The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-11-12 00:00:00

MEETING OF THE TOWN COUNCIL.

aaturday, at twelve o'clock, the first meeting of the
flew Town Council took place at the Town Hall.
ELECTION OF MAYOR.
The MAYOR said that it was hardly necessary for him
to inform the Council that their business was to elect a
.0140 r for the ensuing year.
toa G. H. LAWRENCE then rose and said he begged
Propose, as candidate for that office Mr. Alderman
Games Lawrencea gentleman who had 'bad the honour
„to: seat in the Council ever since the municipal corpora-
Zeus; act came into operation; and be thought he might
the Inn that during the heat of political excitement which
p I:1 prevailed, Mr. Lawrence was then elected by bOth
d'erties' Whig and Tory, as a Councillor for Great
ch°!ge•s Ward, and that he had discharged his duties as
credit 14"
0. ap-
probation of
of the Watch Committee not only with great
pro.at to himself, but by so doing he had gained the ap-
his colleagues in the Council, and he believed
url, the public at large. (Hear.) He (Mr. Lawrence)
he ight Speak from his own observation on that subject, but
(Hear.) Preferred rather to'refer to a vote of the Watch Corn-
( tittee, which had been read at the last meeting of Council.
He (Mr. Lawrence) had therefore every confi-
anetcre that Alderman Lawrence would preserve the rights
chiefivileges of the Corporation, and in his character of
th magistrate would maintain its dignity. He bad,
theereefore, great pleasure in proposing him as Mayor for
Timing year. (Cheers.)
wi ASPIIVALL seconded the proposition, which he did
tun great satisfaction, as, from the zeal and ability Mr.
14,wrehne had exhibited in his career in the Watch Corn-
thi:teee, be
could Council,
recommend himto
the consideration of
Zeal enneti, because he would fill the duties of Mayor with
ua and intelligence, for the good of the town at large.
,;`,4as, moreover, a great contributor to the different
;1111°11In
of ; and be was sure be would devote the
cants e °f his time and ability to the interest of the inhabi-
. He second d the nomination
e
al'auld•
• HODGSON said he did not know whether he
be be out of course in making an observation, but
th ght it was a question in which every member of
t
h
e Council might with great propriety express his opi-
then. He thought it was better, then, to inquire how
e detail of the mayoralty would be conducted rather
than make observations at the period of its close, which
t gut, in some measure, seem rather to partake of flat-
tuery than sound judgment, but when they had an oppor-
,,uitY of stating what they really believed, and what bad
member
under their observation as to the conduct of a
of the Council, it was only right to give expres-
sion to it. He believed that Mr. Alderman Lawrence,
vilio had from the first maintained all those principles
which were dear to the great majority of the Council,
Zhould not waver in his conduct, but continue to support
bitc".Principles, whilst at the same time he would exhi-
just consideration for those who differed with him.
e had, therefore, great pleasure in supporting the elec-
tor. Lawrence. (Cheers.)
fle motion being put and carried unanimously, Mr.
I.. Sands then resigned the keys of his office to Mr. Law-
e. and complimented him upon his appointment.
dr he MAYOR having then taken the usual oaths, ad-
times the Council as follows :—He returned thanks for
fe,:ru,igh and distinguished honour the Council had con-
wiP upon him •, an honour of which he felt proud, and
eh he assured them he could appreciate as much as
tat'Y oue could do. He had had a seat in that Council for
irl Years, and during that period he had discharged the
duties Jud of his office to the best of his abilities, and with
',went, faithfulness, and zeal, and he trusted that in
d new office he should continue to do so. In order to
et? that he must ask the aid and support of the members
conductheouncil and with that aid he trusted he should
se the business of he Council with credit to him-
s. to (4 and to the satisfaction of the community at large.
ne:sPlanee.) His worship then said that the next busi-
supply the places of the retiring Aldermen.
goeL,-HOMA.B BRANCKER.—Mr. Mayor, I wish you
for t,-440rein.-.
[Sir Thomas here left the room, merely
tion,": Purpose of remaining outside while his own elec-
'wereellithat of others in the place of retiring AldernAldermen,the exg Proceeded with. We may remark, that, with
retiriceri°,l of the Mayor Sir Thomas was the only
Thepc_lderrnan present.]
and oa tj'lnneil then proceeded to the election of aldermen
declared %voting papers being duly examined, the Mayor
"here bei •"e following gentlemen unanimously elected,
kzaaYor),ngsinr° ether nominations :—Mr. James Lawrence
Mr. Jot, Thomas Brancker, Mr. David Hodgson,
Swain un Sh Leigh, Mr. Thomas Sads, Mr. Anthony
Mraw . Thomas Berry Horsfall nand Mr. William
et Ittishb
41.• ty
Thomas B
.
rancker and Mr. Anthony Swainson were e•
_. ushered into the room by Mr. B
rkett. All the
7;w:37-elected Aldermen, with the exception of Messrs.
• sfall and Bushby, who were not in attendance, here
k the usual declaration, and had their signatures at-
tested by Mr. John Holmes and Mr. Hugh Hornby.

s

APPOINTMENT OF TOWN-CLERK.
Sir THOMAS BRANCKER said be tose to propose a gen-
tl,erhan to fill the vacant office of Town-Clerk, whose
election he trusted would be met with unanimous appro-
bation. (Hear.) He (Sir T. Brapcker,) might state
that he bad the good fortune of introducing the gentleman
'w,tts_aliout to proirse into the service of the borough.
oetieved it was his casting vote, as magistrate, which
appointed him clerk to the magistrates, and from that
-the the present he had felt increasing satisfaction at
vote he then gave ; for every year had satisfied him
byand
g„„. more of the talent, zeal, and ability displayed
r 'via% Shuttleworth. (Hear, hear.) He (Sir T.
trnwrnoaenKeekaerrs) andbad ao.nly been a member of the Council for
both hereof the
ed
in half, but during that period, he had seen
business performed by the Town-Clerk,
London; and without referring to what
fallepast,e would say a very undue share of labour had
Those n on tee shoulders of Mr. Shuttleworth. (Hear.)
wo gentlemen who had been on deputations to London
_n he thought, vouch for Mr. Shuttlewortb's tact
:I .talent in the parliamentary business connected with
tfa borough. He (Sir Thomas Brancker) had been there
fretlnenilY, and could say that Mr. Shuttleworth's anxiety
t_oer the welfare of this Corporation, and his diligence and
ireverance in performing his duties, were above all praise.
1417' hear.) He would not longer detain the Council,
To egged to move that Mr. Shuttleworth be appointed
re4nf-aCuleenrk, with a salary of £2,000 a-year. (Cheers.)
bad ' J°llN SHAW LEIGH fully concurred in all that
from Sir Thomas Brancker, and had great
ii\aisti.ire in seconding his proposition.
wish 13wm4LEY-MoottE remarked that be did not
he to raise
any opposition to Mr. Shuttlewortb, whom
Towe76ol,`", considered a fit and proper person to fill the office of
ti but he wished to know what was the inten-
T°n tne Council as to a separation of the office of
-mn-Clerk, Prosecuting Solicitor, and Clerk of the
vote e, because that would make some difference as to his
the question of salary.
M Moore was speaking, Mr. Horsfall, one
of the r'
newt -elected Aldermen, here entered the room
"lid loud cheers, and was introduced by Mr. Hodgson.
tasubsequent stage of the proceedings, the former gen-
t ,„
e`-ln took the usual declaration.]
Mr. LACE suggested that Mr. Shuttleworth should be
Permitted to be present, as there did not appear to be any
°PPosition to his appointment, which was agreed to.
Mr. Amu,/ and several Councillors rose to speak to a
Point of form, as to the question of dividing the offices,
.1111°,11 which Sir Thomas Brancker agreed to amend as
&ows:—" That Mr. Shuttleworth be appointed Town-
"lc of this borough and Solicitor to the Corporation
With
to a salary of £2,000 a year, with the necessary clerks
oral discharge of the duties."
He r'.l:luAmiwz-MooRE rose to propose an amendment.
~ wished to have a proper division of labour. If the
T'4o°...se_c_bthig erge
'nto the
solicitor's office be made to m
ffi
an Clerk, the duties of both would not be e ment y
Is Properly discharged ; and in support of this position
latee eed only state the increase which bad taken place of
Yars. In 1837, the number of prosecutions was 353,
puF in. 1843 they had increased to 614. A committee ap-
:_inted to investigate the duties of the paid officers had
tide a report to this council recommending a division
labour. (Hear, hear.) The reception of that report
sa: moved by Sir Thomas Brancker. and received the
otion of the Council. Mr. H. Lawrence had also
Alapiressed a warm approval of the scheme, and only corn-
Tlghned that the committee had treated the subject as it
, to be, and not as it really existed. The lamented
n'ahtu of the late Town-clerk had now given them aen
otiiitertnnitY of treating the subject as it ought to b
the be should, in support of his own opinions, remark
Vont the scheme had received the most direct approba-
the IT the late Town-Clerk. Mr. Shuttleworth also,
sßtibtje—etePutY Town-Clerk, had given his opinion on this
„ and he thought that that opinion ought to have
linral7'gbt with the Council on the present occasion. Mr.
wort-h;e3T-Moore then read extracts from Mr, Shuttle-
s statement, in which he said that it vacs absolutely
which that some arrangement should be made by
ltent 411 some person should alwa b in the office compe-
.o,:° advise and confer ; and that, from his experience.
froZa!,of opinion that the principal ought to be relieved.
reci-i "le details of business, and employ himself in di-
g I\ll others, and seeing those directions carried out ;
then Shuttleworth had also declared that the scheme
then proposed—the scheme which he (Mr. Moore) was
deofspztauvoeating—was the best that could be possibly
shall , He moved, as an amendment, "That there
to the e toree distinct appointments of different persons.
arid Laces of Town. Clerk, of Solicitor of Prosecutions
rng, and of the Clerk of the Peace."
itsilAw seconded the amendment.
Clerk' A. LACE said no such office as Deputy Towil-
cipsi or Prosecuting Solicitor,_ was named in the mum-
eatio at,•,.• and as to such an officer having all the prose-
the ally solicitor in the town chose to look after
To-'ecutions, he might take every one from the
wn•hall
Mr •
Prose,' k.'normuwortrn said the way in which all the
eonu.tions
were given to the Prosecuting Solicitor, was
efficersslinenee of the magistrates binding over the chief
vtinonttin:o:;olice to prosecute ; and then the latter func-
Mr:Aonsidted the Prosecuting Solicitor.
altvrT said the present was the proper time for
effici "le legal office f the Corporation-on a mi:Tt
ent footin rs o
`lacers c g; As to the recommendations of the Paid
state oiunaittee, they were given under a.very different
f • things to what now existed ; and it. was hardly
(111rr.ittliem now to be tied to those sentiments. He
bosine-'-'ukett) had had a good deal to do with the legal
the bet! (if the Town-hall ; and he was quite satisfied that
betteie_leer.Plan was, to have one head over the whole, with
ad 'sat under him. (Hear, hear.) Any one who
Years n the Finance Committee during the last two
was
the
convinced that the proposition now made.
no w"ii.o tho better plan. As Mr. Shuttleworth might
onsidered as the Town Clerk, he thought he
...4'.u.',t_lertlisr be asked what his opinion on the subject now
t.l,_ur, hear.)
ine3a trr I'lB
!Int ItGthsoN 1
ear Irs:a_hid,t,ha that,envdh ehabveilniegvtehdeignresaatyeisntgcsoonfibdeewncaes
in the very atmosphere of feeling in that the Hearcil, sel.ear
in aposition to deal with
with ..123reet with the utmost ,• and he disagreed
'32 • Birkett as to the propriety of asking Mr. Shut-

tleworth the question proposed, particularly in a matter
where salary was concerned. He should not have taken
any part in the debate if he thought it involved legal con-
siderations ; but, in his opinion, it was obvious to com-
mon sense that, if, the great concerns of the Corporation
of Liverpool were to be properly managed, they must
always have some authorized person bearing the name.
He could not consent to act under the authority of a
person who was not fully recognised by the Council itself.
He believed that the Town-clerk must frequently-be in
London. He was sorry to foresee that he must be more
in town than ever, for the Council were troubled with
questions regarding their property which would require
attention in Parliament. Whilst he (Mr. Hodgson) was
an economist, so far as economy could be consistently
carried, he was, nevertheless, of opinion, that the Council
must afford to pay for those duties which were necessary
for the preservation of the property and right government
of the Council, irrespective of the amount. He was of
opinion that the best course they could pursue would be
to continue their late sub-division of officers, and to ap-
point in addition, a Clerk of the Peace.
Mr. LACE agreed with the view taken by Mr. Birkett.
The only argument advanced in favour of having a Deputy
Town-clerk appeared to be this : that his services would
be required in case of the absence of the Town-clerk in
London ;. not that the Town-clerk, with able assistants,
could not conduct the machinery of the Corporation, but
that we should be at a loss when he was absent from town.
Now he (Mr. Lace) hoped the Council would not have
occasion to go to London for two or three years hence.
Liverpool, he could assure them, was at a great discount
in the metropolis,—(" hear, hear !" from Sir Thomas
Brancker.)—and he certainly hoped they would keep
away for two or three years. They were not, therefore,
called upbn to provide a remedy for what was to occur
every month or every year, but for what might occur once
in two or three years. (Hear.) It was agreed upon all
bands that they were to have a separate officer as Clerk of
the Peace ; and the gentleman selected to fill that office
would be fully competent to advise the Mayor in the ab-
sence of the Town-clerk. No one would be offered for
the office of Deputy Town-clerk or Clerk of the Peace
without being fully competent ; and, if this were so, the
greatest difficulty would be overcome and the stongest
objection removed. There was in reality no such office
as Deputy Town-clerk and Prosecuting Solicitor con-
templated by the Municipal Act, and the only way in
which prosecutions were kept in one hand was by a kind
of collusion with the magistrates. The Town-clerk
was the party responsible for all the documents of the
Corporation which legally were in his possession, and if,
by electing a Deputy Town-clerk, these documents were
allowed to go out of his possession, they might be de-
stroyed by such deputy, yet the Town-clerk alone was
responsible. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. NORTH was also in favor of the original motion.
The main argument in favor of the amendment entirely
failed, for it was alleged that there would, if the original
motion were carried, be no responsible head at home,
whereas it was intended to have a separate officer as
Clerk of the Peace, who would be quite competent to ad-
vise the Mayor, and perform the duties of Town-clerk in
his absence. (Hear, hear.) He concluded by paying a
high compliment to the talents of Mr. Shuttleworth, and
expressed his intention of supporting the original motion.
(C Leers.)
Mr. BUSHELL remarked that the theories of Mr. Lace
and Mr. North differed from their practice. They agreed
that the business should be performed under the direction
of one head, and that all the officers should be subordi-
nate to that head. Now, on looking at the directory he
found that the chief law firms in Liverpool consisted of
two, three, and four persons. Mr. Bushell read over the
names of a number of firms, and finished by quoting last,
but not least, " Ambrose Lace, Joshua Lace, Myers,
Rigge, and Roscoe." And in what differed private
from public business? What was good in one case was
good in another case. Mr. Bushell then referred to the
different statements of approval made by the late Town-
clerk and the Deputy-clerk, and concluded by supporting
the division of the offices.
A conversation then ensued respecting the report to
which allusions had been made, and the motives of the
Council at that time in appointing the committee.
Mr. SHUTTLEWORTH said that, from what had passed,
it would appear that he had, at that time, made state-
ments which now he was ready to disclaim. He therefore
wished it to be understood that the question on which
the report was given was, as to whether there should be a
Town-clerk and a Deputy, or a Town-clerk and a borough
solicitor. If the Council determined to have two officers,
he trusted they would appoint a deputy, and not an officer
totally independent of the Town-clerk.
Mr. H. HORNBY recommended the postponement of
the question.
The Council divided, when there appeared, for the
amendment, 20; against it, 32. The amendment was,
consequently, lost. The following members voted in the
division :

For: Messrs. D. Hodgson, R. B. Hill, C. S. Middle-
ton, J. A. Tinne, R. S. Henderson, J. Sothern, T. Roy-
den, C. Bushell, J. Procter, J. Kilshaw, R. Rigby, J.
B. Lloyd, R. Jones, R. L. Jones, J. Parker, 3. Plump-
ton, R. Harbord, J. Sheppard, R. Houghton, J. Bram-
ley-Moore.
Against: Messrs. T. Shaw, W. Thornhill, R. Hough-
ton, J. Brancker, T. Chalmer, T. Blackburn, W. Pres-
ton, J. North, J. Aikin, H. Hornby, J. Holmes, J. Stew-
art, T. Toulmin, W. Fawcett, J. Aspinall, G. G. Hornby,
W. Birkett, J. N. Wood, J. Pemberton, T. Kave, J.
Hornby, G. H. Lawrence, J. S. Leigh, T. T. Glazebrook,
A. Lace, W. Mann, Sir T. Brancker, J. H. Turner, R.
S. Crook, T. Chilton, the mayor, A. Swainson.
Mr. MOORE then moved, as another amendment, that,
for the present, the salary of the Town-clerk be £1,500
a year.
Mr. TINNE seconded this amendment.—(Cries of
" Vote !")
Mr. PLUMPTON asked whether he was to under-
stand, that, out of the £1,500, the Town-clerk was to
provide his own clerk ?
Several voices, " No, No!"
Mr. NORTH put it to Mr. Moore whether he would
persevere with his amendment ?
Mr. MOORE said he thought it necessary so to do. He
should not enter into any reasons beyond this, that he did
not think that an incoming Town-clerk ought to come in
on a maximum salary. He thought that if they com-
menced at £1,500 and saw how he got on that they might
hereafter have it raised.
Sir THOS. BRANCKER said, that, in the Reform Coun-
cil, the sum of £2,500 a year had been recommended for
the Town-clerk. That sum had been suggested by a great
economist, Mr. William Rathbone, a very honourable,
straight-forward man, although they differed from him in
politics. The recommendation, however, was notadopted ,
because of the heavy annuity to Mr. Foster, the previ-
ous Town-clerk. Why the new Town-clerk was to be
worth less money than the last he (Sir Thomas) could not
understand.
Mr. BLACKBURN said he had been a member of the
Council when the first Town-clerk was appointed, and
that he was an advocate for giving him £2,500 a-year.
He thought the man who had the talent to discharge the
duties of such an office deserved £2,500 ; but, in addition
to this, Mr. Shuttleworth was not a new man. On the
contrary, he was a tried man and a known man, and de-
served £2,500 a-year. (Hear, hear!) His (Mr. Black-
burn's) opinion was, that the Corporation should have the
first talent the town afforded, and that the talent should
be properly remunerated. (Hear, hear!)
Mr. AIKIN said he was one of those individuals who
did not think it right to be exceedingly liberal at the
public expense. He knew of no one so well qualified to
fill the situation of Town-clerk as Mr. Shuttleworth, nor
one for whom he had a greater esteem ; but the raising of
his salary from £lOOO to £1,500 a year was a good be-
ginning, and he (Mr. Aikin) did not think he should be
either extremely paltry or contemptible if he submitted a
motion to that effect. They should recollect that Mr.
Radcliffe, when appointed to the office, was at the head of
the best legal business in the town, and that they had to
induce such a man to take the position. The case at
present was quite different; arid he must say that £1,500
a year, when he compared it with the salary paid to the
stipendiary magistrate or the salaries paid to some of the
legal authorities of the land, or the judges on the bench,
was by no means so paltry and contemptible a thing.—
(Hear, hear !)
Mr. TURNER contended that what had been said about
the stipendiary magistrate was not by any means anala-
gnus to the case of the Town-clerk. Surely Mr. Aikin
did not wish to compare the duties of the two. Mr.
Rushton► had no wear and tear of the mind such as Mr.
Shuttleworth would have to undergo. The latter could
not go home at night without thinking of the duties of
his office; whereas Mr. Rushton might go without having
any care whatever on his mind. He (Mr. Turner)
thought that £2,000 a year was not at all too much, par-
ticularly when the Council considered the claims made on
an officer in such a situation. He was called upon to
subscribe and entertain; and surely a gentleman in such a
situation ought to be able to lay by something for his fa-
mily. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. LACE observed, that when the late Town-clerk re-
tired from the office of Radcliffe and Duncan he was ena-
bled to make provision for his son. Mr. Radcliffe had
told him (Mr. Lace) that, if he had any idea of the labour
of the Town-clerkship, he should not have undertaken it
for £3,000 a-year. He (Mr. Lace) knew no man in
town more capable of taking the office or discharging its
duties efficiently than Mr. Shuttleworth. He had seen
Mr. Shuttleworth's mode of conducting business in
London, and it was most admirable. They could not
give him more than he was worth.
Mr. PARKER said he was a trustee for the burgesses of
Liverpool, and that there was an excellent old adage of
"be just before you are generous." He thought if they
began with £1,500 a year they should be doing very well;
and with all due respect for Mr. Shuttlewortb, whom he
warmly congratulated on his appointment to the Town.
clerkship, be should support the amendment.
Mr. HODGSON said he should not be the man to split
on a question of £4OO or £5OO, seeing that Mr. Shuttle-
worth was to be the Town-Clerk and that there was the
greatest confidence in that gentleman's talents and in-
tegrity. But, at the same time, he (Mr. Hodgson)
should like to have some understanding that the Council
were not to be called upon for additional expenses for
additional clerks. They were to understand that the
£2,000 was to be the covering price, and that this was
not the getting in of the wedge. With this view he
should vote with great pleasure for the £2,000.
Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE fully concurred in all that had
been said respecting Mr. Shuttleworth's great zeal and
ability, believing that he most entirely deserved it. He
was anxious to have it understood by Mr. Parker that the
proposal now about to be carried out would be productive
of considerable saving to the corporate estate. There
would, for instance, be the saving of the salary of a
Deputy Town-clerk ; and, though they proposed to bring
in a Prosecuting-clerk—(" No, no,' " Yes, yes,")—to
assist Mr. Shuttleworth in carrying on the prosecutions,
yet this was a party to whom some £2OO or £3OO a year
only would have to be paid. In the end they would save
some hundreds a year and carry on the establishment far
more efficiently than at present.—(Hear, hear!)