The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-05-07 00:00:00

directed to prepare plans and mnriels for ;he apt;roichPs to
St. George's-hail, in order to c aspire them plans
c.nd modds submitted 1y Mr. 11. nry Booth.

The models were laia neon the Cooed table.
Mr. Picton, in the absence of the eheirman end deputy
chelefian; inured; the con 4rmatio-1:%Olh-ifilife0edintrth T
eoing-en, tee saicht becathe hit duty: to call the attention
of the Council- to.thamoalele -now upan the table. They
were all aware. that, during the last, few months consider-
able discussion had taken place with reference to the
approaches of St.
.George'e-hall, and one of the models
now on the table was deposited by Mr. -B it.th Some time
ago, with some suggestiees as to the alterations of `the
approaches and the southern - rortice. Unfortunately,
however, it not being strictly what was called a
model, it was not an exact representation of
the vertical and horizontal scale, . 'and gave
a .very, distorted representation of what the gentleman's
intentionaaeally were. e The two models which the, council
saw now before them bad been -prepared under the,diren-
tioneeof Mr. Weightman, and they were really what thvy
orofeaeed to be—exect modeljeof the levels and the position
of the hall, with its approaches, and various appurtenances.
Gentlemen would recollect that when the subject was dis-
cussed as to the approaches, great difficulty always pte-'1
seated itself, the levels rising up at such a sharp' gradient I
from the south portico round into Lime-street, so that it
was considered an impossibility to avoid the present deep
well-hole,'asit had been called., at the'approach to the east
front. That difficulty, it was supposed, would prove
insuperable.... However, like many, other things, where
there was a will there wash way in this instance: (Hear,
hear.) A suggestion had been made by the borough
engineer, Mr. Newlands, which would remove to- a con-
siderable extent the difficulties which formerly existed.
By making an alteration in the access by St. John's-lane
to the Haymarket, and leaving the car stand which now
existed there a somewhat higher hvel, or even by altering
the level, if it be found necessary, the gradient could be
made much easier, and the present enclosure, which was
sunk so much below the level of Limy-street, might be
raised up, so that it would, with a very slight incline,
connect on one level the inside gradient with the outside
gradient. All Atoll.: adroit that, if this could be effected
withoat doing any injuey to the asp ct of the building, it
would be a very great improvement indeed. He had
nothing to recommend ou the part of the committee at
present, but he had simply been 'reqiustetl, in
the absence "of = the chairman and depots-ehairnian of
the committee,' 'to explain' to )=tlia—enianat What could
,be done; And 'to leave- the qUestirin,theitii filt ;Consider atton
until neaten' lontle,l,lndividually, he could nth: -see any-
reason for maintaining` the present enclosure at all, r (Cries'
of Hearebear.") 1-The only object 'of the enelnsn-e,wis
apparently to serve to protect persons Iron felling down
into the excavation. As a means of-protecting the building
every gentleman must see.fbat the present fence wiis elte-
gether absurd and inarleona'e. (Hear, They hard
g4.)t at th south end a mageificeat p eit nfgatos., er
feurteen• feet high, with spikes upna the, nneevery
defence calculated to stand' ta' siege itnee4i.liiv. But the
railing adjoininie was only a yard high, which any mod rate
sized nian'ciaulestride across without any difficelty. (Hear,
hear.) The same thing occurred at the east sit le and, tio;e:
they had this- further absurdity'—they had a very splendid
architectural halustrade,Whicli the pa‘tiea in ch arge had
not yet dared to throw op-n: to the public. They had
erected a fence of stone to defend the balustrade, and then
a fence of wood outside to protect the stone fence. On the
day when the American Circus horses were
,parading the
town, and a great crowd hed collected aCtfint, spot. it was
found that persons clambering on the balustrade, and
kickingit with their hobnailed shoes,ha,l already committed
a great deal of mischief there. Iris own idea would be to
swef.'p'awiy the, railing -altogethae' *fah the 'Hells, the
grand columns ,- and all the -concomitants. (Hear, hear.)
They might then have .one of the in st m Placi?s
any town could afford. (Hear, hear.) lie was not without
an. idea, also, that even, thet much maligned lions on which
it had been the fashion foresoma time hack to crack, all
kinds of jokes, could he made.use of
.with great propriety
in the em ,in bellish nt of. the place. a. fountain were
placed in , the middle the space "opposite the central
entrance on the east side,' it would afford Et proper 'resting
plan.) and protection for, persore cruz,,sing that wide spice,
at which to etc ipe danger from carriages (Hear,'.hear.)
This would fo,in-n beautiful architectural -object-, and the
four lions might be-used:With `great-propriety to.flank the
fountain. (Hear, hear.) .The plan was perfectly pose-
ticahle, and could be carried out, in the ophaion of ova
geaslemen who had seen it, with great .advantage to the
aspect of the boilding,,with additional convenience to the
public, and with ornament and embellishment to the town.
(Hear, hear.) It wits intended that the subject should lie
over until next month. The model could he seen by
members of the council, who could think over the subject
in the meantime, and when the proper time arrived be
prepared to give an oeinhin.

Mr. Charles Turner asked if it wou:d be possible to lower,
-*4
what the probable expense would be ?
Mr. Pieton was afraid it could not practically be effected:
If the front of the railway station were lowered to the
level of the ground within the enclosure, it would make
the gradient so very steep that the Railway Company
would, no doubt, object, unless at a very s rious expense,
which it would be difficult now to ca eulate, were gone
into for altering the railway station. A difficulty would
also arise at the north end. The leVels would have to he
a'tered to' such an extent up London-road as would
materially interfere with the access and corisrquently with
the vane of the property. (Hear, hear.) The slope
would have to go a long way up London-road. The model
to which -he had referred would be the cheapest. It
would require no masonry or architectural decoration.
Mr. Tyrer : Would it not detract from the beauty of the
building ?
Mr. Picton : The committee do not think so. Every
gentleman must Judge, of that for himself.
Mr. Alderman Samuel Holnie 'ressed his gratification
that the subject had b en mooted, laud hoped he might be
allowed to make a few remarks arising out of it, if -not
directly belonging to it. First, he should be permitted
to say, that the Council was exceedingly indebted to
Mr. Booth for the assistance he had given, and for the
very expensive model which he had himself prepared
(Hear, hear.) Although Mr. Booth's plan would proba-
bly not be adopted, yet Unquestionably the subject had
been brought prominently forward in consequence of Mr.
Booth having sent in his model. (Hear, hear) Mr. Picton
bad replied, and repli,d correctly, to the . question put to
!aim with-reference to the levels' on the Shaw's-brow side.
BUt the Council would recollect that s wee two or . three
years ago he (Afr. Holrne) brought a distinct motion before
them, which would have involved the alterntion to
which allusion had just been ma'e by Mr.; Turner.
He. did trust that when gentlemen now went,
as he-hoped they would do, to examine the site and to
judge of the levels for themselves, they would cast their
eyes down Shaw's Brow with reference to that subjet,
which he should feel it his duty again, and, at no distant
A.ipd,to.bring before the Council. (Hoar, hear.) Tip),
had 'chosen a site for the Free Library and Museum, which in
his opinion was one of the very best sites in Liverpool—
the most central position, and, notwithstanding all that
had been said and sung upon the question, he hoped they
would be prepared to piece the Library where its first
stone bad been laid, as being a spot admirable in every
' respect. (Hear, hear.) If the position of that bull ling
were wrong, then the position of St. George's Hall
-must be wrung' also. • But before the committee
proceeded with the erection of 'the building, he -asked
members to go and stand at the top of Lime-street ,
look, down Shaw's-brow, and see what an enorm )us
benefit it would be to the town to have a high
level bridge placed there, by, which an almost level
access would be obtained to the top of Dale street, and
passengers might come'from London road directly to the
Town Hall, thus giving that relief to the traffic of Church
street, which it so much required. (Rear, hear.) He
was 'defeated on the former oediiSicia, when 'lll brought
forwarl his motion. He was told that it would be iujuri-
ous to trade, and a memorial was brought' to the Council,
signed by, several tinndred persons,—some of wOorn, we
subsequently ascertained, lived at the top of. Scotland road,
and some at the bottom of Paradise sereet ; but who came
forward to declare that the proposed scheme would inter-
fere with their zraie. (Laughter.) He had had an oppor-
tunity since, of seeing in the city of 'Naples, a Similar
high level road, and he took the trouble of going into
various streets in the vicinity, and making enquiries ; and
so far. from its being. ohjeetionable to the people, th .y
'told him it was benefi dit! to their trade. He
was not nh.iut to go further into the subject then, buthe
should again-laring it before the Council;- and he, i he -efere,
a-ked gentlemen, before it egaia came on for discussion, to
make themselves acquainted with -it eby :going to inso, et
the site. Several persons had altered their opinions since
the subject was first brought forward. The Council were
now about to have an opportunity, if they-did not neglect
it, of Making 'one of the most splendid Places imaginable
in Liverpool. -At a comparatively small expense 'they
could (tire- the site a better appearance, obtain a direct
access from Shaw's brow to the Town hall, fell ye Church-
street and Lord street to an enormous extent, and make
one of the most magnificent improvements which the town
of Liverpool had ever possessed. (Rear, hear). .
Mr. Aikin drew attention to the exhibition at present
going on under the auspices of the government in Post
office place. The collection of article contributed by the
government he declared altogether unworthy ihe high name
and sanction with which it came down here. The articles
were cot worthy the accommodation which had been pro-
vided for them by the Council, and he thought it would be
wed if
.t he corporation of that and other large provincial
towns, expressed some opinion upon the manner in which
government professed to, prOnlote science and art in the