The following extraordinary paper, bearing the title, "Birkenhead Docks Bills—Statement
of Parties affected by these Bills not Passing," has come to us in a printed form, apparently for circulation in Parliament.
It will cause some surprise to detect "Her Majesty's Commissioners of Woods and Forests" in conduct which seems to deserve the name of petti-
fogging. It is very obvious that much account is not made of Lord Mor- peth in his own office-' but those who have any regard for the credit of the Ministry should look after the subordinates in that department, who are not always indisposed to display authority and lawyerlike sharpness at the expense of justice and official honour.
"These bills are promoted by the Birkenhead Dock Commissioners; and their principal objects are to legalize a dock constructed by the Commissioners, to raise additional sums of money, and to give facilities to the carrying out of the act passed in 1845, authorizing the conversion of Wallasey Pool into a walled dock. " The bills were introduced with the sanction of the Public Boards; and the dock which is sought tobe legalized was constructed with the knowledge and con- sent of her Majesty's Commissioners of Woods, &e. "The bills have passed Committees of both Houses of Parliament. "The Honourable the Commissioners of Woods, &c. refuse the Crown's assent to their being read a third time, without certain conditions are agreed to by the promoters, the effect of which, if consented to, would be to render the docks at present open comparatively if not altogether useless for the general trade of the country.
"The Solicitor for the Board of Woods attended the Committees of both Houses of Parliament, and did not propose any of the conditions which are now made by her Majesty's Commissioners of Woods, &e the grounds of refusing their assent to the third reading. ." The assent of the Crown is necessary to the third reading of the bills in the Lords, as they affect property claimed by the Crown.
"The effect of the bills not becoming law this session of Parliament will be, to close the docks opened by the Right Honourable Viscount Morpeth on the 5th April last, and thus seriously damage and inconvenience the trade of the Mersey, and all property invested for commercial uses at and in railways for the purpose of communicating with Birkenhead. "The beneficial effect of the competition consequent on the opening of these docks has been already experienced: they have accommodated nearly 7,000 tons of shipping; and a reduction of the charges in the Liverpool docks, equal to 87,0001, per annum, has been made since their opening in April last.
" On the .f.aith of these docks being opened for public use arrangements have been made in foreign ports, and vessels chartered to discharge their cargoes in them; and vast sums of money, amounting to upwards of three millions, have been investedin Birkenhead i , and n railways which communicate with its decks, which will be kept unproductive for twelve months if the Crown's assent is withheld, and the property seriously slepretiated and injured.
," The parties who have invested these slims have no power or control over the Birkenhead Dock Commissioners; and they consider it a great hardship that their property should suffer from their mismanagement.
"They understand there is no precedent of the Crown interfering in any similar Case after the bills have passed Committees of both Houses of Parliament, when the Solicitor for her Majesty's Commissioners had the opportunity of introducing any clauses for the protection of the Crown rights or the public good. " They trust that Parliament will support the decisions of their Committees, andprotect the vast interests involved, in such manner as they may consider best."
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