The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-10-07 00:00:00

MEETING OF THE TOWN COUNaL

The adjourned fourth quarterly meeting of the town coun-
cil was held in the council chamber, Town-hall, on Wednes-
day. In the absence of the Mayor, who was presiding i❑
the court for the revision of the burgess lists, Sir Thomas
Brancker was called upon to take the chair.

FINANCE COMMITTEE.
The DEPUTY TOWN-CLERK read the proceedings of the
Finance Committee, which comprised Major Jebb's report on
the necessity of a new gaol. It appeared that the major ar-
rived in Liverpool on the 23d ult., and that a meeting of the
borough magistrates was immediately after held, at which
certain resolutions and reports were adopted. The major, in
his report, strongly recommended the erection of a new gaol,
it being his opinion that if the increase in the number of
prisoners should continue for the next two years as it had for
the last, 1150 cells would be required to afford them the
necessary accommodation. He thought the present gaol and
property might be disposed of in order to liquidate as much
expense as possible in the erection of the new, which he
estimated at a cost of £137,500, and which, according to his
plan would accommodate 1100 prisoners.
Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE begged to move that the pro-
ceedings of the Finance Committee be confirmed, with the ex-
ception of that part which comprised their report on the
borough gaol. In that report they had embodied all the in-
formation they had obtained upon the subject, and they had
given it their most serious consideration, without any inten-
tion on their part to create unnecessary expenditure. At the
same time he should be prepared to state the convictions to
which he had arrived upon the subject at the proper time ;
and why he thought the well-being of the community as well
as the expenditure of a large sum of money, anything like
haste should be avoided. He begged to suggest, that the
report should be printed, and the Mayor be requested to call
a special meeting of the council for the consideration of the
subject, to be held about that day fortnight. He had further
to mention, that the annual accounts of the corporation had
usually been before the council on this day ; but in conse-
quence of the absence of one of the auditors from town in
September, they had not been finished ; they had. however,
been audited, and in a few days they would be in the hands
of the members of the council. They had already been sub-
mitted to the Secretary of State through the Finance Com-
mittee. He had also to mention that Captain Fitzroy had
been appointed inspector of the port of Liverpool under the
Mersey Consenvency Act, with the exception of Captain
Ceauclerk, whose qualifications so well entitled him to this
appointment as Captain Fitzroy. Captain Fitzroy was a
Captain in the Royal Navy ; Captain Fitzroy was Master of
the Trinity ; Captain Fitzroy was now assisting in the sur-
veying department of the Admiralty ; Captain Fitzroy also
was a person who would be very far above all petty jealousies
and local influence, and a person in whom all parties could
trust with confidence. He was also a member of parlia-
ment, and in his legislative capacity he had taken part in
a subject of interest to the commerce of this town, namely,
the appointment of boards for the examination of captains
and mates in the mercantile marine. He believed that Capt.
Fitzroy's connection with this port would give him more in-
sight into this subject, and enable him to make a better bill
than he had hitherto done. Under all the circumstances he
thought that a better appointment could not have been
made.
Mr. BOLTON seconded the motion, and said that as all the
matters connected with the gaol would have a special day ap-
pointed for their consideration, he thought it unnecessary to
say a word on the subject, which might have the effect of
opening a discussion.
Mr. HODGSON was of opinion that in sending round the
report, it would be desirable to have the resolutions of the
magistrates attached thereto ; because, as the couucil were to
meet specially, they should have the fullest details before
them, and as much time as possible to prepare for the dis-
cussion. And, further, he wished the gentlemen who were
to consider the subject would take into account whether, as
they could not do away with the present gaol until the new
one should have been erected, they might try, particularly
as Liverpool was becoming a second metropolis, that at
some not very distant period they should not require two
gaols with regard to the convenience of locality. If expe-
rience showed them that two gaols were better than one,
they might arrange their plans accordingly, having obtained,
in the first instance, some estimate of comparative expense.
He had merely thought it well to throw out these suggestions.
The DEPUTY-MAYOR thought it would be respectful to
the magistrates to have the resolutions read. (Hear, hear.)
The TOWN-CLERK read the resolutions of the magistrates
accordingly, which were contained in a letter from Mr.
Rushton to the Mayor. The letter stated that seventeen
justices had been present at the meeting, and that the ma-
gistrates were of the opinion of Major Jebb that a new gaol
was indispensably necessary.
It was agreed that the report of the justices should be
printed and circulated with the report of the Finance Com-
mittee; and that the council should hold a special meeting,
at the usual hour, upon that day fortnight (Wednesday, the
19th instant) to take the subject of the gaol into considera-
tion.