The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-01-13 00:00:00

TOWN COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS.

The usual meeting of the Council was held on Wed-
nesday.
The Finance Committee presented their annual report
on the probable income and expenditure of the year, be-
tween the Ist of September last and the 31st of August
next. They stated that the net income of the Corpora-
tion for the current year could not be estimated at more
than £142,200, and the expenditure for the same period at
not less than 114,256, leaving .a surplus of £27,944. A
continuation of branches of; discretionary expenditure
might be set down at £2,042, thereby reducing the sur-
plus to £25,902. Out of this surplus the observatory
would have to be maintained, and the new baths in Paul-
street completed ; and thus the surplus would be further
reduced to £21,202. Out of the remaining surplus, the
bottom of Water-street would have to be opened at an ex-
pense of £1,600. The committee went to report that the
whole of the sum of £67,000, appropriated to the erection
of St. George's Hall, was exhausted, and that the re-
mainder of the money required to complete that building
would have to be taken out of the surplus income. The
time for the completion of Mr. Tomkinson's contract
would probably expire in the course of the present finan-
cial year; and then the Corporation would be required to
pay a sum of £43,000. The surplus income, therefore,
for years to come, would be completely absorbed by the
building of the hall; and it was by the observance of
rigid economy alone that the Corporation could meet its
liabilities until after the expiration of that period. The
committee reported that they bad made arrangements re-
lative to Mr. Bailey's premises in Water-street, and also
for the sale of land in Great Howard-street to the Grand
Junction Railway Company ; and they recommended the
payment of the following subscriptions and gratuities :
The Dispensaries £157 los., the Northern Hospital £lOO,
the Southern Hospital £lOO, the Ophthalmic Institution
£3O, the Refuge for the Destitute £25, the Botanic Gar-
dens £lOO, the Royal Institution £lOO, and the Ladies'
Charity £3O.
Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE moved the confirmation of the
proceedings, and that the Treasurer be authorised to pay
the subscriptions. He considered it unnecessary for him
to say any thing relative to the claims which the charities,
just mentioned, had upon public sympathy and support;
but, at the same time, he felt well convinced that money
given to them by the corporation did not tend to induce-
the public generally to act with that liberality which was
to be expected at their hands, and that it often checked
and prevented the public from doing what they ought.
He was the more induced to make this remark because
be saw from the summons paper that an attempt would be
made by Mr. Bramley-Moore to induce the council to in-
crease the amount of their subscriptions to the Dispensa-
ries. He would oppose that attempt on financial grounds,
and he had only to hope that the Council would not be
considered niggardly if they voted the sums now proposed
and no more. (Hear.) He then proceeded to say that
Mr. Gladstone was willing to surrender such portions of
his property at the corner of Mount-pleasant and Hope-
street as the Council might require for the improvement
purposes, on the value being settled by arbitration. He
hoped the Council would come to an early decision upon
the point, and that notice of motion to that effect would
be given. For his own part he saw no great advantage to
be gained by making the improvement ; and should such
a motion be submitted, he would vote against it
Mr. ROBINSON moved, as an amendment, that the sub-
scription to the Dispensaries be increased to £3OO, and
that £lOO of this sum be granted to the Northern, £lOO
to the Southern, arid £lOO to the Eastern Dispensary.
He said they were most excellent institutions. the first
places to which the poor man repaired when sickness and
disease overtook his family. and at which he received ad-
vice and medicine " without money and without price."
The subscriptions, which dwindled down in 1844 from
£2,000 to £1,366, had, through the active exertions of
Mr. Williams, the secretary, been raised up to £1,800;
the difference between that and £3,000. the annual expen-
diture, was solely dependent upon the liberality of the
public in forwarding donations. He regretted to find that
out of the 64 members of the council, only 34 were sub-
scribers to the Dispensaries. He expressed a wish to have
the subscriptions to the Ladie's' Charity raised from £3O
to £5O, but he did not submit any motion to this effect.

Mr. THOMAS LLOYD seconded the amendment

Mr. RRAMLEY-MOORE said he should support the
amendment, with this addition to it—that the sum of 200
guineas be given to the Infirmary, an institution well
known and justly appreciated.
Mr. ROBINSON expressed his willingness to make the
proposed addition to the amendment ; but ms SLY; Meade
said the committee of the Infirmary were not desirous of
getting any subscription from the corporation, the addi-
tion was not made, and the amendment stood as it was
originally proposed.
Mr. liuun HORNBY had not the slightest doubt but
that the surplus income this year would not be able to
meet all the demands made upon it, and that the council
would be acting illegally if they were to do more for the
charities than was proposed by the Finance Committee.
They could not discontinue the discretionary payments hi-
therto made, but they could not do any more. If parties
would wait patiently for two or three years more until the
St. George's Hall was completed, there would be a very
large surplus remaining, which the council could apply in
various ways.
Mr. RATUBONE complained that strangers in the town,
and others who were amassing wealth here, did not sup-
port the public charities in the way in which they only.
He believed the sums voted by the council acted more in-
juriously for charitable institutions than many were aware
of; and he was afraid that if the subscription now sought
for were granted, it would be used as a salve for the con-
sciences of those 30 members of the council who were
not subscribers to the Dispensaries. (Bear, and a laugh.)
Mr, EVA.NS said that a great many years ago he had
opposed all charitable gifts, on the ground so ably and
conclusively stated by the gentlemen who preceded him
in the debate. The corporate income was given for other
purposes. If he bad his will, be would not give a farthing
to the charities, which ought to appeal to private sympa-
thy, but much less would he consent to any augmentation
of what they at present received. . . .

Mr. HORSFALL, as a general principle, agreed in what
had fallen from Mr. Evans, but, as the council had re-
cognised the principle of contributing to the charities un-
der ordinary circumstances, be hoped that, in the extra-
ordinary circumstances in which the Northern and
Southern Dispensaries were now placed, the grant which
Mr. Bramley-Moore was about to propose wou►d not be
rejected.
Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE replied, and in doing so, re-
called to the attention of the council some of the heavy
items of expenditure which they had to meet in the course
of the past year. Having got the dry-rot among them (a
laugh), they had to expend £7,000 in beautifying and im-
proving the Town-hall.
Upon a division there appeared—for the amendment,
22; against it, 25. The amendment was consequently
lost.

Mr. BRAMLEY-N.TOORE then moved, pursuant to notice,
"That the sum of five hundred guineas be granted out of
the surplus income at the disposal of the council, in aid of
the funds of the Liverpool Dispensaries." He thought
he could submit a plan by which there was not an institu-
tion in the town worthy of support that would owe a shil-
ling in the course of a month. (Hear, and laughter.) His
plan was this : that every alderman should consult with
his colleagues ; that meetings should be held in every
ward, and a committee for eacb appointed ; and that every
street and house sh•Euld be canvassed for subscriptions,
because he believed that many did not subscribe now,
and for this plain reason, that they were never solicited.
He proposed, as a sort of commencement, that every mem-
ber of the council should subscribe 20 guineas. This
would raise a sum of 1280 guineas to begin with ; and if
the plan were spiritedly taken up, ample funds would be
raised. He intended to submit the plan to his colleagues
in Lime-street Ward, and he beleived that, so far as that
ward was concerned, it would be carried out.
Mr. KILSHAW seconded the motion.

The TOWN-CLERK was of opinion that, in a legal point
of view, the motion could not be passed, and, after consi-
derable discussion, it was negatived by a majority or 28
to 18.

SALE OF LAND TO THE GRAND JUNCTION RAILWAY.

Mr. PARKER. said he found by the proceedings that the
land in Great Howard-street was recommended to be sold
to the Grand Junction Railway Company, at the rate of
£3 ss. per equare yard. He was informed by competent
judges that it was worth four guineas a yard. Who, he
asked, were the sellers in this case ? The burgesses. And
who were the buyers? The Grand Junction Company.
He contended th t any shareholder in that company, who
was a member of the Finance Committee, was out of his
place when he became a seller of the land in question.
Understanding, as he did, that from £lO,OOO to £15,000
more could be made of the property than the Finance
Committee were about to sell it for, he moved that that
part of the proceedings be referred back for further consi-
deration.

Mr. KILSHAW seconded the motion.
Mr. G. ti. LAWRENCE said that, being a shareholder
and also a director in the Grand Juricti, n, he had taken
no part in the carrying on of the negotiation. The Fi-
nance Committee asked £4 10s. a yard for the land in the
first instance. To that price the Grand Junction demur-
red: and eventually the sum of £3 ss. was fixed upon as
a sufficient and satisfactory amount.
Mr. STEWART said the land consisted of 18,000 yards,
and that in his opinion, a very judicious bargain had been
made.

Mr. KILSIIAW thought that, in asking £4 10s. a-yard,
the Corporation had asked no more than the land was
worth.
Mr. LEIGH had sold more valuable land at £3, and con-
siderrd £3 ss. a very fair price.
After some further discussion, Mr. Parker withdrew
his motion.
An addition of £5O was ordered to be made to the sa-
lary of Mr. Tasker ; and the proceedings of the Finance
Committee were confirmed.