The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-04-05 00:00:00

, ST. GEORGE'S HALL.

The MAYOR said it would be in the recollection of the
council that the question relating to St. George's Hall, which
formed part of the proceedings of the Finance Committee,
was postponed.
Mr. EVANS said he took it for granted that they were to
have the hall, and that it was to be on the site of the Infir-
mary. It was a contract which was to last for ever, there-
fore, the conditions should be made as fairly and as firmly as
possibly. The had made a gift of a large portion of land, the
value of which was £12,000. With regard to one condition,
that the land should revert to the Corporation, if ever the
Hall were diverted to any other use then that stipulated, he
looked upon it as altogether nugatory. If such thing were
to take place, they would be worried about it, ais they had
been about other things, and he had no doubt the interests of
widows and orphans would be brought forward. The com-
munity, for whom the Town Council acted, got no dividend
out of it, but had merely the privilege of holding public meet-
ings and entertainments in the Hall. The applications were
to be made through the Mayor, who was to preside. Now
they might have a May_ ot so situated that he would have to
refuse the application. He might be incapable of presiding
either at the meeting or the dinner. What would be the situa-
tion
of the present Mayor, if the Conservatives were to apply
to him to give a dinner to the Members of the Borough ? or
they might have a Mayor of high-church principle, who would
refuse to call a meeting for any purpose that did not suit his
views. They might, in short, have a Mayor of such strong
party feelings, that he would never call a meeting for any
purpose that did not suit his own views. He proposed that,
if the Mayor should refuse, there should be an appeal to the
members deputed to serve with the committee of the Hall,
or he would have an appeal to the Council. He moved, there-
fore, as an amendment on the motion, that the report be re-
ferred hack to the Finance Committee, for general reconsi-
deration, with instructions to frame the conditions between
the Corporation and the subscribers, so as to insure to the
inhabitants of this borough the full use, free of charge, of the
intended building for public purposes, especially for those of
public meetings and dinners, balls, concerts, &c. for chari-
table, political, or municipal objects. That application for
the use of the Hall be made through the Mayor ; in case of
whose refusal, an appeal to lie to the seven committee-men
appointed by the Council, who are then to have the privilege
which the Mayor refused to excercise ; that in extreme cases
the Council were to have the power to overrule other deci-
sions ; that there be no stipulation that the Mayor should
" preside at such meetings or dinners." Mr Evans express-
sed his opinion that the proportion of the Hall committee to
represent the Council should be seven instead of five, as pro-
posed by the Town-clerk.
The MAYOR thought Mr. Evans must have misappre-
hended the report, as no arrangement could alter the power
which the Mayor had to refuse to preside at any dinner or
assembly. The application was not to be made to, but by

the Mayor.
Mr. HIGGINS seconded Mr. Evans's amendment, and re-
marked that several complaints had been made of the short
time allowed (three months) for the preparation of the plans.
He proposed that it should be extended to six months.
Mr. CURRIE thought Mr. Evans must have laboured under
a great misapprehension. What he had said seemed to be
grounded upon the idea that the Mayor would have the
power of granting the room or otherwise. This was not the
case. When they considered that the Corporation put down
£12,000, and the subscribers £30,000, he thought five mem-
bers of the Council was a sufficient number to represent
them in the committee. The hall would be at the service of
the Mayor for public meetings and public dinners, and it was
distinctly understood that no party feelings whatever were to
have any influence. It was not in the province of the Council
to state that the time was too short for the perfecting of the
P• lans He could not go with Mr. Evans the length of say-
ing that the public ought to be admitted when they pleased
free of charge. The persons who had subscribed money
were entitled to some return if they could get it. He would
move, as an amendment, that the report of the Town-clerk
should he received.
Mr. EARLE said there were two architects on the com-
mittee, Mr. Samuel Holme and Mr. Stewart, who were well
enough qualified to judge of the time which it would take to
furnish plans. Mr. Higgins shook his head, he did not know
why; but he would rather take their (Messrs. Holme and
Stewart's) judgment than his (Mr. Higgins'.)
Mr. CASE said these rooms were extremely desirable in the
town; if they were to act upon the proposal of Mr. Evans,
who would contribute their money towards building them ?
Mr. BLACKBURN said it was not proper to think of letting
parties have the rooms free of charge; for, apart from all
other considerations, where was the money to come from for
keeping the rooms in order. The power to grant the use of
the rooms would rest in the governing committee of twenty-
one, five of whom it was proposed to send from the Town
Council, and sixteen from the subscribers. He thought if
parties applying here were repulsed, there should be a power
of appeal elsewhere.
Mr. HARVEY, in allusion to Mr. Higgins's remark, said
the subject had been patiently considered in the committee,
and the time was thought ample.
Mr. BOLTON said it was unreasonable to talk of giving the
public the use of the rooms free of expense. He thought it
was not desirable to refer the subject back to the committee.
Mr. EVANS wished to know how they were to give the
public an equivalent for their £12,000. They were wrong
who supposed he was for giving the public an unlimited right
to the use of the hall for all purposes, whether proper or not.
He had lived long enough to know that things of this sort
always got into a clique. This affair would get into the hands
of the rich, and they all knew what they were,—that they
were ever opposed to the many ; and what would become of
the public interests then? They might have a mayor of the
landed interest, who would not call a meeting against the
Corn Laws ; or they might have a committee of the same
principles. If they concluded the affair as it stood they might
soon regret it. They were giving £12,000, and insuring the
public no benefit. The Baths, which had cost £40,000 of
corporate capital, were now exclusively used by the rich, and
that ought to be an example. He would urge upon the Coun-
cil to let the Finance Commitee view the matter again.
The Council went to the vote, when there appeared for Mr.
Evans's motion, 9 ; against it, 31 ; majority, 22.
Mr. Blackburn said he would move a second amendment,
in order to prevent the management from getting into the
hands of a clique. He thought the ultimate decision would
be nowhere so safe as in the hands of the Council. He would
move that the report be referred back to the Finance Com-
mittee, in order to afford them the opportunity, in conjunc-
tion with the St. George's Hall Committee, of devising the
most effectual means of securing to the public the full enjoy-
ment of the hall, according to the design and provisions of
the Act of Parliament.
Mr. JORDAN seconded the amendment.
Mr. RATHBONE said he was glad this amendment had
been proposed, as the last had been negatived: The chair-
man of the Finance Committee talked of conferring a boon
with grace. There was no grace, there could be no grace, in
giving away the property of the public.
Mr. CURRIE explained that he used the words entirely in
reference to the time spoken of for the preparation of the
plans. He must acknowledge that the amendment embraced
the only point in that last brought forward, which was wor-
thy of the attention of the Council.
Mr. HARVEY asked if the scheme was equitable. The
Council subscribed land, and the proprietors subscribed
money, yet it was required to give the Council the whole
power. The governing committee would be as anxious to
grant the use of the hall as those who applied for it. He
moved a negative on the resolution.
Mr. Ev ANs said it might appear egotism in him to claim

the whole merit of the proposition now put forward by Mr.
Blackburn. He was afraid, however, that, from the mode
in which it was framed, it would turn out a dead letter.
With regard to what had fallen from Mr. Harvey, professional
gentlemen were so full of regard for private rights that they
frequently forgot public ones.
Mr. SHAND said he had given his money for the benefit of
the public ; nevertheless he should like to have some little
return, though he must confess he did not expect much.
The MAYOR put Mr. Blackburn's amendment to the Coun-
cil. As no expression of dissent was heard, his Worship said
he concluded it was passed.