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

town on that point ; I t,drik there would be a vast majo-
rite in favour of Mr. Rushton (hear, hear.)
MR. ADAM HODGSON expressed his sincere regret that
for the first time these sort or personalities seemed to have
been introduced among them. lie earnestly hoped that
gentlemen would remember the office they held, and the
respect they claimed front the town at large, and that
they would c-ilmly and quietly discuss the varir-us mat-
ters before them without indulling in personalities. Mr.
Rushton had asked their sanction for withdrawing part
of the proceedings of the last mee'ing. and he thought
him entitled to it; but, again, he hoped that personalities
would not be renewed, and that their proceedings would
henceforward be conducted with becoming care and
dignity.
Mr. D. Honosorr denied that he had referred to Mr.
Rushton. Mr. Rushton, he said, had appropriated to
himself what was applied to the whole body of magis-
trates; and he (Mr. Hodgson) shLuld act always as he
heli ved to be right. irrespective of any party. Whether
he pleased or displeased he did not • care. He was not
going to be personal beyond what the s!ate of facts justi-
fied, but Mr. Rushton most egregiously over-rated him-
self and his position if he fancied for one moment that he
would overawe him (Mr. Hodgson.) He had sat with
Mr. Rushton in the discharge of magisterial duty, and
should sit with him again, irrespective of what occurred
there. N, thing that Mr. Rushton had said should affect
his conduct—nut one straw.
Ma. RUSHTON.—The less you say of Mr. Rushton,
the better, if you plase.
Mr. HORNBY rem rked that Mr. Rushton was per-
fectly justified in altering a technical mistake in the reso-
lution ; and lie added that the resolution of the Watch
Committee h'd been-drawn caretully in such a way as to
avoid all off,nce to the tusgistrates.
Mr. Dowling having entered the room whilst Mr
nby was speaking, was examined by Mr. Rushton as
follows :
Mr. RUSTITON.—I wish to ask you a question about the
magistrates. It has been represented here that you state
you were threatened with dismissal if you did not read the
resolution to the poli:e-force before going before the
Watch Committee.

Mr. Dowling.-1 have never made any such assertion.
.Mr. I). HOOGSON.—liave you not stated to the mein-
hers of the Watch Committee, and to Mr. Thompson,
what passed between you and Mr. Rushton—that he did
threaten you with calling the magistrates together if you
did not read that resolution, and that you anticipated con-
sequent dismissal ?
Mr. Dowling.z--1 sta'ed what I state now, that Mr.
Ru‘hton told me unl,ss I read those orders, agreeably
to the instructions or the magistrates, he would call a
meeting of the magi.trate,
Mr. D. lionnsoN.— Did you state no inference?

Mr. Dowline.—No, sir.
Mr. D. HODGSON.— Did you not state before the Watch
Committer, that that was the same thing as your dis-
missal ?

Mr. Dowling• —I never recollect having so stated.

Mr. D. HODGSON.—Have you not stated that to Mr.
Th,nmpson ?
Mr. Dov,ling.—l possibly might have stated that the
mselorates had power to dismiss me.

Mr. D II oncsow.—Did you not state you considered
that as a threat ? —that if you did not obey, that that
would he the con.equence ?

Mr. Dowling.—l have never gone beyond stating—and
I prnhahly did state—that the magistrates had the power
of dismissing tee if they thought proper.
Mr. D. HODGSON.—Have you anticipated that as a re-
sult ?—have you stated .o or not ?
Mr. Dowling.—No, I have not.

Mr. D. HODGSON.—Did yon ask Mr. Rushton's per-
mission to submit these resolutions to the Watch Com-
mittee

Mr. Dowling.—l did ; and Mr. Pushton told me I was
not to eo so, but to read them to the force as the order of
the magistrates.

Mr. b. H ODGSON.—Did he tell you what he would do
if you would not?
Mr. Dowling.—That is, if I did not read them, he
would call the magictrates together

Mr. D. H ODGS(;N.—ltecollect ihat you have g;ven evi-
dence before the Watch Committee.

Mr. Dowling.—He said, if I did not read them he
would call the magistrates toge.her.
Mr. RUSHTON.—Did you come into this room and ask
my advice because you were placed between two fires,—
whether you should submit the resolution to the Watch
Committee before reading it to the police force? I said.
no, go and fulfil the magistrates' orders—that is my
advice." Did anything pass that would lead you to be-
lieve I had a hostile feeling, or that I exercised any threat,
or held nut any inducement?
Mr. Dowling.—No.
Mr. RUSHTON —Yon see, Mr. Mayor, the imputation
attempted to he cast mum me is perfectly untrue.
Mr. D. IlonosoN said he would pledge his honor that
Mr. Dowling had stated, he considered that if he hid
read those orders without consulting the Watch Commit-
tee, he should be called before the magistrates, and he
anticipated dismissal.
Mr. Dowling here appealed to Mr. Hornby as to what
had passed in Vie Watch Committee.
Mr. HORNBY said most distinctly he had not heard
Mr. D.iwling say before the committee that any threat
had been used. He was not aware that he ever stated
that his impression was that it would lead to a dismissal.
After some further remarks of a somewhat personal na-
ture from Messrs. Rathbone, Brown, and Earle, Mr.
Hodgson left the room.

Tne resolution was then carried unanimously ; and on
the motion of Mr. ADAM HODGSON, sPconded by Mr.
BOLTON, it was unanimously resolved, " that the magis-
trates cons'der that Mr. Rushton exercised a sound dis-
crttion, in authorising Mr. Dowling to omit the in-
sertion in the general order book of the police-force
of the minutes of the magistrates at their last meet-
ing."
A vote of thanks was moved to the mayor, for his con-
duct as wesidinz magistrate, and his worship, in reply,
briefly acknowledged the compliment.

The meeting then separated, being occupied nearly two
hours.

DOCK COMMITTEE MEETING ON THURSDAY

There were presen•—Mr. Moore (in the chair), and
Messrs. Nicol, Middleton, Chilton, Wood, Henderson,
Mann, Aikin, Royden. Tobin, Bold, Moon, Sandhar!h,
Kendall, Evans, and Ripley. It was agreed to ler 4000
yard+ of land on the west side of Brunswick Dock, at
Is. 6d. a yard yearly, to Messrs. Hodgson and Co., for
shipbuilding, until they could procure another site—Pfia-
session to be given up at any time on six months' notice.
A letter was read from Mr. T. Wilson, accepting the
terms upon which the committee agreed to let him the
lan I required for a ship-building yard at the Brunswick
Dock, but expressing a hope that he might be allowed
compensation tor the build ngs he might erect, or be per-
mitted to re-l-ase the land for the same purpose. A dis-
cussion ensued, the result of which wa, that the committee
had no power pith re-leasing. On the motion of Mr.
Nicol, the standing orders before discussed were adopted,
to t,e consi4ered in detail in a fortnight. The receipts of
dock and light dues at Runcorn for the last month were
£52,000 14s. 6d., beltz an increase of £6 Ils. 2d., as
compared with the corresponding month last year.

THE SUB-COMMITTEE OF WORKS.
Mr. EVANS said, in effect, that when he was elected
into that committee he was in Ireland, and his conduct
was arraigned at the meeting as a justification of removing
him from the sub-committee of works. The excuse was,
that he was opposed to dock extension ; and what if he
were ? If he were convinced that he ought to do so in
degree at the time at which it was proposed, it was his
duty to do so. He never did oppose dock extension alto-
gether. He had opposed docks at the south, because he
considered it for the advantage of the dock estate to do so.
With regard to the north, he thought it premature to apply
to Parliament this year ; but he had it always in contem-
plation that the Dock Committee should construct a
large dock at the north ; and indeed he himself was the
main suggester and negotiator for the purchase of the
land, with a vice to its being so appropriated hereafter.
Hi•• opposition to whit he conceived the premature con.
struction of docks in that quarter did not render him ioca-
pabie or unwilling to do his duty and carry out what was
ultimately resolved on. So much otherwise ind ed was
the fact, that the only improvements in the plans officially
adopted were made by Mr. Akin and himself. He re-
ferred to Mr. Hart'ey. whe her the halt-tide basin which
was added had not been suggested by him.
Mr. HARTLEY said he believed that was Mr. Evans's
suggestion.

Mr.
Mr. EVANS said he bad thus shown his willingness to
work on that committee, and his ability to be of u-e in the
executive of dock n anagement. His past conduct had
received the approbation and sanction of the rate-payers,
the merchants of Liverpool, at d the constituents of the
committee. His election should have p'a.,•ed his past con-
duct out of view, and absolved him from their hostility.
He was not there for the furtheraece of any private views
of interest, but the accredited and honoured representa-
tive of the ratepayers and merchants. With one excep-
tion. he believed, he was the oldest member of that com-
mittee—certainly the oldest of the committee of works, at
the formation of which he assisted. The ratepayers had
had his conduct and views before them for nine years, and
it was with a- full keowle •ge of these that he had been
elected without any interference of his own. When they
flew in the face of that constituency, in order to disgrace
one of the members of that committee, they were at issue
with the public; and they were on their trial, and not he
on his. It might be said that that committee had a right
to choose their own sub-committee, but that would not
get them out of their dilemma, for they would he judged
by the public not according to what they had a legal right
to do, but what they were morally bound to do. On the
part of those who sent him there, he claimed that station
which he had had in the committee in former years, and
from which he had been improperly removed. To remove
him from an executive committee, where he bad acted
a useful part, to a mere negative committee (the fi,.anc ,),
was an aggravation of the insult which had been offered to
the ratepayers and merchants who had returned him into
that committee by an overwhelming mjority, in the ex-
pectation that he would he there to attend to their inte-
rests with unimpaired efflei,ncy. If he were not on the
committee of works, it was impossible he could perform
tbhee
rdeuintisetsatewdhich the public expected. He concluded by
reiterating his protest against the conduct of the corn-
Mltee with regard to him, and making a distinct claim to
station. ,by some means or other, in his proper

Mr. RIPLEY regretted that he had not been present at
the last meeting to jon the minority, as no good rea,on
had been shown why Mr. Evans should be removed from
the sub-committee of works.
Mr. MOON expressed the same feeling.
Mr. Nicot was glad Mr. Evans now thought the rate-
payers and merchants an important body. for he recol-
lected him speaking of them as Mae leas than a fugitive
body, in which he Mr. N. differed from i.im. After noti-
cing the hard .-xpres-inns of M r. E., such as " violent and
unjustifiable," " insult to the rate-payers," &c., he came