The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-10-06 00:00:00

TOWN COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS

The usual Monthly Meeting of the Town Council was
held yesterday in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, SAMUEL
HoLmE, Esq., Mayor, in the chair.
FINANCE COMMITTEE—The proceedings of this Committee
contained the following recommendations as to promotions
and alterations of duties of officers and clerks in the Town
Dues Office, consequent upon the dismissal of Mr. McNaughten,
viz..—

Mr. Craven, heretofore Inward Book-keeper, at £lOO per
annum, to be Inward Computor, at £125, the salary hitherto
allowed. Mr. Moore, heretofore Inward Auditor, at £5O
per annum, to be Inward Book-keeper, at £lOO per annum,
the salary hitherto allowed. Mr. Burgess, heretofore Out-
ward Cemputor, at £125 per annum, to be Outward Cashier,
in the room of Mr. McNaughten, at the same salary of £2OO
per annum. Mr. Fair, heretofore Outward Book-keeper, at
£lOO per annum, to be. Outward Computor, at £125, the
salary hitherto allowed, Mr. John Surr, Audit Clerk, at the
salary of £lOO, to be Inward Auditor, in the room of Mr.
Moore, receiving in addition the salary of £5O, heretofore
paid to Mr. Moore. Recommendation that the salaries of
Mr. Bezar and Mr. Marrow, the General Auditors, be re-
spectively increased from £5O to £75 per annum. Also, a
recommendation to increase the salary of Mr. Archibald
Tweedie, Chief Clerk to the Treasurer, from £2OO to £3OO
per annum. Recommendation, subject to the approval of
the Lords of the Treasury, to gva,nt the reversion of a piece
of land in Pilgrim-street and Hdpe-place, for the site of a
school in connexion with the Liverpool Hebrew Congrega-
tional Institute. Recommendation to appoint Thomas Gri-
senthwaite, Mace-bearer, in the place of James Halsall, de-
ceased, at the same salary of £lO par annum.
Whilst the ordinary proceedings of the Committee were
being read, several gentlemen who were examining the plan
of town improvements submitted by Mr. Wightman, were
repeatedly called to order, but without avail.
The MAYOR then rose and said—Gentlemen, will you per-
mit me to call to order. It is quite impossible to discuss
these questions when a large number of gentlemen in the
room are not paying attention to the proceedings. (Hear.)
There are some very important matters on the proceedings
of the Finance Committee which require the serious attention
of the Council.

The following letter, relative to the foreshore at Birken-
head, was then read :

" Office of Woods and Forests, 27th Sept., 1853.
" Sir,—Upon the receipt of your letter of the 27th ult., I
have consulted Mr. John Stewart upon your proposal to
purchase the rights of the Crown in the foreshore fronting
the two separate properties of the Corporation of Liverpool
and Birkenhead, at the price of £4,000, and having now re-
ceived Mr. Stewart's report, and that the sum offered is the
present fair value of the foreshore referred to, I sh ill be
prepared to recommend to the Lords of the Treasury the
acceptance of your proposal, upon hearing from you that the
Corporation have approved of the proposal, and have duly au-
thorised the, purchase of the Crown rights in the foreshore
in question, at the price above-mentioned.
"I am Sir, your obedient servant,
" CHARLES GORE.

" Hugh 'bray, Esq."
The SURVEYOR reported that the lighting-up of the Town
Hall Clock would be attended with danger to the structure,
the portion of the doom in which the clock is placed being
entirely of wood.
Mr. Alderman HOLMES then proposed the promotions and
alterations of the duties of officers and clerics in the Town
Dues Office, as above stated.
Mr. Alderman PnocrEit seconded the motion, which was
unanimously agreed to.
Mr. Alderman HOLME then moved that the salary of Mr.
Archibald Twecdie, chief clerk to the treasurer, be raised
from £2OO to £3OO per annum. Mr. Tweedie had been a
clerk to the Treasurer to the Water Committee at a salary of
£250. and every gentleman who knew the duties he had to
perform, particularly Mr. Preston, the Auditor, would say
that he deserved the proposed increase.
Mr. H. BANNER seconded the motion. He had had ex-
perience of Mr. Tweedie's abilities, in a very trying account
of the Corporation, and he (Mr. Banner) thought Mr.
Tweedie was one of the most valuable servants the Corpora-
tion had.
Mr. BIGIIAM would oppose this increase of salary. Those
already passed were not so much increases as a re-arrange-
ment of the offices, and, although there were some of those
arrangements to which exception might be taken, still they
did not affect the funds of the Corporation to any extent;
but, in this case of Mr. Tweedie's, there were different
grounds, indeed. In the first place, the present was a time
of the year when they should be cautious in increasing
salaries (and, by the bye, this was a good time to oppose
the increase, as lae was likely to be supported by some gen-
tlemen in the north end of the room, in consequence of the
approach of the Ist of November). In another month, the
Chairman of the Finance Committee would lay before the
Council a statement of the accounts, and lie (Mr. Bigham)
Understood the surplus of £50,000, which they had two years
.750... ago, had dwindled down to £12,000 or £14,000 ; and it was
FOR BOSTON.
CHAS. HUMBERSTON, WILLIAMS .... even doubtful whether it would be that. During the last
MARY ADELINE, VESPER 600 1300 twelve months, not a single month had passed without an
JOSEPHUS, PAINE 758 1640 increase of salary being made. There, was no gentleman
LEXINGTON. ThossrsoN .950 1900 who knew what those increases amounted to. Would it
AMELIA, M'KENziz 6uo 1350
FOR MELBOURNE, PORT PHILIP. not, therefore, be desirable to have the names of the parties,
MOORESFORT, -......2000..—0ct0ber Ist. the amount of the increases, contrasting them with the
BEN NEVIS, HER0N...... - I former salaries of the parties, and with the amounts paid
For passage, and all particulars, apply to
JAMES CHAMBERS and CO., 61, Waterloo-road to similar officers in other towns. There could be no

objection to this. Supposing Mr. Tweedie were entitled to
this increase, it was only postponinncr it for a month. The
different departments of the Council were so many little
states, and he could compare them to nothing but the old
Saxon heptarchy. Each little state had a petty ruler and
king, and the consequence was they had a Town Clerk and
Treasurer for each Committee, and, in fact, a special set of
officers for each committee; necessitating an expenditure far
greater than was needful. (Hear, hear.) What was the
necessity for all this ? As regarded the Treasurer more
especially, he believed that the duties of Mr, Ashlin and the
Treasurer of the Corporation might be one, and it would
save a considerable amount. Besidel, they had had no
reason given for this increase. Why did not the Chairman
of the Finance Committee speak out ? Would any man
tell him (Mr. Bigham) that the Deputy Treasurer was
entitled to more than £2OO per year? Did he do more than
was done by a clerk in the office of one of their principal
merchants ? Did he receive or pay as much money ? (No,
no.) But what was the secret of this recommendation ?
Was not the Treasurer an aged man, and would the Com-
mittee hare recommended this increase if they had a young
and active Treasurer ? (Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Bigham) did
not believe they would, and if this case was to be met in
the way it should be, they should recommend that Mr.
Wybergh be superannuated and Mr. Tweedic, if they pleased,
appointed in his stead. He moved that this part of the
prcceedings be referred back to the Finance Committee,
until the annual statement of accounts of the Corporation be
laid before the committee, and that it be an instruction to
the committee to prepare a return shelving the increase of
salaries sanctioned within the last twelve months.
Mr. BECKWITH, seconded the amendment.

Mr. Alderman Pnocrou referred to the standing orders
to show that such a return as Mr. Bigham referred to, was
before the committee at the last meeting, and therefore his
complaint could not be made good.
Mr. BIGHAM—There was a return on the table, but he
was alluding to the statement of accounts.
Mr. Alderman PROCTOR was alluding to Mr. Tweedie.
Mr. Alderman PARKER said Mr. Bigham had referred
to the north end of the room, but he thought there was no
difference as regarded either ends of the room—he also said
that the committee should be honest.
Mr. BIGHAM did not use the word.
Mr. Alderman PARKER—If Mr. Bigham did not—
Mr. BIGHAM why put it in my mouth. ?
Mr. Alderman PARKER—WeII, straightforward—He
appealed to Mr. Preston, the auditor, whether Mr. Tweedie's
work had not increased to a degree which could not have
been anticipated. There were the Bath and: several other
accounts, and to his (Mr. Parker's) knowledge, Mr. Tweedie
had been in the building up to nine o'clock at night getting
his work done.

Mr. Alderman PRESTON, as the auditor of the corporation
accounts for the last two years, stated that the books of the
Corporation were now kept in a much more efficient manner
than they were The accumulation of work was very con-
siderable, still the accounts could be audited in less time, in
consequence of the admirable system adopted by Mr. Tweedie.
The Corporation would do well in voting this increase.
(Hear, hear.) _ _

Mr.„ Alderman LANGDALE also bore testimony to the valu-
able services of Mr. Tweedie, and said no man better deserved
an increase of salary.. The amendment was then put, and
negatived by a majority of 36 to 7. _ _

Against the Amendment : Messrs. Robert Aked, Thomas
D. Anderson, John Moss, Oliver Holden, Charles Turner,
James Tyrer, Harmood Banner, Walter P. Jeffreys, John
Gladstone, jun., William, A. Clayton, Thomas Wagstaff,
John M‘Nicoll, James A. Tobin, John B. Brancker, Richard
C. Gardner, Robert Gladstone, John Buck Lloyd, James
Johnson, James A. Picton, Ramyd, W. Houghton, Arthur
Henderson, John Stewart, Matthew Gregson, Hilton Hal-
head, Edward Langsdale, William Bennett, William Pres-
ton, John. Holmes, James Parker, Thomas Robinson, Joseph
Cooper, James Procter, John Bent, J. Hayward Turner,
Thomas Clifton, the Mayor.
For the Amendment : Messrs. John Woodruff, James
Thomson, John Bigham, Edward Bradley, Thomas Avson,
Thomas Fleming, Richd. M. Beckwith.

INTOLERANCE IN THE COUNCIL

Mr. Alderman HOLM then moved the confirmation of a
recommendation to grant the reversion of a piece of land in
Pilgrim-street and Hope-place, for the site of the school in
connexion with the Liverpool ebrew Congregational Insti-
tution.

Mr. Alderman PROCTOR seconded the motion, which was
about to be put, when .

Mr. Alderman BENNETT rose and said he could not. allow
this motion to pass so far as he was concerned.

Mr. Alderman HoLmEs said they had granted reversions
to all other schools in the same way, and he hoped the
Council would not go against the Jews. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Alderman BENNErr rose to oppose the motion, al-
though he did not expect to find a seconder. (Hear, hear.)
He was oppose to the introduction of religious subjects
into the Council, still he could not allow this opportunity to
pass without stating his views. As had been stated by Mr.
Holmes, it had been usual to grant freeholds for schools, or
rather for the sites of schools and churches, and for this
reason : that by having the freeholds vested in them, they
might obtain from Govei nment certain advantages which,
they held their buildings on leasehold land, they could not
obtain. That was a good,. sufficient, and ample reason why
this should be done ; and it was also on this condition—it
was so long as they were used for the purposes for which the
ground was given them as freehold. Now, here the parties
came before them, requesting them to give them the freehold
of a piece of land, and for what ? Why, for the purpose of
building a school for the propagation of doctrines which they
all believed to be false and erroneous (oh, oh) • in fact, to
bring up the rising generation of Jews in the belief that our
Saviour was an impostor. (Cries of oh, oh, and order.)

The MAYOR : I think we had better not introduce theolo-
gical subjects. The question was, whether they would do
in the case of the Hebrews what they had done to all other
denominations. The value ofthe freehold was very trifling.
Mr. Alderman BENNErr : It was not the value of the
freehold. He hoped the Council would not mistake him.
Mr. Alderman HOLMES : You can vote against it, and not
make a long speech. (Hear, hear, and laughter).
Mr. Alderman Pnocron: Perhaps if Mr. Bennett knew
that they paid a certain sum of money for it he would be
satisfied. It was not given them.
Mr. Alderman BEN NETT : It was not the money question
at all. It was the grant of the freehold, and so compelling
them, so long as they retained it, to go on propagating. the
same doctrine. The Council was aware of his views, if no
gentleman would second him.
Mr. THOMSON : Mr. Bennett's argument was not worth a
straw, because they could buy land in the same locality.

Mr. R. GLADsron would sk Mr. Bennett, could he make
the Jews Protestants by refusing them the ground ? (Hear,
hear).

The MAYOR rose to order.
Mr. Alderman BENNETT wished to answer the question if
he were allowed.

The MAYOR : No, no,

Mr. BIGIIMI : Are not those the parties who are refusing
anything like a reasonable sum for the projection in Hard-
man-street ?

The MAYOR : No, no. They arc not the same parties

The TOWN CLERK : It turned out they were not the same
parties. They had no control over it.
The motion was then put and carried.

Thomas Grisenthwaite was then appointed mace-bearer,
in the room of James Halmll, at a salary of £lO a-
year.

THE RIGHT TO THE FORESHORE AT BIRKENHEAD.

Mr. Alderman HOLMES had great pleasure in proposing
that the proposal of the Hon. Mr. Gore, relative to the fore-
shore at Birkenhead, be accepted. At one time they thought
they would ,have to go to Chancery, but now by paying
£4,000, their right to the foreshore would be established.
Mr. Alderman Pnocron seconded the motion, to which he
did not think there would be one dissentient voice. This
amount was for the whole of the foreshore, connected with the
rights of the property of the Corporation, and not only for the
foreshore opposite Mr. Wilson's yard, but also that up to
Woodside. He thought there would be no discussion on the
subject.
Mr. It. GLADSTONE, as one of the deputation which went
to London, approved of the arrangement entered into by.the
Finance Committee, and he took that opportunity of saying,
quite irrespective of the Government in power at the time,
that he never was more satisfied than he was on the late oc-
casion, the advantage they derived in their interview
with the woods and forests, from the circumstance of plain,
straightforward statements having been made in that room,
on the subject, showing that the Government was in the
wrong, and that the Corporation was right. They found on
reaching London, that some kind friend had sent Mr. Gore
a copy of the newspaper or newspapers which contained
what took place in the Council-room, and he (Mr. Glad-
stone) had no hesitation in saying it was in a very great de-
gree owing to what fell from various gentlemen in that room,
on the occasion, that this arrangement had been so satisfac-
torily completed. (Hear, hear).
Mr. TYRER had great pleasure in congratulating the town
on this arrangement, because there would have been a great
deal of expense and delay had they gone into Chancery. It
was a great advantage. Shipbuilding, he hoped, would be
immediately commenced on this very land. They had to
pay £4,000, but they would get this amount in rent, by the
time, in which,- in all probability, litigation would have been
ended.

GLADSTONE said, some time ago he ventured to sug-
gest that marine store licenses should not be granted to parties
who proposed to carry on business in cellars. He wished
to know whether his suggestion had been adopted or not ?
The MAYOR : I think I may venture to say very great
vigilence is now exercised both by the officers who make

the reports, and the parties who grant the licenses.

hear.)
The proceedings were then confirmed,

(Hear,

- •
WATCII CdMMITTEE.
The proceedings of this Committee, on.tho 'notion of Mr.
Tobin, seconded by Mr. Gregson, Were, ••evonfirnied- without

discussion

DOCK COMMITTBE.
Mr. C. TURNER moved the confirniation of the proceed-
ings of this Committee, which was carried neon. dis.

IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE.
The proceedings of this Committee, comprising the reso-
lutions and reports referred back for further consideration at
the last meeting of the Council, were next read. They contained
the following:, on the subject of Town improvement's :
" In accordance with the resolution of the Committee at
their last meeting, the Surveyor submitted a plan, sliming
a proposed line of New-street 24 yards wide, and on the
natural level, commencing near the south portico of St.
Georges Hall, and terminating in Dale-street, at the east
side of Colonial-buildings, opposite Moorfields. The Sur-
veyor also subrated a model, showing the alterations to be
effected, by the high level, approaching from Shaw-brow, to
Dale-street ; and in accordance with the instructions of the
Council, the Committee proceeded to consider the compara-
tive advantage and disadvantage of a, communication between
St. George's, Hall and Dale-street, being made upon the
high level; or by a new communication on the ordinary level
and that the following observations occurred to the Committee
as the most 1 Tomment to each case. First :—As to the
high level:—The formation of the approaches at the
north end of St. George's Hall, now in progress,
renders it essential that additional width should be
obtained at the upper end of Shaw's-brow, and property will
have to be purchased for this purpose, whether the level be
or be not altered. Second--the present approach from Dale-
street, to Byrom-street is inconvenient and dangerous, Dale-
street forming the natural and direct approach from the
eastward to the Town Hall. That the abrupt descent in
Shaw's-brow, causes it to be comparatively little used.
Third:—The bridge as proposed, would give a road upon an
easy descent from the north end of St. George's Hall into
Dale-street, westward of Hatton-garden. Fourth : The
Corporation have already purchased the property ,on the
south side of Dale-street, between Crosshall-street, and Sir
Thomas's-buildings, and have thus the means of making. that
Street, between those points, of the news
Fifth :—They have also purchased the Gas Works on ti
north side of Dale street, and arc thus enabled, to -
derable extent, to widen Hatton-garden. Sixth :—lf o.
improvements were effected, a direct line upon an easy gra-
dient would be afforded for the very heavy traffic, from the
north end of the town, over the proposed bridge to the east-
ward. Seventh :—The bridge itself, would form a fine
architectural feature, and afford a beautiful view of the Hall.
The only serious objection that would present itself, is the
supposed injury to the property in Byrom-street, and the
Old Haymarket, but it will be seen from the model, that
a convenient access for Vehicles and foot passengers, could,
if thought necessary, be given from, and to the top of
Shaw's-brow, to the Old Haymarket, and Byrom-street,
which would obviate this supposed injury, and the property
in the direct line would be purchased."
"As to the proposed New Street on the natural level;
First :—That it cuts through a mass of property in which it
is very desirable to make improvements. Second :—That it
would connect the great.line of Dale-street, with White-
chapel, Church-street, and other central thoroughfares ; the
present communication between which, is extremely circu-
itous, difficult and inconvenient. Third :—That it would
afford a commodious, and easy access from St. George's Hall,
and from the London and North Western Railway Station,
to the Town Hall, the Landing Stage, and Tithebarn-Street
Railway Station. Fourth :—The ''disadvantages are, the

great expense, and the inferiority_ of gradients‘.:

!sary width