The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-01-06 00:00:00

stipendiarymagistr

They had thus explained tiieir

jects to the commissioners previous to submitting them t
public meeting of rate-payers—in order that all parties mii

. _
be fully acquainted with What was proposed to be done,
pass their judgment upon it. This report was signed,

Mr. PARKER asked when the public meeting was to be
held on the subject of this bill ?
Mr. I‘l ALLABY replied that he did not know, but it would
be judicious to hold it at as early a period as possible.

Mr. W. JACKSON said there- were divers reasons wh
had interfered to prevent the public meeting being hithe
held.

Mr. MALLABY, reading from a slip of paper placed in I
hands by some commissioner, said, that in that paper it w

gested b

r. Watson that a clause should be introduce
into the bill to increase the qualification of the present con
missioners from an assessment at £35 to one at £so.*

Mr. W. JACKSON thought the commissioners would be
safe in doing so.

Mr. MACLABY observed that it was not the modern prin
ciple to increase the qualification; and the present amoun

allowed a greater scope to select commissioners out of tha
that which was suggested. To consent to this suggestio
would be to introduce a provision which parliament woul,
not countenance at this time. The general qualification ii
improvement acts was in accordance with the rate under th
Birkenhead act, or something less; and parliament wouli
not consent to any increase.

Mr. PARKER thought that a £3O assessment was a sufficie
qualification for a seat at that board...
.. _

Mr. W. JACKSON said that as p-arliament assembled next
month, no time should be lost in completing the bill. There
were various reasons why it had not yet been laid before a
public meeting; but no time would now be lost in doing so.
Mr. APPLETON inquired at what period it was intended to
submit the bill to the public ?
_ _

Mr. MALLAI3Y replied that the draft would be ready at
any time; but, perhaps, the commissioners might think it
right to submit first to the meeting the general principles
which they proposed to adopt. After that had been done,
and as soon as the bill was printed, let it be laid before the
inhabitants, of whom another meeting should be held, for
their approval ; because he considered that the draft of a bill
was not so accessible to be read by the public as a document
ought to be which was to have the public consideration.
The general measure should first be submitted to the public
for their approval ; if approved, let the bill be printed and
copies furnished for the consideration of the commissioners
as well as of the public. He felt that it was a mere delusion
to submit a large draft only to a public assembly.

111 r. J ACKSON—You would give the public full o
portunity of examining the bill?

Mr. MALLABY said this—when the principle had been
approved, let the bill go before the House of Commons, and
be printed ; then before going into committee let the entire
bill be again placed before the public for their consideration,
so that any alterations which they required could be made be-
fore going into committee.

Mr. WfM. JACKSON observed that one great objection to
the bill he found arose from the clause compelling landlords
to pay the rates upon cottage property.
Mr. PARKER hoped the commissioners were not about dis-
cussing the merits and demerits of the bill now.
Mr. Wm. JACKSON said he opened this question now
merely with the view of ascertaining whether it would not be
policy for the commissioners to meet the parties who opposed
this clause prior to the public meeting.
Mr. GREEN thought that was understood already.
Mr. Wm. JACKSON said not as to cottage owners. The
commissioners, he thought, should consider whether they
ought not to meet them.
The CHAIRMAN suggested that the committee might do so
if they chose.

Mr. MALLABY added, that there could be no objection to
the committee explaining their views to those parties.
Mr. Wm. JACKSON had alluded to this subject because it
was possible that some plan might be hit upon which would
prevent the cottage owners' opposition.
The CHAIRMAN repeated, that that was a subject solely
for the consideration of the Parliamentary Committee.
Mr. W. JACKSON then moved that a pub.ic meeting of
the inhabitants he held, in the Town-hall, for the considera-
tion of the whole bill, at seven o'clock on the evening of Fri-
day, the 13th instant.
Mr. COLE seconded the motion, and it was carried unani-
mously.

PROPOSED STIPENDIARY MAGISTRATE

Mr. MALLABY said the commissioners must now say what
course they would take upon the subject of the appointment
of a stipendiary magistrate. They must decide on this matter
before the public meeting was held.
Mr. FRY inquired whether the appointment of a stipendiary
magistrate would not entail considerable expense on the
township ?
Mr. MALL ABY.—Yes, necessarily.
Mr. STANSFIELD suggested that the object of such a clause
being inserted in the bill was prospective; that, when the
town became populous, and a stipendiary magistrate was ne-
cessary, they should not then have to go to Parliament for
the power.
Mr. Wm. JACKSON.—Certainly.
Mr. PARKER said it had struck him that the period when
they were applying for a charter of incorporation was the
proper time to ask for a stipendiary magistrate.
Mr. APPLETON contended that this attempt was premature.
It was only the other day that Liverpool itself had applied
for a stipendiary magistrate. Besides, they had already law,
logic, and divinity upon the bench, willing and able to attend
to the administration of justice in Birkenhead, and surely
that was sufficient without incurring great and needless
expense.
Mr. Wm. JACKSON said this measure had been brought
forward in order that every thing considered necessary might
be included in one bill. Several matters had already been
withdrawn from the bill, for which, perhaps, there was no
necessity yet; but concerning this, he felt that as the town
went on increasing there would, in a few years, be an absolute
necessity for it, and, therefore, he must press upon the com-
missioners the propriety of their proceeding in this case.
Mr. LAYCOCK said the principal reason for the recom-
mendation of this measure arose from a knowledge of the
fact, that the administration of justice in Birkenhead was
frequently inefficient. A resident magistrate would be the
only means of remedying that defect. At present it happened
frequently that the constable had to lose his time in running
up
aft up and down looking for a magistrate ; sometimes •
had gone four or five miles after one the gentleman would
r
found,
not be at home ; then he had to come back, and runsLx e
and
seven miles after another, who might not be
htlirsusetrhraencdo.n constable had
ahsadvetoryrentuecrenswsairtyh,outthhearevfionr.gea,cceoitrnheprlisthheadt
diary there should be more magistrates, or that a stipendiary
re would . betd great,d
thnaon
mightma-
gistrate b
be
regularly should b e appointed,
speedilyn orderdealt.
out.tha tcommonewnasd justicee nt
that the expense of a stipendiary ma
and for that reason the Parliamentary
feel themselves justified in going further intosthaeckmnaotwelerdged
raenpdo
said
at
ig:ittrCawoam m_ itte e. did
han
wasT he statedc ttAi ;IR theAtA CHAIRMAN
ctiewonf
rose,
,titplaptoianttm present
eiit
as they e
stipendiary
t t nap
magistrate.ositiona
xvntoa
in the course of a few years to make such hlatasetkramftoii ogi nhstau occurins
necessary was a different question altogether; the place