The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-11-07 00:00:00

EXCHANGE WARD

To this ward, which last year returned a conservative,
Mr. John North, without an opposition, an unusual de-
gree of attention was drawn, from the circumstance of a
rumoured split amongst the conservative party, a portion
of whom it was said would nominate another conservative
to contest the ward with Mr. Sands. A strong party,
too, it was supposed, would support Mr. George Holt,
who came forward on the whig-radical interest ; and, from
his well known predilections in favour of Mr. Alderman
Evans's dock warehouse projects, the strenuous aid of that
gentleman's party was confidently reckoned upon, espe-
cially when it was taken into consideration that the con-
servative candidate, Mr. Sands, in his place in the council
and as chairman of the Dock Committee, is just now
strongly at issue with the Evans clique with respect to
the proposed new docks north and south of the present
dock estate. The contest had therefore a twofold inte-
rest, as a trial of strength upon the subject of increased
dock accommodation, and as a test of the unity of feeling
existing amongst the conservative constituency of the
ward ; and up to within a few days of the contest it was
very confidently predicted that the seat of Mr. Sands,
opposed by this double interest, would either be lost or,
if gained at all, be gained after a strenuous struggle, and
by a bare majority. The first two hours of the polling,
however, served very effectually to dissipate these antici-
pations. A spirit of energy and determination, which we
can scarcely remember to have noticed in any former
contest, appeared to actuate the conservative party ; and
at ten o'clock Mr. Sands had polled more than double
the number of his opponent. He continued, hour by
hour, to increase his majority ; and at the close of the
poll at four o'clock, he had a majority of 89, a greater
number than was ever before gained in this ward ; the
numbers being—

For Mr. Sands....
For Mr. Geo. Holt

Majority

CASTLE-STREET WARD.
In this ward, for reasons, the propriety of which we are
very much inclined to question, Mr. James Aikin was
returned without opposition. The majority for Mr. Hugh
Hornby (the most popular man on the part of the radicals)
last year was only 35, a number which we verily believe,
in the improved state of the registry, was not sufficient to
justify the quiescence of the conservatives.

ST. PETER'S WARD.
The contest in this ward was between Mr. J. A. Tinne
—a gentleman whose family and connections have long
been extensively engaged in the commerce of the port,—
and Mr. Thomas Bolton, the opponent of town dues, the
bitter enemy of the Liverpool freemen, and former mem-
ber for Castle-street and mayor of the borough. On the
opening of the poll Mr. Tinne took the lead, and at ten
was in a small majority over his opponent. At eleven,
however, Mr. Bolton was a-head, and continued so until
two o'clock, when Mr. Tinne again passed him. At three,
matters were again reversed, Mr. Bolton being in a ma-
jority of six. From this hour, however, the Conservatives
poured in their double votes ; and at the close, Mr.
Tinne was elected by a majority of 31—the numbers
being

For Mr. Tinne .
For Mr. Bolton.

Majority ..
From the commencement of the contest, Mr. Tinne's
position could have been made equally favourable ; but
such was the determination of a number of the electors
who had qualifications in Exchange Ward, to secure the
return of Mr. Sands by an overwhelming majority, that
their votes in this ward were held in reserve up to the
last hour. We may mention an occurrence whichcry-
ated no little merriment, connected with the voting in
this ward. During the day, a gentleman (well known as

a sound conservative, and a member of the Back-bone
Club) handed in his voting-paper, which was recorded in
the usual way, and the vote, to the party's great chagrin,
announced to be for—Thomas Bolton! The back-bone
conservative had, in his baste, got hold of the wrong do-
cument, and handed it in without examination.

WEST DERBY WARD.
Mr. G. H. Lawrence, the able chairman of the Finance
Committee, was permitted to be returned without oppo-
sition.

SOUTH TOXTETH WARD.
This ward is at length, though for the first time since
the passing of the municival act, thoroughly conservative,
as respects its popularly-elected representatives at least,
for it is still plagued with a radical alderman. The con-
test through the day was very severe, and was only gained
by a severe scrutiny into the votes, before the assessors
and alderman, which will be found detailed elsewhere,
which terminated in the return of Mr. Glazebrook, who
was brought forward to oppose the retiring radical mem-
ber, Mr. Platt, who it was confidently predicted by his
party would be elected, from his popularity and connection
with the ward.

NORTH TOXTETH WA RD.
For the third time Mr. Lockerby has been induced by
the liberals to contest this ward, and for the third time he
has suffered a signal defeat. We looked with great interest
to the progress of the election in this ward, because we
knew that every artifice would be used to prevent the re-
turn of Mr. Richard Harbord, who has done as much as
any man in Liverpool for the overthrow of radicalism and
the dissemination of sound constitutional principles. All
the combined efforts of his opponents could not, however,
place his seat in jeopardy, and he has again been placed
in a position to which he has long done honour, and for
which he is in every respect well qualified.

DISPUTED WARDS

SOUTH TOXTETH

• Several of the votes given in this ward, at the recent
' municipal election, having been objected to, and a scrutiny
' of them demanded, the more immediately interested par-
. ties on both sides appeared in the Mayor's room, on
Thursday afternoon, accompanied by many of their re-
. spective friends,—so that the room was inconeeniently
crowded throughout the investigation, which was long
and tedious. The alderman for the ward (Mr. Evans)
presided, and beside him sat the assessors—Mr. Leather
(for the conservatives), and Mr. Rogerson (for the re-
formers) ; also the Town-clerk. Mr. Snowball and Mr.
Berry appeared for Mr. Platt, and Mr. A. Lace and Mr.
' North for Mr. Glazebrook. Mr. Evans stated that, with
the exception of some few disputed votes, there appeared
to be one vote in favour of Mr. Platt, the numbers in the
poll-book being for that gentleman 118, and for Mr.
Glazebrook 117. According to the Town-hall books, he
had learned that the votes appeared to be 118 for each.
He had to state that, while he and the assessors were ire
the booth, a vote had been tendered, and the name totted
clown, but he had forbidden the completion of the entry.
It was that of Mr. H. F. Leathann, and the dispute is
from the misnomer of the street. The figure 1, to indi-
cate the candidate for whom he voted, was not noted down
in the poll-book before him. A long and uninteresting
discussion took place with regard to this vote, which had
also been disputed with regard to time, as being tendered
after the closing hour ; but this was abandoned, Mr.
Evans stating that it was in time, that the only question
remaining was as to the misnomer in the street on the
voting paper; and that he, as one of the returning officers,
had not sanctioned the entry. Mr. Leather said it was
entered in the usual way ; but Mr. Evans put the voting
paper in his pocket. After the evidence of the two poll
clerks had been received, the Town-clerk decided that the
vote had not been received by the whole of the returning
officers, or br a majority of the three ; and it remained to be
shown whether, being tendered in time, it ought to have
been received. Mr. North contended that the error was
merely clerical, and did not affect its validity. It was
filled up for Park-street, to which the voter had removed.
while he had qualified for premises in Bedford-street,
where he had previously resided. The v-)ter had, it ap-
peared, resided for the last six or eight months at Birken-
head. The voter himself appeared, and his evidence was
taken. The Town-clerk decided that the vote was bad,
the paper not being filled up according to the require-
ments of the act. The next case was that of John Brit-
tain, counting-house, Sefton-street, who voted for Mr.
Glazebrook. It was objected that there was no such
name as John Brittain on the burgess list, the only per-
son of the same surname being Ambrose Brittain.” A
long discussion ensued on this point between the solicitors,
and much tedious and irrelevant legal lore was emitted by
Mr. Bury in particular. It was, however, explained by
the overseer's clerk, that the name of " Ambrose" for
" John" had been inserted in the list by a clerical mis-
take of a previous clerk, and, the identity of the party
being shown, the vote was deemed good by the Town-
clerk and agreed to.—Objections were then taken to the
votes of Thomas Alderson, Upper Hill-street, and
Thom, Wesley-street, who had voted for Mr. Plan, under
protest, in South Toxteth. After a long discussion and
an examination of the plan of the borough, the Town-
clerk said that both streets were in North Toxteth Ward,
and that both parties ought, he thought, to have voted in
that ward.—The next objection was by Mr. Snowball to
the vote of Ellis Farnwerth, 13, Sefton-street, on the
ground that that part of the street was in North and not
South Toxteth. He had voted for Mr. Glazebrook with-
out protest being made. The Town-clerk said he would
take time to consider the case, as it differed from the
others, and the court adjourned until Friday for the final
consideration of these last three votes, the decision on
which would be given at eleven o'clock. The inquiry
lasted till five o'clock.

The scrutiny was resumed on Friday morning, and,
after considerable discussion, it was decided, that the two
votes given in favour of Mr. Platt by Thomas Alderson
and Isaac Glenny Thom, whose qualifications were in the
North Ward, must be struck off, leaving Mr. Platt in
minority of one. The vote of Ellis Farnworth, who
voted under similar circumstances, was allowed, on the
ground that it was not protested against at the time of
voting, as was done in the other cases. Mr. Thomas
Rogerson, the reform assessor, signed the return under
protest. He contended, that the alderman and assessors
had no power to amend the revised list; their duty was
to receive the votes according to the number on the roll.
and that no alteration could be made except by a superior
court.

SCOTLAND WARD.
In this ward there were eight votes in dispute, four for
reformers, who had omitted to sign their voting paper,
though their names appeared at the commencement;
three who did not attach the name of the street in which
they lived, and one which it was alleged was given by a
person of imbecile mind. All the parties making the
omissions were respectable, so that there was no suspicion
of foul play. The inquiry commenced at ten o'clock on
Thursday, and lasted till five. It was resumed on Fri-
day at 12, and terminated at two, when the Town-clerk
decided that, with regard to the five cases of James Ken-
nedy, William Santley, George Lightburne, and John
Shaw, who voted for Mr. Thornhill and Edward Tyson,
who voted for Mr. Vernon, hs felt the weight of certain
cases quoted by Mr. Snowball, as to the decisions on the
old statutes respecting wills ; and he bad accordingly ad-
vised the aldermen and assessors that in those five cases
the papers ought to be received, inasmuch as those con-
tained the qualifications of the voter as well as the name
of the candidate for whom he voted. With regard to the
second class of cases—those of James Irving, William
Thornhill, and James Pellwood—inasmuch as the muni-
cipal act required that the voting paper should set forth
the street in which the property was situated, and for
which the voter was rated, he fPlt bound to declare that
those papers were defective, and that the defect was of so
essential a nature that it could not be got over. This de-
cision gave a majority of one to Mr. Thornhill. The
court then rose, and in a few minutes after the general
return for all the wards was signed by the mayor, and
placed in front of the Town-hall.