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

LITERARY CURIOSITY

lo
't
ary the first number of the Liverpool Magazine (for Janu-
the coming year), we find the following specimen of
co cg
trifling. The author, Mr. James Scott Walker,
in jiindes an alliterative epistle to the editor of the magazine
real' "e
words :—" You will remark that the rigmarole is
ezp,',ln rhyme, but it is neither right nor reasonable to
EOC'' in a writer so restrained, right rhyme and right rea-
or Nevertheless, I hereby challenge any poet, poetaster,
to Diet of the petticoats, pedant or pedagogue, in the parish,
taii,ir,°ve hipoes psre-em3inence in producing a parallel piece, per-
-g to -, ,so playful and so pointed.

GREAT BRITAIN

AN ALLITERATIVE ACROSTIC

R
EAT-BRITAIN ! glorious, gallant, generous, good ;}
IZPeeted round remotest regions rude;
4 ,Tightened, envied, energy-endued;
"ens and allies, all award alone
•" 0 thee Truth's tribute—triumph to thy throne !
rit
annia! braving battle, billow, breeze ;
reltieving rights repriss'd, restores, refrees 7
T
;'nustrious, indomitable isle !
BY treasures tell thy thriving trade ; thy toil :
A r tarinS, (Tali( meats—Albion's ardent aim,
thsult incenses
of number'

line-fold nervous, note thy noble name !T

[he
ratio °nlY slip (if it may be so called) from perfect allite-
line n throughout is the use of the pronoun thy in the last
city' Which appears to have been unavoidable from the pau-
lett.°` Words in the English language commencing with the
n.—ED. STAND.I

young French lady, said to be worth " £lOO,OOO ster-
an in the Parisian papers her desire to marry
witk
it nglish nobleman. The intrinsic value of such a lady,
"M her money bags, is something less than a farthing.

ADJOURNED MEETING OF THE TOWN COUNCIL

The adjourned meeting of the town-council was held at
eleven o'clock on Wednesday, in the council chamber of the
Town-hall. The MAYOR presided.

GARDENS' COMMITTEE

The DEPUTY TOWN-CLERK read the proceedings of thi.,
committee; from which it appeared that Mr. Isaac Ilolnies
had been appointed chairman.

COURT OF REQUESTS' COMMITTEI

From the proceedings of this committee, it appeared that
Cattrell, assistant clerk to the treasurer of the Court of
Requests, had been dismissed for the misappropriation of
certain monies in his possession. There were sixty-two can-
didates for the vacant situation, whose testimonials were
carefully examined, and the number reduced to six. The
committee recommended that Thomas Ashbrook be appointed
to the office, at a salary of £llO per annum, on condition of
his finding security in the sum of £2OO, and not to be di-
rectly or indirectly concerned in private business.
On the motion of Mr. COOPER, seconded by Mr. J. B.
LLOYD, the appointment of Mr. Ashbrook was confirmed.

CHURCH EXPENDITURE COMMITTEE.
The proceedings of this committee comprised only the
appointment of Mr. William Birkett as chairman.

TOWN-HALL ESTABLISHMENT COMMITTEE

The DEPUTY TOWN-CLERK read the proceedings of :this
committee. It appeared that the committee had left the
appointment of porter in the Town-hall (in the place of
Robert Burley, dismissed for misconduct) at the disposal of
the Mayor. _ _ _ _

The "fiIAYOR stated, that he had appointed a person of the
name of John Jones, who was formerly in the police force,
to the office of porter. He mentioned this circumstance
because the appointment had not, as yet, come before the
committec.—The proceedings were confirmed.

OBSERVATORY COMMITTEE.
The Observatory Committee, it appeared, had re-appointed
Mr. James Aikin their chairman.

HEALTH OF TOWN COMMITTEE

The DEPUTY TOWN-CLERK read the proceedings of this
committee, from which it appeared that Mr. James Aspinall
had.been appointed chairman, and Mr. Birkett deputy chair-
man. The proceedings detailed several acts, on the part of
the committee, under the new law with reference to the
erection of cottage property in different parts of the town.
The surveyor, it further appeared, had been requested by the
committee to report whether, in his opinion, the two district
surveyors would be adequate to the duties of inspection under
the new act ; and his report being in the affirmative, as their
present duties would be lightened, the committee had ap-
pointed tl,w, without any recommendation for increased
salaries.

Mr. BIRKETT said, that in the absence of the chairman of
the committee, he bad been requested to move the confirma-
tion of the proceedings, and in doing so, he should make a
few observations. The committee had proceeded, in the first
place, in the carrying out of their duties, to direct the town-
clerk to placard the walls of the town as extensively as he
could with the regulations imposed by the new act upon
parties about to build; and, in the next place, to provide
that, at the small cost of sixpence. every one interested in
building might have a copy of the act itself. The committee
had, since then, given an opinion—which he believed they
were not bound to do, but which they were willing to take
upon themselves for the general benefit of the inhabitants ;
namely, that if the parties about to build would submit to
them two copies of their plans, the committee would then
give the sanction of their opinion. The committee could not
allow or disallow any thing except in conformity or other-
wise with the act; but if parties would submit their plans to
them, the committee would, under the advice of the town-
clerk, give their opinion whether or not those plans were in
conformity with the act. This course, he thought, would be
found to do away with much of the objection to the act. In
the course of his engagements with this committee, he had
had occasion to notice, in conjunction with Mr. Lace, the
great improvement which had, of late, taken place in the
construction of dwellings for the poor. The new act, he
thought, would be a very great benefit to the town. With
regard to old property, the committee hoped it would be
found that, by this act, the council had delivered the owners
of that description of property from the great burden of the
Marquis of Normanby's bill, which would have been in
many instances injurious to their property ; the committee
earnestly hoped, therefore, that the owners of that property
would save them the trouble of doing that which they were
determined to do, firmly but temperately, to carry out the
act by flagging and paving courts. The committee had
desired the district surveyors to enforce these regulations
upon all parties, without respect ; and, at the same time, the
committee were determined to carry out the regulations with
regard to old property; for if they did not, it would be a
fraud upon parliament, which, in this act, had given Liver-
pool an exemption from the more stringent clauses in Lord
Normanby's bill. He moved the confirmation of the pro-
ceedings.
Mr. COOPER seconded the motion, and it was carried.

PAID OFFICERS' COMMITTEE-STATEMENTS OF THE
TOWN-CLERK, THE DEPUTY TOWN-CLERK, AND THE

CLERK OF COMMITTEES

Mr. J. B. LLOYD, as chairman of the Paid Officers' Com-
mittee, said the committee thought the more convenient plan
would be for the council to receive the remarks of the com-
mittee upon the statements of the town-clerk, the deputy
town-clerk, and the clerk of committees, which had been
printed on Saturday, for the convenience of the members of
the council. It was only on Saturday that the statements
had passed the committee, or,else it would have been more
in order that the remarks of the committee, together with
their resolutions, should have been, in accordance with the
standing orders, deposited in the office of the clerk of com-
mittees. Time, however, had not been allowed for that.
The committee had sat day by day in order to bring up the
report, so that the council must come to some conclusion, for
it was most important to all the departments, that a speedy
settlement should take place. If the council would permit
him, he would read the remarks of the committee upon the
officers' statements which had been printed. By the sum-
mons paper, it appe,red that the statements of the town-
clerk, the deputy town-clerk and the clerk of committees,
would be read and taken into consideration ; now they could
not be taken into consideration, except in connection with
the report. Perhaps, therefore, the remarks of the com-
mittee should be first read.

Mr. LACE suggested that the council should first hear the
wishes of the town-clerk and the deputy town-clerk. _ .

Mr. LLOYD admitted that their statements must first be
read ; and the remarks of the committee thereon would fol-
low.

Mr. EIoRNBY presumed it was not the intention of the
chairman of the Paid Officers' Committee to press the coun-
cil to a decision, either by receiving the report, or the adoption
of the plan suggested by the Town-clerk and other officers.
He conceived that as the standing orders had not been ad-
hered to by which members of the council were entitled to
see, two days before the meeting, what was to be brought be-
fore them, it would not be correct to come to a decision upon
such a very important question to-day. The council were
not at all aware of what the proceedings of the Paid Officers'
Committee had been since their last report; in fact, all they
knew was the substance of the statements of the officers.

Mr. BIAKETT thought it would be very desirable for the
chairman to make the committee's statement, and for the
officers to make theirs, in order that the council might see
how the matter stood. He candidly confessed that he was
not, at present, in a position to give an opinion upon the
subject one way or the other. He understood from one party
that the report recommended an exceedingly large amount of
salary ; and, on the other hand, he had bee❑ told by the
committee that it did no such thing—on the contrary, that
there would be a saving. On these grounds he wished to
hear the chairman of the committee first.
Mr. Nicol, inquired where this was to end. First, there
was a report of the Paid Officers' Committee, then an answer
from the officers ; next they were to have a rejoinder to that
reply, and, in all appearance, the Paid Officers' Committee
would wish to make their comments on that. It appeared
to him something like a chancery suit, in which the Council
were to have a paper communication from the parties every
month respectively. Was this reply to the statements of the
Town-clerk and the Deputy Town-clerk to be the last? Was
the Council now to come to a decision?

The MAYOR said it was impossible for the Council to form
an opinion on that point until they had heard the statements.
Mr. NicoL asked whether the standing orders defined or
limited such a proceeding?
Sir THOS. BRANCKER and Mr. LLOYD apprehended that
the statements of the officers should be first read. _ .

The TOWN-CLERK said it was only necessary to refer to the
order of the council to see at once the correct course of pro-
ceeding. He then read the resolution of the 19th October,
directing the officers to make their statements upon the re-
port of the Paid Officers' Committee. From this he consi-
dered that the straightforward course would be, first to read
the statements of the officers, made through the committee,
which had been printed. With regard to any rejoinder on
the remarks of the committee, he should hope that nothing of
that kind would be necessary ; they would take place in
council, and save any further trouble on the part of the Paid
Officers' Committee. . _ _

After a few words from G. H. LAWRENCE and Mr.
LLOYD, it was arranged that the officers' statements should
be read in the first instance. _

The DEPUTY TOWN-CLERIC then read the statements,
which occupied considerably more than half an hour. The
document commenced with a general introduction, stating,
that the statements of the Town-clerk, the Deputy Town-
clerk, and Clerk of Committees, were made in compliance
with a resolution passed in the council of the 10th October
last, to the effect that the first report of the committee was
to be taken into consideration at a future day, and that in
the meantime the above-named functionaries, with the
Serjeant at Mace, were to state their views in writing upon
the portions of the report which referred to them, with any
suggestions for the improvement of their respective depart-
ments. It then proceeded with the

TOWN-CLERH'S STATEMENT

This set out by giving extracts from the report of the Paid
Officers' Committee, presented to the council of the 27th
February, 1836, setting forth the future functions of the
Town-clerk and Deputy Town-clerk. The resolution of the
council of the 4th March, 1836, appointing Mr. Radcliffe
Town-clerk, Registrar of the Borough Court, and Clerk of
the Peace, during good behaviour, with £2,000 a year as his
sole emoluments, the fees of his offices, deducting clerks'
salaries and office expenses, to go to the borough fund, was
also set forth, followed by some details as to the mode in
which the arrangement was subsequently effected. The state-
ment next alluded to the appointment of Mr. Shuttleworth
as Deputy Town-clerk, on the sth of May, 1841, when a
division of duties between the Town-clerk and Deputy
Town-clerk was declared by the council. "On this division,"
it was observed in the statement, " and certain important
improvements on it, recommended by the present committee,
the Town-clerk founds his suggestions for the scheme of
establishment intended to be submitted by this statement to
the council."

The Town-clerk recurring to the report submitted first
some explanation touching that portion of it which refers to
the Recorder, observing that the assistance of a special clerk
to the Recorder had been discontinued, the clerk at the desk
being able to render him the requisite assistance, and that
the refreshments at the sessions had been on the most
moderate scale.

The statement next referred to the Town-cleric's depart-
ment. In allusion to the observations in the report on the
various offices in this department, it was set forth in the
statement that the Town-clerk is not responsible for all the
officers comprised in the report, as for instance the clerk of
committees (except as to the repository), or his clerk ; or for
the sub-bailiffs beyond a vigilant supervision of them.
Touching the want of system and arrangement, the state-
ment refers to the subsequent declaration in the report that
the establishment of clerks is and has been insufficient for
the great weight of business continually rressing. The state-
ment set forth the great changes and increase of business
since the pa sing of the Municipal Act, principals being now
daily compelled to discharge duties that ought to he dele-
gated, while sudden exigences requiring immediate attention
prevented satisfactory system or arrangement. It was the
opinion of the Town-clerk, given merely to show the extent
of business that the whole duties of the offices held by him
and the Deputy Town-clerk would, it paid by fees, so far as
fees are now payable, and by the usual professional charges
for the rest, amount to not less than £9OOO per annum, after
all deductions for clerks or otherwise.

As regarded the portion of the report on the increase of
salaries, the statement showed from the return of the Trea-
surer, that the increase in the cost of Town-clerk, Clerk of
the Peace, Deputy Town-clerk, and Prosecuting Solicitor
and their clerks in seven years was, including an addition of
£lOO a-year to Mr. Shuttleworth's salary, £75 145., the
lowest annual amount being that of 1836, £3,588 Bs., and the

highest that of 1542, (which includes Mr. Shuttleworth's
additional £lOO per annum,) £3,633 12s.
_ _

The amount of fees from the Borough - Court for the year
ending 31st July, 1842, was £960 16s. sa. The system of
receiving was continued from the times of former Town-
clerks. The receipt of the fees was confined to the Deputy
Registrar and Mr. Tyson. Since the 11th July last the
names of the parties have been toltereti w't'i the fees, but this
has required the assistance of an extra-clerk, who, thnt,:.;ll

4,neraily one of the apprentices, could be illafrim d

system to some extent retards the business of the court, but
the proposed increase of the establishment would etrible the
Town-clerk, he expects, to do away with this objection and
to improve the check.
The fees were entered in the Town-clerk's cash book un-
der a resolution of the council, and were posted into an
official book kept exclusively for the fees account, and both
the summary and the several part;culars duly indorsed, were
delivered to the Treasurer without being called for. In the
Public Office and that of the Clerk of the Peace, there could
not, in many cases, from the nature of the business, be any
check beyond original entries.
Refreshments have been allowed to clerks only when they
were detained till a late hour.

The Town-clerk confirmed the opinion expressed in the
report o❑ the illegality of the present arrangement for the
custody of the charters, deeds, muniments and records of the
corporation, he (the Town-clerk) being the legal custodier.
Opinions were given as to the inexpediency of allowing per-
sons to inspect deeds without the express order of the Town-
clerk, and of the convenience which would ensue from the
legal arrangement in consequence of the privileges of the
custodier and the Deputy Town-clerk, as attorneys, of with-
holding evidence or disclosures touching the contents of such
deeds. The Clerk of Committees and Surveyor would have
every possible facility in obtaining every necessary informa-
tion.

As regards the registering of leases, the statement simply
set forth that " this undoubtedly belongs to the Town-clerk's
department."
In reference to a doubt expressed in the report as to the
legal compatibility of the offices of Town-clerk and Clerk of
the Peace, the statement contained arguments to prove
that the junction of those offices is strictly in accordance with
the Municipal Act.
On the extra expenses on account of prosecutions and the
impediments to the general business of the Town-ball, the
Town-clerk looked forward to the proposed increase in the
establishment for the prevention of any future inconvenience
of the kind adverted to.

The Town-clerk concurs generally with the report on the
subject of paying salaries in lieu of fees, and the appropria-
tion of the latter.

The Town-clerk next, in his statement, addressed him-
self to the scheme of the establishment. The Town-clerk
proposed various qualifications upon the scheme of division
of duties approved by the Council on the appointment of the
Deputy Town-clerk, most of which qualifications belonged
to the scheme of the committee. Preserving the principle
of Town-clerk and Deputy Town-clerk, and the relation of
senior and junior partner, but with separate establishments
and every practicable division of duty, he would cheerfully
accept the scheme of the committee.
The increasing business of the Borough Court requires an
assistant to the Town-clerk as Registrar, who must have an
inferior clerk, both of whom are to make the duties of the
above office paramount, but to hold the rest of their time at
the disposal of the Town-clerk for the Corporation. In lieu
of salaries of £2OO and £BO, proposed by the committee, the
Town-clerk urged £250 and £lOO. For the engrossing
clerks small increases to the salaries proposed by the com-
mittee were recommended.

The Town-clerk submitted that the appointments, as
well as dismissals, in the several departments of himself
and the Deputy Town-clerk, should rest with themselves
respectively, subject to the approval of the Council as to
salaries.

The statement concluded with some observations on the
salaries and fees of the Crier at the Sessions, Sub-Bailiffs.
The Town-clerk suggested that the Watch Committee might
justly require the pay of their constables while employed as
summoning officers to be made a charge upon the courts.
The statement of the Town-clerk on the Sergeant-at-Mace
and his Bailiffs, the Crier of the Borough Court, and the
Mace Bearer, stand over, as the committee have directed
cases for the opinion of counsel on these offices.

DEPUTY TOWN-CLERK'S STATEMENT,

The Deputy Town-clerk's statement opened by a reference
to the following passage in the report :—" The amount of
bills of costs for leases come through the Deputy Town-
clerk's department, in as unsatisfactory a manner as the
above-named fees to Mr. Tyson." The statement is, that
the charges for leases are fixed. Since July last the charges
have been received by Mr. R. Radcliffe, jun., and paid over
weekly to Mr. Tyson. On the alleged mixture of duties
between Mr. Hughes and Mr. Tyson, of which the report
gave details, Mr. Shuttleworth remarks that the business
has been confused by the clerks. The system of paying wit-
nesses by orders on Mr. Tyson was introduced by Mr. Shut-
tleworth's predecessor as a check, but Mr. S. has introduced
one as efficient which does not call upon Mr. Tyson to in-
terfere out of his department. Mr. Shuttleworth then re-
fers to his report to the committee in September last, in
which he set forth his opinion that a principal, in order to
prevent delay, to be prepared to act on emergency and to
superintend with efficiency, should be relieved from detail.
The inquiries of the committee, he observes, will have satis-
fied them that, with the present limited assistance, these ar-
rangements are impracticable in his department, The divi-
sion of duties between him and the Town-clerk, approved
by the council, he confirms the Town-clerk in saying, has
been strictly observed, with a cordiality wholly uninterrupt-
ed, and his statement sets forth a long detail of its advan-
tages, and expresses his opinion that the system is the best
that can be devised. The establishment of clerks for each
office should, however, be complete, their duties clearly de-
fined, and to those duties they should be exclusively directed.
The salary of his principal clerk, he submitted, should be
£3OO instead of £2OO per annum, and he recommended that
of the engrossing and copying clerks to be £7B per annum
instead of £65. With these alterations the establishment
would, he believed, enable him to discharge the duties of his
department in a manner satisfactory to the council and the
public.