The Liverpool Standard, and General Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-10-31 00:00:00

FINANCE COMMITTEE

The proceedings comprised—(l,) recommendation to ac-
cept the tender of Messrs. Cochrane and Co., to construct
the Landing,stage for channel steamers, amounting to
£103,429 Bs. 3d. ; (2,) recommendation to accept 'the
tender of Mr. George Thompson, to construct the River
Wall at Birkenhead, amounting to £6,850 ; (3,) recom-
mendation to purchase from Mr. R. E. Harvey his Lease-
hold interest in premises in Charles-street and Hood-
'street, for £1,400.
Mr. HOSNBY moved the acceptance of the tenderof Messrs.
Cochrane and Co., for constructing the Landing-stage for
channel steamers. In doing so, he might state that it
was not the lowest tender ; but it was one which, under all
the circumstances, was deemed the most eligade by the
committee; and he might also add, it had the sanction of
Sir William Cubitt, the engineer for the -work. Such
being the case, the committee had deemed it right to re-
.commend the adoption of that tender, subject of course
to being satisfied with the sureties for a due fulfilment of
the contract.

Mr. TOBIN wished to know what was "the proposed
length of time for executing the work in terms of the
contract.

The MAYOR said eighteen months was the time
specified. . . .

Mr. J. Tuomsow expressed a wish to know how many
tenders had been given in, and what were their respective
amounts.

Mr. EAnin said the Corporation had on so many
occasions suffered so extensively by adopting low ten-
ders, that he was glad to learn the plan of accepting
these was not to be persevered in. He considered Sir
William Cubitt had acted like a wise and judicious man
in giving his sanction to the preference for the tender of
respectable parties, who would be able to execute the
work in a satisfactory manner.

Mr. R. GLADSTONE considered it was in some degree
unfortunate that we should always have to go to London
when we want brains for work to be executed. With the
single exception of the late Mr. Elmes, he had not been
able to discover that much benefit had resulted from such
a course ; or that the Londoners had been in any degree
able to realise the expectations held out for them in re-
ference to first-rate work. _ _

_ .
Mr. Alderman BENNETT was of opinion • that work of
the kind alluded to could be done as well, if not better, in
Liverpool than in any other town. To go away from the
locality for the execution of. such -work, appeared to him
something like casting an imputation on the engineer-
ing capabilities of the town. This appeared still more
forcibly to be the case in his mind, when it was borne in
recollection that works of the kinil, now under considera-
tion, were best constructed on the-spot where they were
to be used. If Mr. Gladstone would move that the
the matter be reconsidered, he would support the motion.
Mr. PICTOIC said, as it was customary to give publicity
to the names of parties tendering for public works, and
also the amounts of the tenders in London and other
places, he could not see any benefit which could arise from
withholding that information here prior could he understand
what injury would arise to any parties from the informa-
tion being communicated.
Mr.STEWART said, two firms of .very high respectability
in Liverpool or its near neighbourhood had sent in tenders
for the work, and of their entire suitableness in all res-
pects, for the due execution of the work, Sir William
Cubitt was thoroughly satisfied ; hut, on opening their
tenders, one was found to be 20 and-the other 28 per cent.
higher than the one adopted for recommendation..
Mr. J. B. Moors, M. P., said, considering the facilities
for the construction of such work, to'be met with at Bir-
kenhead, and the easy means for conveying by water
most of the materials necessary for ,executing works of
the kind under contemplation ; together , with the me-
chanical skill of the workmen in this locality, it was
scarcely more singular than it was unsatisfactory to find
that the tenders sent in this quarter Should so far exceed
those from more distant, and, consequently, in all respects,
more disadvantageously, situated localities. It is due to
Sir William Cubitt, a gentleman who has constructed
the mostoxtensive, and the most important landing-stage
in the world, to say that one firm in this neighbourhood
he.wogld have selected before all others for the execution
of this work ; it was not necessary to name the firm, but
it was only due to all parties to state this much; that when
the tender from that firm came to be opened, it, was found
to be so much higher than that of Messrs. Cochrane that
it could not be entertained. One tender which had been
received amounted, he believed, to £140,000.
Mr. Brol-maat said he understood one tender, had been so
low as £92,000, and, as this had been talked about out of
doors, he did not see why it ought not to be authorita-
tively stated there.

➢ir. Hoaxer, in reply, said be had always advocated the
course recommended by Mr. Picton, to which he as an
individual could see no reasonable objection. He found,
however, that the opposite course of not revealing the
names had been uniformly acted on, as it was considered
that communicating the names of parties tendering for
work, and the amount for which they offered to execute
it, would be injurious to them. It was true that one
tender for some £90,000 odd had been given in,
but it was under such circumstances that Sir William
Cubitt did not recommend its adoption... He concluded by
again moving that the tender be adopted, subject to the
conditions referred to.

Mr. C. TURNER seconded the motion, which was ca.rried.
Mr. HORNEY next moved that the tender of Mr. Thomp-
son, for constructing a river-wall in connection, with the
Birkenhead Docks be accepted. In answer to a question
Mr. Hornby said only parties had been requested to send
in tenders, and that no adwertisement calling for tenders
had been issued.

Mr. ,Alderman Baszorrx expressed his surprise and re-
gret that such a course had been adopted. He considered
it was not doing justice to the tradesmen in the town.
Re concluded by moving that the matter be remitted, back
to the committee, with instructions toadvertise for tenders.
Mr. J. TuomsoN seconded the motion.

A tonsiderable and somewhat personal discussion ensued,
in which Mr. Thomson, Mr. Earle, Mr. Stewart, Mr.
Banner, and Mr. Johnson took part.
Mr. HoRNBY explained, after . which the motion for
remitting the subject back to the committee was put to
the vote, and rejected by a majority of 21 to 20.
Against—Messrs. Aked, Anderson, Mellor, Charles
Turner, Hornby, George Holt, Fernihotigh, Shand,
Braneker, Earle, Picton, Henderson, Robertson, Gregson ;
Aldermen Parker, J. H. Turner, Gardner, J. B. Moore,
F. Shand, Sir J. Bent, and the Mayor.
For—Messrs. Thomson, Bighorn, Woodruff, Moss,
'Nicholson, M`Guffie, Banner, Jeffreys, Fleming, Tobin,
R. Gladstone, Johnson, Houghton, Hodson, Beckwith,
W. J. Horsfall, Halhead ; Aldermen Bennett, Bold, and
Robinson.
The proceedings of the finance committee were then con-
firmed, after an attempt, on the part of Mr. Bighorn, to
originate a discussion on the subject of the Town dues; but
the attempt was put aside on the ground of its being in-
formal, the present being a special meeting, and that
subject not being included in the notices.
THE WATCH COMMITTEE—THE LATE FIRE.
The proceedings of this committee having been read,
The MAYOR said he could not, although the matter
might be a little out of order, allow the present oppor-
tunity to pass without bearing his personal testimony to
the admirable conduct of the members of the police force
generally on the occasion of the late great and alarming
fire. (Cheers.) Of the conduct of Major Greig, Mr.
Hewitt, the superintendents, and indeed every member of
the fire police, and the other police officials, from morning
till night, and all night, he felt it his duty personally, as
will ti 4 officially, to speak in terms of the highest appro.

Mr. WOODRUFF expressed a hope that the matter of
acknowledging the services of the firemen would not be
confined to empty thanks ; these men, he believed, had
only a shilling a week more than the others, while their
labours were both dangerous and important.
Mr. FERNIHOUGH concurred in expressing, from per
sonal observation, his marked approbation of the conduct
of the police.
Mr. Alderman PARKER, fearing that the stringent pro-
visions of the Fire Prevention Act, having reference to
the improper stowage of inflammable goods, including
spirits of turpentine, had not been vigilantly carried out
since the poweas of those provisions had merged into the
hands of the Watch Committee, moved "that a special
report be given as to the inflammable goods in those ware-
houses, and as to whether they were stored in accordance
with the clauses of the Fire Prevention Act now in force,"
He had his doubts whether there had not been .an excess
in the stowage of inflammable commodities. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. J. A. Tonriv, chairman of the Watch Committee,
observed, in reply to Mr. Parker, that, a short time since,
it was ascertained that goods were improperly stored in
those warehouses, and informations had been laid against
the parties ; and that in all such cases, in future, informa-
tions would be laid. He was obliged to them for the
opinions expressed with regard to the conduct of the fire-
brigade on the occasion of the fire. It was not so much
a pecuniary reward that the men valed as the approba-
tion bestowed upon them by the Mayor and other autho-
rities. (Hear, hear.) He could not sit down without
alluding to the splendid supply of water which had been
obtained during the conflagration. (Hear, hear.) He
believed that Mr. Duncan's (the water-engineer) arrange-
ments were complete in every respect. That gentleman
was in attendance from the breaking-out of the fire until
all danger was removed, and had been able to concentrate,
at one time, 2,000 gallons of water per minute at the point
required—a supply, he believed, which was unprecedented.
(Hear, hear.) -
Mr. THOMSON': The old Highway Board, sir ?
Mr. EARLE : Not it, sir ! (Laughter.)
Mr. ROBERTSON GLADSTONE thought they should offer
an expression of their thanks to the Mayor, and Mr.
Tobin particularly, for their attendance at the fire.
(Hear, hear.) It was extrentely desirable that both the
chairman of the Watch Committee and the Mayor should
be present on such an occasion ; and he believed that
both those gentlemen had done all that was desirable.
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. GODFREY seconded a vote of thanks to them,
which was carried nem. die.

The proceedings of the committee were then confirmed.
The proceedings of the Improvement and Town-hall
Establishment Committees were confirmed.
ST. GEORGE'S-HALL.

The reports of the Courts of Law and St. George's-hall
Committees, comprising a statement to the effect that
Mr. Cockerell's services had been retained for twelve
months longer, were read.

Mr. HODSON wished to know whether St. George's-hall
required the attention of a first-class architect for another
month?
Mr. ROBERTSON GLADSTONE observed that no refer-
ence was made in the report to the objections to the
polished granite columns. (Hear, hear.) He wished to
know whether it would be possible to put a couple of
tickets upon them, advertising the public that they were
"on sale ?" (Laughter.)
The MAzon accounted for no reference being made to
the columns by the fact that, in consequence of having
lost a son on " The Heights of Alma," Mr. Cockerell had
not recently attended the meetings of the committee, who
were consequently ignorant of his views as to the removal
of the pillars.
In reply to Mr. Thomson, it was stated that St. George's-
hall was now open to the public indiscriminately, and
without being obliged to show a ticket or "pass, from
the hour of twelve to one, and that steps would ere long
be taken to throw it open at reasonable hours throughout
the day.
__

The proceedings were then confirmed.
The proceedings of the Markets, Education, Gaol,
Health, and Observatory Committees, were confirmed.
THE WATER COMMITTEE.
THE PIKE SCHEME AGAIN.

The report of the Water Committee comprised a recom-
mendation to the following1—(1), Removal of Mr. Ather.
ton from the situation of Out-door Collector to that of
Co"teeter in the Shipping Department, vacant by the
death of Mr. Elwood, at the same salary as his predeces-
sor, and appointment of Mr. Henry J. Candlin, as third
class Collector, to supply the vacancy caused by Mr.
Atherton's removal, at the salary of £l5O per annum, and
the usual bonus for good collection ; (2), recommendation
that the Town-clerk be authorised to take the necessary
preliminary steps for an application to Parliament in the
ensuing Session, for 'deviation of the pipe line and other
purposes.
The proceedings -contained the following letter from.
Mr. Hawksley, which explains the reason for the second
recommendation.