The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1845-08-26 00:00:00

in tht. empire, so well or so cheaply supplied with gas as
the inhabitants of Liverpool ; and provided the consump-
tion continues to increase in the same ratio in which it
has progressed during the last few years, and that there
is no material increase in the price of cannel, (a contin
._

gency not to be lost sight of,) yotif committe
extremely probable that the price of 09 may be stilt fur-
ther reduced at no very distant period.

" With respect to the capital or the company, your
committee have lately sold 60 shares of £lOO each by
public auction, at an average premium of £lO4 Bs. 4d. ;
adding the subscription and premium together. the pur-
chasers of these shares receive rather less than £5 per
cent. interest. There is now standing to the credit of
the company, £10,023 17s. of unexpended capital. After
this shall have been laid out, the proprietors of the origi-
nal 500 shares in the company will be called upon to pro-
vide by subscription a further capital of £25,000.
" In conclusion, the committee recommend that a di-
vidend of £5 per share be now declared."

The CHAIRMAN spoke at some length on the topics
embraced in the report, and adverted to the attempt to
establish a rival company, as having occasioned conside-
rable trouble to the company, and some expense to the
public, and being most decidedly uncalled for. He said
that when the attempt was made before to get a rival
company, the directors thought, that if the public looked
at the question in a right point of view, and would be
guided by the evidence of figures, it would be seen that
every addition to the capital employed would only retard
the decrease in price, or, rather, would increaae the
charge to the consumers generally. It was quite evident,
he contended, that if any means were adopted to diminish
the number of their tenants, or to decrease the consump-
tion of their gas—seeing that, with the exception of the
cost of materials, the whole expenditure had been gone
to, not only for works, but for laying the mains—it was
quite evident to every thinking man, that the price, in-
stead of being reduced, would be absolutely increased, by
the operation of a rival company. He concluded by
moving that the report be received.
The motion was at once acceded to.

The accounts were then passed ; and it was further
resolved, that a dividend of £5 per share, deducting the
income-tax, be paid ; and that the sum of 4:26fiti Ils. 3d.,
being the balance of the profit and loss account, be placed
to the credit of the next year.
In answer to a question from Mr. JOHNSON',
The CHAIRMAN said, in the contract with the munici-
pal authorities, it would be at their option to terminate it
at the end of three or five years. The contract was for
three years certain. at the charge per lamp of 1:4 2s. 6d.
Mr. MILLAP-11 stated that the warrants for the divi-
dends would be sent by that evening's post.

„
Thanks were then Toted to the chairman, who, in his
reply, passed a high eulogium upon the officers of the
company, and particularly upon Mr, King.

CORRESPONDENCE.

COTTAGE ALLOTMENTS. HOME COLO
NISA.TION,

I TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARL

Szit,—l rejoice to perceive that greater attention is now
paid by the upper classes of society to the domestic com-
tort of the industrious portion of our population. No-
thing is more conducive to the amelioration of the condi-
tion of the rural districts than the allotment of certain
portions of land, as field gardens, at a comparatively small
rental. This system instils a spirit of freedom and inde-
pendence into the breasts of our peasantry, and by giving
them a stake in the welfare of the country, prevents that
reckless insubordination and discontent from the effects
of which it is feared many of those incendiary tires oc-
curred, of which of late we have been happily free from a
repetition. It likewise has a tendency to keep the labourer
from soliciting parish relief, which may be termed the
bine of society, if greatly extendfd when once a man be-
comes a pauper, in most instances his future indepen-
dence is destroyed, and indolent habits contracted, caus-
ing him to look to others for that support he should de-
rive from his own persevering and honest exertion.
The best policy of government, therefore, is to promote
and encourage, by all means, the measure recommended,
and also the carrying out all requisite public works to
prevent a recurrence of the misery witnessed a few years,
since when the working classes were reduced to a state
bordering upon starvation, owing to a lack of employ-
ment and very small wages
15th August, 1845.

PE:ILANTIIROPOS

PACKET LIST.

GRNKRAL POST-OFFICE, Aug. 22,

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