The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-03-28 00:00:00

LOCAL MEETINGS.

THE SELECT VESTRY.—An adjourned meeting of this
body was held on Tuesday, at the new offices in Lime-
street. The Board was occupied for a long time in the
examination of the tenders for the supply of provisions,
&c., to the parish for the ensuing half-year. A few of the
tenders were accepted, but as there were numerous sam-
ples, the inspection of which would occupy a considerable
time, it was considered desirable to refer the further con-
sideration of the matter to the committee. The Vestry-
clerk read a petition which had been drawn up, and una-
nimously agreed upon by a committee, for presentation to
the House of Commons. It set forth the grievances under
which the ratepayers suffered in consequence of the oper-
ation of two acts of parliament, of the 9th• and 10th
Victoria. One related to the relief of the poor who came
from Scotland, Ireland, &c., and were chargeable on Eng-
land, the expense of which had become a serious addition
to the rates in consequence of the vast numbers of poor
now resorting to this country. The number relieved here
for the three months ending the 25th of December last,
was 4488, at an expense of £l6lB Gs., and the ordinary
charge entailed upon the parish by this act, for the main-
tenance of poor persons, would amount to not less than
£4OOO per annum. The whole of those relieved were
strangers, having equal claim to relief on any other parish
in the kingdom. The petitioners were of opinion that
such expense, instead of being a local burden, should be
borne by the country at large. The second act related to
' the settlement of claims by a five years' residence, which
led to the practice of much imposition, as persons in many
cases received relief who had no legal settlement, and it wag
almost impossible to ascertain whether they had any claim
or not. The petition concluded with a request that the
House would take into consideration the facts brought
under their notice, and redress the grievances complained
of. The petition was adopted and-signed by the Chair-
man. It will be transmitted to the :members of the bo-
rough, with a request for their co-operation in its prayer.
The Board then adjourned.
• DOCK COMMITTEE, THURSDAY.--A report was received
from Mr. Jones, assistant to the marine surveyor, to the
effect that, after due investigation, the master of the

Formby Lightship, who left his vessel, with part of his
crew, to save four hands belonging to the schooner Ma-
jestic, which was wrecked on the 15th instant, should,
under the circumstances, be excused from censure.
Some conversation took place on the subject, during which
it was admitted that, though the master of the Lightship
had acted, under the urgent circumstances of the case,
with great courage, the system of leaving the vessel should
not be countenanced by allowing any remuneration ; he
would, however, be rewarded by the Shipwreck Society.—
A letter from .Mr. Dawson, of. Gronant, speaking of the
services of the crew belonging to the Point of Ayr Life-
boat, in saving four men from the steamer Prince of Wales,
was referred to consider the question of remuneration.—
The Secretary then read a resolution of the East India and
China Association agreed to at a special meeting held on
the 12th instant relative to the complaints against the pre-
sent system of porterage. The resolution was to the ef-
fect, that the evils were not the necessary consequence of
the regulations, but the abuse of them. Several sugges-
tions for the better regulations of the trade, which have
already been.made public, were embodied in the resolu-
tion. A letter from. Chapman, Bowman, and Co., as to
an alleged improper measurement of one of their vessels,
was referred. An application was received from Bury,
Curtis, and Co., desiring that the Clarence Dock might
be run dry, to recover a locomotive engine which had been
accidentally sunk there, The Chairman said he had, on
his own responsibility granted the request, as the machin-
ery would have been destroyed, if not recovered imme-
diately. A letter was received from John Fisher, request-
ing to be allowed to sell confectionary in a waiting-room
which, be understood„ was
_to be erected on, the new
.
landing stage. The Chairman .said the plan inehidid'a
waiting-room in the centre of the stage, but nothing could
be done at present, and they were not in a p9sitiou to
refer the letter.