The Liverpool Standard, and General Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-07-18 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, AND GENERAL COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER.

THE OPENING OF ST. GEORGE'S HALL

As the time is drawing. near when this magnificent
structure is to be opened with formal ceremonial, and all

the appliances which ingenuity can devise and rank and
wealth can furnish, the interest excited by the stirring

event is becoming more intense. As far as the arrange-
ments for the ceremony are concerned, we believe they
may very safely be left to the Committee to whom they are
entrusted, and who, in all that has yet transpired, have
shown themselves equal to the emergency. Their great
difficulty, however, will be to provide for the admission to
the Hall on the eventful day, so as to steer as clearly as
possible between the Scylla and Charybdis which beset
them on each hand. On the one side, there is the natural
and proper anxiety that the quality of the company shall
be befitting the occasion, and prove a credit to Liverpool
when assembled in the august presence to whom all are
desirous to do honour : on the other side, there are the

numerous and conflicting claims which ever accompany
corporation influence, and cannot safely be slighted. One
mode of obviating the difficulty is to affix a high price to

the ticket of admission, but then comes the recollection
that the Manchester Corporation were upbraided with
treating their Sovereign in true huckstering spirit ; nor
world it exactly meet the case, as the parvenu is often
more ready to pay than the patrician. It is evident that
some provision must be made for the claims which each
ward is supposed to have upon its representatives, and
care must at the same time be taken as Ter as possible
that the M •hall comprise what may be called the

.ompany s

elite Of Liverpool, the representatites of its commercial
importance, and its true mercantile aristocracy. the
shopkeepers, it is true, form au important element, but it
is from the merchants, the ship-owners, and the brokers
that the value is given to trade, and these should 'not be
passed over in order that members of the mimed should
stand well with their constituents. We would suggest
that a certain number of tickets be allotted to the mem-
bers of the Corporation for their own immediate friends,
say, fifteen to 'the Mayor, ten to each of the Mdermen, and
six to each other member ofThe Council. the Committee
should then give notice their willingness to receive
applications 'up to a.certaim day, after wiiichthey should
proceed to allot them according to their judgment of the
fitness of The applicant. In all such 'Cases it is indispen-
sable that confidence 'should be pL9.cia somewhere, and
the duties of the Committee in this respect would resemble
those ftif 'a Railway Provisional Comotittee deciding upoh
appiititions for shares. We have merely thrown oat
these remarks by-way of hint to the'Committee, convinces
that, whatever course they pursue,hey must not expectlto
please everybody, and that they tre themselves aware of
tlic diffieulties thich they have to encounter in 'the
delicate task they have to perform. By making theZlotL
Iment, however, the work of tive whole Committee, the in-
Nidiousness of individual responsibility will be reeved,
and by cohfiling the number of tickets for each Member
of the Corporation to a few for his own family, he will be
'gparectfronAhe onerous task of pleasing, or rather dis-
Plea Sing hie 'constituents.

SPECIAL MEETING OF THE TOWN
COUNCIL-YESTERDAY.

YESTERDAY, a Special Meeting of the Council was held at
the Town-ball, to take into consideration the propriety of
holding the Assizes, and Sessions, &c., temporarily in the
old Sessions-house, in Chapel-street, in order that the
work for the completion of St. George's-hall may proceed
without interruption.

J. B. LLOYD, Esq., the Mayor, presided. He said he
had called the meeting in consequence of a requisition
which he had received signed by eight members of the
Council. It was a Special Council, called for the special
purpose named in the summons.

Alderman J. H. MRIVER said, as the Chairman of the
Special Committee appointed to make arrangements for
the opening of St. George's-hall, in September, he had
to report that the committee found it totally impracticable
to complete the same unless the workmen had uninter-
rupted possession of the whole building. Under those
circumstances, the committee had thought it their duty to
apply to the Mayor to call that Special Council to take the
matter into consideration and determine on the best course
to be pursued. After consulting with the Town-clerk,
they had drawn np four resolutions, and he hoped they
would meet with the approbation of the Council. He felt
confident that if the judges on this circuit were made
acquainted with all the circumstances of the case, and the
great additional expense and inconvenience which it would
entail upon the Council if the works were stopped, they
would cheerfullyconsent to hold the Assizes in the Sessions-
house, which were newly whitewashed and cleaned, and in
a fit state to receive them. The Town-clerk had drawn
him up a statement (which he read), and which showed
that unless the proposed arrangement were made, the
courts at St. George's-hall would be occupied till the
middle of September. The Borough Court opened on
Thursday, July 20th 'the Sessions, which would last a
fortnight, on the 24th the Assizes, on the 9th of August,
which would last vrobably for three or four weeks. He
begged to move the following :
" It appearing to this Council that if the assizes, the
courts of quarter sessions, and the borongh courts be
held in the new courts, such courts will be almost con-
tinuously ocetpied until the middle of .`September next,
and the prosecution of the works, which are now rapidly
approaching completion, would be *thereby totally sus-
pended ;'resolved : 1. That so much 'of the resolution of
the council of the Ist of September, 18:52, as directs
such arrangements to he made as wfl admit of the sessions
being held in one of the new COttlid, be rescinded. 2.
That until St. George's-hall and 'the new courts are com-
pleted the Sessions-house, In Chapel-street, be appro-
priated for holding the court or-quarter sessions and the
borough courts. 3. That the ?Mayor be requested to cora-
Intmicate with the judges, new •on circuit, and to explain
to them the present state of 'Eke works, in the different
'ptirts of the building, and 'to request them, under the
timumstances, to hold the next assizes at the Sessions,
:house. 4. That, considefinethe present state of the works,
tthe resolution of the Connell'of the 3d of May last, relative
'to the admission of strangers to the building, be rescinded,
and that, until further errrectionslof the Council, no
strangers be admitted, pitiless personally accompanita by
a member of the Council:"
Ald. S. Hot-Am 'seconded the motion.

Mr. ARTNt E HENDERSON complained that, wild the
Recorder and Mr. James were to be excluded AltGgether
from the coorts, 'the jttlges were to be asked 'to hie their
consent. lcow, those 'gentlemen were also jtalges, and
they had We same right to the courtesy. He should move
as an amendment that they also be writttn to. He
thought 'very -great 'blame attached to tire .-committee
themselvcs'thnt the'hall had not been long-Since finished.
So far hack as October, they had applied to'the Recorder
to forego the'use of 'the court for his sesSiots, that they
might do some joiners' work and pc.naling; but since,
nothing whatever :had been done. (ffli !!) He did
not see any necessity for that special metarq, as the sub-
ject could have been brought forward at the usual monthly
meetbag onttheWh.
Alderman BENNETT seconded Mr. Fitutterson's amend-
ment, as 'he, could not see why the Recorder and Mr.
James-should be treated differently to the judges of the
las& The Reoorder, as a matter of -course, was to be
sent to the Sessions-house ; whilst the 'judges of the land
tresertn be "'requested" to go.
Alderman TURNER said that there
meant to the Recorder

is no discourtesy

The Towsr-ozz ax said this was the reason of the diffe-
nesice made. 'There was a positive resolution of the
Council .as to -the sessions, which it was necessary to
rescind ; there was none as to the Mikes.
Alderman 'BENNETT.—Then is there no resolution of
Councilallowing the judges to ocespy the courts ?
The TOWY-CLEllll.—The courtsyvvre formally opened
y them, the mayor attending.
Alderman BZNNETT.—WouId that give them a title to
'hold the assizes there in future ?
The TOWN-OLERK.—I think it d.
Mr. WOOP,BUFF put the hypothesis that Mr. James
might • refuse to accede ; and if so,. he supposed that the
courts would not be completed asproposed•
Alderman ROLME understood' that there had been
communication from Mr. James I,

The TOW-IT-CLERK said no, there had been no regular
correspondenee with either Mr. Janles or• the. Recorder.;
but aeeordwg to the usual practice there was sent from
the Borough Court circulars ter the bar, informing them
when the mutt would he held.; and in that circular there
was put in the alternative of `istthe New Courts or the
Sessions House." Mr. James :haring seen that note,
wrote to 31r.vVenn, the depats4registrar, from London,
the following CrEtter

" "29th June, 1554.
Dear omitted to mentiol to you, when I hdd
the pleasure-saf,ceeing you hereAlint I strongly object 'to
sitting in esions-house. The-.place is positively un-
wholesome ;.2,116. I trust, therefone,ime will be no attempt
to force .us again to submit to-the inconvenience athl
nuisances to we were subjectpil when we sat there
on a former accasion.—Yours, trnift, •

lIEDWARD JAMES."
Then Mr, Venn wrote lo him er,phininK the state of 01€
works, and afterwards received _antther

"3rd July, 1851.
" Dear Sir,—Lean but repeat thutl have the. strongest
.possible objeetionito theold•Nisi Prio2 Court. Its ineou-
grenience and the nuisances attevding it have been the
theme of obserraticn for years on thepart of all Who have
teen compelled to resort thither. lifter the resolution
.passed some tinke4.zincehy the Taws-council relative to
the holding of the Sessions cond. Page Court in St.
George's Hall, it does seen somewhat strange that the
surveyor and the committee should-throw such obstacles
in the way of enreittiag there. In December or January
last the Mayor requested as .a favour that the Recorder
and I would hold ourethenand next mating courts in the
Sessions-house, pledgirg himself that.lefore the sprig
aserves the Courts and .:St. George's gall should be corn-
-4:114,ed. How far thatcpiedge was...redeemed the present.
position of St. George's Ilan will show.
"If the Court of Ila:,7sage be of any importance to
Liverpool, a suitable placelor its reception should be pro-
vided. If the waists aid. disputes ,of the snerchants and
.others are of no cousequenwoompared bathe reception of
royal-to, or visits of philosophers, -probably tihe best course
forme to adopt will be, ,to postpone the: holding of my
nextreurt till after the long. vacation,•,wheoa we may cal-
culate,,twith some degree .c'f :.certainty, 0n..4i1t. George's
Hallhag completed.--I atc, yours truly,_

"R. JAMES."
Mr. Ax.,a Ncxnu apprehen4d • that the Council might
.get into a.difficulty, for, afteueeeiving that ne‘l, it would
appear that Mr. James woula not consent. :Now, they
must hare the assent of the...whole tour, for, after the
refusal of .one, it would be invidions to ask the others.
In answer to Mr. Bennett, .the rows-ciaxtuzaid that,
were the ,amendment as he had drawn itaip married, it
Would
,be ,necessary to hive .the .consent of tie four.
There was a treat difference between- the Assizes :said the
sessions. ri.e.,assizes, they knew, .would only be held at
one time ; the sessions certainly ,0,44.44 be held twice
during the tin?,e.
.Air. 41,1rX ihAiped that they troula not be driven to a
vote on the question, because the Recorder And Mr. James
ishOnld know that,it was far from the.vrisfrof the Council
.te do anything to,inconvenience them. Wear, hear.) He
...tuDught, tq9,,t,,b,atit would be placing r .fames and-the
Veeorder in a. pes:ition that would he lawthil, becausetthe
,judges of the land ~could not but aceede,to the wishes a
the Council. He lipped that Mr. Henderson, on behalf
of iris ,brother, ,vroidd not put them into the-pesition of
If.aedie should vote for the resolutions
Proposed; beeause itieented now that a royal visit might
reitiky ,he expected, and he for one should &Irish to co-
operate haying that building finished in a proper
state to ,receive. her. (Applause.) He hoped, therefore,
that Atr.,lienderson w9ul4,withdraw his motion.
Aid. 1-(gr,B said, it eert,oinly appeared to him tit the
passing .of the amendment would involve them in some
degree of.ctiffieulty,.hecause„if some of the parties refound,
the hall .coold,not be completed by 20th September- The
Assessor belt:ilia court in three days from this time. 4m
the 20th; the .sizes commeacled fOnr days .afterwarda ;
then the intertpgdiate.sessions,; and they should hare
full occup*ncy of the hail till September. There was ts
deal of work yet ,to do at the hall; it was only for this
occasion that the bulges, assessor, and recorder were
;asked to forego the use of the. ' courts and they might
afterwards occupy them with thegreatestquiet. There were
ail the internal doors.Net.to flx, .4141, being of bronze, the work
would cause much noise.mdreverherstien. There was the
floor to be completed, and laid with -Minton's tiles, a
work requiring to be done with the gre.stest accuracy.
There was the organ and ease in pi-ogress, and every
stroke reverberating throughout the ball would render it
impossible for any one to be beard in the courts. There
was also a .considerable quantity :of work yet to be done in
the Concert Hall, which was almost immediately over the
seat of one of the judges. There was the rubbish and
stone to be removed from the approaches to the building,
and in addition to that there would be from this to the
end of September a smell of paint, that from the barristers
and others, he was sure, they would have a thousand
complaints of. The question just was, were the courts to
be completed by the 20th of September ? (Hear, hear.)
If they were, then they had no resource but to exclude
strangers in the interval, and ask the Judges, the Re-
corder, and Mr. James, to hold their sittings in the
Sessions-house. That was really not such a poisonous
place as had been represented. The magistrates had to
put up with it day by day. The courts had been cleansed
and purified (not indeed before they wanted it), and had
been made as comfortable as they could. He thought that
Mr. James had written in a bad humour when he lugged
in, in such a way, the Crown and the visit of philosophers,
and perhaps he would regret the letter when he came to
read it again. He thought it would be best, then,- to
pass these resolutions, amid let it be an understood' thing
that the Mayor should write to the Judges, the Recorder,
and the Assessor. He should now have sat down, but for
the fraternal speech of Mr. Henderson. He believed that
a mistake had been made in 'their having been so anxious
before to give accommodation at so early a period, both to
the Judges and the Recorder. 3lr. Henderson unfairly
complained that the committee were behind-harid, and
that they had not done their duty; but had he been
aware of the enormous time that -they had devoted to the
building, and the number of the questions which had
come before them, not of detail but of taste, he
would not have made that complaint, that he (Mr. Holme)
knew to be au unlust one. They could not finish a build-
ing of that sort, as they could' a stack of warehouses, by
putting a thousand men on. There was the marble work,
the balustrading, the laying of the floors, all those were
operations that required first-rate talent. 'Mr, Henderson
he4l intimated thst the committee were frightened t* Meet

the council. Now, there was nothing terrible in any
gentleman in the room ; the only terrible gentleman was
Mr. Henderson himself. He had only to say again, that
the committee intended no discourtesy, to either the
Judges, Recorder, or the Assessor; but the very reverse;
and if they would hold their courts for this time in the Ses-
sions House, they would afterwards be put in undisturbed
possession of the most magnificent courts in the kingdom.
(Applause.)
Aid. PA MIER St

Inorted the original motion, and thought I

-IL
the Recorder and Assessor should not complain of What
had suited the judges so long. He was sure that Mr.
Henderson, with his good taste and gentlemanly bearing
(he did not mean Mr. Henderson who was present, but
his brother—laughter)— would readily agree.
Mr. Henderson was urged on all hands to withdraw
his amendment, which he at length agreed to do, and the
three first items of the resolution were unanimously
carried. _

Mr. BIGIIIM objected to the proposition for excluding
the public from an inspection of the hall. No reasons
were given for the proposal. Strangers were admitted
now only between twelve and one o'clock, the men's
dinner hour; and, so far as he had seen, they had caused
very little obstruction to the work. The public were
anxious to get in, and he thought that the Council should
not stand in the way of their being gratified.
Alderman HOLME said that, during the next few weeks,
a very large amount of painting was to go on ; and on
Saturday, in the Athenaeum, Mr. Troutbeck had said to
him, "You expect us to finish the building, and the place
is filled with Strangers, although we are now using the
finest paint." He said that the visitors lingered behind
the time, and were an interruption to the men. He had
heard similar complaints from the other tradesmen, and
intrusion was an annoyance which could not be borne
when finishing. work was going on. He hoped that the
members of the Council would be chary in granting their
orders ; and he was Sure, after the explanation which he
had made had gone forth, that there was not an inhabi-
tant who would not be willing to forego the privilege.
(Applause.)
Ald. $E err thought it was better still to admit
strangers between twelve and one, binding them to be
out at the latter hour, than to have members of the
Council going in with their friends at all hours of the day.
Mr. FERNIHOUGII said there was one reason which
had not been stated why the original motion should be
carried. The only hour that they could give to Dr. Wesley
to "'voice" the organ was this dinner-hour. He required
to rave, during the whole of that period, perfect silence,

anh it they admitted strangers then, they retarded the
. Work, He only regretted the latter part of the resolution,
lillowing members of the Council to go in, for he was
sure that they would find it advisable to give up that
Tight altogether.
Mr. BiGnam then taid that he should withdraw his
'proposition.

Ald. BENNETT armed if an hour at night would not
suit as well for Dr, Wesley ?
The MAYOR sail that Mr. Troutbeck had more than
once within the last week called upon him to show him
finger marks iY the paint along the corridors, which had
to be done over again ; and it was impossible, unless they
had an army of-soldiers, to keep it otherwise. He wished
to confirm what Mr. Fernihough had said as to the voicing
of the organ. fir. Wesley was anxious that it shotild be
voiced, not it London, but in the ball where it was to be
heard. That operation took from 'twelve to one o'clotk,
and then from six in the evening, till nearly one o'clock
in the morning, Mr. Willis was there.
Mr. GREOSON thought it vvotld be most advisable to
close the Hall altogether. (Hear, hear,) He begged to
move tha.

T;Y&ER seconded the motion,

A strong opinion was expressed against the proposition,
Mr. BI Al referring to the number of persons coming
continually from the nth:tent and elsewhere anxious to
view the building, and Mr. Gn.EGsorr withdrew 'it.
The MAYOR hoped that -the members•of Ake Council
would attend to this, that they would not take in those
living in the town, but strangers only. (Clear.)
Alderman J. TuRNER.--LThen, perhaps, it Will be under-
stooil, also, that members of the Council shall only take
in strangers between twelve and one o'clock.
The MA.YOR announced that he had no gemmunication

to submit,

The Council then aolfourned.