The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-09-26 00:00:00

SALE OF PART OF THE CHESHIRE ESTATE

The second subject was for the sale, for 75 years, of land
in Cheshire to Mr. John Laird, (ordered to be take❑ into
consideration at the special council.)
Mr. GEORGE HALL LAWRENCE having brought the
proceedings of the Finance Committee under considera-
tion, to which proceedings the sale of this land was re-
commended,
Mr. H ODGSON proposed that the Council resolve itself
into a committee, and was seconded by Mr. PROCTER.
Mr. HORNBY said the course would be not only un-
usual, but a bad precedent. It would lead to great incon-
venience, if the Council were to go into committee on
subjects every time a member thought fit to move it, every
member might speak as often as he thought fit, and there
would be no end to the debate.
Mr. BUSHELL said he should be willing for the debate
to go on according to the usual rule, providing Mr. Law
rence stated in detail the reasons of the Finance Committee
for urging this sale.
Mr. BIRKETT said Mr. Lawrence had done so at the
last meeting, therefore, he thought, if Mr. Lawrence
were to go over the whole matter again, he had better read
his former speech from one of the newspapers.
After some further conversation, the Council voted on
the motion of Mr. Hodgson, by simply standing up, when
there appeared for the committee !8, against it 22.
Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE proceeded to recapitulate all
the reasons which he advanced at the last Council, in fa-
vour of selling the land in question to Mr. Laird. The
land had cost the Corporation much money, the price
offered was a good one, Mr. Laird had now a twenty-one
years' lease at fourpence a square yard, and the sale of
this land would bring the remainder of the Corporation
estate into play. He had been taunted that they (the Fi-
nance Committee) were afraid of a borough rate. He was
not afrt.id of a borough rate, but he was afraid of a crisis
when it would be necessary to stop all their works, and
when they would be forced to sell their land in such haste,
that they could not obtain the full value for it. It was
not improbable that the House of Commons would inter-
pose, and that they would be forced to sell their land by
act of parliament, when they would be forced to abide the
decision of the Cheshire jurors.
Mr. PARKER opposed the confirmation of the proceed-
ings. The Corporation were about to make a great sacri-
fice, and the difference to them would be of £l2OO a year
instead of £3OO, for they were not to get any money for a
long time. The land in ten years, the period when the
bargain would be completed, would be of much greater
value. The Corporation ought to divide their land, lay it
out according to a fixed plan, and sell it so as to make the
most money for the burgesses.
Mr. BARCLAY said he bad been over to look at the land.
The question appeared to divide itself into two parts—
whether, if the land were to be sold, the best way of sell-
ing it was for shipbuilding yards for building lots. He had
come to the conclusion that the best way of selling it was
that proposed by the Finance Committee. It was not
likely, situated as it was, to be ever wanted for villas or
dwellings, and, as regarded the price, he thought it a very
fair one. As regarded docks, if the Dock Committee had
any view on that subject they would have come forward
and stated it. He thought, however, that when the dock
warehouse system came fully into operation, and the docks
now in progress were completed, there would be no want
of dock room, and if more docks came to be wanted on
the other side, there would be no difficulty in making
them.

Mr. BULLEY said he was not satisfied of the expediency
of this measure. The purchase of this land by the old
Corporation was a bold measure, and the result had shown
that it was a good one. He thought the same of the re-
cent purchases in Cheshire by the present Corporation.
He could not see the motive for hastening to dispose of
land at the first rush of a prosperous tide. He was not
prepared to assent to the sale of this land. To alienate
such a valuable piece of their estate as this strand, he
thought, was not wise.
Mr. EVANS spoke at great length, and with much
energy and animation against the recommendation of the
Finance Committee. He spoke of the probable enormous
increase of Liverpool, which increased in population with
the growth and influence of America. With such a pros-
pect and such increase of events, it would be wise to hold
every available advantage, particularly such an important
piece of strand as that which it was proposed to sell, and
which he characterized as disposing of the inheritance of
posterity for worse than " a mess of pottage." Mr.
Evans proceeded to answer the arguments advanced by
Mr. G. H. Lawrence. It had been asked if they would
act the part of the dog in the manger. Would they, in
order to get rid of that odium, hand it over to another
dog ? (Laughter.) He made the allusion without in-
tending the slightest disrespect to Mr. Laird. Mr.
Evans commended the thrift of the old Corporation in
securing all the extensive land, and expressed a hope that
the present Corporation would see the necessity of looking
forward to the future.
Mr. Nicol, and Mr. COOPER supported the views of
the Finance Committee. Mr. Nicol spoke highly of the
enterprise of Mr. Laird, and of the desirableness of re-
taining all the advantages of that enterprise : at the same
time he thought that so noisy a business should be kept at
a distance. If the front iand were sold, it would bring
the back land into value.
Mr. BRAMLEY-MOORE said the lordship of estuary was
got:l6 already. He advocated the sale of the land not for
75 years, but for ever.
Mr. LACE and Mr. BLACKBURN supoorted the Finance
Committee. Mr. Blackburn expressed his opinion, that
the price was very low for a piece of land of so much im-
portance on the margin of the pool.
The Council divided, with the following result :
For the confirmation of the recommendation—Messrs.
Shand, Shaw, Hodgson, Houghton, (Councillor,) Thorn-
hill, Blackburn, Preston, Thompson, Henry Holmes,
Sands, Hornby, Fawcett, Aspinall, Royden, Cooper,
Wood, Birkett, Bushell, Brassey, G. H. Lawrence, Lace,
Trotrnan, Platt, Sheppard, Harbord, Barclay, Houghton,
(Alderman,) Turner, Freme, Crook, Nicol, Molyneux,
Chilton, Sir Thomas Braneker, and the Mayor-35.
Against the recommendation—Messrs. Isaac Holmes,
Copeland, North, Toultnin, Procter, Rigby, Kilshaw,
Jones, Parker, Bulley, Bramley-Moore, and Evans-12.
Majority in favour of the sale-23.
THE OLD TOBACCO WAREHOUSE.

The third subject on the paper was the proceedings of
the Finance Committee as to the Old Tobacco Warehouse,
referred back for consideration, and estimates as to ex-
pense in alterations, and rent to be obtained ; also, as to
the value of the land, and the quantity of saltpetre and
nitrate of soda annually imported. _

Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE brought forward a report from
the surveyor on the subject. It was recommended that
the warehouse should be divided into four sheds, all of
which would have to be made fire-proof. Mr. Lawrence
moved that this part of the proceedings be confirmed.
The motion was seconded by Mr. H. HOLMES, and
carried without opposition.

PROPOSED PURCHASE IN PARK-LANE.
The last subject on the paper was the statement of the
surveyor of the value of the property alluded to in the
notice of motion of Mr. Councillor Smith, for the last
monthly Council, with the rental it pays; as also of the
position in which the corporate property between Liver-
street and Canning-place now stands.
Neither Mr. Smith nor Mr. Earle, who moved for the
report, were present. _ _ _

Mr. LAcE took up Mr. Smith's motion, after the read-
ing of the report, and moved its adoption, seconded by
Mr. Toulmin. Mr. Smith's motion was for the purchase
of the premises at the bottom of Park-lane, for a sum not
exceeding £4lOO. Mr. Lace altered it to £4OOO.

...
Several' members spoke of the importance of opening
Park-lane.

Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE drew attention to the state of
the corporate funds.
Mr. BIRKETT moved an amendment to the effect, that
the report should be referred back for amendment, by
improvement
would generally what the cost of the
would be, taking into account the improved value of the
land.

On a division there was for the amendment 17, against
it 17. The Mayor gave the casting vote in favour of the

amendment

Mr. ASPINALL moved for a list of all the leases refused
for Park-lane, and the dates of application--‘agreed to.
The Council broke up at twenty minutes past two
o'clock.

THE CASE OF ANDERSON.—The circumstances con-
nected with this case, and the proceedings and incidents
arising from it, seem likely to occupy the public attention
for some time longer. Since the conviction of Anderson,
information has transpired which completely exonerates
Mr. Orme, of the Rimrose Hotel, from the serious im-
putation which was lately alleged against him. Anderson
has stated that two Londoners had committed the rob-
bery upon Mrs. Holden, and that he knows who they are.
One of them had obtained change for a £lO note, and bad
rung the changes upon her so as to get thirteen sovereigns
instead of ten. His confederate soon afterwards took a
£5 note, and Mrs. Holden changed that also, when she
was cheated out of two more sovereigns ; and that, on the
same day, they took the pocket-book. The bank notes
were subsequently taken to Anderson to negotiate, but he
declined having any thing to do with them, and said that
he had so much business of a similar kind on hand that
he could not give them an immediate answer.
BIRKENHEAD COMMISSIONERS.—A meeting of this
board was held on Friday evening at the Town-hall,
Birkenhead. Win. Jackson, Esq., presided. It was
ordered that the sum of £50,000 should be raised on a
loan as security of the rates of the township, and that the
chairman and the Finance Committee be authorized to
enter into negociation to raise the money The report of
the Improvement Committee, which recommended that
Mr. Paxton should proceed at once with the plans and
specifications of the new park, that several new streets
should be completed, others improved, and several sewer-
ed, was adopted. The tenders for the new market were
also brought under the consideration of the board. One
or two were rejected as being too high, and three referred
to the Market Committee for their approval. A letter
containing the resignation of Mr. S. T. Robinson, the
overseer,:was laid before the meeting, with an expression
of regret that, in consequence of ill health, the township
would be deprived of his services. The resignation was
accepted, and half a year's salary presented to Mr. Ro-
binson, together with the unanimous opinion of the board
as to the fidelity and assiduity with which he bad filled
the duties of his situation. The office of inspector of
weights and measures was conferred on Mr. Reid, the
market-looker.