The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-07-08 00:00:00

WATCH COMMITTEE

In the report of the Watch Committee was a recommenda-
tion for abolishing the practise of letting of beds in the
bridewells. It was stated that the keepers of the lockups
had been in the habit of furnishing beds to parties who could
pay for them at 2s. per night each, and meals at the rate of Is.
each. It was recommended that the practise should be abo-
lished, save the allowance of beds at the main bridewell, on
an order from a magistrate.
Some discussion ensued on the subject, Mr. Turner, Mr.
Bolton, Mr. Alexander Smith, and others objecting to the
alteration. At length, on the motion of Mr. Turner, seconded
by Mr. Bolton, the subject was referred back to the commit-
tee, and the proceedings were confirmed with that exception.
MARKETS COMMITTEE.
The proceedings of the Markets Committee having been
read,
Mr. A SMITH said he had not found any notice in the pro-
ceedings of the proposed removal of the hay market.
The TOWN-CLERK said a formal appropriation of the land
was required, and that this would have to be done at a special
meeting.
The MAYOR presented a memorial on the subject. The
memorialists said they had learned with astonishment that it
was the intention of the council to open a market at St.
James's-road. They expressed a hope that such an intention
would not be carried into effect, as such a market would en-
danger the lives of children and obstruct the thoroughfare.
They suggested the space in front of St. James's Market as
a more desirable locality for the market.
Mr. BUSHELL said that Great George-place was the site
he had proposed, but the Finance Committee had found it
impossible to adopt that site, and had fixed upon St. James's-
road, opposite the Cemetery. If the buyers and sellers at
the south end of the town did not avail themselves of the
latter site, they might depend upon it they would find them-
selves in error.

Mr. RIGBY was of opinion that St. James's-road would
never be found to an3vrer for a haymarket.

Mr. COOPER thought Great George's-square the best
place in the town for it.

Mr. HA.RBORD moved that the memorial be referred to
the Market Committee, as there existed some erroneous im-
pression respecting the exact locality of the market, when
the subject was before the Council on a former occasion.
Mr. BOLTON wished it to be understood by the public, that
the space between Washington-street and Upper Parliament-
street was now fixed for the market.

Mr. PARKER wished to be informed whether the Council
were about to confirm the powers of the committee to increase
the prices of stalls in St. John's Market?
The MAYOR said a scale of rates had been submitted for
increasing the rates in St. James's Market, but that the
matter was referred to the sub-committee to report, which
report would hereafter come before the Council.
The memorial was then referred to the committee ; the
proceedings were confirmed ; and the Town-clerk announced
that a formal appropriation of the land would be made at the
next Council meeting.

TOWN•HALL ESTABLISHMENT COMMITTEE

The proceedings of the Town-hall Establishment Com-
mittee, comprising a recommendation for the payment of
£262 10s. for the hire of the furniture of the judges' lodgings
for the next year, were then read.
Mr. LLOYD called attention to the fact that a man of the
name of Edwards had been appointed the Mayor's servant,
at a salary of £35 a-year and board wages, and that, in ad-
dition, he would receive sixpence each for every witness ex-
amined before the grand jury, as grand jury bailiff. He said
that most of their servants received fees of which the Coun-
cil had no notice.

The TOWN-CLERK said that, at the passing of the munici-
pal act, Smith, the predecessor of Edwards, had been found
in the receipt of the fees in question, and that they were
continued to him. He thought the appointment of grand
jury bailiff should rest with the Council.
Mr. LLOYD thought it unfair to appoint Edwards to the
office when the committee was sitting for the purpose of in-
quiring into the salaries of the various officers.
Mr. BOLTON thought that Edwards should be simply the
Mayor's servant, and that he ought not to have anything to
do with courts of justice.
Mr. LLOYD moved as an amendment, that the proceed-
ings be confirmed with the exception of the appointment of
the Mayor's servant, and that in future he (the servant)
should not act, as grand jury bailiff.
Mr. ISAAC HOLMES seconded the amendment.
Mr. THORNHILL moved, as another amendment, that the
subject be referred back to the committee, with instructions
to refer to the Paid Officers' Committee, and to recommend
an officer for the appointment of Mayor's servant, and to
propose his salary—the duties of grand jury bailiff being
separate.

Mr. BRIGHT seconded this amendment, which was
agreed to.

-Mr. I. HOLMES moved that the judges' lodgings be not
taken for a longer period than one year.

Mr. EARLE thought the committee ought to report upon
the subject.
Mr. IsAnc HOLNIES had no objection to withdraw his
motion, provided a report were made.

. .
The proceedings on the subject were eventually referred
back for a report, and the other proceedings were con-
firmed.

EDUCATION COMMITTEE

The proceedings of the Education Committee was next
read. The average attendance from the 24th of May to the
15th of June was stated to be as follows :
NORTH SCHOOL. SOUTH SCHOOL.
Boys
Girls
Infants

Total
Mr. MOLYNEUX moved the confirmation of the proceed-
ings.

EARLE said a motion bad been agreed to upon the
last occasion for having the distinction of the religions stated
in the proceedings, and he asked why this motion had not
been complied with on the present occasion? He supposed
the committee were drumming up for recruits before the
holidays were over. He thought they had shown a want of
proper respect to the Council in not obeying the terms of
the motion.

Mr. NIOLYNEUX offered to read the numbers of such per-
suasions, as he had been furnished with them, but he feared
they were incorrect.

Mr. PLATT said they ought to have been recorded.
Mr. MoLyNEux said the terms of the motion could not
be carried into practice.

Mr. EARLE said it had worked very well formerly.
Mr. MOLYNEUX knew not how it had been worked, but
he believed very imperfectly. _

Mr. EARLE said the council had now what might well be
called " a Flemish account." (A laugh.)
The MAYOR said the committee did not appear to have
acted in accordance with the resolution.

Mr. H ARBORD said the reason of their not having so acted
was because they could not obtain a correct return to lay be-
fore the council. The books, when the committee received
them, were very incorrect. There was a vast number of boys
on the books who were not in attendance at that time, and
who had not attended since. To obey the terms of the
motion, therefore, the committee would have to go throuch
the schools and to put the question about his religion to
every boy. It had not been the wish of any member of the
committee to make these accusations, but the fact was the
particulars, as they had been received by the committee,
were incorrect, and it would be some time before they could
be rectified.
Mr. AIOLYNEUX gave notice that at the next meeting of
the council he would move that the former motion be
rescinded.
Mr. ISAAC HOLMES concurred in the propriety of sub-
mitting a motion of the kind.
Mr. BRIGHT thought nothing could be more simple than
for the masters and mistresses to ask the children of what
religion they were members.
Mr. EARLE said his reason for moving for the return, was
in consequence of Mr. Gladstone's promise on a former
occasion.
Mr. PARKER said he had voted for the return, and that
the committee ought to have made it. If, however, there
was not one Roman Catholic child in the schools, he should
still laud the *,stem, and contend that such a system was the
only one which, as Protestants, they could conscientiously
carry out.
Mr. I-lARBORD begged to ask the Town-Clerk, in the
event of a Roman Catholic mother bringing her children and

wishing them to be brought up as Protestants, what the com-
mittee were to do? Were the children in such a case to be
set down as Roman Catholics or as Protestants ?
The TOWN-CLERK said the best way in such a case would
be to return the special fact—how the children had been
brought to the committee.
Mr. EARLE said that " where there was a will there was
a way."
The proceedings were then confirmed, and the committee
were directed to supply the return.
BOROUGH COURT COMMITTEE.
The proceedings of the Borough Court and Court of Re-
quests Committee having been read,
Mr. COOPER moved their confirmation, and in doing so,
took occasion to refer to some differences which existed be-
tween the commit tee and Messrs. Ross and Nightingale with
respect to the settlement of accounts fir stationery supplied
by the latter to the Court of Requests. He referred to some
items in which a higher price had been charged by Messrs.
Ross and Nightingale than was asked by other houses in the
stationery trade. Cards, for instance, for which they charged
£1 15s 4d per thousand could have been procured for 13s 4d;
and this had been going on since the year 1837. At first a
discount of five per cent. was allowed, but in the course of
time the discount fell away to nothing at all, and upoa the
last half year the accounts were furnished at two and a half
per cent. The difference between the prices at which the
goods had been furnished by Ross and Nightingale and those
at which they would have been furnished by other houses
amounted to £l3B on £477. The committee, however, did
not mean to go back to the accounts which had been paid
since 1837, but wished to refer the last half-year's accounts,
which amounted to £37, and which was over and above the
value, to the consideration of the council. It was right,
however, to mention that Ross and Nightingale were willing
to take £7 off the last bill.
Mr. EARLE asked whether the officers who checked the
accounts had been before the committee ?
Mr. CooPER replied in the affirmative, and said they were
unable to explain how the discount bad been reduced to two
and a half per cent.
Mr, LLOYD said the committee had had Mr. Ross before
them.
Mr. EARLE said the bulk of the tradesmen he employed
were tories, and that he never turned a tradesman away be-
cause of his politics. He made this observation because he
saw some snivelling laughing on the other side of the table.
He understood that the price charged by Ross and Nightin-
gale for the cards was the same as the printed lists in Lon-
don, and the' same as was charged by Mr. Cannell; but if
the committee could get them cheaper so much the better.
Mr. LLOYD at some length proceeded to show that there
were several overcharges in the account, and said that Ross
and Nightingale had refused to open the whole of the accounts
furnished since 1837.
Mr. PARKER thought the best way was to pay the present
bill and cut the concern. This was what he always did when
he was overcharged.
Mr. H. LAWRENCE suggested that the proper course
would be to make a tender of what the committee thought
right.
After some further discussion, the bill for the‘ £37 was
referred back to the Court of Requests' Committee to say
what ought to be paid, and with instructions to send it then
to the Finance Committee for payment. The other proceed-
ings were confirmed.
DOCK COMMITTEE.
The proceedings of the Dock Committee were read and
confirmed.