The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-05-02 00:00:00

LOCAL MEETINGS.

DOCK COMMITTEE.—THURSDAY.
The Sub-committee of Works reported against the
opening of a boundary wall at the east side of the Prince's
Dock, in consequence of the expense and inconienience
which would be entailed by the adoption• of anf of the
plans proposed by those applying for the alteratioh.
A letter was read from Mr. M. D. Lowndes, enclosing
a copy of the resolution, to be found in another Column,
passed at the General Vestry respecting the dock;bill.
The CHAIRMAN said there appeared to be a great mis-
understanding about this matter, and he had seen it as-
serted that there was a want of confidence in the Dock
Committee, as to their sincerity in trying to get in the
rating clause. Every diligence had, however, been used.
No noise or clamour had been made about it, but it was
solely on account of the rating clause that the Dock Bill
was at that moment kept in abeyance. The committee
had adjourned till after the recess, solely with" the view of
getting through the standing orders as to the rating clause.
The Dock Bill, with that exception had passed, and would
have been completed that afternoon, if it had not been
for the anxious desire of the deputation to use their best
endeavours to get in the rating clause. The matter was
now going on, and every diligence was used. He did not
know, and he did not apprehend there was any doubt of
the clause being got in. There was, in fact, every pro-
bability of the difficulty being got over,, though, in that
particular, they had met with every opposition. They
were opposed before the examiners by their friends over
the water, on the ground that the rating clause would be
a tax on commerce, and so forth. In the event of the
rating clause not being in compliance with the standing
orders of the House of Commons, and if they could not get
the standing orders suspended, then it was proposed that
the proviso be put in preventing the warehouses from
being used until they obtained rating powers. The parish,
it appeared, were opposed to that, but there could be no
doubt whatever that the parish would be amply and fairly
protected by such a proviso.
Mr. RomNsorr said, if they did not get the rating
clause now, there might be a doubt of their getting it
afterwards. The committee, however, were pledged to
the Council to go back to them again provided they could
not get in the rating clause.
The CHAIRMAN.—ExactIy so.
Mr. HENDERSON said the Council only determined to
take the bill with the rating clause, and he thought it desir-
able they should know the opinion of the town on the
subject.
Mr. num, said the Dock Committee had to do with
the Council. It appeared that, in the face of the declared
opinion of Mr. Lowndes, the law-clerk of the Vestry, that
the proviso was satisfactory, the parishioners came to a
resolution that it was not satisfactory, and that the bill
should be withdrawn if the rating clause was not inserted.
He really believed, and he thought he had a right to say,
that the anxiety was to defeat the bill, in order that a
clause might be compulsorily put in next year to rate the
whole dock estate.
The CHAIRMAN said such a resolution would have been
in time when they found the rating clause rejected. He
added something, which was indistinctly heard, as to the
whole of the clauses of the bill having been discussed
one by one.
Some conversation then took place as to what was to be
done with the resolution. _ _ _

At length the CHAIRMAN discovered that the resolution
called upon the "dock trustees' ' to withdraw, and this ended
the difficulty, the trustees of the docks being the Town
Council, to which body it was supposed another copy of
the resolution had been sent.
Mr. MANN.—I don't think the Dock Committee have
been fairly dealt with in this matter.
The CHAIRMAN.—It will come right by and bye : give
it time : truth will come to the surface by and bye.

At a meeting of the overseers, guardians, and parish-
ioners of Toxteth-park, held at the Public-office, on Mon-
day-evening week, it was resolved to levy a poor-rate at
the rate of 3s. in the pound. A watch rate of 3d. in the
pound and the museum rate of lid. in the pound were
also agreed to.
WEST DERBY GUARDIANS.— On Wednesday the usual
weekly meeting was held. Mr. Shearson said he had to
complain of a nuisance arising from the premises of Mr.
Poole, of- Walton. The clerk was ordered to write re-
specting it.—The clerk complained strongly of the con-
duct of the Parish of Liverpool ; they had entered eleven
appeals against the Union at Kirkdale, which were all of
precisely a similar nature. It was ordered that the clerk
should write to the Vestry respecting the appeals.—Mr.
Arrowsmith, assistant-overseer for Crosby and Bootle, ap-
peared before the Board, to explain the complaint made
against him for having demanded the poor-rates twice.
It appeared to have arisen in consequence of the collector
having lost some of his checks. On the motion of Mr.
Williams, seconded by Mr. Shaw, a resolution was unani-
mously passed, exonerating Mr. Arrowsmith from any
fraudulent intention. _ _

-------
MEETING OF REPEALERS.—OR Tuesday, Messrs.
Mitchel and Doheny, two of the most physical force agita-
tors of the sister country, arrived in this town, and conve-
ned a meeting to be held in the Portico, Newington.
The room however would not hold the vast numbers who
assembled, and the meeting was adjourned to Queen-
square. Mr. George Smyth occupied the chair. Doheny,
in his speech, called upon the people to arm. Dr. Rey-
nolds subsequently addressed the meeting, in a somewhat
moderated strain. Mitchel was not present at the meet-
ing, having been obliged to return to Dublin that after-
noon, to put in an appearance at the Four Courts, in
pursuance of a legal plea which he had urged.
OXTON.—A special vestry meeting of the ratepayers of
this township was held on Thursday, for the purpose of
considering what steps should be taken in reference to the
refusal of the justices to sign the verification of the sur-
veyors' accounts for the past year. Mr. Churchwarden
Godwin having been voted to the chair. Mr. John Parry,
one of the surveyors of the highways, stated that in conse-
quence of the illness of his colleague, (Mr. William Ellis)
he alone attended before the justices, at a special sessions
holden at Neston, on Thursday last, for the purpose of
verifying the last year's accounts of the surveyors of high-
ways, and that the justices refused to sign the same on
the alleged grounds that rates to the amount of £B4 55.1 id.
were remaining uncollected, being only about one-fourth
of the total amount levied during the last year, although
they (the justices) signed the accounts for the township
of Tranmere, with a much larger amount of arrears un-
collected, being equal to one-half of the entire rate. The
meeting resolved to apply to the Queen's Bench, or take
such other proceedings as may be necessary to compel the
to sign.
Justices
THE THE ANNUAL VESTRY MEETING.—On Tuesday the
Annual General Vestry meeting was held in St. Nicho-
las's Church, the Rev. Rector Brooks in the chair. A
summary of the accounts was read, and, together with the
resolutions passed, will be found advertised elsewhere.
Mr. John Smith said, with allusion to the election of pa-
rochial officers for the year, there were no party objects
now to be gained. He spoke in favour of the neutrality
that had recently been observed by the vestry ; and next
adverted to the masses of property which, from town im-
provements, was withdrawn, or to be withdrawn, from
being rateable to the parishes, concluding by calling the
attention of the vestry to the necessity of getting the dock
estate rated, and to a variety of other matters. Mr. Poole
concurred with Mr. Smith with regard to the docks. A
similar state of things did not exist in any other port in
Great Britain ; and the matter had now become one of se-
rious moment to the ratepayers. It would be a waste of
time to enter into any argument to show the great and
grievous burthens which the non-rating of the docks im-
posed upon the parishioners—they would be admitted on
all hands ; on the other hand, the extra charge upon mer-
chandize, if the docks were rated, would be so trifling,
that the strongest opponents of the measure would be
unable to show on what grounds it would be injurious to
the trade of Liverpool. He moved a voluntary rate of ld.
in the pound to meet the expense of applying to parliament
to rate the docks. This was agreed to. The parochial
officers were then chosen for the year, and the other mo-
tions for laying rates, &c. were agreed to after seine unin-
teresting discussion. One of the most important motions
agreed to, was to the effect that the proviso in the dock
bill by the dock trustees was not satisfactory, and the said
trustees be required to withdraw the bill as originally
agreed upon, if the rating clause were not introduced.
Another motion agreed to related to the merchant sea-
man's fund, with a view to ascertain whether portions of
that fund could not be applied to the relief of families of
deceased seamen who were now maintained out of the
poor rates. Thanks were then voted to the chairman, and
the meeting separated.

FINANCIAL REFORM ASSOCIATION. A meeting of
this useful and important society took place on Friday,
which was presided over by Robertson Gladstone, Esq.,
and was comprised of the following, among other gentle-
men :—Mr. R. Shiel, Mr. T. Heyworth, Mr. Mellor, Mr.
Mather, Mr. J. Smith, Mr. Holland, Mr. C. Robertson,
and Mr. James Mulleneux. A letter was read from Sir
Joshua Walmsley, in approval of their project ; and a Si-
milar one from William Ewart, Esq., M.P. A note en-
closing a subscription from Colonel Williams was read, as
well as many communications from persons at a distance.
—lt appears that parties connected with the National Con-
federation, as well as some connected with this associa-
tion, had anticipated some clashing on the part of the two
institutions, as their objects were so similar, and a meet-
ing had been arranged by deputation from the two par-
ties, which took place on Thursday morning, when an
amalgamation was proposed, but some little disputes arose
relative to the constitution of the different associations,
the last established having for its object the reduction and
equalization of national taxation solely, while the National
Confederation embraced the questions of reduction, both
national and local. Mr. C. Robertson, one of the depu-
tation from the Financial Reform Association. read a ra-
ther lengthy report of their conference with the Confede-
ration. It expressed, among other things, the willingness
on their part to amalgamate, provided the new association
would take up the question of local taxation. Some dis-
cussion ensued, and among other remarks it was objected
that the present name of the association operated against •
it, inasmuch as the word " reform" savoured of party dis-
tinction. It was also urged, and the success of the anti-
corn law campaign was adduced in support of the argu-
ment, that the cause must be divested of political consi-
derations to ensure its prosperity. On the other hand. it
was said that no progress could be made without enlisting
politics, as before an equalised system of taxation could
be gained, the House of Commons must be remodelled ;
but it was agreed that this result would be arrived at when
the present house should have rejected their demand,
made unbiassed by party feeling.—Mr. Holland proposed
a resolution, by which an immediate amalgamation with
the association now in operation, was advised, leaving the
question of local taxation open.—The resolution was sc.
condeded by Mr. L. Heyworth, who read a paper from
one of the midland counties papers, by which it seemed
that a feeling was making wide progress that there was an
immediate necessity for a thorough revision of the taxa-
tion. He expressed himself strongly in favour of the sub-
stitution of direct for indirect taxation.—Several matters
of minor importance were deferred till Tuesday (to-dry),
when another meeting will be held.