The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-02-16 00:00:00

ST. GEORGE'S HALL COMPANY

Yesterday, a special general meeting of the shareholders in
the St. George's Hall Company was held in the Cotton Sales
Rooms, " to take into consideration a recent vote of the
town council, adopting an arrangement suggested by the
Law Courts' Committee, for undertaking the entire erection
of the Law Courts and St. George's Hall united, at the ex-
pense of the funds of the corporation ; and the propriety of
acceding to, and confirming, that arrangement; also, as to
the disposal of the funds of the company."
About forty gentlemen were present.
The Rev. JONATHAN BROOKS, chairman of the company,
having taken the chair, said, the committee appointed by the
shareholders to carry into execution the project of building
St. George's Hall had thought it necessary to call them to-
gether before they consented to a plan which had been sub-
mitted by the town council. On former occasions when he
had the pleasure of meeting the shareholders, it had been for
the purpose of suggesting the best mode of raising money ;
but, on the contrary now, he should have to lay before them
the expediency of receiving money. (Hear, hear.) The
shareholders were aware that at their last meeting a project
was unanimously adopted for joining the council in a plan
then proposed of uniting the two objects of assize courts and
St. George's Hall. The groundwork of that junction was,
that the compauy should continue equally as independent of
the council as they had previously been. Mr. Elmes brought
his plans down for accomplishing that object ; and he (the
chairman) had the pleasure to state—though he had not him-
self seen the plans—from what he could learn, not only from
gentlemen who were perfectly master of the subject, and of
great architectural taste, but also from professional men, who
, spoke of them in the highest possible terms, that, when the
' building was erected it' would be a decided ornament to the
town. The committee of the council, who had been ap-
pointed to consider the matter more fully, thought it would
he better to relieve the subscribers altogether, and build a
hall upon their own responsibility, and with their own
means. (Hear, hear.) They made that proposition to
the council, and it was carried in the council, with,

he believed, very few dissentients. On its being so
carried it was submitted to the committee; but the commit-
tee did not think themselves justified in acceding to it (for
they had had the land granted to them, and that was some-
thing to give up) without calling the subscribers together,
and obtaining their sanction. For his own part, he thought
the council, as a public body, had done what nad met with
the general approbation of the public. (Hear, hear.) There
could be no doubt that the additional expenditure which
. .

would thus fall upon them would issue beneficially to the
town, and that the building would not only be an ornament,
but of great public utility. If they afforded the inhabitants
a room wherein they might hold public meetings of all des-
criptions, that would not only be advantageous to the town,
but to the public charities, because it would be the means of
continuing the musical festivals, which had been so produc-
tive. In both points of view, therefore, the erection would
be for the public benefit, and he could not help thinking that
the Common Council had done themselves great credit by
making the proposal. This company consequently would
abandon the land which the Council had granted them in the
first instance, and would be kind enough to allow the Council
to erect the building themselves. (Hear and laughter.)
Mr. HARVEY then read the report of the committee, which
commenced by stating that there was a balance in the ban-
ker's hands of upwards of £12,000, and that it was desirable
that the arrangements proposed by the Council should be
adopted by the company, in which case the funds in hands
would be raturned to the subscribers. The last instalment
of £2O per share, the committee suggested should be return-
ed in full, and that the nett balance remaining, after paying
the expenses, be divided.
The CHAIRMAN, in continuation, said the whole sum re-
ceived by the bank was £12,842 19s. 6d., out of which
£735 19s. sd. had been paid for premiums for plans, and
other expenses, leaving £12,117 Os. Id. in the bank. The
sum originally subscribed, and for which gentlemen put their
names to the deed, amounted to £22,000 or £23,000, of which
between £12,000 and £13,000 had been paid in full ; and
there remained to be paid in full, to be added to those who
had paid the £5 deposit, a sum of £9,000 ; so that, in point
of fact, the committee had a sum which they might fairly
look to for the means of erecting the hall, and upon which
the deposit of £5 had been paid. They, therefore, were not
driven to the necessity of giving up the building in conse-
quence of a want of funds, but they (lid so because they were
of opinion there was no occasion for private individuals to
carry into effect what properly belonged to a public body,
and what that public body ought to do. There would be no
difficulty in refunding the £2O call ; and, as many had paid
only the £5 deposit, it was proposed to take the expenses
out of that fund. He believed—though he did not wish to
commit himself to the statement—that the expenses would
not be more than £1 upon each.
Mr. HARRISON then moved, and Mr. THOMPSON second-
ed a resolution, which was carried unanimously, to the effect
that the committee be empowered to make the arrangements
with the council contemplated in their report.
Mr. CHARLES LAWRENCE proposed a vote of thanks to
the town council, for the liberal offer made to the company.
Mr. JAMES AsriNALL seconded the motion, and it was
adopted unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN believed that he might now, as chairman
of the committee, in their name and his own take final leave
of the shareholders. The committee had had great difficulty
in doing their best to forward the views of the company with
regard to building a public hall, and it had been a long time
in hand, but the delay was owing to circumstances which
they could not control. Having now given up the task to a
public body, he had only, on the part of the committee, to
express their thanks to the shareholders for the confidence
reposed in them.
On the motion of Mr. H. R. SANDBACH, seconded by
Mr. HARRISON, a vote of thanks was unanimously presented
to the rev. chairman, who briefly acknowledged the compli-
ment, and the meeting separated.—The whole proceedings
occupied little more than quarter of an hour.