The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1902-12-31 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

WZDAZISDAY. DECEMBER 31, 1982.  In wwordanoo with our noel  The custom we printed on &tarClosing day a somewhat lengthy hi Year. tory of the year, with special  referent,. to Birkenhead. In one respect, so far as Birkenhead is concerned, the past year has been notable. It has marked the completion of a quarter of a century of municipal rule. In our issue of the 15th of November last we took occasion to pass under review the history of the town both before and after incorporation. On the whole the retrospect is encouraging. I But it would be foolish to ignore the fact that the present time is a critical one, and If the prosperity of the town is not to suffer a severe check, the utmost viligance on the part of the authorities, and the utmost, diligence on the part of the ratepayers most be exercised. Birkenhead has committed itself on a vast stele to municipal trading, and. has yet to prove the wisdom of this policy. Whatever may be the advantages of municipal trading, there is no doubt it suffers certain disadvantages as compared with free private enterprise. That it is better than private monopolies is hardly open to question; but like private monopolies, it is to a large extent deprived of the healthful stimulus of competition. At the moment two Birkenhead enterprises have this &aiming. The new departure on the Mersey Railway has stirred both the Ferries Committee and the Tramways Committee to renewed efforts, from which we anticipate in the long run a balance of public benefit. But too often effective competition is wanting, and the only thing which can in any suffipient fashion supply its place is public opinion. Thus a policy of municipal trading throws especial responsibility on the' ratepayers. Ow thk efficiency of the authorities depends the somas of the enterpriser; but the eflicieneY of the authorities in its turn depends on public opinion. It is the clear duty of citizens, when they enter upon these undertakings, to watch them with intelligent and active interest with • fall sense of personal responsibility. This is • truth which cannot be stated too often or too emphatically.  customers and others, and altogether an expenditure of about £lO has been made. The tree, which has excited much interest, will be removed to the miallion to-morrow, when 500 youngsters will each receive a toy from it, and also be presented with an orange. The delight which will asorue to recipients of the donors' bounty will be alnple.reptyment,for the charity. That the Borough Coroner oonducted an inquiry yesterday afternoon into a case which presented some strange features. An old woman, who was stated to have been addicted to drink, was found dead on Sunday morning. In her pocket was found a letter from which it would appear that she had committed suicide by taking poison. No bottle which had contained poison could however be discovered, and • post-mortem examination made by Dr. Delsell failed to elicit any trace of poison in the body. At the same time, however, all the organs were in a diseased condition, which wee quite sufficient, the doctor stated, considered with the fact that she was inadequately clad and had been sleeping on the cold floor, to came her death. The jury returned a verdict accordingly, accepting the Coroner's ides that the mention of suicide in the epistle was an idle boast. That the Conservatives have aelected Mr. W. T. Fiddes to fill the vacancy on the alder. manic bench created bythe resignation of Alderman H. Itawdiffe. Mr. G. EL Oldam, wixc has represented Egerton Ward in the Conservative interest for fifteen years has a stronger claim to the dignity of Alderman Ulan Mr. riddes, whose service as councilloi dates back no farther than 1892. Of course the Conservatives have no wish to slight such a valnahle member of the party as Mr. Oldam. The explanation of their having overlooked ki claim is not far to seek.  That a by-election In Egerton Ward is not • antiagency which:the Coiservetives can coralartahly mina*** and Mr. Oldam's Imim re office does not aspire for three years. But the Conservatives 'aro grievously mis. tAtten if they imagine that by selecting Mr. I'idcles they will avoid ,Ller trouble of • con, hiked :oy-election. It is :IN years or so since 'Chine-ton Ward was the scene of a contests-1 election, but ii will not escape on this ocaraion. The Liberals have determined to fight for the seat, and Mr. Piddes succeeoor, whoever be may be, will certainly be celled upon to fere the wash. Thgt the local raeuthei. of Parliament bave not been too assidnons in their PerlistamtAry duties daring the Autumn session. Thor* have bean 20t,divisions ia the erosion. and 208, about five-sixths of the total number, have been on the Education Bill. Mr. Joseph Moult, the member for Wirrai, has taken part in 96 divisions, end although that is not a very impressive record, it is decidedly better than that of Birkenhead!. repreaoributin,Sir Elliott Lees, who has voted only on 79 ocomoiona. Evidently Sir Elliott. splendid enthusiasm over the FAiII. cation Bill did not extend to the division lobby.  That the proceedings of the Wirral Joint Bocpital Board were enlivened yesterday, by the actione.of Mr. Charles McGivering, the representative of Higher Behington District Council. Mr. McGivering contrived, whether sooidentally or intseitionolly, to _alienate himself from the sympathies al' moat of the members present, mod more than cnos the zoosting developed into an exhf• bition ot very bed form indeed. Persona use were freely indulged in, and it was cessetliing of a relief timAnd that the matter I tailed here. Mr. Davies and Mr. McLeevi srdeavoured to excuse. Mr. MeGivering's sitartOODaing. at link but even Mr. Davies' .pidemos moist lot eceissusted,auti be spokeilapuiatiestl eartestically.• !rise grobatlbsituseelettes ' bironithearlezilitettEbeeMalMMltute