The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-01-11 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL INFIRMARY

Yesterday forenoon, the annual meeting of the sub-
scribers and friends of this excellent Institution took
place, in the Board Room of the establishment, Samuel
Thompson, Esq., in the Chair. There was present a
considerable number of the most influential friends of the
Institution.

No report was read on this occasion ; but it was stated
that a report was in course of preparation, and would be
presented by the end of February, or the beginning of
March.
The CHAIRMAN read several statements relating to the
Institution during the past year,—of which the following
are the heads :-
INFIRMARY.—Patients in the house, Ist January, 1847,
194 ; admitted during the last year, 1805 ; cured, 1162
relieved and discharged at own request, 365 ; made out-
patients, 62 ; irregular, 48 ; died, 174 ; in the house Ist
January, 1848, 188.
LUNATIC ASYLUM.—In the house Ist January,__ 47,

63 ; admitted during th;;;;,Eilcl;ied, -32 ; relieved,
1 ; discharged at friends' request, 3 ; removed to County
Asylum, 8 ; died, 5 ; in the house Ist January, 1848, 67 ;
total during the year, 116.
LOCK HOSPITAL.—Jn the house January Ist, 1847, 43 ,
admitted during the past year, 450 ; making a total of 493
during the year.
It appeared from the financial statement read, that the
expenditure of the year was £7615 ; being an increase
on that of the previous year of about £6OO. The income
for the year had been £6731. and some amounts yet to be
received would reduce the balance due to the treasurer to
about £5OO. This deficiency, considering the increased
demands on the benefits of the Institution, during the
year,—one in which disease was, from various causes,
more than usually prevalent,--is not more than might
have been expected ; and we trust a liberal public will
extend their contributions so as to meet it.
The officers for the ensuing year were elected. Sir T.
B. Birch was chosen president ; Mr. Gibson was re-elected
treasurer ; and the previous committee were also re-
instated.
Thanks were voted to the physicians, the surgeons, the
chaplain, and the general staff of the establishment, for
their unwearied and valuable services during the year;
and a tribute of gratitude was in like manner recorded in
behalf of the clergymen who had devoted their efforts
from the pulpit for the benefit of the Institution. Thanks
being voted to the Chairman, the meeting separated.

INCREASE OF POOR-LAW EXPENDITURE IN

MANCHESTER IN 1847

The Manchester Examiner has furnished its readers
with a table of the weekly expenditure for the support of
the poor of the township during the past year, of which
the following is the substance the first quarter,
ended 27th March, the amount paid for out-door relief
%yap £7,101, being an increase, aa compared with, the cor-
responding quarter of the previous year, of £1,805 in the
expense of English cases, and £1,630 10s. 9d. on that of
Irish cases. In the quarter ended 26th June, the amount
paid was £12,387, being an increase of £4,575 on English,
and £3,970 on Irish cases. In the quarter ended the 25th
September, the amount paid was £15,137, of which £6,445
was an increase on English, and £5,298 on Irish cases ;
and on the quarter ended the 25th December; the amount
paid was £13,695, of which 5,828 was the increase on
English, and £3,752 on Irish cases. _ _

The total expenditure in out-door relief has therefore
been £48,321, of which £18.655 is the excess upon English
cases, and £14,652 upon Irish cases ; or upon both to-
gether there hos been an excess over the payments in
1846, amounting to £33,308. There has also been a large
increase in the expenditure for in-door relief, the Man-
chester Workhouse havinc, been filled during the whole
year, and four other establishments having been called
into requisition during a great portion of the year.
The total expenditure of the last twelve months is thus

Out-door relief
In-door relief
Establishment charges.
Vaccination, Registration, and Interest

£48,321
26,000
31,000
7,000

112,321

The whole expenditnee of the board in the parochial
year 1846-7, which includes the first quarter of last year,
was 64,000, or little over half the above amount. A four-
and-sixpenny rate was estimated to produce, from
£lOB,OOO to £112,000; and it was accordingly laid; but
notwithstanding the use of all possible vigilance in its
collection, it is expected to fall short of the amount
which will he required before the close of the parochical
year. The Corporation estimates its requirements for
next year at above £59,000 ; and it is therefore confidently
expected that the inhabitants will have to raise a sum of
above £lBO,OOO very early this year ; and that the rate
required cannot be less than 7s. lid. in the pound. Such
an impost is fearful to contemplate, at a period when a
large portion of those usually assessed are rather in the
position of objects of relief than objects of taxation.

WAREHOUSE BREAKING.—On Sat urda

warehouse of illr. Isaac Uonolly, in Love-lane.
'Rushton expressed his disatisfnetion with the non

i lance of

ADJOURNED MEETING OF THE COUNCIL

THE DOCK BILL.

Yesterday, an adjourned general meeting of the Town-
Council was held for a variety of purposes, amongst which
were the following :
To rescind or vary the following resolution of the Council,
adopted at the special meeting, o►► the 15th December last:
"That, considering the present state of the money market,
and the large worms now in course of construction by the
trustees, it is not expedient to appy for the powers sought in
the present bill, smith that the bi,l, therefore, be limited by the
Dock Act of the 9th and 10th Victoria, section 50, and to such
further powers as are necessary for exp.aining or amending the
provisions of the Dock Acts reititing to tie management of the
existing warehouses, and the goods housed therein, and the
recovery of freights and charges." And to !nave that in the
Dock nib now before Parliatneot powers be sought not only for
the purposes specified in the above resoluti•at, out also for the
purchase of land north of the present duck works, for the pur-
poses of the dock trustees.
- -

•
TliOS. BERRY HORSFALL, Esq., the Mayor, took the
chair at eleven o'clock.

Mr. J. B. Moowa said there were a number of memo-
rials applying to the dock bill which they would find
referred to in the Council paper. The first matter which
would be referred to was the Dock Committee proceedings;
then there was the other business on the paper referring
to the dock bill ; and then there was a resolution to
rescind the resolution of the last Council referring to that
bill. Now, some difficulties would arise unless they took
alt these matters together. If they confirmed the pro-
ceedings of the Dock Committee, they would annul the
resolution of the last meeting of the Council. If they
took the resolution itself, they would got into the same
difficulty. The best course would be, that the proceed-
ings of the Dock Committee should be read after the me-
morials, and then the other three matters which had been
referred to could be discussed.

The TOWN CLEttx said that the proper course would be
to move the confirmation of the proceedings under the ex-
isting acts, and the next would be to take the bill and the
resolution thereon. •
•

The MAYOR said the first memorial was from the
Guardian Society, to which 260 signatures were appended.

The Town Cljrk then read the-memorial. _
The MAYOR said that the next was a memorial from the
Select Vestry, in special meeting. This memorial was
likewise read.

The next memorial was from certain rate-payers of
ward against a bill before parliament, to enable the trustees
of the Liverpool docks to build warehouses around the
docks.
Mr. Alderman NicoL.—What ward is that ?

TOWN CLERK.—Blank ward; but I see most of the
parties signing it are from Castle-street. _ _ _

The memorial expressed regret that the bill did not
subject the dock warehouses to rates, inasmuch as a large

be pulled down to make way for the new warehouses.
The proceedings of the Dock Committee for the last
mnnth cr ern then read. and. noon the motion of Alderman

J. Bramley-Moore, were confirmed.
Mr. EYRE EVANS asked whether the Town-clerk
.
thought that a majority of two-thirds, or only a bare ma-
jority, was necessary to set aside the proceedings of the
Dock Committee
The

TOWN-CLERK said he had referred to the clause in
the act of parliament, and he was of opinion that a bare
majority of the Council was sufficient, notwithstanding the
clause to which Mr. Evans had referred, on auy matter
affecting the new bill. The clause of the 6th George IV.,
relating to the Dock Trust, said that the Dock Committee
should have, use, and exercise all the forms and authori-
ties relating to the docks, and of carrying into effect that
and the existing acts. The next section provided that
all proceedings, &c., of the Dock Committee shall be
final and conclusive, unless they shall be annulled at the

next Council, or at a special meeting to be held within one
week. and unless two-thirds of the trustees or members of
the Common Council shall direct the same to be annulled
and made void. Now all these acts were to be incor-
porated and construed as one act ; and the 9th and 10th
Victoria said that the trustees shall apply within two years
for an act to build warehouses round the quays and docks,
under the controul of the said trustees ; and the said trus-

Dock, andthe works eastward of the King's dock:Until
such act of parliament should be obtained. Now his con-
struction, upon consideration, of the act was, that it refer-
red to the management of the estate when it was com-
pleted. (" Hear, hear," from Mr. Samuel Hohne.)

Mr. EVANS.—Then you consider the bill binding on
the Dock Committee, except that one clause—that no
clause in the bill is binding on the Council; except that

one clause.
TOWN-CLERK

existing work

Except in as far as relates to

the proceedings under the existing acts, without reference
to the new act, and the other matter will come to discus-
sion in proper order under Mr. Moore's motion.
Mr. A. LACE said there appeared to be some mistake.
The whole Council together could not annul, nor could
two-thirds of the Council annul it. They could not re-
voke an act of parliament, even if they were unanimous.
It was imperative on the Dock Committee to go to par-
liament within two years ; and,_ if the Council were to

pone some of their works for five years, that would be
another matter, and it would be for parliament to say
whether the Dock Trustees should be allowed to alter
that. That was no part of the

Council.
MR. EVAN

of two-thirds of
the Council, sou-inai throW out the bill iri

)roceedit

.gs of the Dock

•Tf you haN

in two years is part of the existing

ct, and requires two-

thirds Of the council to annul it
MR. EVANS.—Yes.

TOWN-CLERK.--My opinion is that it is not. There
is a direction that the Council shall, at a certain time, go
to parliament for new powers. If it had been anything
with respect to management, that question would have to
have gone to the dock committee, and they would have
put the question upon their proceedings or not, and then
it would have required two-thirds of the Council to annul
their proceedings.

Mr. D. HooGsoN said, that if it required two-thirds
of the Council to annul the proceedings of the dock com-
mittee, that body might take the trustees to parliament
every year. If a bare majority of the Council could not
stop them he should be very sorry, for he thought that
the common sense construction of the act was, that which
had just been put upon it by the Town-clerk.
The MAYOR said that he thought they ought now to go
on with business, on the assumption that the Town-clerk's
opinion was correct. _ _ _

Mr. EVANS said he should perform his duty, and pro-
test against the law as just laid down.
Mr. Alderman J. B. MooaE said, that with reference to
the confirmation of the proceedings of the dock com-
mittee, nothing could arise out of that, and he wished to
ask which branch of the question he should take first.
Must be state the whole case ? otherwise perhaps the
Council could not rescind the resolution of the last meet-
ing. He thought he had better move that first.
The MAYOR,--YOll had better state the whole of your
case, and then the other resolutions can be brought on
afterwards.

Mr. Alderman BRAMLEY MOORE said, he would move
that the resolution which had been alluded to be rescind-
ed, and the other confirmed ; and he would endeavour to
state every thing with the same candour there which had
been his endeavour upon all occasions, upon anything
connected with the Dock Estate. It had never been the
desire of the Dock Committee to do anything in an un-
derhand, but in the most honest way. With respect to
the veto which they had claimed, they must of course at
present bow to the Town-Clerk, but still he thought
that common sense required that the veto should be from
two-thirds of the Town Council. He was not, however,
at present going to raise any question upon that matter,
but he should regret if any of their proceedings were car-
ried by a bare majority. If they had not more than a
mere bare majority, it would not be his wish, nor would
it be the wish of the Dock Committee, to proceed in any
matter whatever. (Hear.) He would call their attention
to the Dock Bill as it had been altered, and they would

at the last Council (hear)—with one exception—retaining
an enabling power to go for the north shore. It would have
been a great act of folly on the part of the Dock Commit-
tee to have attempted to have passed the bill, unless it
was in accordance with the wishes of the Town Council.
(" Hear, bear," from Mr. S. Holme.) Therefore, the re-
sponsibility of doing away with the "construction of ware-
houses," as had been proposed by the Dock Committee,
must rest entirely on the shoulders of the Council, and
not on the Dock Committee. And now though the Dock
Committee had come to the Council again—it was not
that the Dock Committee had changed their views, though
they could not get the trustees to introduce it in that
shape. But the Dock Committee did now put the bill
before them in an altered shape. He thought it right to
state this on behalf of the Dock Committee, for their sen-
timents were just the same as ever. He would now state
the alterations in the new bill. The powers which had
been inserted in the first bill to enable the trustees to
build warehouses wherever they thought fit at their dis-
cretion had been expunged, and others introduced in their

••
place asking parliament to allow them to postpone that
for two years. Therefore, it amounted to this, that the
Dock Committee asked for power to postpone that step
for two years longer for reasons which had been stated by
the Dock Committee and the Council, and which it would
not be necessary for him to allude to there. Another
ground of opposition was the purchase of certain ground

belonging to the Corporation. There was another matter
which bad reference to the Wapping Docks, and he
wished to be allowed to remove an impression that was
going abroad with respect to the proposed north works on
the North Shore—which was, that the Dock Com-

mittee intended to construct additional North Docks.
(Hear.) Now, nothing of the sort had been con-
templated, (hear) except for the sake of accommodating
the timber trade ; and with regard to that only an en-
abling power ---- the Committee to become

to empower
f the land. He repudiated the idea tl
)ut or were willinz to make new docks on

❑th to

Text all

►ich he might
hangre or give_

laugh-

ted next to the

man), or which the party might exchange for

urn of money

,t the party c

the bond

Mr. Alderman MooßE.—But he is obliged to take the
upon ; and before he negotiates it, he is obliged to hay(

it registered in the great book, and at the registrar's. There
is also a clause that was not in the bill before. It is for
permission to take absolute power to remove vessels from
the graving docks. We have an instance of a vessel occu-
pying the graving dock for eight months, at great incon-
venience on the part of the shippers. This graving dock
was rendered useless, because vessels which wanted to go
in could not get there ; and there is another most important
matter, which is the evasion of rates. That is a thing
worth going to parliament for. (Hear.) The dock estate
has been robbed to a large amount, and the corporation
too, of its dues, to a large amount ; and it has been proved
that the most stringent measures that have been devised
cannot meet the case. Just to give an instance : A vessel
sailed from the port of Liverpool, and some parties com
municated to me that the vessel had not paid the dock
dues, though she had absolutely left the port fourteen days,
and had not paid her dock dues. I laid the matter before
the Dock Committee, and afterwards before the (Wick soli-
citor. The parties upon being communicated with, said
that they had entertained no intention of committing a
fraud, but intended to have paid. Ido not intend to make
any insinuation, but many persons would have thought
that, if they had passed fourteen days without mentioning
it to the Dock. Committee, they might have passed fourteen
th
ousand. e have no means, at present, of inflicting a
penalty for this sort of conduct. We can at the best only
get the money that is due to us, and when the matter was
mentioned by me to Mr. Rushton, it was his deliberate
opinion that if the party tendered us the money, we
should be obliged to sit down with merely receiving it.
This clause goes to the effect that if the dues are not paid
at a certain time, a penalty is to be enforced.—l will say
a few words with reference to the position of the Dock
Committee in regard to the rate-paying clause in the bill,
and the Council will bear with me whilst I say a few
words upon that matter. (Hear.) The Dock Committee
think that they act in the capacity of trustees, and as the
executive of the dock trust, in the origination of any clause
putting taxes upon themselves, or on the property which
was left in their charge ; and if the clause to which allu-
sion has been made had not been departed from, they
would have been justified in resisting the clause, at al
events. But the principle having been once broken down,
the Dock Committee found themselves in this position
they could not propose a clause to rate the property of
the trustees, unless the trustees or Parliament thought
proper to put it into the bill. (Hear.) It is well known
that many of the Dock Committee are favourable to the
rating of the dock warehouses, but, as trustees, they can-
not place themselves in an anomalous position.

MR. ROBINSON said he would have voted for the inser-
tion of the rate-paying clause had it been proposed in.
the Dock Committee.

Holt's