The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-10-06 00:00:00

as he lay drunk and fast asleep in a -float in Canning:

Police-constable 581 detected him in the act, and

he acknowledged ha was taking them to procure drink.
The parties, it appeared, were acquaintances, and had both
been taken to Bridewell, Donnelly for safety. Mr.
Rushton to Donnelly : Did you give the prisoner authority
to take your boots off ? Donelly, who did not appear to
comprehend the question, replied, Oh, no. Magistrate :
Well, but he was seen in the act of taking them off.
Donelly : Oh no, he would not take them off: sure
he'd rather keep them on if he saw any person taking

them off. The case was dismissed.
WEST DERBY UNION.—At the weekly meeting on
Tuesday, a letter was read from Mr. Fresh, inspector of
nuisances, apprising the Board that the Corporation of
Liverpool were endeavouring to obtain contracts for emp-
tying the privies and courts in Toxteth-park. The medi-
cal officer of the workhouse, Mr. Finch, reported that the
fever patients, removed as a temporary hospital to a house
in Smithdown-lane, were all convalescent. A number of
letters and memorials to the Board were read, which ex-
pressed the alarm that had spread among the inhabitants
in the immediate neighbourhoOd of the house alluded to;
and along with the letters was a certificate from two
eminent surgeons as to the unfitness of the house and the
danger to the people near. A committee was appointed
to take steps for providing some other asylum for fever
patients, should it be necessary. An additional medical
officer was appointed for West Derby, to have the rural
division of the township assigned to his care, at a salary
of £2O. .

v•
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POST-OFFICE ACCOMMODATION.—In a late number of
the STANDARD we mentioned that upwards of sixty of the
moat respectable residents of the thickly populated dis-

trict of Everton, of which Netherfield-road North is the
centre and main artery, had memorialized the Post-

master General to establish a branch receiving office for
the accommodation of that locality. The memorial was
most respectably worded, and it alleged grounds which
were thought more than sufficient to justify the depart-
ment in acceding to the application. The population
which would have been accommodated is no less than be-

tween 1600 and 2,000, from whom an average of 150 let-
ters daily might reasonably be estimated—a higher aver-
age than proceeds from several branch offices within the
six mile circle in London, But, without any reasons be-
ing assigned for it, the prayer of the memorial has been
declined, and tbus the public in a rapidly extending dis-
trict have been deprived of an accommodation, for which
an undoubted case was made out. The application will
be renewed the first suitable opportunity.
MORAL EFFECTS OF LlGHT.—llark and sombre dvvel-
Hogs and streets are the well-known resort of the most
depraved classes in all cities and towns. This may be
said to be a universal law of our social economy, and
hence it becomes a matter of some importance to consider
whether it would not be advisable, on moral grounds also,
to attend with greater care to the construction and im-
provement of the residences of our labouring population.
Darkness produces carelessness and depression of mind,
and of the whole nervous system, especially if it be con-
joined with idleness, its almost necessary companion. A
dark house is generally a dirty house; and it is in dark
corners that the poor accumulate filth, which they are too
idle to throw out of doors. If such dwellings were ex-
posed to the light of day, a sense of shame would often in-
duce a superior degree of cleanliness ; and the cheerful-
ness of mind which a light house tends to foster would be
productive of still greater advantages. Mr. Clay, in his
Report on Preston, has well said, that " something may
be hoped for a people who can feel `a joy in flowers ;"
but the poor can seldom possess even this small advan-
tage in the miserable residences we have provided for
them.—Liverpool Health of Towns' Advocate.

SALTPETRE SHEDS.—On Friday, Mr. Thomas Dover
was summoned before the Police-Court to answer a com-
plaint of having stored saltpetre in one of the cellars of
his warehouses contrary to the provisions of the 34th sec-
tion of the 6th and 7th of Victoria. He admitted the
offence. but said that there were no sheds for saltpetre in
Liverpool, and he bad appropriated a sort of detached
warehouse in Stone-street for its reception. Mr. Rushton
admitted that he had done the best under the circum-

stances, and promised to communicate with the Town
Council on the subject. Several warehouse-owners in
court, and also Mr. Samuel Holme, who was present,
bore testimony to the fact, that sheds for the deposit of
saltpetre were rot to be had in Liverpool, and said that
private parties would not build them because they must
be for the storage of saltpetre exclusively. One gentleman
said that he had erected two saltpetre sheds in the town.
but that he was obliged to store flour in them, because no
one would send even a bag of saltpetre. Mr. Rushton
said that he should not fine Mr. Dover, who had acted up
to the spirit, though not up to the letter, of the act of
parliament, but made it distincgy understood that future
charges of a similar kind would be decided on their own
merits.

HIGHWAY BOARD.—At the usual weekly meeting on
Thursday, it was reported that great delay had been oc-
casioned at the works in Green-lane, and a notice of mo-
tion for next meeting was given to proceed against the
builders for the penalties. The Chairman said the secre-
tary was desirous of knowing what should be done with a
sum of £5OOO coming from the Council, and they could
apply it to either one or the other. He had no wish to
relieve the owners of property, but thought the fairest
way would be to divide it, applying £2500 to each. Mr.
Cooper objected to the money being applied to the sewer-
age, and found fault with the Board, who, he said, had
made a similar transfer some time ago, and were now
going to perpetrate a similar act without giving notice of
their intention. In answer to a question, the secretary
stated that the arrears of the paving rate were £l5OO, and
the sewerage £650. Mr. Higgins said that many tenants
were relieved of the rates including the sewerage, which
was an advantage to the landlord; but several members
observed that he was mistaken, as the sewerage rate was
always exacted. The Chairman said 'the subject could
not be brought formally before the meeting until next
week, and Mr. Procter gave notice of motion for the
division of the £5OOO between the paving and the sewerage
rate.
OPERATIVE PORTERS.—A meeting of the porters was
held on Tuesday evening at the Concert-hall, to take into
consideration the laws about to be introduced by the
Dock Committee, with reference to the licensing of
master porters, which, it is alleged, will, by taking the
work out of the hands of merchants and others, act in-
juriously against the porters and the ratepayers at large.
Mr. James Cole was called to the chair. Mr. Simmons
moved the first resolution, which was to the effect that
the meeting viewed with feelings of regret the proposed
alterations of the Dock Committee in the system of dock
porterage, the effect of which would be to throw many of
the old porters out of employment, thereby compelling
them to resort to the workhouse for relief. It was stated
in debate that the memorial drawn up on the subject was
lying at the Town-hall, and would come before the
Council at the next meeting, and that with one exception,
the merchants and brokers, who had been all waited
upon, were favourable to the opposition that had been got
up against the new system. A second resolution pledged
the meeting to use every means in their power to prevent
the proposed by-laws of the Dock Committee from
coming into operation. And a third called on the rate-
payers to come forward and assist them in removing the
evils they are likely to labour under by the carrying out
of the said law. The resolutions were carried una-
nimously.
WALLASEY.-At the monthly meeting of the Commis-
sioners on Thursday, contracts were ordered to be ob-
tained for repairing the sea wall at Seacombe, which was
built at the township expense. A motion was made for
the introduction of the Small Debts Act into Wallasey,
but it was negatived. The proceedings of the Finance
Committee stated that a case had been drawn up by the
Law-clerk, to be submitted to counsel, relative to the
payment of rent charge by Dr. Byrth and others, in lieu
of tithes. The proceedings were confirmed, with in-
structions to the Finance Committee to make such com-
munication as they think fit with the Rev. Dr. Byrth and
the Rev. Mr. Armistead, with a view to leave the question
of liability of the tithe rent charge to the decision of coun-
sel upon a case to be jointly submitted to opinion. The
Law-Clerk then read a report from the committee ap-
pointed to inquire into the conduct of the surveyor, Mr.
West. It stated that the charges had not been substan-
tiated. Mr. Goldsmith then brought forward his motion
for the reduction of the salary of the Law-Clerk from
£2OO to £50.. After rather a warm discussion, in the
course of which Mr. Hassall (the law-clerk) intimated,
through the chairman, that he considered the salary, as
originally settled, such as a respectable professional man
was entitled to, and could not consent to any diminution
of it; if, however, it was the opinion of the Board that
their finances were such that they could not afford to pay
the sum he received, he would give his services till they
were in a condition to pay such salary ; or, if they were
prepared to relieve him of any part of his duty he would
accept such remuneraton as might be agreed upon between
the Board and himself. This intimation from Mr. Has-
sail received the highest commendation from several mem-
bers of the Board. A motion was then made by Mr.
Holland, that the salary be continued as at present, which
was carried by a majority of thirteen to two. It was then
determined that no charge should be entertained against
an officer of the board unless notice of motion be entered
on the books.
SALE OF LAND AT BIRKENHEAD.—On Wednesday
last, the sale of the freehold building land, the property
of the Birkenhead Commissioners, took place in the
Town-hall. The hall was crowded to excess. After
reading the conditions of sale, which were lengthy, Mr.
Winstanley intimated that it had been considered better
to start with a price per .yard in each lot. The price in
each case had been submitted to the judgment of several
of the leading land valuers and surveyors, and approved
of, among whom was Mr. John Stewart. The first of-
fered' was the Park land, or the whole of the building
land in Birkenhead Park. The auctioneer stated that in
order to save time he would offer the- whole in one lot,
comprising 329,000 superficial square yards, at £115,000,
or about 7s. per yard. Two minutes was allowed for
consideration, but no bidder appearing, each lot- was
taken separately. Messrs. J. Walker, W. Potter, W.
Jackson, J. Laird,. and Bailey,. were the prinetPUl Pur-