The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-07-16 00:00:00

ft it I LIORPOOL STANDARD.

LOCAL MEETINGS.

WEST DERBY GUARDIANS.—The usual weekly meet.
ing of this board was held at the workhouse, on Wednes-
day, Mr. Roskell in the chair. A discussion took place
on the proposition to be made by the Earl of Malmes-
bury to the Select Committee of the House of Lords,
(now sitting,) for reforming the law of parochial assess-
Tent. Mr. Jeffries signified his approval of the proposi-
tion, but would not go into any discussion of its details
luntil he heard what objections might be brought against
It. Mr. M`Nichol approved of the principle of the plan,
but objected to many of the details, complaining that the
collection of the rate-in-aid, which might be only ld. in
the pound, would require a machinery as costly as the
one now in existence. After a considerable discussion
the following resolution was passed by a vote of twelve to
twcr " That while this board cordially approves of the
principle of the Eerl of Malmesbury's proposition, which
affirms that all kinds of property, real or personal, should
be rated to the poor, it refrains at present from expres-
sing any opinion as to the details of the " plan."
SELECT VESTRY.—The usual' fortnightly meeting of the
Vestry was held on Tuesday, Mr. Churchwarden Harbord
in the chair. A long and exceedingly acrimonious discus-
sion took place on the collection of the rates upon cottage
property, arising out of a proposal on the part of certain
landlords to compound for the payment of a moiety of the
rates due upon their property for the year 1849, as well as
the present year, and which proposal the Finance Com-
mittee recommended the Vestry to accept. A deputation
from the Houseowners' Guardian Society was then intro-
duced. The deputation complained that documents had
been circulated amongst the cottage tenants to the effect
that they should make an arrangement with the landlords
binding them to pay all the rates. The Vestry disclaimed
having sent any such document, and Mr. Earle admitted
that he individually had caused it to be issued. After
considerable discussion, it was arranged that the collection
of the rates for 1849 be left with the Finance Committee,
but that the rates upon cottage property for 1850 be left
to the Cottage Rating Committee. A resolution for ex-
pending £lOO in procuring an additional supply of water
to the Workhouse was agreed to.
HEALTH COMMITTEE, THURSDAY.—The inspector of
nuisances reported the cleansing of 1129 cesspools during
the week, and the reference of 265 dilapidated places to
the building surveyor for examination and repairs, and a
variety of other statistical details, including a sanatory
examination of 1049 cellars formerly cleared of inmates,
and of 365 court houses in the lower parts of the town.
Mr. Ferguson suggested that the amended Sanatory Bill,
which was dropped this year, should receive the early
attention of the committee, with the view of preparing it
for introduction next session. Dr. Duncan reported that
the deaths for the week ending Saturday last were 180,
the same number as the previous week, but 31 fewer than
during the corresponding week of 1849. From diseases
of the lungs there were 51 deaths, from zvmotic diseases
41, 16 from bowel complaints, and one from delirium
tremens. The infantile mortality was unusually great,
there being 114 children out of the total number of deaths,
and 60 of them below the age of twelve months. The
mean temperature of the week was 581 deg., being 4 deg.
below that of the previous year, Mr. Comenius Davies
was unanimously appointed assistant-borough engineer at
a salary of £3OO a year, in the place of Mr. Thomas
Duncan, appointed water engineer. It was stated that,
by this arrangement, a saving of £350 would be effected.
The borough engineer suggested the propriety of erecting
weighing machines in different parts of the borough.
Scotland-place and Crown-place, he said, would be fa-
vourable sites. Referred to the Finance Committee.

DOCK COMMITTEE, THURSDAY.—The surveyor sub-
mitted his report on the general state of the dock works,
and the expenditure in his department, for the year end-
ing the 24th of June last. It appears that the Welling-
ton Dock is opened for laying up vessels, and the Wel-
lington half-tide basin is nearly completed. The stank
between the Sandon Basin and the new lock has been
removed, and a lock has to be erected to make it com-
plete for the use of vessels. The locks for the dock to be
appropriated to the American mail steamers are in a state
of progress. The locks will be eighty feet wide, in order
to admit the largest class of vessels. One pair of gates
are already supplied, but three will be necessary to afford
the required facilities for efficient working. The second
pair of gates are in progress, and the third in the course
of construction. The dock for the accommodation of the
large steamers (to the south of the fort) is complete to the
extent of three-fifths, and the lock entrances will be
finished by next month. From the financial statement it
appeared that the total expenditure on the new works
during the last year was £294,397 17s. 5d.; repairs,
£20,459 3s. 2d., making a total expenditure on all the
works of £314.857 Os. 7d. Mr. Hartley submitted a plan
for an alteration at the Sandon Graving Dock, relative to
which a complaint had been made by the shipbuilders.
Tile plan had been inspected by a deputation of the ship-
builders, who are to meet Mr. Hartley on the spot, and
go into the details of the matter, after which a report will
be presented to the committee. An application was read
from the Trinity Board, requesting the Dock Committee
to place a buoy on the bar at Southport, if it be within
their limits. The committee declined to accede to the
application, on the ground that it was not within their
province to do so.

1 unless continued to Woodside slip •, and it must be '
ob-
vious to any member of the Council that the work would
I,` • a very incomplete one if it did not so extend. He
u 'd to move,
beipt„,••• 4. with the object of furthering the wishes of the con-
' 1114. for the improvement of the navigation of the river,
this
vators
sel\ ~ ci, approves of a line of wall between Birkenhead and
• s,-
kftulrry ort the lower line recommended by the conserve-
ptoernss,eitbe.
Mon. being distinctly understood that, previous to any ex-
ing incurred by the Corporation in the construction
11 opposite to their property, the other owners of
4:4 Buch property a- 'r into a binding engagement to continue such
enk ."
nu to complete the construction thereof within
wall lineably, a•
reasonable t. 'me as the conservators may appoint." Re-
sucht be referred to the Finance Committee to
sorted also, "That _ v resolution s and that in order to give
carry eat the foregoin, ,
if so advised,conservators, and to save the expense
effect to the wishes of th, .is e d ,
of litigatten, they be autho. toners of her
gotiations,with the Commies.
41fhts of the Cmai etsotle,ns tweroiondtsoanned-
or raison to the
Forests with reference to the i
foreshore in Birkenhead, and to a iNst the dispute as to suchNioration, it being distinCtlY
right between the Crown and the Cm , •Ne taken as without pre.. '
understood, and this resolution is to L If a satisfactory eons-
judice to the rights of the Corporation,
promise cannot beeffected."

Mr. HORSFALL seconded the motion.
' stated that the
In reply to a question, Mr. HORNBY b
rental to be derived from ground to be reek` the imed by
first line, at four per cent., would be £2,087 ;
and by the
second line the rentairat the same rate of intere.4, would
be £1,904 14s. 10d.
Mr. TOBIN did not suppose that the Council was h' P,'
to be pledged to any such scheme, and he thought it ought
to be deferred until the committee had reported on tiie
shipbuilding trade. He contended that this scheme was
founded on the principle that the land would let for ship-
building purposes, and he urged delay until the Shipbuild-
ing Committee had reported. He moved that the con-
sideration of the subject be postponed to the next monthly
meeting of the Council.

Mr. DOVER seconded the motion, and deprecated the
removal of the shipbuilding trade from Liverpool.
A very long discussion followed, a general wish being
expressed throughout for delay, which, was assented to by
Mr. Hornby ; and, after a series of amendments, it was
agreed to adjourn for a fortnight, to allow time for the
consideration of the subject.
The Council was about adjourning, when Mr. MANN
proposed that an address of condolence be presented to
her Majesty and the Duchess of Cambridge on the occasion
of the death of his 'Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge;
but, as the meeting was a special one, the subject could
not be entertained, and it was allowed to lieover until the
next monthly Council. The proceedings then terminated.

Rgrtruitural anb Illortirulture

COLUMN.

The extraordinary success which has attended the
scheme of the Royal Botanic Society, the formation of
an Exhibition Garden for American plants, is well worthy
the attention of many of our townsmen, to whom a simi.
lar speculation would be a certain source of profit.
The facilities for an undertaking of this kind, upon a
grand scale, are greater than many would suppose. In
the first place, the culture of this tribe of plants is carried
on to a great extent by our nurserymen, and would be
much increased by any encouragement of the kind, while
the patronage of the public would be certain, because once
seen, an exhibition of this kind is so gorgeous and irre-
sistibly attractive, that no person would like to omit see-
ing it, and the great influx of visitors in the spring of the
year, the season when the show would be most brilliant,
would prove the source of an immense profit.
The climate here is particularly suitable, with a little
shelter in very severe seasons, and the most fitting soil
may be had with a facility unknown in most large towns.
The way in which it would be necessary to carry out a
scheme of this kind would be, first, to find out some fit-
ting spot. There are several which would suit if permis-
sion could be granted : for instance, the reserved part of
Prince's-park or of Birkenhead-park, the Zoological
Gardens, or the beautiful grounds of Eastham Ferry
Hotel. To either of the latter places the speculation
would be invaluable. The Botanic Garden is too limited
for its present purposes, or we should have named it as
the most fitting place. Whatever place might be selected,
it would be necessary to have about half a statute acre
laid out in parterres, filled with a good depth of peat soil,
in which to plunge the ornamental plants ; the whole to
be covered with a frame-work, easily removed, and a
canvas covering to the whole. A capital suggestion was
made by a writer in that excellent publication the Gar-
dener's Magazine of Botany, dre., to have the pillars
stationary, and covered with roses and other ornamental
climbers. This could be very easily managed, and would
much increase the effect. When complete, certain por-
tions of the garden should be allotted to the various nur-
serymen, who would gladly avail themselves of this
opportunity of exhibiting their plants, and receiving
orders from purchasers.
The scheme might be carried out much further, and, if
capital was available, a conservatory might be added, laid
out in a similar way, for heaths and the beautiful hard-
wooded Australian plants. A stove aquarium might also
form a part of the exhibition, in which the glorious Vic-
toria regia, the Euryale ferox, Nelumbium speciosum,
and various Nympheas, &c., might be grown ; and we
will venture to say that, at a mere nominal expense, the
most attractive and profitable exhibition ever shown in
the tows► might be made, and would be conducive to the
interests of the nurserymen as well as the proprietors.