The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-03-12 00:00:00

TOWN COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS.

On Wednesday, the usual monthly meeting of the
Council was held in the Town-hall, for the dispatch of
business. The Mayor took the chair at eleven o'clock, at
which time there were twenty-four members in their
respective places.
The Deputy Town-clerk opened the business of the
day by reading the proceedings of the Finance Committee,
comprising a recommendation for the appointment of
Mr. Daniel Brade to the office of Out-door Inspector of
Town-dues, the consideration of which was postponed
at the last monthly Council, pursuant to the standing
orders.

Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE, in moving their confirmation,
said it had been his original intention to have entered at
some length into the nature of the negociations which had
been going on between the Finance Committee and the
Dock Estate, with reference to the sale of the land and
strand at the North shore for dock purposes. But,
although he believed he was in the position to vindicate
the conduct of the Finance Committee, with reference to
the matter, yet as the discussion could hardly be con-
ducted in a satisfactory manner in that room, he had been
induced not to enter upon the subject at any length. A
notice of motion had been placed on the paper by the
chairman of the Dock Committee, calling upon the Coun-
cil to accept of a lower sum for the land and strand than
the Finance Committee had offered it for; but as Mr.
Bramley-Moore had consented to withdraw his motion,
upon the understanding that the matter should still be
considered open, there was the less necessity for going
into detail. The last resolution of the Finance Commit-
tee closed the door, as it were, against any further nego-
ciation, as it said their ultimatum was £360,000, and that
unless the Dock Committee accepted that offer. they
must abide the issue of a jury; but as the Finance Com-
mittee ought to be as conciliatory as possible towards the
merchants of the town, representatives of whom the
Dock Trustees were, and as an opportunity of dealing
favourably with them had now occurred, he thought the
matter should be considered as still open. He believed
the proposals the Finance Committee had made were very
favourable, but he was not going to defend them under
present circumstances. It would be sufficient for him
to say that he was willing to enter into a farther negocia-
tion, and that if the Dock Committee could adduce
grounds for a still further reduction, he would use his
influence to induce the Finance Committee to accede to
their wishes.
Sir Thomas BRANCKER seconded the motion of con-
firmation.

Mr. Isaac HoLmas expressed his astonishment at the
recommendation which had been made by the committee
for the appointment of Mr. Daniel Brade to the office of
Out-door Inspector of Town Dues. He regretted that
Mr. Isaac Hutchinson had not been recommended for the
situation.

Mr. BitAMIJCY-MOORE thought it might be as well,
perhaps, if he obtained the approbation of the Council at
that stage to the withdrawal of his motion, of which the
following was a copy :—" That the Council do accept the
offer made on behalf of the Dock Committee of the sum
of £226,000 for the purchase of the Land and Strand of
the Corporation to the North of the Dock Estate, to-
gether with the interests of the Corporation, subject to
all charges and expenses in the Strand, contracted for
with Lord Derby and the Duchy; and that it be referred
to the Finance Committee to adjust with the Dock Com-
mittee, all terms and conditions relating to such purchase
at the prices offered, such adjustment being subject to
the approval of the Council." He begged briefly to state
that it was in consequence of the resolution to which the
Finance Committee had come that the Dock Committee
considered the door closed against all further negotiation,
and that it was deemed advisable to place the motion in
question on the books ; but circumstances had since
arisen which had induce him to withdraw it. At the
same time the proposing of such a motion appeared, in
the first instance, to be the only way to avoid what both
parties were desirous of avoiding—that of going to a
jury.

The motion was accordingly withdrawn ; and after a
few remarks from Mr. Nicol and Sir Thomas Brancker
as to the future course to be pursued with reference to
the negotiations, the proceedings were confirmed.
The proceedings of the Watch, Lighting, Cleansing,
and Fire-police Committees were next read. It appeared
that the Committee had ordered Mr. Hughes to replace
the old clock at St. Nicholas's Church, and not to in-
terfere with the other church clocks in the town. The
habits of the Police force of the borough were reported
as considerably improved ; and the number of burglaries
for the past year, us contrasted with those of preceding
years, was reported upon the decline.
Mr. James LAWRENCE moved the confirmation of the
proceedings, and that copies of the Police report be
printed and sent to each member of the Council, the magis-
trates of the borough and county, and the secretary of
State for the Home Department.

The motion was then adopted, and the report was un-
animously confirmed.
.The proceedings of the Improvement Committee, com-
prising a recommendation as to an extention of the im-
provement from Lime-street to Mitchell-place, fronting
Ranelagh-street, having been read,
Mr. PARKER deprecated a lavish expenditure of the
public money in widening streets for the sake of orna-
ment, and said the money would be far better laid out in
improving such places as Limekiln-lane, where it was
dangerous for carts to pass, or the back streets and alleys,
which were a disgrace to the town.
Mr. STEWART explained the nature of the contem-
plated improvement from Lime-street to Mitchell-place,
and said it could be ca:ried out for a sum of about £3,000.
The proceedings were then confirmed, with the excep-
tion of the proposed improvement, which was referred to
the Finance Committee on financial considerations and
fora report. _

The proceedings of the Education Committee contained
the following return as to the average attendance at the
Corporation Schools, from the 31st of January to the
9Rth of Fplwristry— _

South.
. 193
143
171

North.
Boys 248.............
Girls 196.
Infants 144.

The number on the books was stated to be, at the North,
773 ; at the south, 629.
The MAYOR said there was a motion on the books from
Mr. Blackburn in reference to the schools, and that if
that gentleman were present, he would in all probability
propose it at the present stage of the Council proceedings.
A letter, however, had just been received from Mr.
Blackburn, stating that, owing to professional duties, it
would be impossible for him to attend the Council that
day. _ _

[Mr. Blackburn will, therefore, have to renew his no-
tice if he intend to bring it forward at some future period.]
The proceedings of the Observatory Committee having
been read,

Mr. AIKIN said they had now the best transit instru-
ment and the best observer in the kingdom, that the time
was accurately ascertained, and that all they were waiting
for at present was the formation of a machine to drop the
ball at a particular hour. They might receive chronome-
ters and rate them now; but they thought it right to wait
until they got the ball. They had obtained plans and
projects from a great number of scientific men ; but the
model produced by Mr. Franklin could not be excelled.
Mr. PARKER asked what was the charge for rating the
chronometers at the Observatory ?
Mr. AIKIN replied, that the charge bad not been fixed
upon as yet. He intended to consult the Messrs. Ros-
kell as to the best manner in which to conduct the Ob-
servatory, without making it compete with tradesmen.
Mr. BIRKETT objected to business being done there in
a retail way, because the competition, in such a case,
would be very unfair.
After a few remarks from Mr. Aikin in reply, the pro-
ceedings were confirmed.
The proceedings of the Health of the Town, Wash-
houses, and Baths' Committee were next read. It ap-
peared that 1806 baths had been used in Frederick-street
in the last quarter of 1842, and 2312 in the corresponding
quarter of 1843. The total receipts of this establishment
in 1842 were £3l 10s. 5d., and in 1843, £49 Os. 3d.
The proceedings were confirmed.
Mr. PARKER asked whether there was any intention to
do away with the twopenny rate or not, levied by the Fire
Committee.

Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE expressed a hope that there
was.

The TOWN-CLERK said the question would have to
come before the general committee, before it could be
brought before the Council.
Sir T. BRANCKER said he was happy to inform the
Council that the medals were in very good demand.
The TOWN-CLERK corroborated this assertion, and
said that 6,000 medals had been fairly issued and fairly re-
ceived.

The TOWN-CLERK stated that the Liverpool Dock Bill
had been read a first time, and that it was intended to
have it lodged on Wednesday next, in order to go into
a committee on the following day. A Special meeting
of the Council would, therefore, have to be convened
for Monday, for the purpose of taking its clauses into
consideration.

It was accordingly agreed to convene a special meeting
for Monday, and to have every member of the Council
furnished with a copy of the bill in the interim.
The proceedings of the Dock, Courts of Law, Markets,
Church expenditure, and Town-hall Establishment Com-
mittees were read and confirmed.
The TOWN-CLERK said that a copy of the bye-laws, as
to blowing and stuffing meat within the Borough, had
been forwarded to Sir James Graham, and that a letter
had been received from the Home Secretary, in reply.
stating that those laws ought to be altered, and that in-
stead of fixed penalties all being under £5, the words, "a
sum not exceeding £5," should be inserted. In conse-
quence of the receipt of this letter, Messrs. Cowling and
Crompton, barristers, were consulted, and they had given
as their opinion that the amount of the fine must be spe-
cified, and that the suggestion of Sir James. if adopted,
would be bad. He (the Town-clerk), under those cir-
cumstances, recommended the Council to adhere to the
bye-laws as they stood.
Mr. BIRICET.—Do I understand you to say that your
law is better than the Secretary of State's ? (A laugh.)
The TowN-CLERK.—No ; but that the law of the
Council was better than that of the Secretary of State.
Mr. BIRKETT.--1 es all the same; for we take the law
from you. I can assure you that the Secretary of State
is in no great favour with me. (Great laughter.)
The Mayor said he bad received a communication from
Mr. John Gladstone, dated Carleton-gardens, the 12th
of February, stating that he had a copy of the late
Mr- Canning's portrait, painted by Bradley, an eminent
London artist,—that it was of full length, and an admira-
ble likeness, and that he hoped the Council would do him
the honour to accept it, and place it within the Town-hall.
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. G, H. LAWRENCS said there could be but one

feeling on the subject. and that it required no thought or
premeditation to enable them to declare how gladly they
acceptedltass
iher a,i
thie)i handsome
erlly
oinmeoaffer. (Hear, hear.)
agreed to accept the portrait,
and respectfully to thank Mr. Gladstone for the present.
A memorial from Jane Robinson, the widow of a per-
son of that name, who had been in the service of the Cor-
poration for a period of 28 years, praying for some pecuni-
ary assistance for herself and her five children, was order-
ed to lie on the table, there not being a compassionate
fund at the disposal of the Finance Committee.
The Mayor read a memorial, signed by 31 of the inha-
bitants of South Toxteth Ward, setting forth that at the
last election for that ward they had voted for Mr. Platt,
the reform candidate; that Mr Platt had a majority of
votes at the close : that a scrutiny was entered into before
the Town-clerk, Alderman (Evans) and assessors; that
it then appeared that three electors for North Toxteth
Ward had voted in South Toxteth, (Alderson and Thom)
for Mr. Platt. and the third (Farnworth) for Mr. Glaze-
brook ; that Mr. Glazebrook was then declared elected :
and that upon the rejection of Mr. Platt, the Memorial-
ists laid a case before the Attorney General, and obtained
his opinion that the rejection of the two votes of Alder-
son and Thom was wrong. They then prayed the Coun-
cil to request of Mr. Glazebrook to resign, with the view
of enabling such steps to be taken as would secure the
return of Mr. Platt; and, in case Mr. Glazebrook refused
to resign, they entreated the Council to institute legal
proceedings, with a view to his removal. The prayer of
the memorial was receiyed with ironical laughter.
The DEPUTY TOWN-CLERK then read the case which
the memorialists had submitted to, and the opinion
which had been given by, the Attorney-General. Those
documents were voluminous. When they had been read
throughout,
said Mr.h eEfve felt Ngsre aa
st
the r
e terring
after alderman onhe a
rt
dh e
tohcec a
lucid,
d,
opinion of the Attorney-General, at the decision
which he had given at the time of Mr. Glazebrook's elec-
tion. As his excuse, however, he bad only to say that he
had then deferred to the cpinion of the Town-Clerk and
Deputy Town-Clerk, corroborated by the opinion most
honourably given by Mr. Lace. The object of the peti-
tioners was to get the council to take the matter up ; and
the ground upon which, perhaps, the question might be
entertained, was the analogy the case bore to that of Mr.
Harvey, where the council took the whole management
and expense on themselves.
The TOWN-CLERK stated that he was in this position ;
—he could not say any thing at all against the law as it
appeared to be laid down by the Attorney-General, and
yet t e was also in a position which he could maintain that
the advice he had given the alderman and assessors in Mr.
Glazebrook's case was perfectly correct; and if he were
called upon to advise under similar circumstances again,
he would repeat the advice he had given on that occasion.
(Hear, hear.) He then proceeded at some length to state
his views with regard to the burgess roll, the revision
court, and the division of the borough into wards ; after
which, he said the alderman and assessors had acted per-
fectly right in considering the voters, Alderson and Thom,
as bad voters for South Toxteth Ward, but good voters
for North Toxteth Ward, because it was in that ward
(Upper Hill-street and Wesley-street) the property out
of which they qualified appeared to be situate. They had,
each of them, only one qualification. The case was other-
wise with regard to Farnworth : he had two qualifications,
both in Sefton-street, but one of them in the north and
the other in the south ward.
Mr. LACE contended that the case submitted to the
Attorney• General had erroneously and partially stated
the facts.

Mr. GLAZEBROOK scarcely knew whether he ought to
speak a word. He would, however, just say, that he had
no personal feeling in the matter at all. He had taken his
seat in the council under the direction of legal authority,
properly constituted, and always considered to have
weight ; and he should be ready to vacate the seat the mo-
ment the council thought he could not hold it properly.
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. H. HORNBY thought it exceedingly desirable that
the question should be satisfactorily determined, and that
the Town-Clerk should state all the circumstances, and
draw the attention of the Attorney-General to the several
clauses. _ _

Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE characterised the conduct of
the parties who voted in the south ward on the occasion
in question as a moral fraud, because they knew the ward
in which they lived was the north. They had notice on
the subject from the Town-Clerk, and yet they persisted
and voted in the south. (Hear, hear.) He thought there
should not be the slightest encouragement held out to
such parties at all, and he should be very sorry if the
council were to countenance it. He contended that there
was a great distinction between the case of Mr. Harvey
and that of Mr. Glazebrook; and concluded by express-
ing a hope that the council would leave the present par-
ties to their proper remedy—the Court of Queen's Bench.
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. PARKER said the cream of the prayer of the me-
morialists was not to unseat Mr. Glazebrook, but to get
the expenses of their application paid for by the council.
They found that they had incurred an expense, and that
there was nobody to pay the lawyer's bill. (" Hear," and
a laugh.) He moved that the memorial do lie on the
table.
Mr. THomPsorr seconded the motion ; and in doing so,
said the case appeared to have been ingeniously drawn up
with the view of obtaining a result. (Hear.)

Mr. EVANS defended the voters from the attack made
upon them by Mr. Lawrence.

Mr. AIKIN and Mr. GLADSTONE spoke in favour of
obtaining legal advice on the disputed points.
Mr. H. HORNBY moved, as an amendment, that the
1 own-clerk be requested to draw up a case, embodying
the whole of the facts, and drawing the Attorney-General's
attention to the clauses in the municipal act which he
conceived to bear upon the subject.
Mr. GLADSTONE seconded the amendment.

The council divided, when there appeared—
For the amendment
Against it.
a—n- "—.,...i...„,.., ..--.,.......,171......, ...-..1 th......:81.,.1
motion, that the petition do lie on the table, was declared
to have been carried.

The TOWN-ct ERR said that, in consequence of certain
determinations from the Court of Queen's Bench, were a
case like that of Harvey and Quayle to occur azain, the
disposition of himself and the Deputy Town-clerk would
be to tell the council not to incur any expense. (Hear,
hear.)
A memorial from the owners and occupiers of premises
in Hill-street, Toateth-park, complaining of a slaughter-
house in the neighbourhood, was referred to the Finance
Committee; so also was the coroner's account, amounting
to £BB.

The next subject on tha paper was a recommendation
of the increase to the salary of the surgeon of the prison
from £lOO to £2OO per annum, the consideration of which
was postponed at the last monthly council, pursuant to
the standing orders.
Mr. LACE moved that the increase be granted.
Mr. R. HOUGHTON seconded the motion.
Mr. TURNER moved, as an amendment, that the sur-
geon's salary be £l5O, instead of £lOO.

Mr. It. II ARBORD seconded the amendment.
An animated discussion ensued, at the close of which
the council divided, when there appeared—

For the amendment 24
Against it
The amendment was consequently carried.
The motions of which Mr. North and Mr. Isaac
Holmes had given notice were not proceeded with ; they
were treated as dropped motions; so that, if they are to
be brought forward at any future council, renewed notices
of them will have to be given.
The council adjourned to Monday.