The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-04-06 00:00:00

WARRINGTON.

MUSICAL SCCIETY.—A public dress concert of sacred
music, by the members of the Warrington Musical Society,
took place on Tuesday evening, in the Music-hall, which
was well filled with a select and fashionable audience.
The performance consisted of the principal part of Handel's
oratorio of " Judas Maccabeus," the solos being given by
Mrs. Sunderland, Mrs. Brooke, of Manchester, and Mrs.
Brown, Mr. Broadhurst, and Mr. Taylor, resident mem-
bers of the society. Mr. Eaude presided at the organ,
and Mr. Gillins officiated as leader.
BOARD OF GUARDIANS.—The usual meeting of the
Warrington board of guardians was held on Tuesday at
the workhouse, Mr. Hodgson in the chair. The returns
were not completed. The list of attendances at 52 meet-
ings of the board were laid on the table. The guardians
for Warrington had attended as follows :—Mr. Beaumont,
50 ; Mr. Chrirnes, 43 ; Mr. France. 25 ; Mr. Kerfoot, 30 ;
Mr. Peers, 34 ; Mr. Pierpoint, 41 ; Rev. H. Powys, 36 ;
Mr. Webster, 50.

MEETING OF THE Tows COTJNCIL.-At the adjourned
meeting of the town council, in regard to the proposed
bridge over the Mersey, by the Warrington and Altrincham
Railway Company, the following resolutions, after some
discussion, were agreed to :—" Considering that a girder
bridge of uniform height across the river, even although
eight inches lower than the centre of the arch of the
existing Warrington bridge, will be no additional impedi-
ment to the navigation,—Resolved, that the resolution of
the council of the 2nd October last be rescinded, and the
plans of the Warrington and Altrincham Railway agreed
to.—That a memorial from the council be presented to
the Bridgewater Trust, requesting them to allow the War-
rington and Altrincham Railway Company to erect the
proposed bridge without any pier in the river, proper
guarantees being given for securing the necessary opening,
in the event of any future arrangements for the navigation
of the Mersey. That the town-clerk be requested to write
to Captain Evans, enclosing copies of these resolutions,
and requesting his assistance in carrying into effect the
views of the council.
THE WARRINGTON MEMORIAL.

SOME few days ago, a petition was forwarded to
the Commissioners of the Industrial Exhibition
from the Local Committee at Warrington, offering
a valuable suggestion respecting the appropriation
of the surplus funds of the Great Exhibition.
The guarantee fund has done its work, and an
additional sum has been procured. There is enough
to enable the Commissioners to return every penny
of local subscriptions, if they feel so disposed, and
still to hold in hand a large surplus. Now, the
gentlemen who forward the Warrington memorial
suggest that it should be so returned; and that in
that way it will effect a vast deal more good to the
whole community, than in any other way in which
it can be laid out. The Daily News has an editorial
article on the subject, urging the same point
strongly, with additional arguments.
It appears that there is in the town of Warrington
a Public Library and Museum, founded under the
original Museums Bill, and long before the passing
of the late act respecting public libraries. In three
years it has been visited by 25,000 persons, or more
than two-thirds of the entire population ; and the
gentlemen to whose exertions it owes its existence
are a guarantee for its continued prosperity. There
are sufficient funds for the annual expenditure;
and it is suggested that the local subscriptions,
amounting to £l5O, be returned, in order to assist
in securing a public building for the preservation
of the books and specimens. The sum, which
would only be as a drop in the bucket in the metro-
polis, is almost a question touching the life or death
of a most valuable local institution ; and with the
amount of concentration which London already
possesses, it certainly seems more desirable that
educating influences should be encouraged at a
greater number of points over the country.
The arguments which are true respecting War-
rington, are in no respect false or inapplicable
respecting Liverpool. We do not yet possess either
a public library or a museum, though the arrange-
ments for both are in progress. The amount of
public support afforded to these was utterly
unworthy of a great town ; but it must not be for-
gotten that one reason why the subscription list
was not larger was, that efforts were in progress at
the same instant to raise funds for the promotion
of the Exhibition in London. It was, in fact, a
removal of certain literary and scientific resources
from Liverpool, where they were very much needed,
to London, where they were not by any means so
much required. Our local subscriptions amounted,
we believe, to about £l,soo—a sum which, if re-
turned to the town which subscribed it, would be a
must valuable assistance to our Free Public Library
and Museum. The public do not require to be
reminded that certain valuable arrangements were
upset; and without saying to whom the blame,
if any, is to be attributed, it is manifest that
the town is a loser. Great credit is due to the
Library and Museum Committee of the Town
Council, for the exertions which they have made and
the success which they have realised a position
of much difficulty; and from the fact that they
have secured the great model of the docks, and
the commercial products, there would be an appro-
priateness in their partaking still farther the benefits
of the Great Exhibition. The Warrington gentle-
men are entitled to our thanks for the good example
which they have set; and we trust that Mr. PICTON
and his fellow-labourers will not be slow to take
advantage of it.