The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-11-15 00:00:00

THE TOWN COUNCIL.

Yesterday, a special meeting of the Town Council was
held for the purpcie df.i.;drisidering and deerniiriing
ujion ---41.
the following subjects epei't on the rei-er-
Sionary interest of the Corporation in proPerty at
Birkenhead; report of the Finance Committee as to the
mode of dealing with the annual income of the corporate
estate; relied of the special committee to consider plans
for new public offices, Dale-street; report of the Im-
proverrient Corriniittee; recioninieriding, tlie, adoption of
Certain improvements, at a Cost of 01:1,000.

FURIOUS DRIVING IN THE STREETS

Mr. Alderman. TURNER, before the proceedings com-
menced; Wished to call the attention of the Council to a
lamentable accident that had occurred. Chappl-atreet
to Mi.'Griffitha, who had been formerly an alderman of
that Council, and who was a gentleman well known
and respected in the town. A few hours previously
Mr. Griffith had been walking in Chapel-street, and
had been run over by a spring , cart, which
.had been
driven in a very furious manner. Ile (gr. Turner.)
hoped that some Measures would be adopted to put
down this practice of fitrions driving in the
,streets, and
that the attention of the head constable of the police
would be called to the matter.

Mr. Jon said he had felt it his duty some time ago to
make a similar representation to the Council, and he
Might also state that the Watch Committee had re-
ceived instructions to take the-matter into their consi-
deration. He believed, however the bye-laws of the
borough were so framed that they'could take no control
over these matters. He hoped that the police and the
head-constable would see to the matter, and take some
means to remedy this
Mr. Srinrii believed that the head;Constable had taken
every predatittciii to fedtlf+ tlis alnises :Of this nature,
and it was not fair to throw dtit anY Andel* against
that.officer for either negligence or carelessness.
The g 41.0. was quite sure that the Cotincil would
have heard with great regret the very sad and lament-
able accident which had taken place. . He also was
sorry that the chairman of the Watch Committee was
not in his place on that occasion to hear the remarks
that had been made ; but he was quite satisfied that it
was only necessary to have the attention of the Watch
Committee called to the matter to have it brought under
the notice of the police.
Mr. Suriumirr hoped that the-attention of the police
and the head-constable would be called to it.
After a few other remarks from the members of the
council the subject dropped. _

THE BIRKENHEAD PROPERTY.
The Afivon—The first business we have to transact
is to consider a report on the reversionary interest of
the Corp Oration in property at Birkenhead.
As the report hdd been printed and irettlated; it *as
Rot deemed advisable to again Occupy the time Of the
Connell in reading it.
Mr. Alderman STEWART then moved that the report
be referred to the Finance Committee, and that they
should negotiate for the sale of the property, and report
thereon to the Council. He would not make any
observations upon the subject further than moving the
resolution.

Mr. Alderman TURNER seconded the proposition,
which was unanimously adopted.

THE CORPORATE ESTATE.
Mr. Alderman STEWART then moved the adoption of
the report. The report was published in the .Daily
Times of the 4th October, at which date the further con-
sideration of it was adjourned to this (lay.
Mr: Alderman COOPER seconded the adoption of the
report.
Mr. J. R. JEPPERY, after explaining that the report
was not so satisfactory as he should have wished, yet it
had his full concurrence, and his most hearty.support.
Mr. BELoE did not agree with the observations made
,by Mr. Jeffery, for the fact was that'the committee had
only arrived at the conclusion of its income of £26,000
by a fabrication. He went on to say that they had in
the report -another allusion at which he was not cer-
tainly surprised, and that was the allusion made to the
reserved fund of the Gas" Company. He asked what
that reserved fund was for It was to protedt Certain
;proprietors in their ten per cent. dividend, as against the
'public ; but even the reserved fund was limited, it was
limited to three per cent. He then went on to say that
it was not a question to be debated in general councils.
Mr. Steains, on the 17th of December, admitted that
the whole question was one that ought to be debated by
a small and special committee. The speaker quite
agreed with what Mr. Steains had then stated, although
be sometimes differed from that gentleman ; and he was
of opinion that it was a subject which could be more
appropriately debated and considered at ,the committee
table, and he would be most happy to hear any Instruc-
tions or suggestions that Mr. Steains should make in the
matter. He was also happy to find that "the Vinance
Committee did :admit the principle that the fines were
really income. He was not going to move any amend-
ment in the matter, but he did think that the basis
tipOn which this £26,000 had been founded was very
fallacious.

Alderman STEWART, in reference to what had
been stated by the last speaker, that the Finance Com-
mittee had suppressed something, asserted that the
committee never disputed at all that it was income.
The report submitted went on to say " that the whole
of that money so derived may be spent, may be appro-
priated ;" it did not say that it shall be spent, or shall
be appropriated. The Finance Committee were per-
fectly aware that they could appropriate , the whole of
the amount in one year. They might, for instance,
expend a sum for widening the streets, &c. But the
real fact at issue, and in which the Finance Committee
were at variance, was because they considered it highly
imprudent to expend in one year the whole of the
income so derived. That was the whole question ; and
he could not see that Mr. Beloe had touched the real
question at all, because the committee had never dis-
puted that it was income. He felt that if he spoke for
half an hour he could not do more to explain than had
been explained by the report laid before the Council.
The subject had been well considered by the Finance
Committee, the result of whose deliberations appeared
in their report.
Mr. Alderman COOPER, in allusion to what had been
stated by Mr. Beloe that the report referred to the Gas
Company, denied that it had any such reference. The
report stated distinctly the Gas or Water Campany,
and there was no allusion made at all to the Gas Com-
pany. He also denied that the reserved fund was for
the purpose of guaranteeing the shareholders in their
dividends.
Mr. J. J. STITT said that since he had been a member
of the Council he was never so anxious to understand
the very important subject which was then before the
Council. He had never risen to address the Council
with more diffidence than at present; being a young
member he was very desirous to obtain information
which it seemed to him was very difficult to obtain.
(Hear, hear.) Ire thought that in endeavouring to
arrive at some correct conclusion in perhaps one of the
most important subjects which ever this Council had
been called upon to discuss he was entitled to look to
the Finance Committee itself for statements which
would be characterised by clearness, intelligibility, and
consistency; but instead of that he found that the
opinions of the committee, as embodied in the re-
ports at one time contradicted by the opinions
enunciated in their report at another time, and he
found the action of the committee in direct oppo-
sition to its expressed opinions. He then called the
attention of the Council to what appeared to him to be
the opinions of the committee regarding the question of
income, which was indisputable. He referred to the
statements published by the committee. What opinion
had the Finance Committee from time to time enter-
tained regarding these fines, at and prior to the year
1858. He then quoted from the report of May, 1858,
relative to the commutation of fines on leases, from
which it appeared that they regarded it as capital and
not as income. He considered that the action and
the principle of the committee did not correspond. Thy
committee formerly regarded the receipts derived from
fines as capital, and not as income, whereas they
differed from that opinion now.
Mr. William Earle and Mr. Alderman Bennett briefly
addressed the Council, and were followed by Mr. Picton
and Mr. Mozley, after which Mr. Alderman Stewart
briefly replied, and the report was unanimously
agreed to.

TOWN IMPROVEMENTS.
The report which has already been published, was
brought up and read, as was also the following letter
from Messrs. Lightbound and Boult, estate agents :

of land
SIR,—We have been authorised to apply for a
piece
TO,IIIS WORSHIP THE MAYOR.
belonging to the corporation, having a frontage to Dale-street,
bounded on the east and West by Crosshall-street and Sir Sn.
-
Thomas's-buildings, and on the south by Shaw Hill-street,
e
and a line in continuation thereof through to Sir Thomas's
uildingS. This ground, we understand, was lately offered to,
h
and was refused by the post-office authorities, at the price of
£40,000. That, price having been fixed by the corporation as
its value, our clients do not wish to cavil on this head,, and will
give that sum should vou feel disposed to meet them on the
same open terms, and give them facilities to purchase. We
are not authorised to state the purpose for which the ground!
is required, but we may state that it will be occupied with one
range of buildings, the designs for which we enclose. Your
committee will not fail to observe the elegaice of this design.
or to appreciate the great value such a building would be to
Liverpool, especially in the above position.
Our clients wish to be favoured with the offer of the ground
on the same terms for six months, as they would have many
matters to arrange before completing the purchase, but as your
surveyor has told us positively you could not...blse the offer for
that time, we have suggested to our clients that you would
possibly give them the offer to erect, to take it any time within
three Months, at the end of which period they shall pay £5OO.
and a further 4500 at the end of another three months ; and if
during the following three months they failed to pay one-tenth
of the purchase money, 44,000, that the 41,000 already paid
shall be forfeited to the corporation, who shall be free to sell
it to other parties. If purchased. the whole of the money to
be paid within twelve months after completion of the deeds,
and the payment of the one-tenth of 44,enlin000.
4100
Our clients tell us they intend spg ,000 on the
buildings, and to complete them within two years.
We have heard that several members of the Council wish
this ground to be used for the erection of offices for the Cor-
poration ,• but if we might be allowed to make a suggestion,
we would humbly point out that the Corporation have pur-
chased most of the ground between Crosshall-street and Sir
Thomas's-buildings, all the way down to Whitechapel; and if
they built their offices on that ground, with one front in Shaw
Hill-street, facing one front Of one building (which we may
remark would be equally handsome, with one front to Dale-
street), one grand fide along Crosshall-street, and another
front to Whitechapel, it would give the opportunity of widen-
ing Whitechapel, so as to make it a fashionable thorou
of Crgh oss-
fare
from Lord-street to Shaw's-brow. The opposite side
hall-street, belonging to the Corporation, would by this means
become very valuable for shops, and it would increase the
value of all the land in the vicinity of these buildings; and,
above all, the two great buildings, taking up an aggregate area
of about 21,000 yards, would give a great lung to the town
where it is so much needed.
We presume that, had the Post-office authorities taken the
ground alluded to, the Corporation offices would have been
built on the ground we have ventured to name for them ;
therefore we trust that all your honourable members will see
the advantage of acceding to the present proposal, and we
have to request as early au answer as possible, as our clients
have other sites in view, and must close with someone of them
at a very early day,—We are, sir, yours very respectfully,
Lioirrsonv & BOITLT. Estate Agents.
1, Derby-square (late 58, Bold-street), Nov. 14, 1860.
P.S.—We beg the return of the
plan as soon as possible, as
we have only the loan of it for a day or two.

THE NEW PUBLIC OFFICES.
Mr. j. R. JEFFERY, in rising to ask the Council to
adopt the report of the special committee to considcr
plans for new Public Offices in Dale-street, believed it
would be necessary that he should occupy some little
time of the Council, in order to make clear that which
he understood from several members of the Council
appeared to be somewhat confused. It might be also
desirable, because he thought that it would tend to
shorten the time and the debate upon that question, if
he did so, for the purpose of giving information to those
gentlemen who had recently become members of the
Council, and therefore had scarcely had the opportunity
to be sufficiently informed, either to do juctice to them-
selves or to the question before the Council, when they
came to a discussion on them. He would, therefore,
briefly say, that so long ago as the year 1855, the
Health Committee stated to the Council that they were
suffering great inconvenience from want of sufficient
accommodation in Cornwallis-street. On the 31st of
July, that committee recommended certain suggestions