The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-02-07 00:00:00

having it understood that ;.t was the wish of the inhabi-
tants to have a meeting called, leaving it to the discretion
of the Mayor to flx the time.
The Mayor : As I may be advised.
Mr. Kitchen suggested that a special committee should
be appointed to take charge of the subject.
Mr. Turner suggested that Mr. Picton should withdraw
his motion on the understanding he had mentioned.
Mr. Alderman Bennett hoped Mr. Picton would not
withdraw his motion, contending that delay was danger-
ous, and that the sooner a public meeting was called the
better.
Mr. Halhead suggetited that day week or Thursday
week.
The

Mayor said he should feel it his duty if a com-
munication came to him upon so important a subjecet to
call the council together upon the shortest possible notice,
without fixing a day at all. (Hear, hear.) He con-
sidered it too important a subject to be shackled by
forms. (Cheers.)
After some further conversation, Mr. Picton's resolution
was carried without any day being fixed as yet for holding
the meeting.

A question then arose as to the formation of the corn.
mitten to take charge of the question.
Mr. Alderman Doter suggested that the committee
shoUld not be confined to mercantile men, as any owners
of fixed property had an equal interest in it.
Mr. Hodson agreed in that opinion, and added that
some mercantile men would be the worst persons in the
world to have on the committee, as the Inter6sts of many
merchants were oppdsed to the present laws. (No, no.)
He spoke of what had been announced publicly in the
town, and in reference to which articles had appeared in
one of the leading newspapers.
Mr. Earle was sorry any observation should be made
calculated to sow disunion among any parties in Liver-
pool. It would, however, be necessary ito have some
mixture upon the committee, and he thought a medical
man ought to be on it to feel their pulses. (Laughter.)
Finally; Mr. Ficton proposed, on the suggestion of Mr.
Bornby; that the charge of the subject be referred to th.:
committee of the Birkenhead docks, with power to add to
their numbers, who should be empowered to take all the
necessary steps in reference to it.
This resolution was unanimously adopted.

YINANC E COMMITTEE.
The proceedings of this committee were read. They
comprised a recommendation to increase the salary of
Mr. John Surr, (auditor in the Town Dues Office,) from
1501. to 180/. per annum; and a recommendation to con-
tinue the contract with Mr. Fraser for printing, for one
ye ir, from Ist March next.
Mr. Hornby, in moving the confirmation of the first
recommendation said, that Mr. Surr had memorialled the
council for an increase of salary, and that the memorial
had been referred to the finance committee for considera-
tion. The committee had investigated the subject, and
they had found from the nature of Mr. Surr's duties, and
the time to which he had to devote to them, he was justly
entitled to the increase recommended.
Mr. Robertson Gladstone asked if the committee were
satisfied that they _rould not get the work done for 150/. ?
Town Hall hours were very short, and for those hours he
thought the salary, nearly 31. a week, quite sufficient.
Mr. Hornby replied, that from Mr. Surr's long experi-
ence of the duties of the office, it would be difficult to
replace him.
Mr. Alderman Dover thought that when the auditor
of the dock committee, whose business occupied him only
three hours a-day, received 1501. a year, Mr. Surr, whose
duties took up his undivided time, from nine o'clock In
the morning until five o'clock in the afternoon, was
deserving of something more.
The matter was adjourned to the next council, in
accordance with the standing orders.
Mr. Hornby in moving the second recommendation,
testified to the satisfaction which Mr. Fraser had given
in the fulfilment of his contract.
Mr. rernihough seconded the motion.
Mr. Robertson Gladstone, though lothe to interfere
with the minor details of any committee, yet considered
that the principle involved in the recommendation, the
renewal of a contract without tender, was one pregnant
with mischief to the future interests of the committee. It
was, in point of fact, to reestablish a monopoly. (Hear,
hear.) If he was not in error, Mr. Fraser had enjoyed
this monopoly, for he could call it by no other name, for
three or four years, and he had been informed that the
business of the Town-clerk's department and of the cor-
poration, taken in itself, was a perfect fortune to a
printer. The principle at stake, he contended, was
directly at variance with the spirit. it not the letter, of
the Municipal Reform Act, which placed all men on an
equal footing, and gave them all equal rights ; and he did
not see why the sound principle of public advertisement
and public competition should be departed from. (Hear,
hear.) He would therefore move that the matter be re-
ferred back to the finance committee, with instructions to
procure tenders from a number of respectable tradesmen.
Mr. Beckwith, disliking monopoly, seconded the
amendment.
Mr. Alderman Parker observed that corporation con-
tracts, from the manner in which parties were tied down
in them, had been ruin to many a tradesman. He was in
favour of competition, and he hoped that it would be
generally practised by all committees.
Mr. Woodruff inquired if other printers had been
afforded the opportunity of tendering for the work ?
Mr. Hornby replied that they had been afforded the
opportunity in the first, but not in this instance.
Mr. Picton said he would not offer an opinion as to the
best mode of getting printing executed by the finance
committee, but he held in his hand two reports, one
printed in 1854, and the other in 1855, for the library and
museum committee, which he considered in some measure
affected the matter. The report of 1854 was printed under
the contract of the commotion, in the belief that, it would
be the cheapest. There were 250... numbers struck off, and
the cost was 61. Next year, the committee thought they
could get it cheaper, and they accordingly went to another
party, who supplied the same number of copies, the
quantity of matter being also the same, for 41 2s 6d. The
paper was better, and the type as good as in the report of
1854. He would make no comment on the matter, but he
thought the fact would help theta to a conclusion in the
matter.
Mr. Hodson thought that every tradesman should have
the right and privilege of competing for every description
of corporation work. He had no doubt that Mr. Frazer
was a very respectable man, and did the work well, but
there were others in the town as respectable, and as able
as Mr. Fraser to execute the printing, and give satis-
faction.
Mr. Fernihough observed that the system of contracts
by tender for the printing and stationery of the corpora-
tion, had not worked well, though fairly tried. There
had been frequent disputes with the contractors, and, in
fact, one remained still unsettled. The type required for
corporation work should be very varied, and being
possessed of that description of material, and the neces-
sary forms, Mr. Fraser was able to do the work cheaper
than nearly any other person.
Mr. W. Earle remarked, that by the principle of open
contracts, some one person, not respectable, was certain
to get the work, and then leave it unfulfilled. The Riv-
ington pike scheme supplied illustrations. The system
which he would recommend was, that some half-a-dozen
respectable tradesmen should be sent round to, and asked
to compete for the work.
Mr. Sheil expressed himself in favour of open compe-
tition to all tradesmen.
Mr. Alderman Dover thought the council should have
some confidence in the committee in believing that they
cot the work done in the best and cheapest manner.
Before Mr. Fraser got the c-ntract it was competed for
by a number of tradesmen, and he being the most eligible
person, obtained it. He had given every satisfaction, and
when they found, from the experience of several years,
that he had served them well and at the same time
cheaply, they should be satisfied Mr. Fraser's prices were
low; and he (i'lr. Dover), had heard several persons
wonder how he lived out of them.
Mr. A. C. Stewart said there was an important prin-
ciple at stake, and he thought right that it should be
preserved. If Mr. Fraser's contract was the lowest he
would get the work; if not, the public should have the
benefit of other competition.
Mr. Banner and Mr. Alderman Bennett also expressed
themselves in favour of competition.
Mr. Hornby, in reply, said that he fully agreed in the
principle laid down by the various speakers. It was
desirable that every tradesman should have the opportu-
nity of doing the business of the corporation, but the
printing was rather an exceptional case Uuder the old
system very low tenders were made, and the consequence
was perpetual disputes, one of which was not yet settled.
Since Mr. Fraser had the contract till work had been
done well and satisfactory, and as he had the "forms
always standing he was now able to do the work cheaper
than any printer who would have to set type auew. The
matter had been much magnified, for if he had been sooner
allowed to speak he would have told the council that the
council had no objection to having the question referred
back to them, with the instructions contained in Mr.
Gladstone's amendment.
The subject was accordingly referred back to the com-
mittee with instructions to procure tenders for the work.
The general proceedings of the committee were thLn
confirmed

IVATCII COMMITTEE.

Mr. Gregson, in moving the confirmation of the pro-
ceedings of this committee, stated that it was the inten-
tion of Sir George Grey to introduce into parliament this
session a bill for the regulation of police all over the
country. It was the same as the bill of last year, and if
it were carried the management of the whole police force
of the country would be centered in a committee in Loudon.
(Cries of" Oh ! oh !")
Mr. Robertson Gladstone : This is another attempt at
centralisation, and to take from us that which we, I hope,
are infinitely more competent to manage than govern-
ment. (Hear, hear.) If this principle is to go on I d 3
i not know where it will end—they will n fact at last walk
into our offices and take the management of our business
and shipping. I hope that resistance will be made to
this attempt. It is impossible that it should go on and
no termination be put to it, unless they want us to ascer-
tain whether there is room for another star on the banner
of the United States.
The Town-clerk intimated that he had made arrange-
ments to get the bill as soon as printed.
The proceedings were confirmed.
The proceedings of the dock committee and of the
improvement committee, comprising a recommendation to
sanction the proposition of the library and museum com-
mittee, as to the site for the new building on Shaw's-brow,
In were also confirmed.
the confirmation of the St. George's Hall
committee, Toying which were adopted, Mr. Alderman Turner
stated, that within the last month 119/. Is. 6d. had been
received from the cheap concerts, and 1091. for the use of
the hall. MARKETS' COMMITTEE.
The proceedings of this committee were read.
Mr. Johnson moved their confirmation, and in doing so
stated that in a short time arrangements for a wholesale