Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-07-10 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN TIRES.

Sir,—The council proceedings of yesterday have given
rise to much serious refl action. The Finance Committee
report a further purchase of land, thereby verifying the
evidence of Mr. Tweedie before the committee on the

Conservancy Bill, who, in reply to Sir James Graham
said, " the Corporation are constantly buying land."
The next question of public importance to the town
will be, why should the Corporation be permitted thus
constantly to acquire property, when only needed for the
improvement and still further aggrandisement of their
own estate, and not for public purposes ? and further,
what public benefit is conferred upon the burgesses by the
possession of an estate valued by Mr. Samuel Holme at
£4,000,000, if the returns do not exceed £50,000, or l 3 per
cent ? Again, how long has it b-en discovered by the
officials; or are we to thank Mr. Gladstone for the fact,
that a small rieco of laud in Hackin's-hey would so mate-
rially enhance the value of a property we have possessed
for half a century?

The St. George's Hall Committee report. that it is al

visaole to consult- Sir Charles Barry.. Whero. was Mr.
Earle to defend his recommendation of another " eminent' '
man, Mr. Coekerill ?
There seems a fatality about this and its sister build-
ing, the MuSentrlt Oa one never to be finished, the other
never to be beg ;a.

The-Health 'Committee report a scheme of public lin.
provement, •which, of course, was vio'ently opposed.
One of the main facts pressed severely against the Cor-
poration before the Consf,rvancy Committee was, that of
jobbing in land, and being, at the same time, buyers and
sellers—!he Corporation selling to the Dock Committee,
and references preju licial to the town were drawn from
these transactions ; but already we are preparing to
repeat the same game with the Water Committee,
Health Committee, and Museum Committee.
The town will now look with great jealousy on these
transactions where the Corporate purse becomes heavy_
without advantage to any one, and the ratepayers are
mulcted in the price paid.
The Museum Committee certainly gave a back-hander
to the Council, showing that officious interference with
them had been the cause of delay,
Perhaps, however, some good may -arise even from this
most disorderly discussion, and we or our -grand-children
may, as Mr. Brown says, yet see the Museum erected in a
more suitable and ornamental locale.
Mr. Jeffrey's notice on the question of audit will only
be useful if he follows it up by laying the facts lie will
elicit before Parliament, with a view to an amended system.
The poor-law audit is powerful and efficient, that of the
Corporation a nullity.
hope the public will be admitted
.hear the conn.9il
and notice given to that
effort.
proceedings in St: Georges Hall,
I have briefly noticed the more importanortantrokpilocis
oonf
If
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allr
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theebaatbes,enbett
ilven to tell their
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perreissiont
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sive measures in the Lords. 'Would it not have been
courteous, would it not have LIP en wise and politic, at this
Crisis, that they should, have 'inquired-if the Council wore
prepared deliberately to refuse a compensation of two
millions ; and if so, 110",,, much:they still expect ?--Your
subscriber, ;REmacroa.
Liverpool, .I'44' th,