The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-12-30 00:00:00

Nnv YEAR'S DAY.—In compliance with the Apostolic
Invitation to united prayer, for the:outpouring of the Holy
Spirit, issued by the Rev. H. Stewart, we understand that
a special service will take place at St. Bride's, when, as
usual, the sacrament will be administered, and the other
directions recommended in the Invitation will be complied
with.

NARROW ESCAPE.—On Wednesday morning last, as
sonic workmen were engaged in sinking a cellar kitchen for
a house recently erected, in George's Road, near Newsham
House. the whole of the back exterior wall came down
with a tremendous crash. The men had just sufficient inti-
mation of their approaching danger to enable them to make
their escape. The remainder of the building is now kept
standing by means of props, but we fear the damage is very
considerable.

GRAND BALL IN AID OF TILE LADIES' CHARITY.—
The annual ball in aid of the funds of the Ladies' Charity
took place last evening, in the Town-hall. About SOO were
present, amongst whom were comprised many of the first
families in the town and neighbourhood. Dancing com-
menced shortly after nine o'clock, to the lively strains of
Ilorabin's quadrille band ; and at the period when we were
obliged to go to press, " the light, fantastic toe" was still
being tripped with unabated spirit. Joliffe's band was sta-
tioned in the vestibule, and performed many marches, over-
tures, &c. as the company was introduced.
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DOCK COMMITTEE.—YESTERDAY.—Present : Messrs.
Sands, Horsfall, Barclay, Holt, Holmes, Smith, Moore,
Molyneux, Nicol, Royden, Tobin, Shand, 13ulley, Ripley,
Evans, Moore. Wilson Dunlop, a dock-gateman, was ap-
pointed to assist the dock -master in working Clarence
Graving-docks, at a salary of 235. per week. A letter from
the agent of the Mostyn steam-packet, complaining that only
twenty minutes are allowed for the loading and discharging
of the vessel at St. George's Pier-head, was directed to be
sent to the Town-clerk. The receipts at Runcorn during
the month were stated to be £36 15s. 3d. The chairman
said he had received a communication from the American
Consul, with regard to the plan of charging the tonnage of
American vessels. After some conversation on the subject,
the treasurer, Mr. Withers, was called in, and informed the
committee that precisely the same plan was adopted in mea-
suring foreign as in measuring British vessels.
SUSPICIOUS POSSESSION OF A BILL.—At the Police-
Court, yesterday, a short thickset man, apparently a sailor,
named John Smith, was placed at the bar, on a charge of
having suspicious possession of a bill for £ll6 and odd, drawn
on the late highly respectable firm of Messrs Wildes, Pick-
ersgill, and Co., of this town, who have been succeeded by
Messrs. Fielding Brothers. It appears that Messrs. Wilde
and Co.'s office had some time ago been broken open, and
amongst some other articles taken were several bills, including
the present one. The prisoner had on Wednesday gone to a
man who appeared as a witness and showing him the bill, had
got some directions to Messrs. Fielding's office, to which he
went in a state of intoxication, and peremptorily demanded
payment. The bill, however, was of no value, as the amount
had been paid. He was given into custody with a view to
detect the robbery, but there was no evidence to show how he
had become possessed of it. Mr. Rushton fined him ss. for
being drunk, telling him lie was bound to say where he got it.
He said he had come from New York by the Garrick (which
was denied by Messrs. Fielding's clerk, who had made en-
quiry), and that he would tell who the man was from whom
he had got it. As, however, he was entitled to his release
on paying the fine, nothing more was seen of him in the
court.

SUNDAY TRADlNG.—Yesterday, at the Police-court, Mr.
Weaver, sexton of St. Matthias's Church, and a gentleman
named Mather, appeared before Mr. Rushton to prefer in-
formations against several parties for trading or selling
articles on Sunday—contrary (we believe) ;to an act known
as " The Sabbath Day Act." The first offender brought up
was William Kehoe, who was charged with selling penny
papers. The defendant said that he bad only sold a few
Sunday papers, and that it was useless in him to keep open
his shop at all unless he were allowed to sell on that day.
The vending being proved, Mr. Rushton said that he had no
power to mitigate the penalty, and accordingly imposed a
fine of ss.—John Dunn was next called, for exposing fruit
and vegetables opposite his dwelling. Mr. Rushton enquired
of the informants whether they had seized the articles. The
reply was, that they had not, but they had applied to Mr.
Whitty, chief constable, from whom they produced a note
in reply. Mr. Rushton read the note, which, he stated, was
to the effect that he (Mr. W.) had not the power, in his own
opinion, to seize them without the authority of a magistrate ;
but he (Mr. Rushton) knew that Mr. W. had such power;
and if the goods had been brought into that court, they were
liable, on proof of exposure for sale on a Sunday, to be for-
feited, and sold for the benefit of the poor of the parish. He
(Mr. R.) was sorry that the goods of poor individuals should
be forfeited ; but if they were so brought, he must administer
the law. No seizure having taken place, this case was dis-
missed.—Robt. Hampson and Patrick Scallon, small dealers,
were next charged with selling, on Sunday, various kinds of
goods. The sale being proved, they were each fined 55.—J.
Shepherd,Vauxhall-road, was then charged with selling books
and papers of various descriptions, and the sale was proved.
Defendant said he should like to know the object of these
information ? Mr. Rushton said it was no doubt to put
down Sunday trading. The defendant enquired if it were
not for the share of :the fine ; for as there were a great many
common informers abroad, people in business ought to look
about them. Mr. Rushton said that was not the case in the
present instance. One informant was a churchwarden and
the other a sexton. The defendant said that papers were
allowed by the government to be sold in London on Sunday.
Mr. Rushton replied that it was uo doubt the object of the
informants to put down that system, which they considered
to be an infringement of the law. The defendant then said
he had carried on business for ten years, and it was strange
that he had never before been interfered with; besides, he
dealt in nothing that he conceived to be injurious to the
public morals. Mr. Rushton replied to this that the law as
it stood was that no Sunday trading whataver should be
carried on ; and he thought it would be better that it should
be carried out without !partiality, as all would be then on a
like footing, and no one would be individually injured. But
if the Rectors or Churchwardens required their officers to
enforce the law, he was bound to abide it, and if generally
enforced there would be an end of all F,l:llday trading. In
doing so, however, he was of opinion that the complaining
Parties might he led further than they were aware of. The
defendant said that he received Sunday papers from London,
Dublin, and other towns, which he could sell on no other
day with advantage. He had no objection to observe the
hours of Divine service by closing his shop ; but he was de-
termined to open on Sunday, summon him as they pleased.
He added that he might as well pay another ss. for next
Sunday, as he was a rich man, and might as well save the
time required in attending the court next week. Mr. Rush-
ton of course met this improper tender by stating that he had
no power to enforce or receive the tine prematurely. Another
person was then brought up for exposing fruit, &e. for sale ;
but as the goods had not been seized (under the requirements
of the Act) the case was dismissed.