The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-07-10 00:00:00

TOWN COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS, proprietors had objected to the opening of the garden on the
Sunday.
A special meeting of the Town-council was held at eleven Mr. Ronixsoisr thought it very inconsistent in the pro-
o'clock on Wednesday morning. Sir Joshua Walmsley, the prietors retaining to themselves the privilege of visiting the
mayor, presided.gardens on Sundays, whilst they refused to open them to the
....t.... TT- •:I 1.... C. -..1 ..L . .
~...........

DEPOT FOR STREET SWEEPINGS. public. until he touna the proprietors acting consistently,
Mr. CURRIE, in the absence of the chairman of the Watch and closing the gardens entirely on the Sunday, he should
Committee, proposed that a declaration should be passed by oppose any grant.
the council, to the effect that they would purchase the land Mr. SANDS mentioned that there was a notice of motion
on the books for closing the gardens on Sunday to the pro-
on the east side of the canal, now used as a depot for the
sweepings of the streets. He mentioned that the lease which prietors.
Mr. COGLAN said that it was with him a question whether,
the corporation now had of the land in question would ex- Mr.
on the 15th of September next, at which time, if riot if the council did not step forward with assistance, the i
stitution would, not languish, and the town be deprived of
previously bought by them, the owner would have the liberty
of selling it to any other party. It was essentially necessary, the benefit and honour of cultivating an important and de-
for the well-being of the town that the Watch Committee
p lightful branch of science. Under this consideration, it
should be possessed of such a ,lace ; and the one to the east
might be wise in the council to grant a sum of (say) £lOO
a-year, until the institution could be placed on a proper
of the canal offered some advantages. Scarcely one-half of
footing. Although he was of opinion that the public did not
it would be required as a depot; the remainder might very
n
advantageously be leased off as yards, as was proved by the now derive all the advantage they might, still the throwing
fact of several applications having already been made to the open of the garden for two days in each week had been a
b
surveyor. In addition to this, nearly £l,OOO had been ex-
,benefit to some portion of the public. He, therefore, to a
c
pended in making a basin there. The whole purchase-money certain extent, went for Mr. Lassell's motion, though he
for the land would be .C 12,480, and for works thereon £l,OOO, should like to see the gardens opened on Sundays.
Mr. BLACKDURNE observed, that if the present motion
making a total of £13,480.
Mr. JOHN SMITH seconded the motion. He observed had been introduced in the first instance, he should have voted
that although the outlay was large, a depot in a similarly ad-
for it; but, under the present circumstance, he should not,
vantageous situation was necessary, otherwise they would in-
as the council were bound to act with something like con-
cur an annual loss of 1;400 for extra cartage. sistency, and not vacillate in this manner.
Mr. CURRIE said he did not think that at this time the
Mr. Isaac HOLMES remarked that a portion of the land
council had anything to do with the point of opening the
purchased with borrowed funds was to be leased, and he
wished to know whether the rents derived from that were to gardens on Sunday. The only point was, should they, if
be accounted as a part of the corporation income. If so, it they could not do what many thought desirable in their own
would always be in the power of the corporation to exhibit a minds, refuse to do anything? If they could not do it in
surplus income. They had only to buy £lOO,OOO worth of what they considered the most desirable way, ought if not to
b
property with borrowed money, lease it off for periods of 75e done to the greatest possible extent? He should not like
years, and add the rents to the income. This had been the to see an institution founded by, and connected with the name
course hitherto pursued ; what had been received as the rent of one of our most celebrated men, Roscoe, fall to the ground.
of leased property had been put down as income; and thus
He was disposed to let the matter go to the Finance Com-
gave rise to a delusion. Under the municipal act, they were mittee.
only justified in expending their income in certain ways; and Mr. HODGSON said that there seemed to be an impression
if they were not able to pay for certain specified objects, they in the council, that there was a desire on the part of the sub-
were empowered to raise a borough fund ; but they had no
scribers to the Botanic Garden to escape from a burden which
ought to rest on their own shoulders. But the fact was, that
right whatever to purchase land with borrowed money, and
the present motion had originated with the council. There
claim the rents of the leased portions thereof as so much hi-
was before them no application from the Botanic Garden
come. He should propose that in future what was really in-
C come should be placed down as such, and that what was not Committee, or from the proprietors, in any shape or form.
such should be received and appropriated to the extinguish- The council were simply asked to consider the matter with
ing of the borrowed debt.
reference to their own position. He subscribed to the Bota-
Mr. CURRIE, in reply, said that whatever application the nic Garden in the same manner as to any other public insti-
tution ; but he did not, in doing so, mean to give indefinitely ;
remarks of Mr. Holmes might have to the manner of keeping
the corporation accounts, they had nothing to do with the and such, no doubt, was the feeling and position of the great
present subject. Mr. Holmes, however, seemed to have
body of proprietors. He thought that, if the funds would ad-
forgotten that since the passing of the municipal reform act mit of it, the council might, with great propriety, appropriate
and the borough fund act, the corporation were empowered a small sum to the garden.
to act in this manner. All that they had to do was to show Mr. LASSELL replied, and in allusion to what had been
that there was enough to pay the interest of the borrowed said by Mr. Earle, observed that Monday was generally a
money, and to provide a sinking fund of two per cent. In holiday amongst the working classes.
the present instance this course had been strictly pursued. Mr. EARLE.—Yes, because they get so drunk on Saturday
The TOWN-CLERK, in addition to this, stated that, by the night and Sunday, that they cannot go to work on the Mon-
borough fund act, the, proceeds of all sales, and the amount day.
of fines for leases, in cases within the borough fund act, were The council then went to the vote.
to be applied in payment of the money borrowed. For the motion..
.. 28
The motion was then carried. Against itl4
Mr. CURRIE then proposed that, in the memorial to the - Majority in favour of the motion.... —l4
lords of the treasury, asking permission for the corporation For the motion—D. Hodgson, J. Holmes, Isaac Holmes,
to borrow, there should be inserted, in addition to the amount R. Houghton, W. Preston, T. Sands, H. Holmes, R. Bright,
for the depOt, the sum of £6991. as the purchase-money for E. Filcher, J. Priestley, H. Hornby, R. V. Yates W. Las-
the land, &c. for the new market in Gill-street. This was sell, J. Cooper, H. Lawrence, R. Gladstone, C. iushell, T.
considered as one of the items of expense which it was not Morecroft, R. Rigby, T. Coglan, R. Jones, jun., G. H.
just to allow to fall exclusively on the present time. It did Lawrence, J. Smith, and W. W. Currie; Aldermen C. H.
not follow that the council would avail themselves of the Jones, T. B. Barclay, T. Bulley, and T. Holt.
privilege of borrowing to the full extent for which they were Against it—T. Bolton, W. Rathbone, T. Robinson, J. N.
about to ask permission—namely, .£6o,ooo—but it was thought Wood, T. Blackburn, E. Segar, W. WlCee, F. Jordan, and
advisable that they should get the power. W. M. Duncan ; Aldermen R. Sheil, J. Hornby, W. Earle,
This motion having been adopted, W. Freme, and the Mayor.
Mr. CURRIE proceeded to mention that the amount of Absent—G. Quayle, W. Thornhill, T. Case, H. R. Sand-
£l3,4Bo for the depot, and of £6991 for 'the intended new bach, B. Frankland, G. Wright, J. Barton, J. Mellor, J.
market, were the points that had been reserved for the con- Woolright, J. Lawrence, J. Carson, J. S. Leigh, J. Platt,
sideration of the council, previous to bringing forward the D. Mather, and T. Booth ; Aldermen R. Roskell, G. Holt,
statement of the funds which it was necesary to get authority I T. Leathom, R. Benn, J. Moon, E. Evans, and E. Harvey
to borrow. That statement was as follows : The council terminated at half-past twelve.

.
Birkenhead, first and second purchase. . 473,800 £ s. d.
One-third
Third purchase of land £1,690
Houses per valuation 2,000

MEETING OF THE DOCK COMMITTEE

---- 3,690 0 0
The Fort—the purchase. ~ £27,850
One-third
The Observatory, erection and outfit
Land for Lighting and Cleansing Com-
mittee—the whole purchase £12,480
Works thereon l,OOO
The land, &c., for:the new market in 13,480 0 0
Gill-sfreet!

The usual weekly meeting of the members of this com-
mittee was held yesterday in the Dock-office, Revenue
Buildings. The following members were present :—Messrs.
Barclay, T. Holt, Yates, Holmes, Segar, Bulley, G. Holt,
Dixon, Martin, Smith, Horsfall, and Gladstone. In the ab-
sence of the chairman and deputy-chairman, Mr. Barclay
was appointed to preside.
The weekly accounts were read and ordered to be paid.

PROPOSED FOOT BRIDGE.
The CHAIRMAN said the first business before the com-
mittee was the consideration of the memorial presented last
week from certain ratepayers in Seacornbe, Egremont, and
New Brighton, for certain facilities of passage to and from
ferry-boats belonging to those places. This memorial had
been referred to the marine surveyor, for him to report as to
the practicability of affording additional accommodation. A.
report was now read from that officer, suggesting that a foot-
bridge be erected over the south gut of the Prince's Dock, in
the position represented on an accompanying plan. The re-
port gave no estimate of the probable expense.
In the course of a short conversation it was stated that the
marine surveyor was in London, and the subject, therefore,
was postponed till his return.

60,044 6
Mr. Currie concluded by proposing that a memorial 8
to
the lords of the treasury should be drawn up, asking for
permission to borrow the various sums above specified, and
that a copy thereof should be posted in front of the Town-
hall for the space of a month.
Mr. BOLTON seconded the motion, and suggested that the
different sums should be moved seriatim.
Mr. CURRIE said that had not been thought necessary.
Mr. BOLTON replied that such was the practice of parlia-
ment, and he thought it was a good one.
Mr. CURRIE accordingly moved the items separately, and
they were all agreed to without opposition.