The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-11-18 00:00:00

VESTRY MEETING

Yesterday, a meeting of the ratepayers of the parish of
Liverpool was held in the Church of St. Nicholas, for the
purpose " of nominating and choosing such and so many
commissioners as will be requisite to supply the then subsisting
vacancies in the number of highway commissioners, according
to the provisions of the several acts; and when and where a
summary or report of the receipts and expenditure of the
commissioners, appointed under and by virtue of the said
acts, will be laid before the inhabitants."
Mr. JOHN HOLMES was called to the chair.
Mr. E. G. DEANE, clerk to the commissioners, read the
notice convening the meeting, and also a statement of the
accounts, which, we suppose, will be advertised. There were
nine vacancies to be supplied, three of which must be out of
the council ; and the following was the list intended to be
nominated :—Messrs. James Plumpton, Richard Houghton,
and J. S. Leigh, from the council; William Birkett, James
Aspinall, John Fletcher, Joseph Cooper, Thomas Kaye, and
George Hornby.
Mr. WETHEEILL said he objected to the whole batch
which had just been read. They would agree with him that
the health of the town was the most sacred thing that could
be imagined; yet he found that the commissioners had neg-
lected, shamefully neglected, their duty of attending to it.
In certain parts of the town, along which he was compelled
to go, he found accumulations of filth and dirt which were
really disgraceful.
The CHAIRMAN said, the commissioners were not the
scavenging board; and they had nothing whatever to do with
cleansing the streets.

Mr. VRTHERILL.—Then, who has ?
Mr. DEANE and Mr. COOPER explained, that this duty
belonged to a committee of the council—to the watch com-
mittee, in fact.
Mr. JAMES HUGHES said, that in the place of Mr. Joseph
Cooper he should propose that Mr. Thomas Cuff, of Byrom-
street, be elected a commissioner. It was presumptuous in
any set of men to monopolise the management of the parish
affairs. On referring to the list of commissioners for the
last dozen years, there would always be found the names of
Joseph Cooper and William Birkett, and a similar set, who
monopolised the patronage and the distribution of the funds
of the parish, to the exclusion of others, equally worthy, of
their fellow-citizens. He thought it was not right that the
parish board should be kept a complete snuggery.
The CHAIRMAN said, that so far from there being any
monopoly, the difficulty was to get gentlemen to attend.
Mr. WETHERILL said, he would second the motion of his
friend Mr. Hughes.
Mr. BIGHAM said the true secret of all this monopoly of
business was that the people 'who monopolized it had too
little to attend to in their own affairs, and, therefore, they
determined to meddle with parish matters. Now, what could
this be for? It was not from a patriotic feeling ; it was not
because they wished to shew themselves good citizens ; but it
was because they had plenty of patronage and money to dis-
tribute. That only could be their motive ; and the parish-
ioners felt it to their cost. The speaker then complained of
the mode in which the streets are watered, alleging that the
most fasbionable streets were carefully attended to in this re-
spect, whilst the poorer ones were totally neglected. He
concluded with some coarse remarks on the list.submitted to
.the meeting.
Mr. THOMAS KAYE, in reply, said, that the commissioners
had done all in their power with regard to the watering of
the streets. They had not the means of watering all the
streets. There were a hundred miles of streets in Liver-
pool, and it was impossible they could all be watered. If
any plan could be pointed out whereby that object could be
attained the commissioners would be glad to adopt it; and
at present they did as much as they had the means of doing.
It was quite a mistake to suppose that there was any
favouritism on the part of the board ; on the contrary it was
their wish to consult as far as possible the wants of the public.
Mr. BIGHAM asked whether there was ever a single day
when Lord-street was not watered? _ _

.Mr. KAYE said, yes; fourteen or fifteen days sometimes.
It was impossible for the board to meet the demand which
was now made ; to do so would cost at least £6OOO a-year,
whilst they had only the disposal of £l5OO a-year.
Mr. KNAPPER corroborated the statement of Mr. Kaye.

Mr. BIGHAM.—What right has Lord-street and those
streets to be watered more than any other ?
The CHAIRMAN.—Because there is more passing in them.
Mr. BIGHAM.—I beg your pardon; there is not.
Mr. WETHERILL asked whether it would not be cheaper
to water the streets by contract ?
The CHAIRMAN thought not, and added that there was
always a difficulty in passing the accounts. People com-
plained, but they did not like to pay for removing the com-
plaint.
Mr. WETHERILL said there were people in the town who
would water the whole town, dr, at least, two-thirds of it, for
a less sum than one-third was done for now.
The CHAIRMAN.—It is impossible.
Mr. WETHERILL thought it might be done early in the
morning, for it was a nuisance to have the watering carts in
the streets in the middle of the day. _ . .

Mr. KAYE replied that at one time the commissioners
gave instructions for the streets to be watered between four
and five in the morning, and it was done, and then came
complaints that they were dry again by nine o'clock. It was
impossible to please everybody.
The CHAIRMAN then put the list, seriatim, and every
name was carried. _ _ _

Mr. HUGHES demanded a poll in favour of Mr. Cuff and
against Mr. Cooper.
Mr. WETHERILL seconded the demand ; but on inquiry it
appeared that he had not paid his rates, consequently his
seconding fell to the ground.
Mr. BIGHAM.-It is very unfair! It is like all the rest of
your conduct ! It is grossly unfair, like all the rest of your
conduct, and I am determined to oppose it as long as I live!
I second the motion myself. Mr. Wetherill is a well known
parishioner, and I say it is most unfair to treat him in this

way!
The CHAIRMAN said it was the law which must be obeyed.
Mr. BIGHAM.—I don't care. It is unfair, like all the
rest ; for Mr. Weatherill is a well known parishioner.
In reply to a remark on the absurdity of putting the parish
to the expense of a poll on a question of this kind, and re-
commending the motion to be withdrawn,
Mr. HUGHES said he would not withdraw his demand;
but, perhaps, Mr. Cooper would save the expense by with-
drawing himself, as he had been long enough in office, as a
guardian. and in other ways.
Mr. COOPER said he was not a poor law guardian of Li-
verpool ; and after the personal and uncalled for manner in
which he had been assailed, he should not withdraw his name.
(Hear, hear.)
The vestry was then adjourned till ten o'clock this morn-
ing (Friday), at the Parish-office, where the poll will be taken.