The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-05-11 00:00:00

Mr. TURNER explained that the engineer of the baths
had conferred with the dock surveyor on the subject, but
as the latter represented that the views of the baths corn.
mittee appeared to be extremely crude, they (the dock
committee) had not assigned any particular site.
Mr. HORNBY observed, that it had been the course of
the council, in order to serve the dock committee, not
only to apportion to them such land as they required, but
actually to reserve land in anticipation of their wants, and
he thought this should be borne in mind by the dock com-
mittee, now that they were applied to by the baths com-
mittee. They ought to remember that they had appro-
priated the whole seaboard, (hear, hear,) and in return
something was due from them to the inhabitants.
Mr. BENNETT and others made observations on the im-
portance of the question in a sanatory point of view, to
which

Mr. TTTRNER replied that the dock committee were
willing to do anything to meet the wishes of the baths'
committee, short of allocating the dock frontage. He
was sure the committee would not be justified in such a
course, for considering the extraordinary extension which
had taken place during the last forty or fifty years of the
port, it was quite impossible for any one to say what
might result in a few more years. Under these circum-
stances, the dock committee would be erring to apportion
a permanent site to the front of the river, which would
perhaps have to be re-purchased at no very distant day.
Mr. CHALMER objected that everything should be sacri-
ficed to the mercantile interest, and so little to the sana-
tory requirements of the town, which he considered were
of paramount importance. Ho should oppose the ceding
of the site of the pierhead baths until they had an equi-
valent.

Mr. WAGSTAFFE, the chairman of the baths committee,
stated that when he and his colleagues entered upon their
duties, it was understood that a site near the Rimrose
Hotel, Bootle, had been assigned to them ; and their
engineer actually proceeded with the necessary borings,
when they were apprised all at once that the land did not
belong to the Dock Trust at all. (A. laugh.)
In answer to a question from Mr. M'GUFFIE, it was
stated that the Pierhead Baths had not been sold.
The proceedings were then confirmed.
ST. GEORGE'S-HALL.

Mr. J. TURNER moved, and Mr. AvisoN seconded the
confirmation of the proceedings of the Law Courts Com-
mittee. Before the resolution was put,
Mr. W. BENNETT said that there was a plan on the
table of the organ intended for St. George's Hall, and
its proposed position in that edifice. He regretted that a
sufficient number had not been prepared to allow more
members to have seen it. He described the organ as
being ugly and completely spoiling the architectural effect
of the interior of the beautiful building in which it was
placed. He said the whole cost of this organ would be
£9,000, a most enormous sum. He must hope that the
proceeding would be referred.
Mr. J. STEWART agreed with Mr. Bennett so far as the
objection to the intended position of the organ and its de-
teriorating effects on the hall went, but he was at a loss
to know what the Council was to do. He referred to an
interview he had with Mr. Cockerell, in which that gen-
tleman concurred with him as to the truth of this, but
then it had already been agreed by the committee that the
proposed plan was the only one practicable. (Hear, bear.)
Mr. HORNEY thought that it was competent to that
Council to reverse the resolution of the committee, if such
a course were desirable. If it were true that the organ
might be reduced in size so as to effect a saving of £2,000
or £3,000, and at the same time accord more with the
design of the building, it would be expedient to make
such alteration.

Mr. AvisoN referred the Council to a resolution passed
on the 29th of March, by which the measures were adopt..
ed which led to the arrangement in question. He did
not think with Mr. Bennett that, when the organ was
erected, the architectural effect would be deteriorated.
Besides, they must never forget the original intention was
to build a music hall.

Mr. BANNER observed that every one appeared to agree
that the plan was objectionable ; even Mr. Cockerell, its
designer, only pretended that it was the least objection-
able. It was a question whether there was any necessity
for such a large place as a music hall ; they had the
Philharmonic-hall already.
Mr. THOMSON observed that the contract had been
entered into with the organ builder, and the council
would have to pay for it, whether they had it or not.
Mr. PICTON felt very sorry that the chairman of the
law courts committee was not present, but as he was not
he (Mr. Picton) would offer one or two remarks. The
committee had been placed in a very critical position.
They had endeavoured to carry out the instructions of
the Council, but in doing so they had incurred very great
opposition. The matter had been discussed over and
over again ; but it seemed to be forgotten that the Hall
was designed to be a music hall, where festivals and
cheap popular musical assemblies were to take place. If
it had not been so intended, did they think £200,000
would have been granted to St. G. orge's-hall ? In fact, it
had been held out as a boon to the inhabitants, that a por-
tion of this edifice should be appropriated for their enter-
tainment. It Ras quite true they bad the Philharmonic
(Mr. BRANILEY-MOORS : And we pay for it) hall, for the
aristocracy ; but what was wanted was something of the
kind for the poorer inhabitants. A good deal had been
said about the vista of the hall. It ought to be remem-
bered that it never was intended in the original design ; it
was an after-thought of the architect. Mr. Picton then
referred, in a very complimentary manner, to a design by
Mr. C. Horner, who proposed to place the organ so that
the vista would be preserved.
Mr. PARKER showed that both Mr. Cockerell the archi-
tect, and Mr. Willis, the organ-builder, did all they
could to preserve the vista; they found there was no way
of having the organ fixed but the one proposed by the
present plan. The hall was intended for a music hall,
and they must submit to the organ being placed v‘hera
alone it could be efficient.