The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1845-06-10 00:00:00

THE t4FVERPOOL STANDAR'D.

COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS.

The usual monthly meeting of the council took place
on Wednesday, at the Town-hall.
The proceedings of the Finance Committee, comprising
a recommendation to rescind the resolution of the council
of the Ist May, 1844, permitting the appropriation of
land at the north end of the slate yard as a site for the
Sailor's Home, having been read,
Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE moved their confirmation. He
expressed his regret at having to call upon the council not
to appropriate the site for the Sailor's Home, but as the
Dock Committee had decided, and not unwisely, that the
land at the slate yards might be required for dock put-
poses, he was compelled to invite them to rescind the ap-
propriation. At the present time, when competition was
manifesting itself on the other side of the Mersey, it would
be wrong to interpose any obstacle to the success of the
Liverpool docks, and, therefore, it was necessary to
release the property from the engagements with which it
was entaegled. He moved, now that they were unable
to carry their original intention into effect, that the sub-
ject be referred back to the committee to consider and
report on the assistance that could be rendered by the
corporation to the Sailor's Home.
Sir T. BRANCKER seconded the motion.

After a few remarks from several members, it was
understood that the Finance Committee would exert
themselves to furnish the committee of the Sailors' Home
with an equivalent. _ _ _

Mr. Nicol was glad to observe by the proceedings that
the Finance Committee had taken serious notice of Mr.
Askew, the harbour-master's, conduct in having published
a letter in the Liverpool Standard, aspersing Mr. Evans's
character. lie was pleased to find that Mr. Askew bad
been called before the committee—that he had apologised,
and was admonished ; but steps should be taken to circu-
late the apology and reprimand as widely as Mr. Askew's
letter.

The proceedings were confirmed.
DOCK COMMITTEE.

When the proceedings of the Dock Committee were
read, a long discussion arose as to the legality of that
committee giving an additional subscription of 200 gui-
neas to the Northern and Southern Hospitals.
The Tows-CLERK decided that the grant was legal, and
the proceedings were confirmed.

a single complaint. And if the Board of Customs and
the government considered it so important that there
should be warehouses on the dook quays—he said if, for
he wished to avoid all discussion. of the merits of the
question—why had they permitted the Dock Bill to go
through the House of Commons, prohibiting the dock
estate from building any more worchosses for a certain
number of years? If they considered it so important,
why had they allowed that bill to- pass ? (Hear, hear.)
Se far as he had been able to ascertain, those were the
arguments used to the Board of Customs against the re-
munerative system of paying the landing-waiters. He
knew of no other. He desired to state the question fairly
and to let it be fairly discussed, believing that it was to
the government they must look if they were to have the
system changed at all. The committee had hitherto re-
ferred merely to the practice of the Board of Customs,
but it had been urged upon him to say something of the
constitution and powers of that board. He desired to
abstain from doing so, because it was impossible to speak
of the constitution of the board without appearing to be
personal, and this was not his object. He held in his
hand a very important return, were be disposed to go into
the question of their constitution—a return moved for by
Mr. Wallace, and printed by order of the House of Com-
mons in March last, containing the names and ages of the
Commissioners of Customs, a list of superior officers,
and their office or occupation held preceding their ap-
pointment as Commissioners of Customs. There were
ample materials here to dwell upon. But it was not his
intention to do so—certainly not at present, although he
did not hesitate to say, briefly but decidedly, that he
thought the constitution of the Board of Customs in
London was the groundwork of all the mischief. (Ap-
plause.) In proof of this it would be necessary to adduce
nothing more than the statement of facts which the re-
turn exhibited. Having said thus much, he ought not to
occupy the attention of the council at that late hour fur-
ther than to say that the committee had undertaken a
duty—that that duty they would discharge to the best of
their ability—that they would not shrink from the use of
every legitimate course to accomplish the reforms which
were so justly called for in Liverpool, but that they would
not lend themselves to anything which might appear un-
necessarily personal. (Applause.) With these observa-
tions he begged to move the adoption of the report.
Mr. Busnnv seconded the motion, which was unani-
measly Carried.
The MAYOR then presented the memorials with which
he was entrusted, and which we enumerated in our last,
and the council adjourned.