The Sun.
London, England, 1857-08-19 00:00:00

the Crystal Palace, and make it a dividend pro-
ducing as well as a national institution."
Mr. HORSLEY, a member of the Shareholders'
Committee, said the committee, in the discharge of
their duties, sat thirty days, of which twenty were
taken up in the preparation of the necessary returns
requisite for the due prosecution of the inquiry.
Now, he asked the meeting, if they agreed with the
general results the committee had come to, viz.,
that in future the meetings be held twice a-year,
in June and December ; that the directors be in-
creased from eight to twelve, and that 600 guineas
be set apart for their remuneration ; that there
should be a daily supervision by one of the direc-
tors independent of the ordinary weekly meeting ;
that instead of converting the shares into stock,
only scrip certificates be issued on transfers ; that
the accounts should be issued and circulated before
each meeting, with a separate and independent
audit ; that the gardens should be opened on Sun-
days on such terms as the directors might deem
equitable ; that the refreshment department be so
altered as to secure more accommodation for the
poorer class of visitors ; that the contract with the
lessee of tha stables be revised ; that the contracts
were one-sided, and that in future all contracts be
put up to public tender and subject to the approval
of the shareholders ; that precautions be taken with
regard to season tickets, and that half-guinea season
tickets be issued for children, and half-yearly tic-
kets issued ; that Saturday be a shilling day ; that
the grand fountains be played on certain Is. days ;
that life tickets be issued on the surrender of
shares ; and that all accounts above 107. should
show a debtor and creditor side. The last recom-
mendation was to issue gratis, or at a cost of a
penny, " A Crystal Palace Programme and.
Gazette," setting forth the various objects of
general interest to be seen or heard within
the building or in the grounds. He con-
cluded by moving that the direction be increased
from 8 to 12, with a remuneration of 600 guineas
a year.

Mr. SLACK had a resolution to move which he
thought would supersede the one already proposed,
it was to the effect that the report of the committee
of shareholders be received by this meeting, and
that it be recommended to the serious considera-
tion of the directors, accompanied by an expression
on the part of the meeting, that a system of man-
agement, in accordance with the report, appeared
to be desirable, with the view of making the Crystal
Palace more attractive to the great mass of the
people, and that the meeting were clearly of
opinion that such a result might be obtained by
pursuing a popular and judicious course. He was
satisfied that such a change as this resolution sug-
gested would promote the interest of the public
and secure a dividend for the shareholders of the
company.

Mr. S. SIDNEY said that what they had to con-
sider was whether the Palace had been properly
managed during the last year. They should bear
in mind that twelve months since the Palace was
for the first time put under the direction of a
general manager, and he maintained that Mr. Fer-
guson had not had sufficient time to develop all his
plans for improving the condition of the property.
He dissented from the report of the committee as
displaying personal feeling and a total ignorance of
the matter under consideration ; and his opinion
was that instead of the shareholders taking the
affairs of the company into their own hands, they
should be continued under the management of one
individual, who should be generally responsible for
the results.
Mr. H. H. CANNON then seconded the resolu-
tion ; and
The CHAIRMAN having read it to the meeting,

Mr. Alderman Rose vindicated the conrse
adopted bythe directors, and urged that they should
be allowed to carry out their views in the best man-
ner possible, and thus retrieve any errors which may
have crept into the management. Let them place
confidence in the directors, .and not seek to fetter
them by reports and resolutions which were not
calculated to promote the interests of the country.
The CHAIRMAN said he was anxious to take this
opportunity of expressing his feelings, and those of
the directors, in reference to the general position of
their affairs. In the first place they should bear in
mind the peculiar novelty of the undertaking, and
the various difficulties they had necessarily been
obliged to contend with, from the want of previous
experience on the part of the directors to enable
them to carry out so gigantic a project to a success-
ful result. lie did not object to the spirit of the re-
solution under discussion, but he entertained certain
deliberate opinions which induced him to think that
the present directors had endeavoured, whenever an
opportunity arose, to adapt the Crystal Palace to
the wishes and requirements of the people. In proof
of this, he would instance certain events of great
national importance which had taken place in the
building under the auspices of the directors, viz.,
the visit of the Emperor of the French, the Peace
Fete, and the inauguration of the interesting monu-
ment by Marochetti, 'the Opera Concerts, and the
Handel Festival. These ceremonies, and the man-
ner in which they were carried out, were sufficient
to show that the directors were desirous of seizing
every opportunity that presented itself of making
the Crystal Palace the " palace of the people"—
that is to say, of inducing the public to visit it on
occasions Blinvolving results of national inte-
rest and importance. As to the Opera Concerts
doubless they would not have taken place had it
not been for the destruction of Covent Garden
Theatre, and it was not likely that they would be
repeated in future years. As regarded the various
questions of detail which had been introduced into
the report, this was hardly a fitting occasion for
discussing them ; and in reference to the proposi-
tions to be brought forward respecting "life ad-
missions" and the opening of the Crystal Palace
and grounds on Sundays, they were essentially
matters of opinion which could not properly be
set led at a public meeting. The directors had
raised the revenue during the past year to 115,0001.
and this circumstance proved that they were en-
titled to the credit of having done something to
prolnot- the success of the undertaking.
Mr. PUNCHER said that it was quite true that
the events alluded to had been carried out in a very
creditable manner, but at a very considerable ex-
pense, and it was too much to expect the share-
holders could allow their loyalty and patriotism
entirely to absorb their private and personal
, interests.

After a little further discussion the resolution was
agreed to.
Mr. HORSLEY moved and Mr. WILSON seconded
a resolution, " that the number of directors be in-
creased from 8 to 12, and the sum of GOO guineas
per annum be awarded to them for their services."

The resolution having been carried,
Mr. SNow moved and Mr. KERRY seconded,
•‘ That the number of directors being now increased
to 12, one of them shall attend at the Palace every
day ; and therefore the services of a managing
director could be dispensed with."
Mr. J. H. JAY moved, as an amendment, " That
the first resolution embodied the opinions of this
meeting, while it left the directors to carry out the
objects of the undertaking in the manner which in
their judgment seemed best."
Mr. SIDNEY seconded the amendment ; and Mr.
Alderman ROSE supported it.
After a brief discussion the resolution was with-
drawn, and the amendment was not put.
Mr. WILSON moved that in future the share-
holders be called together twice a year—in the
months of June and December.
Mr. REED seconded the motion.
meetings taking place twice a year, oerch
d not think
the shareholders might desire ; but h
six months.
it possible to produce the accounts
place, m the course
The CHAIRMAN said he had no objectaiosnotfotetnheairs
A desultory conversation tookboa
rd that in conse-
quence of the sharehryoolddielerresnaistbeainhgcraffaa-
of which it was urged from thbein
early meeting
body, the expense a
wfuould be such as would not
re-
port to each of themb
the results, inasmuch as it
av rte bhr lyae
that every
hold
l d statementroshareholder
te
n ofs
be compensated for
was not possible veryyoopy numerous
mtheerousgbr
Chairman declared the result to be in
was then put, and upon a show of
motion
a Twartenoadj moved t and
det dge
favour of the resolution, there being, however, a
large number against it.
htahrees
should have a special free admission (not trans-
ferable) to the Crystal Palace and grounds on Sun-
day
would have a family ticket, admitting four or six
persons, as might be determined.
The motioa having
been seconded.
Mr.
afternoons, A ppise°
Captain YOUNG moved as an amendment that the
handsapnrTheoyetehei dnt
anything
ne
meeting should act in strict accordance with the
spirit as well as the letter of the charter, which en-
joined that no person be admitted into the Palace
on the Lord's Day in consideration of any money
Payment, whether made directly or indirectly. t
Mr. Alderman Rose seconded the amendment,
and a discussion took place, in the course of which
it was contended that the adoption of
of unfairness to those shareholders
who lived at t
for opening the Palace on Sundays woueld be an act
resolution