The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-10-03 00:00:00

COMPLAINT AGAINST A WOODSIDE
STEAMER.

At the Police-court, on Saturday, Captain Sherlock, of
the '• King Fisher," Woodiide luggage-boat, appeared
before Mr. Rushton to answer a summons granted against
him for detaining his vessel at the George's Pier steps,
on Friday, from twenty minutes past one o'clock to
twenty minutes past two—the time allowed by law being
only twenty minutes. The information was supported by
Police-officer 212, who clearly stated the facts. A person
from Birkenhead appeared for the defence, and said that
he was magistrates' clerk there, and was requested by
Mr. Mallaby to attend. He cross-examined the officer,
or rather put sundry questions to him, the replies to
which only tended to confirm the charge. Addressing
Mr. Rushton. be said,—" Sir, the commissioners of Bir-
kenhead were very desirous of having the whole matter
fully investigated before you." Mr. Rushton.—" Very
well! you have all the parties before you, go on !" The
party again expressed the anxiety felt for a full enquiry,
and said that Captain Sherlock would prove that the po-
liceman went on board the King Fisher, and asked a pas-
senger what business he had there, telling him at the
r- same time to go on board of the Birkenhead boat. Capt.
Sherlock was called, and said that he arrived on this side
the river at ten o'clock that morning, and that the witness
(212) did not say anything of .the kind imputed. That
officer explained that a gentleman who had arrived from
London, with his carriage, came down to the pierhead.
The King Fisher was hauled into the basin to take his
carriage on board. The gentleman came up to witness
and asked him if there was atw likelihood of his getting
across the river in time for the Birkenhead Railway train,
which would start in a short time. The officer, seeing
that there was only twenty minutes in which to get the
carriage on board, to cross the river, to pull it up the
slip, and take it to the station, said that he did not think
there would be time to catch the train. Upon this the
gentleman said that in that case he would go by the Bir-
kenhead boat, which he did. The magistrates' clerk
contended that, through the interference of the officer, a
loss had accrued to the Woodside Ferry, and also to the
railway; and he repeated that the commissioners desired
a full investigation of the circumstance, as they believed
that a feeling of jealousy existed against them on the part
of the secondary officers under the corporation of Liver-
pool, which they (the commissioners) believed was not
entertained by the members of the corporation them-
selves.. They, therefore, wished that the matter should
be fully investigated. Mr. Rushton.—" We have nothing
to do with the corporation here. The simple question is,
did your boat remain at the pierhead beyond the time
prescribed by law, or not ?" The defending party, appa-
rently paying no attention to what was said from the
bench, reiterated his opinion of the jealousy of the police-
officers, and the commissioners' anxiety for full investi-
gation. Mr. Rushton.—" The way to prevent this
jealousy is, first not to allow your boats to remain longer
at the pier than twenty minutes; and, secondly, not to
blame the officers when they act properly and legally. I
think the officer in this case was right in his reply to the
gentleman. I should have been of the same opinion my-
self under the circumstances." The officer said he and
his fellow constablei considered all boats that came to the
pier alike. The Clerk, to Mr. Rushton.—" If you will
ask Captain Sherlock, he will tell you there was time for
the gentleman to get across and go by the train." Mr.
Rushton.—" If you can afford to waste so much time, at
Birkenhead, over so trifling a matter, /cannot, I assure
you. You must pay a fine of 205." The magistrates'
clerk said that the fingers of ''he Liverpool police-officers
were pointed against the Birkenhead commissioners, and
added, " I most respectfully beg to state that I will appeal
against this decision." Mr. Rushton.—" That is your
business." Clerk.—" I shall plead on the ground of
Captain Sherlock's name not being right in the informa-
tion." (The Christian name was omitted.) Mr. Rush-
ton.—" You have appeared to the information, and you
are I am sure too good a ' magistrates' clerk' to take your
stand on such an objection." (A laugh.) The parties
then left the court.

DOGS AT LARGE.—On Wednesday no fewer than 24
persons were summoned before the police magistrate, for
having their dogs at large, in contravention of the Mayor's
order, issued on the .9th ult., that they should be kept up
for three weeks. They were nearly all fined ss. each.
Some persons have complained of the order as unneces-
sary, particularly since the change of weather from sultry
to cool. It must be admitted, however, that whether the
" suspicions of canine madness" which induced it were
well founded or otherwise, the step taken has had the
effect of reducing the number of useless and snarling curs
that infested many quarters of the town, to the annoy-
ance, if not danger, of passengers. We may here suggest
that when a future similar order is put forth, it would be
well to send the bellman into the crowded and " back
settlements" of the town, so that no one may plead igno-
rance. In the present instance many were no doubt fined
who knew nothing of the printed placards, which were
very soon covered with other announcements, so that few
or none of them could be seen during the last week or ten
days of the restriction.—On Saturday twelve persons were
brought up for the same offence. Several of them strongly
stated that the dogs were not theirs, but the police-officer
as strongly contended that they were, and they were all
mulcted in the sum of ss. The sum levied during the
week must therefore have been about £9. One or two of
the police-officers appear to have bad nothing else to do
during the week but to look after the curs; and there
was certainly some force in the remark of a female smart-
ing under the infliction of the fine, that if they were as
vigilant with thieves and other offenders, there would be
fewer depredations in the town. The inference certainly,
is, that now that the Mayor's notice has expired, the pub-
lic may he spared the 'expense of supporting these super-
numeraries. We have not, moreover, heard of a single
instance of hydrophobia amongst the canine species, but
it seems to be the fashion of tire day to strike out new
bye-laws and local regulations for the annoyance of the
lieges. By a recent law, all public processions, even of
benefit societies, are put down, and even the news carriers
are interdicted from blowing ti eir horns, lest they should
offend ears polite,—albeit those who have procured the
enactment are by no means shy of "blowing their own
trumpets." The restrictions on publicans. too, are also
carried out with a degree of rigour unknown in any other
part of the kingdom ; and we are curious to know what
will be the next curtailment of the constitutional liberty
of the subject that will be imposed upon our devoted town
by the " rigid righteous" of our amateur law-makers.
Stringers who visit us, and find us thus singled out, must
certainly consider the cbr rider of the "Dicky Sam" at
a woful discount!