The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-03-04 00:00:00

CONSERVANCY BILL

Mr. HORSFALL said he had observed by the proceedings
in the council yesterday, that the council had a bill before
parliament for the conservancy of the river. He wished to
ask the chairman whether there was any official communi-
cation on this subject before the committee?
The CHAIRMAN said he knew nothing in his official cha-
racter except that such a bill was before parliament.
Mr. HORSFALL said then he should wish to move that
this committee respectfully request the council to. furnish
them with a copy of the bill or the particulars of it. As
many gentlemen were new members of the committee, he
might as well mention for their information that this was a
matter which had been twice before parliament, and that in
both cases this committee were requested to co-operate with
the council in obtaining the bill. They did so, both as to
attending in London to promote the bill, and also in the ex-
pense; and he wished to know whether the council now
contemplated that the committee were to have no share in
the bill? If they were he did not think it quite courteons
on the part of the council not to inform them of it, because
if they were to contribute towards it, in the proportion they
did upon former occasions, it was but right they should know

. „
something about it. If, upon the other hand, the coun-
cil meant to pay the whole expense, perhaps the committee
had -not much. right to call upon them for information ;
but at the same time it would have been only courteous in
the Council to have informed the committee why the plan
bad been changed, and why the committee were no longer to
be a party to it. His view with regard to a conservancy
bill was somewhat altered from that he formerly held, hav-
ing witnessed what, bad taken place upon former occasions
when they were opposed by gentlemen from Cheshire and
even from Manchester, who insisted upon having a com-
mission. Those parties then even went so far as to say they
had a perfect tight to the conservancy, and that Liverpool
was a place for nothing else than their cunvenience. Other
parties had an object contrary to the bitt rests of the Dock
Estate, and that was to protect the river as far as Warring-
ton. It was, therefore, of great importance that the com-
mittee should know who were the conservators of the river.
In all cases it had been contemplated that the corporation or
the Dock Trus't should pay the whole expense; and if the
corporation paid the whole expense, of course the inhabitants
were deeply interested in the bill. _ _ _ _

Mr. EVANS asked Mr. Horshdl whether he had seen the

Mr. HORSFALL said he had not, and that he knew nothing
of it, except from what had appeared in the papers yesterday.

Mr. EVANS observed that the bill was not a conservancy
bill ; it was quite diflerent.
Mr. HORSFALL said then he should ask the corporation to
be so good as to inform the committee what bill it was: In
the former attempts, the gentlemen from Cheshire and Man-
chester insisted upon having powers which it was perfectly
unreasonable to concede. But the thing rested here—we
were in possession of the money, and they looked to the
Dock Estate or the corporation for all the money that had
to be laid out. He thought that under the bill of the Town-
council it was contemplated to spend from £3,000 to £5,000
a-vear. _

'Mr. EVANS said there would be no expenditure of the
,ort.

yV
Mr. Honsyma, said there would be some expense what-
ever it might be ; but if the bill was of a different character
to that which he apprehended, he hoped the corporation
would inform the committee what it was, that they might
see what was going on.
Mr. EVANS repeated that the bill was of a different kind
to what Mr. Horsfall contemplated, but at the same time
there was sufficient justification for his remarks, because the
bill did involve expense of which the committee would he
called upon to bear their share. It would, however, be an
extremely small expense, for it was only the expense charged
by the clerk of the peace for the county.
Mr..SfixND thought the bill was not called the conser-
vancy bill.

The CHAIRMAN said the title was, "The Mersey Con-
servancy Bill."
Mr. EVANS said the object of the bill was merely to sup-
press nuisances in the river, and to prescribe the mode of

doing so.
Mr. I-I ortgrALL. expressed his intention of moving that
the chairman be requested to desire the town council to
furnish the committee with a copy -91. 'the bill, and also with
such information as the council znight think it needful to
give to the committee. . .. . .

.• -
Mr. AIKIN said that Mr. Horsfall was quite right in con-
tending that a copy of the bill should be sent to the corn=
mittee in due form ; but when he saw the bill he would say
that it deserved any other name better than that of a con-
servancy bill; for Liverpool, by it, stood in no better a
position than any common carrier upon the estuary, yet the
bill said that the.. Corporation of Liverpool should pay the
expenses. _ _

The CHAIRMAN said he would write to the town-clerk on
the subject, and with this assurance the conversation dropped.
The committee then separated.

CORRESPONDENCE,

ANTI-CORN-LAW LADIES

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD,

Sift,—l think it my duty to address, through your co-
lumns, a caution to the public, with respect to the proceed-
ings of two females, in the dress of ladies, who, under the
pretence of calling upon the female portion of the inhabitants
to sign petitions against the corn-laws, have, during the past
week, been levying contributions upon the unwary. In se-
veral places where these impostors have called, small articles
have been immediately afterwards missed; and, in one in-
stance, a number of silver spoons, which were previously
noticed upon the table, disappeared, and have not since been
found. The parties are respectable in appearance, and of
rather plausible manners. There is no doubt, however, 1
believe, that they have not the slightest pretensions to the
character in which they appear, and that they are not id the
least connected with the petitions emanating from the Anti-
Monopoly Association.—l am, sir,
A CONSTANT READER.
Upper Parliament-street, Toxtelk-park,

Ist March, 1842

--....m.Mt2•••--

NORTHERN MECHANICS' INSTITUTION.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
SlB.,—Having heard so much of the Saturday evenings'

amusements that have taken place in this institution for some
time past, my curiosity led me to take a peep on the evening
of Saturday last. Before my arrival I was impressed with
the idea that perhaps 1 might have a description of some
nice piece of machinery, or some improvement on engines,
or that probably there would be some diversion by experi-
ments on the laughing gas, or some other chemical ellperi-
rnent ; but I was sadly disappointed. On my entrance my
attention was drawn to the south end of the room, where
was erected a stage, on which was placed a piano. In u short
time a gentleman made his appearance, and commenced
singing, and playing on the piano. After some time had
been spent in vocal music, accompanied by the piano and
the guitar, an Italian made his appearance, assuming the
character of a chimney-sweep, per the aid of ventriloquism,
which apparently amused the company very much. Part 2,
the performance recommenced by singing. &c., accompanied
by the guitar and piano, as before, and at intervals the amu-
sing ventriloquism of the artful Italian, which at once de-
lighted and amused the female mechanics and children. The
whole concluded with " Rule, Britannia!"
Mechanics of Liverpool! are you to be gulled this way ?
Is it for this purpose that you erect institutions, and get up
buildings? Have theatrical amusements anything to do with
mechanical institutions? No, certainly not. This is a new
way of instructing your apprentices in the construction and
rise of machines-and-engines: These entertainments, you
are well aware, belong to theatres, public-houses, and sing-
ing-rooms, and not' to scientific institutions. Can you con-
scientiously allow your apprentices to attend such amuse-
ments as these? This should be a place where your children
should, receive instructions on mechanism and the sciences.
For that purpose have you handed in your contributions,
that you might have those you sent amused, instructed, and
enlightened in the beauty of the sciences. Is it a matter of
surprise that they received notice from the council to remove
from these premises? For my part I would be far more sur-
prised if they had not got notice. But it has been stated
that this performance was only carried on for the amusement
of the mechanics of the north end of Liverpool. Now let me
say that the majority of the mechanics of the north end are
disgusted at such amusements being carried on. These Sa-
turday nights' amusements are the subject of their conversa-
tion on the next day ; and not only then, but on the Monday,
when they meet together, instead of attending to some sub-
ject which might have a tendency to improve them in their
vocations, their whole time is taken up with imitations of
ventriloquism, &c., &c.—Yours, &c.,
A MECHANIC.

THE YOUNG MEN'S ESTABLISHED CHURCH
SOCIETY.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD,

take the liberty of applying to you, as the recog-
nised organ of the evangelical party in this town, to know
what has become of the Liverpool Young Men's Established
Church Society. Its last meeting was held at the Amphi-
theatre, about a year and a half ago ; on which occasion we
were addressed by Dr. Byrtb, Mr. M'Neile, and several
other gentlemen ; our respected representative, Cresswell
Cresswell, Esq., being chairman. A resolution was at that
time proposed, and carried unanimously, to the effect that
for the future the meetings of the association should be half-
yearly ; and it was stated in the report that arrangements
were pending with a view to the continuance, on the part of
various evangelical clergy of the town, of a course of lectures,
four of which had already been delivered by Mr. Baylee, Dr.
Byrth,.Dr. Tattershall, and Mr. M'Neile.
Now, Mr. Editor, although loth to judge or speak harshly
of a society, the obvious tendency of whose principles, if
fairly and consistently carried out, is towards good, I feel
constrained in the present instance to observe, that it is one
thing to applaud resolutions at a public meeting, and another
to carry them into practical operation ; and to ask, how it
happens that so truly appalling a deadness has recently come
over the spirits of our Protestant young men? Is it that,
having at length seen the helm of government assigned once
more to the guidance of conservative hands, they deem that
there is no longer scope for that exertion a necessity for
which they all formerly admitted to exist? Or is it that
their enthusiasm, fanned into a temporary flame by the
powerful influence of platform eloquence and political ex-
citement, has, in consequence of the very brightness mani-
fested at its dawn, and unable eventually to support its own
intensity; emitted its last flash, and then mournfully expired ?
The statement of Holy Writ, as regards " putting one's band
to the plough, and turning back," will most forcibly apply
as regards either of the suppositions I have hazarded respect-
ing the lamentable defection upon which I have now animad-
verted.
These hurried remarks are made more in sorrow than in
anger, and with a friendly feeling towards the respectable
parties they refer to. Relying, therefore, on your compli-
ance with my request for their insertion in your next num-
ber, I would conclude with the expression of a fervent hope
that the prediction of the accomplished Roman satirist may
be realised in reference to the subject of this cotinnunica-
tion—

" Non, si male nunc, et olim
Sic erit."
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
VIGILANS.
[The above was in type on Monday, and ought to have ap-
peared in the STANDARD of Tuesday. We cannot give any
satisfactory reply to our correspondent's question.]