally, a motion was unanimously car-
ried to the effect th.it each pariah should appoint their
own constables, undertaking to have one or more, as re-
quired. It was then agreed that full discretion should be
left to the committee to propose such measures as they
thought best to the magistrates, provided the resolution
of the meeting could not be carried into effect. After a
vote of thanks to the chairman, the meeting separated.

- -
TESTIMONIAL OF RESPECT TO MR MUNCASTER.—We
know of no individual more upright and straightforward
in principle, or more active and unwavering i t promoting
the best interests not only of his own ward, but of the
town at large, than our worthy fellow-citizen Thomas
Muncaster. lie has for years manfully and fairly fought
the good battle of conservatism, and that, too, with a
feeling of forbearance and consideration to its opponents
which can alone emanate from a generous mind. His
only reward hitherto has been an innate consciousness of
rectitude ; and we are, therefore, the more gratified to
find that the members of the Abercromby Ward Conser-
vative Association I ave at length come forward to evince
towards him a simple but genuine feeling of their grati-
tude and esteem. A few evenings ago these gentlemen
met at the house of Mr. Thomas Griffith, of the ?hoenix
Inn, Mount Pleasant, for the purpose of placing a por-
trait of Mr. Muncaster in the committee-room of the
association. A very numerous party having assembled,
Mr. Smith called upon Mr. Alderman Griffith to takethe
chair, and then stated to Mr. Muncaster, (who was pre-
sent, but had not been informed of the nature of the bu-
siness), that a portrait of himself, which had been painted
by a young artist for the Collegiate exhibition, had been
purchased by the committee, who were anxious to show
their respect by placing it in the room in which the com-
mittee held their meetings.—Mr. Muncaster, in assenting
to this proposition, stated that he was quite taken by sur-
prise. fits friends, he was sure, would give him, credit
for feeling deeply the honour they intended him. ie had
for some years devoted a good deal of his attention to the
affairs of the ward ; but he was now getting into " the
sear and yellow leaf," and he hoped that when his health
or any other circumstances should prevent his attending
their meetings, there would be no lack of younger and
abler hands to take his place.—The company then ad-
journed to the large room, where an excellent supper had
been provided—Alderman Griffith in the chair. After
the loyal toasts, the chairman proposed the health of Mr.
Muncaster in a highly complimentary speech, and the
toast was responded to in the warmest and most heartfelt
manner.—Mr. Muncaster referred to the many contests
which they bad had in the ward from the first municipal
election, when the Radical party carried all before them,
to the present time, when the same party can scarcely
be said to etist in the ward, and said he felt quite con-
vinced that if the Conservatives generally would be true
to the cause, and exert themselves as they ought to do,
every ward in the town might be won—not only at the
next, but at every succeeding election ; and that he hoped
the day was not far off, when Conservative principles
would be as triumphant in every corner of the kingdom
as they now were in Abercromby Ward. A number of
other toasts were given, including the healths of the
chairman and vice-chairman, and the meeting separated at
an early hour, highly gratified viith the proceedingspf the
evening.