The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-06-07 00:00:00

TOWN COUNCIL.

YESTERDAY.

The monthly meeting of the Coacil was hel
Yetterday, at the Town-hall,---T. D. Anderson, Esq
the Mayor, presiding.

7112 FINANCE COMMITTEE.-INCREASE OF MR. FISH

TON'S SALART.-THE • WELLINGTON TESTIMONIAL.

THE CORPORATE PROPERTY AT BIRKENHEAD.
The proceedings of the Finance Committee cum-
-Pristil..—A--recommendation to increase the salary of
Mr. Rishton, building surveyor, from £3OO t0..630..per
annum, the 'Consideration of which was postponed at
the monthly Conticil held on the 4th bf April last;
•2. Recommendation to rant eimisslon to tie-Welling-
ton Testimonial ComMittee to erect that testimonial,on
the open area fOrMerly the site of Islington Market,
Itid Wit the surveyor be instructed to submit a plan
plicing the place to be devoted for the purpose ; 3. A
letter from the • chairman of the Mersey Docks and
.llarbour Board, inquiring whether the Corporation are'
willing to treat for the sale to the board of the reversion
of the property at Birkenhead, which they hold under.
the Corporation.
It further appeared from the proceedings that the
town-clerk bad been authorised to prepare an advertise-
ment for the sale of the Newsham-hottso estate. •
Alderman TURNER, in the absente of the chairman of
the Committee, moved the adoption a the minutes in Tio
far as they reconintended an increase of the salary of
RiSh!,od, building surveyor, from £3OO. to £3:50:
Ile said that this recommendation' had 'been 'standing
over in consequence of the appointment of a special com-
i%ittee to take the general subject of the increase of sala-
Jleit into consideration. But the reason of the spepial
Case of Mr. ,Rishton being brought up now was that the
Biaxial committee only referred to the question of
salaries in. future. The Council, no doubt, were
aware of the long and eminent services of
Mr. RishtOn.; the number of years he had beep
employed by the. Council, and the very zealous
and satisfactory manner in which he had performed his
duties. The Council were, doubtless, also aware of the
increase to' Rishton's duties during the last feW
_years; and he hoped, therefore, that they would confirm
the recommendation. •
Alderman DOVER seconded the motion.
On the motion being put,
Alderman WOODRUFF rose, and stated that at the last
.monthly meeting he bad ventured to ask a question in
reference to the insurance of Walton gaol, and the pro
perty connected with it—
The MAYOR interrupted ,I4r. Woodruff, saying' tha
this had nothing td tid With the. question' under dis.

'..tr. flAy- Doc K—l wish to.ask the vice chairman of the
Viiinnce Cfommitteel-this was a recommendation from
them to the Special Committee for. 'considering the
increase of salary ?
The MAyon—Alderman Turner said that the recom-
mendations of the special committee had only. reference
te,future applications.
Mr. HAYDOCK would protest against any increase of
salary to Mr. Rishton, because, he maintained, the most.
if not the whdle of the workr of his office was done by
two assistants. Mr. Rishton only took a'small portion
...et the central district, and the Council well .knew that
the buildings in that locality. were principally offices,
and any alterations were generally carried out under the.
enperintendence of an architect. He considered that
£390 per annum was amply sufficient for the duties
peiformed by Mr. Rishton ; and he would, accordingly,'
move that the minutes be not confirmed.
Alderman PARKER said that the matter was very fully,
discussed in the Corinth', when a general feeling was
expressed in favour of the recommendation, although it

Was postponed for another month. He contended that
Mr. Haydoek, from his statement, proved that he knew
nothing of Mr. Rishton's duti6s. Although he had two
assistants, yet they required an overlooker. Mr.. Rish-
ton had the superintendence of, everything, and he had,
been a very indefatigable servant of the Corporation for
a long time. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Cuter• observed that in justice to Mr. Rishton he
Would state that when, twelve months ago, the Fire
Prevention Act teas passed, it 'was found that'the duties
of carrying out the operations of that act were very
important, in consequence of the vast quantity of,
cotton stored —Mr. Rishton undertook those duties,
under the actiand the Council would therefore see that
his duties had' been very much increased. (Hear, hear.),

Mr. Rimer remarked that the duties of Mr. Kish-
ton's office were of a somewhat painful descriptioh, as
he had to interfere with parties who were offending
against the provisions of the Building Act. But he
Could say that in coming into contact with parties in.
thosecircumstances, Mr. Rishton had always met them in a
very conciliatory spirit. He was not in general favour-
able to the increase of salaries always, and it was for the

Council to say whether they thought £3OO sufficient ;
but when he considered the character of the- man who
held the office in this case, he was certainly intfavour of
an additional £5O.

Mr. .TortrisoN also supported the recommendation.
Ile remarked that he was sorry Mr. liaydock had not
made himself more conversant with Mr. Rishton's duties
,before making his statements.
Mr. HAYDOCK. said that, in deference to the wishes of
2,tbe Council, he withdrew his amendment. (Hear hear.)
The motion was then put and carried unanimously.
Alderman TURNER then moved the recommendation
al to the site for the Wellington Testimonial. In reply
to a quedion, he Stated that the plan would be brought
before, them at a future day.
ToroN seconded
.the. motion. .
Alderman WOODRUFF hoped that nothing would be:
done until the larger portion of land for the market,
se,:beme was ready for use; because if they put workmen
on that site now, it would interfere with the arrange
dents which the Council had sanctioned.
ThaIiANGR, had no doubt it would be some time.
Mr. KITCHEN wished to know under what altered
circumstances this was agreed to now ? In February
last year it was unanimously rejected. ' (" No, do.")
Ile recollected on that occasion misunderstanding, the
resolution of the Finance Committee ; he thought that
they had agreed to it, and was congratulating the
Council on their good taste and judgment in selecting
So good a site. Unfortunately, the member for Castle-
street ward, in his usual eloquent manner, came down
very hard upon his dented head for want of taste,
stating that a monument there would be an unsightly
and unseemly thing, and resemble, more than anything
else,-one of Mr. Macfie's chimneys. (", Vote, vote.")
The recommendation was then confirmed.
At the request of the Council, the letter from
Charles Turner, making an application on behalf-of the
Dock Board, was read.
Aldermen subject *EIS of much
greater importance than any which he had had the
honour of bringing before the board,- did he should.
think it was one which the Council would' refer to the
Finance Committee.. But before that was done he
thought it desirable that the Council
.should
express
'some opinion (iron the subject, and 'he propose
"That this Council sanctions the prineiple:of the sale of
the reversion of the Corporation in the -property-men-
tioned id the above letter,,and that Übe' referred to the,
Finance Committee to consider the terms, and report'
the same to the Council."'

-------
The MAYOR said perhaps the Town-clerk had better
•
explain.

The TowN-crautg said that the application was based'
on the 16th section of the Dock Act of 1858. The
property referred to, which is ' on. the south side of
Wallasey Ppol, was held-from the Corporation on a
lease of 75 years, from a terra commencing in the year
1848. It was in fact, the whole of the property held by
•the Birkenhead Dock Company as such. Then there
was.another piece of property held on lease, called the
dockyard at Birkenhead. That was comprised in a
lease granted to Mossrs. Adamson ; and a portion of
that lease was the goods station of the Birkenhead,.
Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction Railway. The
application of the chairman of the' Dock Board Would
apply to such portions of property as were vested in the
board by them; and by the act the Corporation bad
Power to sell and the Dock Board to buy those reversions.
Alderman DOVER—IS it compulsory ?
The Towsr-crasux—No ; on neither party.
Mr. PicTO.xseconded the motion ; and thought in the
Present stage of the matter any discussion would be pre-
mature, and referring it to the Finance Committee was
the best course.
Mr. BELOE would suggest to the Finance Committee
that, if possible, the sale of the Birkenhead Ferry, which
!as' largely involved in any scheme across the water,
shauld also be included in the purchase. (No, no.)

Mr. CRARLE6 TURNER—That is beyond the act .of
Parliament.
The TOWN-CLERK—We have no power.
The motion was carried, and the general proceedings
were then confirmed.

Mr. PICTON did expect that in those proceedings
Which have been prominently brought before them some
reference would have been made to the bill now before
Parliament in reference to the tolls on the river. It would
be in the reclllection of members, though, technically, no
motion could be made at the last,Council on .the subject,
the promise was given that the matter should be taken
into consideration at the next meeting of the Finance
Committee, and some action, taken upon it ; and he felt
some surprise that the matter should be now passed over
8/ib silentio. It was a mutter in 'which the town felt
deeply interested, and they had a right to have a report
upon the subject.
The MAYOR thought if he had; heard the proceedings
of the Finance Committee read hetwould have seen that
4* matter had been before them from week to week.
,Mr. Picrox—What is .the result ?
The MAyou-That they do not recommend any further
proceedings.
• Alderraan DOVER said a deputation had waited upon
the Dock Board, the deputation consisting of the Finance
Conimittee, and- of gentlemen who had originated the
°Pl3ositikin in Om House of Lords, connected with the;
°wadi= Society ; -and he believed that to the Finance:
Committee the explanation! of the Dock Board wag
Perfectly eatiffactory. The charges made, they eonai-