Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-07-09 00:00:00

TOWN COUNCIL.

The adjourned meeting of the Town Craincil was held at
eleven o'clock yesterday in the Town Hall. The Mayor,
FE.ANCIA SIIAND, Esq., presided.
FINANCIAL COMMITITEE.

The proceedings of this committee contained the fol-
lowing recommendati,,ns Recommendation that the
discretion given by and contained in the Act of 7 Wm.
IV. and 1 Vie. c 19, should at the next quarter sessions
be exercised by the recorder. Recommendation to pur-
chase from the Fad of Derby a plot of freehold land in
Hackies-hey, adjoining the George Hotel, containing
about 102 square yards, for £1,200.
Mr. Alderman SAMUEL Hozatte said, the Council would
have perceived by the proceeding', that the business
transacted by the Finance Committee durit.g the last
month had been but smal!. He was not aware that there
'was anything in the proceedings, excepting the two special
subjects which he should now bring before the Council,
which required any remark from him, but if any gentleman
had any question to a.ln, he shouM be happy to give an
answer. He much regretted to state to the Council that
the increase in the number of persons cpmmitted for
trial rendered it necessary that that the recorder should
hare ass stance. The recorder had made application to
the Council, and the C Juncil referred the subjtct to
the Finance Committee, who took the questini into
their best consideration. The committee recom-
mended _ the Council to avail themselves of an

-act which was passed in the reign of -William
IV., and was amended in the reign of Victoria, giving
power to the Town Conueils of large towns to give
additional assistance to Recorders. The act appeared to
him an exceedicgly cumbrous one—cumbrous in its
machinery, and indefinite in some of its expressions.
But so far as he could make it out it was thin : —lf before
each Quarter Sessions it should appear to the Recorder
that th, sessions were likely to last more than three days,
he might direct that another court should bo opened, but
the Mayor and two aldermen must certify that the Council
had resolved that it was expedient and for the benefit of
the inhabitants of the borough, that such power was
exercised. Consequently he thould conclude by proposing
a resolution which would give that power. The Recorder
at the present time had a salary of 500 guineas per
annum, and held three extra sessions in consequence of
the number of prisoners unhappily brough before him.
For each of those extra sessions he received a sum of £5O,
making a £l5O for the extra sessions, or an aggregate of
£675 per annum. From the Ist of January to the 12th
of May, during three sessions held then, he tried 440
prisoners, and he (Mr. Holme) regretted very much
to say, that the annual number of prisoners now
sent for trial before him exceeded 1,2.0 It
was known to the Council that the Government paid the
cost of the prosecutions, but the salaries of the Recorder,
Clerk of the Peace, and Crier of the Court, fell upon the
various Corporations. The Sessions now occupied upon
an average about nine, and sometimes ten days each; and
it was acivisah a that, if possible, the Sessions should be
always concluded within the week, in. consequence of the
expense of detaining witnesses frequently over two Sun-
days. It was very desirable, and the Committee had
taken it into consideration, that the police-officers of the
town, who were detained at the Sessions fur four, six, or
seven days sometimes, should be liberated earlier than
they were. It would be a great accommodation to various
witnesses, who sometimes cents from a distance, to be able
to return to their homes within the week. Shortening the
duration of the Sessions would also shorten the period
during which the Corporation had to maintain and feed
the. prisoners. To remedy, therefore, the inconveniences
which had been Mt in various large towns and communi-
ties, the Act g,i,ve power to appoint an additional Recorder.
limiting his remuneratien to two days in each Sessiorr, at
10 guineas each thy ; an if he sat four or five days, he could
receive no more than 20 guineas. The Act likewi,e limited
the Clerk of the Peace to two days, at two guineas each
day, and the Crier of the Court to half a giinea, making
altogether the cost of each session £26 5s Therefore,
for seven sessions, supposing seven sessions to be held,
as the commit ee feared, the aaaual cost would be £lB3 15s
That cost esuld not be exceeded. The act, however, was
permissive to the as-isthnt judge to sit as long as was
necessary. Gentlemen might say it would be better for the
Recorder to get through the business himself and sit longer,
but they would see that it would involve the Corporation
and various parries in very considerable expense if he
ware to do so, even if m ,rahly sessions were held, and
would be a result which it would be very desirable t
avoid. He was sure the Council would agree with the
committee that the speedy administration of justice was
always most desirable, particularly in criminzl cases, and
although he very much regretted that any additional
charges should be cast upon the borough fund, jeopardised
as it was, yet the cost was comparatively small in propor-
tion to the benefits which would result from an arrange-
ment of the kind ; and he had. therefore, to request the
confirmation of the Council to the recommendation of the
Finance Committee, which had been arrived at after con-
outing with the Town Clerk, carefully reading over the
Act cf Parliament, and deliberating seriously upon the
subject.
Mr. Alderman J. H. TURNER seconded the motion.
Mr. HOLME said he had omitted to state that the
Recorder, under the Act cf Parlament, would have the
nomination of the assistant judge, but it must be approved
of by the Secretary of State.
The recommendation was confirmed without discussion.

Mr. HUME then moves that the recommendation for
the purchase of a piece of land from the Earl of Derby
be confirmed. He explained that, as ht stated at the last
Cou'icil, the possession of this plot w 3,11,1 give the Corpo-
ration access to a large quantity of back land at the George
Hotel, and would thus convert back land into frontage.
Mr. Tuulsca seconded the motion, which was carried.
Mr. HOLME then moved the confirmation of the general
proceedings, which was a;s) carried ananimou2ly.