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

THE LiVE'RF'OOL STANDARD.

at has been their operation ?
re told that they have not paid to the Dock

ut, after all, wl

Rime the interest of the money expended in
erection. Very likdy they have not. But

rhey were never intended as a source of direct
revenue; and yet they have been profitable in-

directly, notwithstanding all the efforts to mar their
usefulness. At the last Council meeting referred
to in the extract given above, Mr. Ripley expressed
himself to the effect, that
" These sheds were intended as an experiment, and
never was there a mwe complete failure, or thorough

waste of money. • • • The sheds were ele%;en
in number, and twenty-six vessels only had been ac-
cotnmodated. He was quite satisfied that one shed
would have done the work, and that ten out of eleven
were useless."

and yet,—strange inconsistency !--in the very week
previous we find the Chairman of the Dock Com-
mittee stating that, "within the last few days, a
large ship from China had discharged her cargo on
the west side of the Prince's Dock, and made nse of
the transit sheds ;" and the same Mr. Ripley con-
firming the chairman in his opinion as to the use-
fulness of the sheds by adding, that " the vessels
had discharged 12,000 chests of tea in thirty-one
working hours," and volunteering his opinion that,
" had it not been for the transit sheds, they would
have been three full weeks" !
Here, therefore, we have the value of the transit
sheds, if properly and fairly worked, distinctly pro-
claimed. They facilitate the discharging of a ves-
sel, and thus far operate to supersede the necessity
of increased dock space. Independent, however,
of the mere facility afforded for discharging, the
very fact that such sheds exist, and can be used
against that class of importers who make warehouses
of the vessels in which their merchandize is im-
ported, tends to compel entries being made, and
ships consequently liberated. Let these sheds be
fairly worked, and this feature of their usefulness
will be more and more widened, and the necessity
of increased dock space, for a time at least removed.
Upon many evidences of the usefulness of these
erections, were they honestly managed, we could
enlarge; but it is useless. Every merchant—every
shipowner, or charterer, acknowledges the use which
might be made of dock sheds, recognised as they
are as, in all respects, of the same security to the
revenue as the holds of vessels themselves. No
man, who ever superintended the discharging of a
vessel, is ignorant of the facts which we have stated;
and we are confident that, if the Council be wise, it
will pause before it countenances the proposition of
the Dock Committee to condemn the principle of
dock sheds. That principle, we repeat, has never
had a chance, and was never intended to have a
chance. And if the intended resolution of Mr. Al-
derman Evans and his friends be successful—and
we can scarcely doubt it, for that gentleman seems
to have mesmerised or betwitched every Conserva-
tive cast within his influence—we may bid farewell
to the hope of escaping from that dominion, with
which the Dock Committee has, for the last few
years, threatened to override the town, and prepare
for a despotism, of which Messrs. Evans and Aikin
are to be the Alpha and Omega.

THE LIVERPOOL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.—Th 2
anneal meeting for the show of live stock, agricultural
implements, roots, grain, plants, seeds, &c., will be held
on Thursday next, in a field at the top of Sackville-street,
Ros, ommon-street, and will be open to the public gener-
ally, at a small admission price, from two o'clock. From
the fineness of the season the show is expected to be one
of the most gratifying ever yet held in this town. The
dinner will be held at Lucas's Repositry, at five o'clock,
Lord Stanley in the chair—when the prizes will be distri-
buted. and interesting addresses made by the noble lord f
and others, on the present state of agricultural affairs.

THE FUNDS.—SATURDAY EVENING.—The Funds
have hardly maintained the prices of yesterday, but this
appears to have arisen more from the little business trans-
acted than any circumstances connected either with poli-
tics or the state of the money-mai ket. Consols for pre-
sent transfer and the account left off at 941 to 95; Ex-
chequer-bills, 60s. to 625. premium ; New Three-and-a-
half per Cents., 102 to f ; and India Bonds, 665. to 68s.
premium. In the foreign market th, re was no material
change in prices. The last quotations were—Belgian,
1041 to 1051 ; Br.7ilian. 751, to BGI to 87k;
Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cents., 53 to ; the Five p,:r
Cents., 100 to .14 ; Mexican, 34 to ; the Deferred, 91
to ; Portuguese, 42i to 31; Spanish Actives, 19k to * ;
thre Three per Cents., 2U4 to k; and Austrian, 114 to
115.

SPRING CARTS.—A driver of a spring cart was yes-
terday fined 40a. at the Police-court, for furiously driving
down James's-street, by which his hurse trampled on a
woman's foot. She did not, however, appear against
him. He was fined 40s. for the furious driving. Mr.
Rushton remarked that by law spring carts had no right
to go quicker than others, but as a matter of convenience
they were permitted by the police to go faster, provined
they were carefully driven. We cannot help saying that
this " permission" beyond the law is often grievously
abused. Spring carts are to be seen on all directions
driving down streets and round corners at a most furious
gate, to the endangerment of all who chance to be near.
Despatch is all well enough, but safety should be consi-
dered first.

LECTURES ON STEAM, AT THE COLLEGIATE INSTI-
TUTION.-IZ. Addams, Esq., who recently delivered a
series of interesting lectures on electricity and magnetism
at the Collegiate Institution, gave the first of another
series on steam, at the same place, on Tuesday evening
last and the second on Friday. The effect of his fit mer
efforts secured him a most favourable reception from a
numerous and respectable audience. He explained the
agency of heat in the production of steam—its condensa-
tion—its elastic force, &c.—showing its agency as a mo-
tive power—and illustrating the whole by pleasing experi-
ments. He also explained the several phenomena relating
to the ebullition of water in various temperatures, &c.
Ile handled his subject in a very masterly manner through-
out, and we would counsel all those who desire to possess
themselves of a knowledge of steam and the steam-engine,
to attend the remaining lectures, which will be even more
interesting than the first.

GILL STRET ?SIARKET.—On Saturday last there was
again a good attendance, and an excellent show of meat,
vegetables, fruit, &c., which went off at moderate prices.
We noticed present many highly respectable families of
the neighbourhood, and ',hough there were rather fewer
visiters than on the first day, those who did appear were
all purchasers. We are now further confirmed in our
opinion that this market will shortly require to be ex-
tended; and, if it be possible, we would strongly recom-
mend that the houses in Pembroke-place should be pur-
chased and that a main front should be erected to face
that street—ten or twelve yards back from the present
rails. It would then be an ornament to the town. One
or two transparent lamps—one in Great Newton-street,
and the other in (3M-street—with the words " Gill-street
Market" would be a great improvement, as strangers may
overlook it at night.

BAZAAR.—On Tuesday next, and on the two following
days a bazaar will be held in the Music Hall, in aid of a
fund towards the liquidation of the debt connected with
St, Silas's Church, Pembroke-place, under the distin-
guished patronage of her Majesty the Queen Dowager,
the Right Hon. Lord Stanley, &c. St. Silas's Church is
an extremely neat and well-fitted place of worship ; and
as it has been found to be a great accommodation and ad-
vantage to the district in which it is situated, we hope and
trust that the inhabitants of this town generally will aid
the committee in their endeavours to liquidate the debt
due, by cintributing articles for sale, and supporting the
bazaar by their attendance as purchasers. We learn that
some beautiful works of art have already been contributed,
and that many more are in preparation. The arrange-
ments made to render the Hall attractive are extensive and
judicious. By reference to the advertisement in another
column, it will be found that a number of our fair towns-
women of the first respectability are appointed to receive
contributions and donations.

Tire WORKHOUSE.—We are going on apace in our
adoption of the cruelties and degradation of our suffering
pauper brethren, attendant upon the iniquitous and un-
christian new poor-kw system. This week, thanks to
the incessant persecution of the radical faction in our

Select Vestry we have to announce the resignation of Mr,

Nightingall, for twenty years past surgeon of our Work-
house; and, only let this persecution go on unrepressed,
and we shall see every officer employed under the vestry
retiring in disgust, to escape the annoyance and humilia-
tion of having to submit to the supervision of men, so
imperious and oppressive to all around them, as the self-
styled " liberals " who have wriggled themselves into
authority in our parochial affairs. Can these gentlemen,
who are everlastingly prating of their zeal for morality and
education amongst the children in our Workhouse, and
intermedling with gallipots and physic, bestow a few
hours, now and then, upon the tendency of the system,
which is beneath their eyes, to oppress their wretched
fellow creatures, and render life less preferable than even
a pauper's grave ? Will Messrs. Urquhart, Bright, &c.,
examine the dietary now insisted upon, and the increased

hardships imposed upon their suffering fellow townsmen,
and inform the world, not how many Catechisms there
are in the Workhouse schools, but how much added
misery there is in the world, arising from the adoption of
the unchristian system which, with so much unct'on,
they now superintend? If these gentlemen do not think

the enquiry worth their while, we than enter upon it

ourselves

REVISION OF TI4E IVI.UNICII'AL LIST OF

VOTERS

Yesterday morning Robertson Gladstone. Esq., Mayor,
with the revising assessors, Thos. Carson, Esq., and John
Yates, jno.. Egg , held a enirt for the revision of the

municipal list of voters. At the opening of the court
there were hut few persons in attendance. Mr. Snowball
and Mr. Berry, solicitors, appeared as agents for the
Reform party, and Mr. Moss, solicitor, for the Conserva-
tives.

On the opening of the proceedings,
Mr. CARSON, addressing Mr. Snowball, said, he under-
stood there were a number of professional gentlemen pre-
sent, and he hoped it would be convenient to decide their
case at once.

Mr. SNOWBALL said, the ground of objection to these
gentlemen was, that an attorney's office was not a count-
ing-house. He then cited a case tried before Mr. Justice
Erskine, at the Chester assizes. In that case he said a
man was indicted under the 7th and Bth Geo. IV, chap.
4, which enacts, that if any person broke and entered into
any shop, warehouse, or counting-house, he was liable to
fifteen years' transportation. The prisoner was found
guilty under the indictment for entering the office of Mr.
Skerratt, attorney, of Cheshire, and sentenced to fifteen
years' transportation, but on the following morning the
prisoner was brought up and sentenced on the simple
larceny, Mr. Justice Erskine holding that the indictment
was had, on the ground that an attorney's office did not
come within the words in the statute—" shop, warehouse,
or counting-house." Mr. Snowball proceeded to say, the
case was not published, but read an extract from a letter
written by the attorney in the case, which corroborated
the statement be had made.

Mr. BERRY said, the best plan would be to call one of
the cases on and then decide it.

Peter Wright, of Castle-street Ward, was then called.
He said he had occupied an office for thirty years in
Brunswick-street, as solicitor or attorney, and be unfor-
tunctly transacted business to a great extent as trustee
and executor—he paid and received money to a great ex-
tent. He had also been an householder for three years
within the borough.
Mr. SNOWBALL added, that they never heard an attor-
ney's office called a counting-house until this bill was
passed. Nobody ever said, "I am going to an attorney's
counting:house. ' _ _

Mr. Moss contended that a solicitor's office was a
counting-house to all intents and purposes. It was not at
all necessary that it should he an office for the receipt and
payment of money. Besides, he apprehended the act
must be construed beneficially, so as to admit of the great-
est number of persons possible. _ _

Mr. Berry followed at some length, contending that
they must construe an act of parliament in the same way
they would a will—they must not come to inquire into
what the party intended, except by thz-; meaning of the
words in the document itself, and therefore that the ob-
jection taken by Mr. Snowball was correct. In corrobo-
ration of his view he read an opinion by Mr. Welsby,
barrister, given on a case submitted to him, and in which
he stated that he conceived the office of a solicitor or sur-
veyor, where he carried o❑ his professional business, did
not fall within thekneaning of the word" counting-house."
Mr, Welsby added, however, that the case had been dif-
ferently decided in different places. Mr. Berry concluded
by saying that he would be happy to join with others in
getting an alteration of the act, but he thought it would
best answer the justice of the case to decide to decide that
Mr. Yates, and other gentlemen were not entitled to vote
under the meaning of the act of parliament.
Mr. Moss said the absence of any judicial decision on
this point was the best proof that no case could arise on
it. The objection had frequently been taken, but always
overruled. With regard to Mr. Wright, he said he was a
trustee and executor, as most attorney's were. He was
also a cash-keeper, and there was no doubt that consti-
tuted his office a counting-house.

Mr. WRIGHT said there was agreat difference between
a penal and a remedial statute. There was no doubt a
penal act would be construed with the greatest strictness,
but not so with a remedial statute. He then referred them
to the meaning of the word counting-house, as given in
the various dictionaries, and contended there was no doubt
that an attorney's office came within the meaning of the
term counting-house. Mr. Moss said Johnson's meaning
of the word was " a room appropriated by traders for their
books and accounts." He added, that most attorneys
were money scriveners—persons into whose hands money
was placed for the purpose of increasing it.
Mr. YATES said that if they held the argument of Mr.
Snowball and Mr. Berry, they would hold that no build-
ing but that whicji was at all times described precisely in
the act of parliament could be a counting-house. Now,
many merchants' counting-houses were called offices.
The word counting-house was going out, and in fact it
would soon be obsolete.

Mr. SNOWBALL said professional men's places of busi-
ness were always called offices.
The Court considered the question, and then
Mr. CARSON said the court considered, on general
grounds, that an attorney's office was a counting-house,
As far as his own judgment went, he was of opinion that
the profession of attorney was connected with accounts.
He received and paid money as a scrivener. He received
money to lay out, and he accounted for it to his client ;
when he received a debt and costs he accounted for it to
his client, and on that account, and on general grounds.
he thought an attorney's office was a counting-house. The
question was raised some time ago before Mr. Turner, a
barrister, and it was then decided that an attorney's office
was a counting-house. The question had never been be-
fnrp A highav c:—. of J.', yGala
after the passing of the municipal act, it was too late to
attempt to alter the decision.
Mr. YATES said he entirely concurred in what Mr.
Carson had said.

Mr. BERRY said that as this question would probably
be brought before another tribunal, and as the election of
particular gentlemen in the present balanced state of the
constituency might depend on the decision of this ques-
tion, he would not withdraw the objections, but require
that all the gentlemen might be examined, when he would
take objection to them.

Mr. PATES.—How many are there?
Mr. BERRY.—About 50, and there are several gentle-
men now in the council whose seats may be objected to.
Mr. CARSON thought one case would be sufficient to
raise the point.
Mr. BERRY said he had proposed to the assessors to
take the opinion of the Attorney-General on the subject,
and if his opinion was averse to that given by Mr. Welsby,
he would withdraw the objections, but as that was not ac-
ceded to, he must go on and have all the qualifications
proved, but he did not at all wish to impede the business
of the court.

The names of all the attorneys were then called, and
such as were present were heard in support of their quali-
fications. Their votes were all allowed. Mr. Berry
asked in each case whether they occupied their offices ex-
cept for the purposes of a solicitor's or attorney's office.
Mr. Carson, the assessor, was one of those objected to,
and on entering upon the case said, " I suppose you don't
object to the jurisdiction, do you, Mr. Snowball ?" His
vote was allowed by the court.
Another question arose during the day as to whether a
rate was to be considered a law from the day of signing or
from the day of publication. The Mayor and Mr. Carson
agreed that the day of publication was the proper time,
Mr. Yates dissenting.

Mr. Berry having kept his seat in asking questions from
the parties appearing,

The MAYOR, addressing him, said " I am not very par-
ticular about forms, but I think it is but right that you
stand up when you ask questions.
Mr. BERRY.—I beg tour pardon, but as it was only a
short question I thought I might do it without standing
up. - - - - -

William Hardisty, of Scotland-road, was objected to
by Air. Snowball. It appeared the claimant occupied a
house in conjunction with his father in Scotland-road.
Previous to 1841, the father occupied a house in Gill-street,
after which the receipts were made out in the name of
father and son jointly, and in course of examination
Mr. Hardisty said he paid his father a certain sum for
his proportion of the expenses of the house. There was
only one key to the house, and his mother engaged the
servants. The court thcicicd the vote was bad, Mr.
Carson observing that there was always most difficulty in
proving the joint occupancies. To be a joint occupancy
the parties must have everything in common. Each must
have a key, and they must engage the servants jointly.
Mr. Moss thought it was sufficient to prove the tenancy,
in ratio to what uses the house was put or the interest the
parties had it. Mr. "Yates said the parties might be
tenants, although only one of them was occupant, and
therefore it was important to know about the occupancy.
The vote was disallowed.

Hugh M'Bride, dock-master, was objected to by Mr.
Berry, on the ground that he lived in a house paid for by
the Dock Committee, but Mr. Carson said this point had
already been decided in the case of Mr. Amos, of Kirk-
dale Gaol. Another oblection was, that though he had
paid the rates of 1812, yet he was not put upon the rate.
It was proved however, that lie claimed to be rated upoh
entering the new premises at the dock, and after he left
his house in Waterloo-road, and therefore the vote was
allowed.

Charles Wye 'Williams was objected to on the ; r mud
that the premises for which he was rated belonged to
the City of Dublin Company, and that the company
also paid the rates. Mr. Carson said if it could be shown
that Mr. Williams occupied premises in his own right,
independently of the company, then he would be allowed
to vote: but failing that, he was not entitled. The gen-
tleman who appeared for Mr. Williams, said his, (Mr.
W.'s) business was the business of the company, and he
did not occupy premises independent of the company.
The vote was accordingly disallowed.

Morgan Flanagan, aßlackstoci-street, was objected
to by the conservaties on the ground that he was a servant
of Mr. Stockdale, who paid the rates. The applicant
stated that he paid rent to Mr. Stockdale, and got the
money from his agent to pay the taxes. Mr. Moss con-
tended that this was a payment of the rent by the land-
lord for political purposes, and not a bona fide payment
by the tenant. Flanagan stated that he paid more rent
for the house than he would have done, if the landlord did
not pay the taxes. He said the money v.as given to
him, and he might have done as he liked with it. After
some consultation, the vote was allowed. The objection
against the parties under the same circumstances were not
entered into. _ _ _

The court proceeded to the end of St. Paul's Ward,
and having sat till a little after seven o'clock, then ad-
journed. The claims in No. 6 Castle-street Ward will
be proceeded with this morning at ten o'clock.

REDUCED DUTY ON CUBA TIMBER : INFRACTION
OF RECIPROCITY TRE ATtEs.—A treasury order has been
recently received, directing that Cuba timber, for ship.
building purposes, is to be henceforth admitted at the
same duty as teak wood, as the Lords of the Admiralty
are of opinion, that great advantages will result from in -
creased facilities for its admission,