The Liverpool Standard, and General Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-11-14 00:00:00

LIVERPOOL TOWN COUNCIL

TUE first meeting of the Town Council, as constituted
by the elections of the preceding week, was held on
Thursday, last, the chair being oceupied by John Buck
Lloyd, Esq., the retiring Mayor. The attendance of mem-
bers was very large.

ELECTION OF MAYOR.
Mr. Alderman J. H. TURNER—after the usual intima-
tiear had been made by his Worship the Mayor as to the
statutory necessity for electing a gentleman to fill the
office of Mayor for the ensuing year—in a speech of some
length proposed that Mr. John Stewart be elected to serve
the office-of Mayor. In doing so, he remarked that it was
of the greatest importance in the present instance to have
a',gentleman occupying the position of Chief Magistrate
who, in addition to the other qualifications considered
requisite, should be fully cognisant of the whole processes
involved in the consideration of the question of the Town
Dues. This was the more•necessary, as there could not be
any doubt that, immediately on the meeting of Parlia-
ment, a report would be submitted to it by the commis-
sioners who sat here in course of the present year,
recommending the transfer of those dues into other hands,
thereby depriving the Corporation of Liverpool of a large
annual revenue, to which they are as equitably entitled
as any nobleman or gentleman in the kingdom to the
income derived from his estates. To counteract the effects
of such a report, it was desirable that the Corporation
should be presided over by a Mayor who, by his age, long
connexion with the town, experience, and peculiar know-
ledge of the value• of property, should be able to give the
most advantageous assistance in bringing this important
matter to a satisfactory issue. He concluded by moving
that Mr.. Stewart be elected: Mayor for the ensuing year.
Mr. Thouziny seconded the nomination, and in doing so
passed a high encomium on. the services Mr. Stewart had
rendered to the Corporation for many years.
Mr. THOMAS LITTLEDA.LE said it afforded him the
greatest satisfaction to propose Mr. James Aspinall Tobin
to fill'the office of Mayor for the coming year. The family
of Mr. Tobin, he said, had long been connected with one
of the most important trades in this town, and the very
high position which they had always occupied, he (Mr.
Littledale) was sure, would justify him in proposing this
appointment. As to Mr. Tobin's own personal qualifica-
tions, the zeal he had displayed on the various committees,
and the ability with which he had conducted the affairs of
the watch committee, pointed him out•as peculiarly well
qualified to fill the office•;; and he (Mr. Littledale) was
glad that the sentiment he• had just expressed was coin-
cided in by the gentlemen who had proposed Mr. Stewart.
He thought Mr. Tobin would bring to bear upon the
particular question, which had been referred to, great
ability and zeal, and his habits of business were so great
that, before long, he• would be as well acquainted with the
details of that question as. any other gentleman. (Hear,
hear.) _ _

----__,
Mr. Alderman TotrLxiN, in seconding the nomination
of Mr. Tobin, said, if independence of character, talent,
integrity, and sterling honesty of conduct were qualifica-
tions for the office of Mayor, there was no one more
distinguished than Mr. Tobin. (Hear, hear.) He had
great pleasure in seconding Mr. Tobin's nomination. He
must express his surprise at what fell from Mr. Hornby,
when he said that every member of the finance committee
would testify to the value of Mr. John Stewart's services.
There was the Newsham House Estate, which had cost the
'Corporation a large sum of money that was lying idle, and
when any one attempted to bring forward the subject of
appropriating that estate, they found Mr. Stewart op-
posing it.
Mr. ROBERTSON GLADSTONE, in a long speech, sup-
ported the claims of Mr. Stewart, giving, however, a very
decided preference to those of Mr. Holt over those pos-
sessed or claimed by the friends of Mr. Stewart for that
gentleman. In the course of his observations, Mr. Glad.
stone referred pointedly to an alleged out-of-door influ-
ence which he insinuated had been brought to bear on
members of the council, inducing them to support the
pretensions of Mr. Tobin. In eulogising Mr. Holt, Mr.
Gladstone denounced what he called the bigotry and into-
lerance of a motley group, favourable not only to retro-
gression, but to the exercise of the most palpable and
cruel oppression.
Mr. Alderman PARKER said he hoped the Council
would calm down, after the eloquent speech which had
been addressed to them by Mr. Gladstone, before coming
to a decision on this subject. In order to aid this, he
begged to remind them of a few facts. Mr. Gladstone
told us that Mr. Tobin and his friends ought not to be
guided by party feeling in the selection of a gentleman to
fill the office of Mayor ; but the honourable gentleman
forgot the ;advice he gave very recently, in a letter ad-
dressed to the electors of Abercromby Ward, " between a
Liberal and Conservative, choose a Liberal, or what have we
been fighting for so long ?" Mr. Gladstone had referred to
the principles of the Municipal Reform Bill, and alluded
to the Church party, who for so long a time had kept Mr.
G. Holt from the honours of the civic chair. He (Mr.
Alderman Parker) could recollect the year 1836, when
the Municipal Reform Act first came into operation, and
was a canvasser on Protestant principles, when, out of
sixty-four members, the party with which he acted could
only return two. Why, he might ask, had not the Radical
faction, which at that time was so triumphant, kept its
power in the Council Chamber ? He would tell—it was
because the people of Liverpool had weighed them in the
balance, and found them wanting; and now, instead of I
two Conservatives, the Council contained upwards of forty.
He (Mr. Parker) had a high opinion of Mr. Stewart; bnt
he thought that that gentleman would do his duty as well
in his capacity of member of the Finance Committee as
he would in that of Chief Magistrate of the borough of
Liverpool, and, therefore, the argument of Mr. Gladstone,
that they would lose his services, was worth nothing.
Age was talked of as an objection to Mr. Tobin's election.
Age was not talked of when Mr. Littledale was brought
forward as a candidate for the office. The same influence
was then brought forward to support youth as was now
given in support of age. He rose as a supporter of Mr.
Aspinall Tobin, and he should give his vote for him, he
hoped, as consistently as any one else.
Some further discussion, of a character little important
to the public, ensued, in the course of which remarks were
made by Mr. Moss, Mr. AvlsoN, and Mr. WOODRUFF ;
after which,
The TOWN-CLERK having been appealed to, said he was
of opinion that Mr. Tobin's qualification could not be dis-
puted, he being a member of the council for twelve months
previous to his election. If he had not been qualified
when elected a member of the council, it might have been
tried in the Court of Queen's Bench within twelve
months, but not afterwards. This case had been raised
and decided in the case of the Mayor of Carlisle.
The votes were then taken, and Mr. Tobin was declared
to be elected by a majority of 31 to 28.
FOR Mu. TOBlN.—Councillors Anderson, Crosthwaite,
Moss, W. Nicholson, Godfrey, Holden, M`Guffie, Tyrer, C.
Turner, Littledale, Jeffreys, J. Gladstone, Wood, A. Shand,
Wagstaff, Fleming, J. Nicholson, Kitchen, Henderson,
Clint, Beckwith, Horsfall, Robertson, Hall ; Aldermen
Bennett, Bold, Parker, Cooper, F. Shand, Toulrain; the
Mayor. - .

Fou Ms. STEWAR.T.—COMICMOrS Mellol', Bighorn,
Woodruff, A. Stewart, Bradley, Avison, Holt, Hornby,
Fernihough, J. Holme, Banner, Mann, Brancker, R.
Gladstone, Earle, Tinne, Picton, Johnson, Hodson, Hal-
...

head, Gregson • Aldermen Langsdale, Preston, Dover,
Robinson, J. TUrner, Bramley-Moore, Bent.
The result of the division was loudly greeted by the
majority.
The newly-elected Mayor was • then introduced by Mr.
Thomas Littledale and Mr. Toulmin, and was loudly ap-
plauded. He was immediately conducted to the Mayor's
chair, where the retiring Mayor met him, shook him
warmly by the hand, and said—" I have to announce to
you, Mr. Tobin, that the Council has elected you Mayor
for the ensuing year."
The usual oaths were then administered to the' new
Mayor, after which he took his seat.
The MAYOR, after a short pause, rose and said,—
Gentlemen, I beg to express to you my sincere thanks for
the honour you have.conferred upon me in, electing me to
preside over you. In accepting this office, believe me I
am not unmindful of the difficulties and responsibility
which are attached to it, and more especially do I feel
that, inasmuch as I succeed gentlemen who have been in
an eminent degree qualified to perform those duties. But
I know this council sufficiently well to feel assured, the
more it is needed' the more they will grant me their
indulgence. (Cries of " Hear, hear.") It will be my
endeavour to act with that impartiality which has charac-
terised my predecessors, but at the same time I am well
aware, without the kind consideration and cordial support
of this council, it will be impossible for me to conduct
your deliberations with that dignity and that firmness
which are befitting the meetings of the council of the first
commercial city in the world_ (Hear, hear.) I will only
further add, gentlemen, that it will be my constant study
and earnest desire never to allow any bias or partiality, or
political or personal feeling, to influence me in the dis-
charge of those duties which you have entrusted to me,
and which I have undertaken to perform. I shall ever
remember that, in the office I now hold, I am the represen-
tative, not of any sect or sections—(hear, hear)—but I
have been elected by you as the Mayor of Liverpool ; and
as I may succeed in this my intention' can I alone hope
to retain that good opinion which you have this day mani-
fested. (Hear, hear.) In accordance, gentlemen, with the
usual custom, allow me to remind you it is my intention
to attend Divine Service at St. Peter's church on Sunday
next, and I shall esteem it an honour if as many of the
members of the council and their friends as can conve-
niently attend will accompany me on that occasion.
(Applause.)
On the motion of Mr: HOENBY, the sum of £2,000 was
voted as the Mayor's salary for the ensuing year.
DOCK COMMITTEE.—The minutes and proceedings of
the Dock Committee were confirmed.
The quarterly meetings of the council were fixed for the
first Wednesdays of February, May, and August.
The annual officers of the Corporation were then re-
appointed at the same salaries and allowances which they
had previously received.
In reference to the appointment of committees, a pro-
tracted discussion took place, in the course of which Mr.
TINNE moved, "That the continuance of the several com-
mittees this day appointed be limited to the quarterly
meeting of the council in February, and that a special
committee be now appointed to consider and report in the
meantime on the duties devolving on the several com-
mittees of the council, and whether the number thereof
may not be diminished, and such duties amalgamated,
with advantage to the public business, and relieve the
members of the Council by a more equal distribution of
the labour amongst them," which on a vote was negatived
by a majority of 34 to 16.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.—Mr. Honwa moved that the
following gentlemen be appointed :—H. Hornby, Esq.,chair.
man; J. Stewart, Esq.,deputy-chairman; J.Laurence, John
Bramley-Moore, James Parker, John. H. Turner, Joseph
Cooper, James Tyrer, Thomas Toulmin, William Preston,
John C. Fernihough, Sir John Bent, Samuel Holme,
Thomas Dover, Samuel L. Mellor, and John Buck Lloyd,
Esqrs. which was carried,
Mr.'W. EARLE, in reference to his proposal for filling
up George's Dock Basin, after presenting a 'memorial
from a meeting recently held in the Clarendon-rooms,
moved " That it be an instruction to the Town-clerk
so to frame the notice for the proposed improve
ments and trews eet to the east of the boundary of
Per
dock property o enable application to be made ta pox
liament for the necessary powers to form adequate, sat
and permanent access for passengers and carriages betwee
. the town and the present and proposed new Landing-stir
either by Ping up the George's Pock, 1,i0;-