Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-08-10 00:00:00

Committee were going to report on it ; whereupon he
hoped that something would be done, "for," said he, "the
medicines which we may mix th's morning be so bad
next morning that wa must throw them away."
(Laughter.) Such a circumstance never occurred with the
old water.
Mr. BECKW.TII said that some three or four months ago
he had a great many complaints in his district of thewater,
but at present he heard no complaints whatever against
it. As to the water getting foul at the end of the pipe,
owing, as Mr. Bennett alleged, to themixture of Rivington,
all he (ir. Beckwith) could say was, that the a.me change
took place in the old water whsn allowed to stand in the
pipe from Saturday till Monday. In his opinion, there
was no necessity for complaint. Wherever he went the
water was good, and was in every respect fit to drink.
Mr. Sum, observed that those who used the words
" clear and beautiful," as descriptive of the mixed water,
gave to them a meaning and an application the very
opposite of what people generally intended by them.
(Laughter.) There could be no question that the water
was not pure and beautiful, but whether it was injurious
or not be was not prepared to soy. What he now rose to
complain of was the tardiness of the committee in report-
ing, in accordance with the instructions of the Council.
More than two mouths had elapsed since they were
instructed to report upon the quality of the w iter, and
though that was quite sufficient time to gat a report in a
country like thif, where men of science were to be had in
every quarter, which would place the question beyond
dispute, they yet thought fit not to do so. There was a
remark made in one of the reports which bad been read
which was exceedingly doubtful in itself. The gentleman
reporting said of the water, " it is comparatively inocuous."
Did he mean to say it was inocuous as compared with
arsenic or prussic acid ? aughter ) He (Ur. Sheil)
did not mean to say that it was injurious to health, but
he knew that it was vary disagreeable to be obliged to
drink it. Animals, it was said, knew by instinct what
was good for them. His horses would not drink the
present water, but preferred rain water.
Mr. Alderman PARKER said he felt convinced that there
was not a member of the Water Committee who would not
say that he was deceived and disappointed in this mat-
ter
Mr. Alderman S Hoene : I beg Mr. Parker will give
his own opinions, and not put forth what are not mine.
Mr. Alderman Coorea : I am (ratite satisfied with the
water that comes to my house.
Mr. Alderman PARKER continued to say that the water
was sometimes good, but more frequently bad ; and
because of th's changing he, as a manufacturer, felt great
difficulty in dealing with it.
Mr. WOODRUFF thought that no gentleman could charge
him with having been partial to the Pike scheme. From
the very first to the last moment that there was a chance of
preveu ing it, he had opposerl it, but whoa it had received
the sanction of parliament, he felt he was only doing his
duty in seeing that the scheme was carried out as speedily
and as economically as possible. (Hear, hear) Mr.
Bennett had alluded to a sample sent to him by Mr. Roth-
well. That sample was of a very filthy description, but
when Mr. Duncan inquired into the matter, it was fOU'ld
that extensive alterations were being made in the premises
and that new pipes had been laid down. Hence the
quality of the water. He had received two other com-
plaints, but in them also it was found that the badness of
the water was attributable to local circumstances. In
one case, indeed, it was found, in the same house, fat
while in one part the water was good in another parr it
was bad. He denied there was any disrespect intended
towards the Council by the committee. The Water Com-
mittee were, one and all, anxious to do their duty to the
town in this matter, and he would not submit to the im-
putations which were attempted to be thrown on them byMr.
Jeffery, who had failed to raise an agitation on the ques-
tion either in the Council or the town. The majority of
them believed the water was much better than what it was
represented to be, and they were.prepared to give it a fair

Mr. A. C. Sr=Aar remarked that if the water were bad,
the delay of a month would be to strengthen the hands of
the opponents of the committee ; if, on the other hand, it
turned out rod, no one, he was sure, would more rejoice
than they would.
Mr. Alderman COOPER said that the water delivered in
July, 1857, am-noted to 332,573,669 gallons ; in July,
1856, 182 918,292 gallons, being 140,624,377 gallons excess
over 1856. In the month of July the proportion of Itiv-
ington to well water was as follows : —First week, 5 to 4;
second week, sto 4 ; third week, 6 to 5 ; fourth week,
nearly equal parts. In July, 1836, the complaints of water
ware 204; in July, 1857, only 122.
The proceedings were then confirmed.

LIBRARY AND MUSEUM COMMITTEE.

The proceedings of this committee included the report of
the special committee appointed by the Couacil on the 11th
of May, relative to the levels in the neighbourhood of St.
George's Hall and Shaw's Brow.
Mr. Plcrox moved the confirmation of the promed-
ings. He said that n )thing special arose out of
them, and he w mid not, therefore, detain
the Council long. The committee had b)rrowed
some £5,000 daring the month, but that had been
authorised by a resolution of the Council long since. The
only material part in the p:i.ceedings was that which
related to the works on Shaw's brow. Ths Special
Committee, consisting of the members of the Law Courts
Committee and the Library Committee, met, and went
very carefully into the subject of the library. Mr. Picton
here explained a plan, showing a new line of levels which
would have to ba adopted should ever the scheme of a high-
level bridge over Wnitechapel be carried out. At present
the committee only asked that the sub-structure of the new
building—the library—should be elevated to such a height,
that, whether the high-level bridge was carried out or not,
the building would be more conspicuous, and would be
better situated in every respect than on the old foundation.

It would stand on a platform, and would have a more

commanding appearance. With regard to the construction
of the platform, the surveyor proposed to use the old
materials of the buildings which would have to b© taken
down on the site, and it the Council sanctioned that pro-
ceeding, ho would immediately commence to use them for
that purpose. The additional expense would be about
£2,000.

Mr. BANNER : Has it baon submitted to:Mr. Brown ?
Mr. PICTON : Yes.
Mr. A. C. SrEwART : And b)th co nmittees have agreed
to it.

The proceedings, including the recommendation, ware
then confirmed, as were also those of the Hackney Carriales,
Baths, Gas, and Birkenhead Docks Committees.

The Coroner's account, amounting to £54 ls. 91., was
passed.

Mr. J. R. JEFFEW said that a they were now in a
transition sta'n in regard to their financial position, and as
the Finance Colimittee did not intend to make any change
in salaries until that position was determined, he thought
it better to withdraw, for the present, his motion for an
investigation into the system of audit of the Corporate
accounts.

Mr. Kurcusx asked if the determination of the Finance
Committee, in regard to salaries, applied to all committees ?
Me. Picrox replied that the Finance Committee had
only the Corporate fund to deal with. They could not
bind the Health, the Water, or the Library Committee,
who had distinct funds to deal with.