The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-05-01 00:00:00

Tilt ..1-AygiwooL Srt.-..NPARD.

PARISH AfEtTIRC;.

On Wednesday last, at, twelve o'cloCk, a Vestry Meeting was
held in St. Nicholas's Church, fur the purpose of appointing
eighteen of the most substantial inhabitants of the town to join
with the Mayor, Recorder, and other justices of the peace of
the borough, to carry into execution the several acts of parlia-
-ment for lighting, watching, and cleansing the streets. His
Worship the Mayor took the chair,
.Mr. WALES having stated, that at the last annual vestry a
motion was passed, at the desire 'of the parishioners, that the
accouuts of the board should be laid before the vestry prfor to
the commencement of the business,
Mr. Woo o, the law clerk, read the half year's accounts.
• Mr. GEORGE GREEN then stated that he wished to inquire
what sums in the expenditure liad been laid out with the com-
missioners, for articles supplied to the board for the use of the
watch, fire-police;&e.
Mr. lisueoan.—lt appears from -the accounts that there
are no less than eight or nine commissioners who have supplied
articles. (Hear, hear.)
Mr.WALss, the late chairman of the board of commissioners,
in explanation said, that during the past year the .coinit issioners
had nut directly supplied anything to the board. There were
some trilling articles furnished by them to the which
the superintendent of that institution was desired to purchase
by lihn-(Mr. Wales). He was desired to go round to the dif-.
fereut tradesmen, and purchase from those who would sell the
cheapest, and it was found that the articles supplied were lower
than could be got elsewhere.
Mr. Gls:KN.—The superintendent who ,made the purchases
being the paid servant of the commissioners. (Hear.)
A RA TE-PA YER wished to know what the particular articles
were that were furnished by the commissioners.'
Mr. WALES said, that the item of £Bl was' principally for
smith's-work done by Messrs.' JacksOn and Kno.vies. Ile was
not prepared to say whether or nut the work to that amount
was requisite to 'the trust, but he believed that, the goods 'supplied
by Messrs. Jackson and Knowles were purchased from Mr..
Jackson's partner, and that Mr. Jackson was unacquainted
with the circumstance. The different articles, however, having
been supplied at the cheapest possible rate, he asserted, without
fear of contradiction, that the trust could not be injured thereby.
Other tradesmen were applied to, and their priees were higher
than those of the coinuaissioners who had furnished the goods.
Mr. Sum'. considered it highly imploper' that the. Com-
missioners should supply anything to the board, however trifling,
and he should like to know who the tradesmen were to whom
contracts were proposed besides the commissioners. If the su-
perintendent of the fire police was the person who had made the
contracts, he might as well have. transacted the business of the
whole board, and then the commissioners could have bven dis- •
pensed with. He thought that whoever took upon hintscif the-
duties-of a commissioner was bound faithfully to discharge the.
office and see that justice was done in the distributionot the
funds which the inhabitants entrusted them with the manage-
ment me The course some of the commissioners bad pursued
was inimical to the interests of the trust. (Hear.)
Mr. WALss replied that the purchasing of articles necessary
On the formation of the fire poliee was left to the superin-
tendent.

Mr. SHELL said that he. would leave it to the 'meeting whether
or net it was proper to have furnished goods ordered by the st.l
perintendent, kteloeing the paid servant of those from whom he
purchased ? •
COLLINS here rose and said that as the vestry, last year,
had done him the honour of electing hint a caminissiouer, and
he having sat at the board since that time, beggedlese to cifer
a few observations in explanation of what had transpired, other-
wise he must share. in the 'obloquy. He had listened to the
charges brougkit against some members of the board, and for his
part he was surprised that -any commissioner should so far forget
himself as to supply articles of merchandise- to the trust; how-
ever trifling, when, in doing so, he acted contrary to law.
(Hear.) No well-regulated mind would 'ever ha ve,conteiu-
plated, under such circumstances, the supplying of articles;
and those who had done so had, in his opinion, violated their
trust and were no longer fit to be members of the board.
(Cheers.) There was another matter which -he had to mention
to the meeting, one that might not be pleasant to many of.the
commissioners, for whom he entertained privately a great per-
sonal respect, but he had pledged himself to bring it forward at'
that vestry: it was, that the tire police committee undertook to
spend eight or ten hundred pounds without consulting the
geueral board of commissioners on the subject. The committee
which was nominated held their meetings privately—expended
the funds, and transacted business without the knowledge of the.
board. This was both a violation of principle and the privileges
of the trust, and, when he saw-this, his only remedy was teenier
a protest against it, as being illegal. His protest was objected
to and overruled by the board, and all he received at their
hands for his .pains was opposition and harsh words. Ile then
pledgei himself to bring the subject before the annual meeting..
He considered that the course that had been adopted with re-
gard to the fire-police, in supplying articles, was not ouly a
violation of the law, but of decency. whether the amlunt was
sixpenee or a thousand pounds. (Hear.). la the next place,
having formed their committee, they undertook to purchase en-..
gines,- employ servants,' and otherwise expend moneys, moil the
whole fund collicteck for the support of the establishment ie'as
• exhausted.

Mr. Wet as said that.sthat had fallen from Dr. Collins might
leave an impression on the meeting that the tire-police commit-
tee tvas appointed, and had conducted their business in opposi-
tion to the cotnmissioners. It would appear from the statement
made that the expenditure of the fire-police was incurred during
the past year. This was not the fact; for two years ago the
fire-police committee was appointed, and orders wete then
given kir the engines. The corporation agreed to erect pre-
inises,eand the ereamissionere business was to carry the act :of
parliament into effect. What' the late board bad done 'was
merely to carry into completion the act of the previous boards,
and their nroceedings in appointing the cdonnitiee had been
sanctioned.by both Sir Thomas Braucker and Mr. Alderman
llorsfall.

Dr. Cult tNs said that the committee of the fire-police Was
formed during the time he had sat On the board; and be tsp.:
pealed to the books which contained minutes of its formation
on the motion of Mr. Gill.
Mr. WA tas said that that motion was to complete the fire-.
police-establishment; and he read the resolutions on thii sub-
ject to the meeting from the books containing the names of the
commissioners' appointed on the committee. _
3fr, llosirs's-oN inquired how Many commissioners Were pre:
sent'when the resolution Was adoptea, and was informed that it
was a full board, held on the 9th of May last.
Dr. COLLINS then alluded to a motion that he made, to the
effect that a general special vestry meeting be called for the
purpose of takiug into consideratiou•the necessity of a lite-
police, which was followed up by. an atnendinent that•the set
should be carried into effect, and fits motion was.overruled, and
a sub-committee appointed. He was proceeding, when -
Mr. WaLlts observed that what the doctor was saying, was
merely a continu.:tion ofa subject disposed of.
Dr. COLLINS, in reply. said that it was not the first time Mr.;
Wales bad interrupted him in the expression of his sentimente.
His (Dr. Callines) impression was that the sub-committee ivas
appointed this year without consulting the general board. How-
-ever, front the accounts be held in his hand it appeared that .for
six months, with the exception of a few pounds, there Was not a
single account connected with the fire police that had not been
passed by the sub-committee without the knowledge of the
board. Ile entered a protest against any money being expended
excepting by the board on the llth of June, 1831. He objected
altogether to the principle of money being expended for any
• purpose, without the sanction of the general board, as being's
bdd. precedent, and, if allowed, might be turned by cunning and
designing men to bad purposes. In bringing this subject be-
fore the meeting be disclaimed participating in any other feel-
ing than that of equity and justice, and by doing ao he might
forfeit the friendship of several valued acquaintances. He,
however, had seen a disposition to vote that black was white,
and white was black, in the. board, but be. had always said that
the day of judgment would Come.
Mr. WILLIAMS said that he did not consider that Dr. Collins
had stated anything that could militate against the honour of the
commissioners. He would put them in possession of a few
facts that had not been stated. To begin at the beginning—tlie
meeting would be aware an act of parliament was obtained for
the establishing of a fire police, and the management was placed
in the hands of the commissioners of lamps, watch, and scaven-
gers, who did all they could by appointing a sub-committee, to
which the Commons they
gave their countenance, to corn
pletelhe establishment, and Dr. Collins, during the time he had
been a member of the board, being opposed altogether to any
fire. police, bad done all its his power to frustrate the boarchn
their endeavours. With respect to the furnishing of goods to
the board by commissioners, it had been asked, wiry leave the'
purchasing of them tothe superintendent? He would ask, Who
was so lit a persen to judge of the value of articles wanted for
the fire police as the superintendent ? It had been said that the.
expenses of the establishment bad been so great that it was new
without funds. How did that occur ? Why, it was through the
wilful waste and extravagance of one man, thirty-one fires' in
Liverpool having cost the enormous sum of 1.3,0UU, which was
more than the rate levied for the support of the establishment.
When this system of extravagance was going forward, on the
motion of Mr. Boss, a sub-committee was appointed to inquire
into the state of the fire polite, with a view to its reformatiop,•
and the result was the dismissal of the person who caused it.;
Dr. Collins had complained that he hid not been chosen' a'
member of that committee. Now, the name of Dr. Collins wits'
on the list, and it was in consequence of his !analog to serve'
that he (Mr. Williams) teas appointed. With respect to the
charges lirous:ht against Mr. Jackson. he was confident that that
gentleman, if he had enced, had not done au knowingly:•
Mr. S'HEIL (to the speaker).—Will-you allow me to atik yeti .1
who that single individual is to whom you attribute all-this ex-
travagance?
Mr. Wits.tans.--Mr. Gailemore, the late superintendent of
the fire police.
Mr. Sus:lL—The answer speaks little for the consistency of
who has just stated that the superintendent. was,
the most tit per Son to be entrusted to purchase the al ticles.
Mr. WILLIAms.—It was before we found out the extrava-
gance and waste which was going ou.
Mr. 6Flatt.„---I dolll care whether it was before or after, ,the
superintendent ought not to have had the power.

Mr. Wit Lit.sis said that Mr. Gallemore was appointed •by
the late beard, and iu consequence of the inisinallagetnent,shc
(Mr. Williams) moved for his dismissal. It was found that at
one.fire no less than a thousand men were engaged in extin-
guishing it. In that case bow could the connuissioners be
aware .whether so many men were employed, and they were
therefore. compelled to take the advice of the superintendent.
Supposing the commissioners wished to know anything about
the regulation of the nightly watch, which WiLS so excellently
managed by Mr. Whitty, who su proper tb apply to as the
superintendent.
In answer to another question from Mr. SHEII.,
Mr. WALES said that it was impossible, in the first instance;
to ascertain that Mr. Gallemoie was acting contrary to the in-
terests of the trust.. He came to the board exceedingly well
recommended, and in many respects he considered him a very
tit person for the situation he filed.. Mr. Gallemore probably
thMight he was doing well, and his errors might be errors of
judgment.
Mr. liar:Bono said that be thought a great deal of odium.
the whole in fact, had been thrown upon Mr. Gallemore, when
he considered it attached to others. The whole of the money
expended with the commissioners had been under the superin-
tendence of the chairman, Mr. Wales.. There had been some
delicacy shown at oho meeting with regard to mentioning
names; but when there were charges it was better to speak
openly and plainly. He considered that the over zeal of Mr.
.Wales to serve the trust .had 'led him further than he *as war-
ranted •to without -the sanction of the hoard.. The matter
rested between Mr. Wales and Mr: Gallemore, and they had
better leave them both to tight the battle. •
Mr. JAcicsoN, the ex-commissioner, here rose and said that
when his partner supplied the articles charged in the accounts,
he was not aware that he was acting contrary to law, or he
'would have cut his right hand off sooner than he would have
supplied the value of a penny. The articles purchased froM
him Mr. Gallemore had gone round to other shops for the put-
pose. of ascertaining the price of, and he had informed him
(Mr. Jackson) that they were much lower in price than any
'other tradesman charged. He wits not conscious that in setting
them, as he said before, he was acting either contrary to law or
custom, and he was willing and anxious that the bill should be
scrutinized by other tradesmen. It had gone forth in one of
the Liverpool newspapers that he had supplied buttons to the
trust, -and charged one shilling cash for them. The fact was
there were no buttons to be obtained in Liverpool of the kiudi
and he wrote over to 13irminghatn for them, procured thent-al

. . ,
the wholesale price, and thus effected a saving of 15 per cent.
to the parish. He had never benetitted much from the custom.
of Mr. Gallemore, and was one who voted for his dismissal
from the situation.

•
Mr. IlansoaD said that:Mr. Jackson was not the only corn-
rnisioner who had supplied goods to the board, and he did not
see why he alone should be singled out. It appeared, on refe-
rence to the accounts, that no less than eight or nine were
similailv implicated. Mr. Hathord then read• the list., from
which it seemel that charges were made by the commissioners
fur almost every de.scriptiou of articles sold to themselves as a
board, including paint, beer, oil, tamps, stationary, ironmongery,
and beds! " '

Mr. ItoefigsoN here asked whether there was any motion be-
fore the meetitig: The time. bad been occupied long in delcuss-
ing the expenses of the fire-police clothing, and. he considered
that if there was not, it was tune there was.
Mr. KEET observed, that a great deal had been said of the
expenses of the fire establishment; but for an infant institution
he was surprised that at its commencement the expenditure was
not greater. (Hear.)
Dr. Cot,t,tNs said that he begged leave to make a motion.
If the fire-police had been the means of so impoverishing the
funds of the establishment, that were it not for credit it could no
longer go on, and when it was found that the commissioners
were in constaat communication with the agents of tire-offices,
who were merely servants of the fire-offices representing their
interests, instead of those of the rate-payers—
The MAYOE here interrupted the doctor by desiring that he
would confine himself tohis intended motion.

D.I. COLLINS then said that he should make a motion to the
effect that no act of parliament should be applied for having for
its object a further taxing of the inhabitants for the support of
the tire-police.
The MAyou said, that he must confine the doctor to the
object of their meeting; as such a motion would take the parish
by surprise, he could not sanction it. Notice °Livia to have
been given that a motion to that effect was to be 'nought for-
ward.

Dr. COLLINSt consented to withdraw his motion. .
Mr. LIARBORD then moved, that no commissioner appointed
for the ensuing year should be allowed to supply any article,
however !fitting, for the use of the trust,, which was received
with applause, put to-the meeting, and carried unanimously.
. Mr. BIRK ETA' thought that the vestry ought to pass a motion
recommending the new commissioners not to lay a rate fur the
ensuing year amounting beyond uinepence in the pound.
Mr. WA iris stated that if that weie done, the parish, at the
end of the year, would be in debt upwards of £2OOO.
The notion was not pressed.
Mr. Joti s TcttNER said, that although the old conitnistioners
had received adiessing he should wove that the whole of them
be re-appointed. (f.sughter.)
This motion was of course negatived, but at the desire of
some of the retiring cominissiouers Mr. Woods, the law clerk,
read the names of the commissioners, with the number of times
they had been at the board during the past year. ,
.Nfr. J. Geas.N having expressed a wisp that the meeting
shouid proceed to business, proposed a list of eighteen persons
to act as cominissioneis fir the ensuing year.
Mr.,.S,'rtstt. said that he objected to any persons being elected
bat those who had consented to serve, for, if otherwise, • the
board 'night be neglected and the waste of the public money be
greater than it had been. (Hear.)
A Parishioner objected to any list being adopted, and pro-
posed that each individual should be put separately.
The original motion of Mr. Green and the atneudinent were
then put to tho meeting., and, the tatterbeing carried,- • . •
,Mr. 'rtIEAKSTOIS.E. said that, as there were many-respectable
persons in the vestry, he thought. that individuals its the body of
the church should propose the commissioners from those
present.
The vestry then proceeded to the election of the commission-
ers separately, and tho following eighteen were elected :—Mr.
David Jackson, Mr. James Buchanan, Mr. William Thornhill,
Mr. Joseph Co•iper, Mr. Win. S4tillev,• Mr. Edward Simonds,
Mr. John Winder, Mr. Wildniai Williams, Mr. John Mind,
Mr. William Alexander Smith, Mr. Robert Ciay, Mr. Win.
Birketti Mr'. Richard Benson, Mr.. John Kilshaw, Mr. John
Pierce, Mr. Michael. T. Boustiehl, Mr. Thos, Brown, and Mr.
George Ameugst.the above commissioners elected.
Messrs.Wi Mains and Sautlev are the only two who formed a part'
Of the last board. Messrs. Wales, Ilea. M•Gee, Collins, Jack-
son„,kbra ham, and Taylor were all•rejected by the meeting.
Messrs. heel and M`Gee were proposed a•second time and re-
jected. Wales was about to be proposed again, but that
gentli qpin modestly hinted that he was s.disfied with the first
decision they had come to iespecting him, and declared his
positive deterniingtiin to resign even if they should elect him,
and in consequence of this he was permitted to remain with-
out being again brought oat before the 'meeting. Mr. David
Boss, of the Ciireeicie, (a liitecimmussioner,) Dr. M'Kenzie,
of tho Journal, and Mr. flarbord, declined being ruminated.
Mr. Robinson and Mr. Shell wore also named, but as they were
ineligible, from residing out of the parish, they were not pro-
posed.
The business of the vestry concluded •by the Mayor reading
over the names of the commissioners and deelaring them duty
elected. The announcement was received with great applause,
and; thanks having been voted to his Worsuip fur his impartial
conduct in the chair, the ineetia, separated.