Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-11-07 00:00:00

li match regret that the Commissioner

to satisfactory arrangements

of 'having all the public offices in
position, and located in.a .DiiiWing*
ing character of the town, must be

the want of a hall for the purpose of public meet-
ngs, concerts, &c., is now being very strongly felt, and it is a
want that nnot at no distant period be supplied.

We understand thata pike of land, belong,ing to the town-
ship, specially'set aside for•the purpose of a town-hall, can
be obtained. 'and that a company is willing to find the neces-
sary capital to erect a building that will be a credit to the
town, on plans that have Ina the approval of the board.
The proposed company will naturally require a fair rent
from the commissioners for the use of the Public Offices ; and
although it might be preferable that the commission.
selves should erect a tow-

-hall, still as the company are wil-
.--_„ to do so at once, and hand the same over to the town at
any period that it may be thought desirable to purchase, at a
value to be fixed by arbitration, we think it would be unfortu-
nate that the opportunity should be lost on a*mere question of
present rent..
We, therefore, respectfully request that you will call a
public meeting of the inhabitants, in order to ascertain their
wishes on a.matter so important to the welfare and conve-
nience of the town. Then follows a long list of names.

The CnArnmsx then opened the proceedings by
!marking that several movements had been set on foot
for the purpose of taking the necessary steps towards
the erection of a town-hall for Birkenhead, by private
speculation, but without success. Having received a
requisition so numerously signed, he felt it.his duty to call
the meeting. He explained that the Commissioners had
taken offices:for the term of five years, but as it would
take that time to erect a hall, this arrangement would
not interfere- with the object of the meeting. After a
few observations on this object, he called- upon Mr.
Conway to move the first resolution.

Mr. 'CONWAY then moved, "That in the opinion of
this meeting the time has arrived, when the increasing
population, of Birkenhead demands the erection, of a
town-hall, wherein the public business of the township
can be conveniently carried on; and that as the want of
a suitable room for public meetings, concerts, and lec-
tures is acknowledged, it is desirable that this object
should be provided for ia the arrangements of the building."
In support of the resolution, Mr. Conway said, when
he went over to Liverpool, he saw upon the fagadc of
that magnificent building, St. George's Hall, the Latin
inscription, Artibus, Legibus, Consiliis, meaning that it
was devoted to arts, laws, and deliberations. The place
where the courts of law are at present located in Bir-
kenhead is not in keeping with their character, for every
one will admit that something is due to the adminis-
tration of justice, and that it may assume a more be-
coming position than it has done hitherto here, a place
ought to be prepared for it, when the time comes, to
get it in a fitting manner. They were looking for-
ward to the time when Birkenhead would occupy
another position. A place was consequently indis-
pensable for the accommodation of a muni-
cipal body, where they wOuld be able
on those deliberations which are so essential to a sy
of self-government. In regard to the third (Arts) IL
is very lamentable that the town should be destitute of
rational recreation, for there is no place where even a
concert may be held. He therefore trusted that the
meeting would express a unanimous opinion on this
subject, that we may no longer remain a suburb of
Liverpool.
Mr. WILLIAM HENDERSON, in seconding the resolu-
tion, said, that he had been connected with the place
for nearly 15 years, and all his interests were embarked
in it. When he came to Birkenhead in 1845 there were
only 20,000 inhabitants, and now, he believed there
were about 50,000. In 1846, the rates collected
amounted only to £6,000 ; at the present time they
reached the fun of £lB,OOO. For the last fifteen
years, 300 houses had been added to the township
annually. On the 26th of September last, when the
cottage-owners were obliged to pay additional water-
-rates, oust of 2,600 cottages not one claimed exemption
on the ;round of being empty; and another strongproof of prosperity, he might mention, was that the
arrears do not amount to £BO altogether. On the
future of Birkenhead he would quote the words of that
clear-sighted and eloquent gentleman, Mr. C. Bushell—
" When the docks shall have been completed, we shall
have between 160 and 170 acres of water space and
about nine miles of lineal quay space." Surely, then,
we shall not be considered a suburb of Liverpool. It
geeirsed to him that the grand schemes of those gentle-
men of '45 would then be perfected.
The motion Ncr2s carried unanimously.
Mr. DARE-ran= tiii:Wed—" That the increasing
business of the township requirt.'.s the concentration of
all public offices in one central building, to which it
might be found advisable to remove the public
and savings' bank; and that the rents now paid by the
S9ll:ll4i*?Aers for
.the various offices, form an income
'ghat would go far to pay the interest on the required
capital." He thought, when they looked around them
and saw the way in which the various offices of the
town Were placed, it was disgraceful. He had
long thought they should be in one building,
and they would soon require concentration.
He had therefore great pleasure in proposing
this motion to them, and trusted they would carry out
the project with energy, but at the same time with
economy. There were several other things he could
have wished to see incorporated with such a building,
as public baths and wash-houses for the accommodation
of the poorer inhabitants, as they have in Manchester.
He had often remarked that all the out-townships of
Manchester had their public buildings. And why
cannot we have them ? He felt convinced, in his own
mind, of the prosperity of Birkenhead ; it would soon
have a Member of Parliament, and a municipal corpo-
ration. He felt the time had arrived when they should
all go hand in hand—counselled them to lay aside all
party feelings, and do all in their power for the benefit
of the public. He, therefore hoped the meeting would
accord the same unanimity to this, as they had done to
the previous resolution. The motion having been se-
conded by Mr. GREENE, it was carried without a dis-
sentient voice.

to ,carry

Mr. HIND said he would move the third resolution :
"That the liberal offer of a company to find the capital
for the erection of a town-hall, on the condition of a fair
annual rental being secured to them, deserves the best
thanks of the township, and proves the confidence felt in
the progress of Birkenhead; but, in the opinion of the
meeting, it is 'desirable, for obvious reasons, that 'the
town-hall should be public property, and under the con-
trol of the commissioners rather than under
the manN;ement of a private company." He
moved this resolution because he had no hesitation
in saying that it would meet with the approval
of the meeting. If they were to have a town-hall,
it must be in the hands of the commissioners,
and it would not do to let it go out of their control. If it
required any argument to prove this, there is the case of
the Exchange-buildings in Liverpool, which belong to a
private company, and which arc too small for the num-
ber of merchants who frequent them ; but it is impossible
to get any new accommodation, simply became they are
in the possession of a private company, to whom they
are a source of profit. He did not, howover, require to
go across the water for illustrations. Many would re-
member the ferry, which was allowed to &.o into private
hands : in a short time you had to buy it back again.
Then there was the Gas and
went into 'private hands, and you
pay dearly for your whistle to g all know you had to
into theet hands of a private
them back. If this
building, thererore, goes
company, you will certainly have to purchase it back at
a disadvantage. •
Mr. COWIE, in seconding the resolution, said, he was
deeply interested in the prosperity of Birkenhead. I
seemed bins that it was the duty of the public to
erect such buildings as that proposed, and he hold with
Mr. Hind, it would be absurd to allow it to go out of
the hands of their commissioners. The only objection
he had heard urged against the proposal was on the
score of expense, and many lifted up their hands and
eyes in astonishment when it was mentioned to. them.
But the fact is now, many people are deterred from
coming to Birkenhead because they cannot &o to a meet-
ing, and men are generally fond of meetings, either
political or otherwise, therefore let us have the building.
The 'commissioners have brought up this town from a
ricketty infancy, through all the teethings and trials
incident to that condition; they have reared the babe
till it is now a strong handsome man. If then we are
_L a-1-- al_
It was

responsibilities of men