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

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, AND GENERAL 001IMERCIAL 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
would 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
tare must at the same time be taken as fax as possible

that the company shall comprise what may be called the
Rite of Liverpool, the representatives of its commercial
importance, and its true mercantile aristocracy. The
shopkeepers, it is true, form an 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 council 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 feiends,
say, fifteen to the Mayor, ten to each of the Aldermen, and
six to each other member of 'the Council. The Committee
should then give notice of their willingness to receive
applications up to a certain day, after which they 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 placed somewhere, and
'the duties of the Committee in this respect would resemble
those .4f 'a Railway Provisional Committee deciding upon
'applications for shares. We have merely thrown out
`these remarks by Way of hint to the COmmittee, convinced
that, whatever course they pursue, the must not expect to
'zplease everybody, 'and that they are 'themselves aware of
'the difficulties which they have to encounter in the
delicate task thar have to perform. By making the allot-
ment, however, the work of the wtole Committee, the in-
vidiousness of individual responsibility will be removed,
and by. confining the number of tickets for each member
of the Corporation to a few for his own family, he will be
spared fromthe onerous task Of pleasing, or rather dis-
pleasing his constituents.

SPECIAL MEETING OF THE TOWN
COUNCIL,-YESTERDAY.

YESTERDAY, a Special Meeting of the Council was held at
the Town-hall, 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. TURNER 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 up 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 i the Assizes, on the 9th of August,
which would last probably 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 borough courts be
held in the new courts, such courts will be almost con-
tinuously occupied 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, 1852, as directs
such arrangements to be made as will admit of the sessions
being held in one of the new courts, 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 of quarter sessions and the
borough courts. 3. That the Mayor be requested to com-
municate with the judges, now on circuit, and to explain
to thent the present state of the works, in the different
parts of the building, and to request them, under the
circumstances, to hold the next assizes at the Sessions:
house. 4. That, considering the present state of the works,
the resolution -of the Council of the 3d of May last, relative
to the admission of strangers to the Wilding, be rescinded,
aad 'that, until further directions of the Council, no
strangers be admitted, unless personally accompanied by
a -member of 'the Council."

AM. S. HonmE seconded the motion.
Mr. Anxicun, HENDERSON complained that, whilst the
Recorder and Mr. James were to be excluded altogether
'from theoourts, the judges were to be asked to give their
'consent. Now,, those gentlemen were also judges, and
they haZ the same right to the courtesy. He should move
as an amendment that they also be written to. He
thought very great blame attached 'to the committee
themselves that the hall had not been long since finished.
'So far back as October, they had applied to the Recorder
to _forego the use of the court for his sessions, that they
•might do some joiners work and panelling; but sisice,
nothing whatever had been -dorm. (Oh ! oh!) He did
'not see any necessity for that.special meeting, as the sub-
ject could have been brought forward at the usual monthly
-meeting on the sth.

Alderman BENNETT seconded Mr. Henderson's amend-
ment, as he could not see why the Recorder -and Mr.
James should be treated differently to the judges of the
land. The Recorder, as a matter of course; was to be
sent to the Sessions-house.; whilst the judges of the land
were to be "requested"rto go.
Alderman TunirEn-said,that there was no -discourtesy
meant to the Recorder.

The Tows-coEnvsaid this was the reason.of the diffe-
rence made. These TM a positive resolution of the
Council as to the sessions, which it was necessary to
rescind ; there was none as to the assizes.
Alderman BENYMTT.—Then is there no resolution of
the Council allowing the judges to occupy the courts ?
The TOWN-CLEPAL—The courts were formally opened
by them, the mayor attending.
Alderman BEN Tr.—Would that give them a title to
hold the assizes there in future P
The Tow.v-enrona.--4 think it would.

Mr. WooDRI-Jizx put the hypothesis :that Mr. James
might refuse to accede; and if so, he supposed that the
courts would not'•be -completed as proposed.
Alderman Hoy: &s understood that "there had been a
communication 'from Mr. James ?

The Towiv-cc,reic said no, there had been no regular
correspondence with either Mr. James or the Recorder. ;
but according to the usual practice there was sent froth
the Borough Court circulars to the%bar, informing them
when the coutt would be held, and 4n that circular there
was put in the alternative of `: at the New Courts or the
Sessions House." Mr. James haling seen that note,
wrote to Mr. Venn, the deputy-registrar, from London,
the followineetter

" "29th June, 1854.
Dear Sir,--1 omitted to .mentiun to you, when I had
the pleasure-of seeing you here, that I strongly object to
sitting in the'Sessions-house. The place is positively un-
wholesome; and I trust, therefore;tlere will be no attempt
to force us again to submit to the inconvenience and
nuisances to Which we were subjected When we sat there
on a former occasion.—Yours,

"EDWARD JAMES."
Then l'ilr:Timn wrote to him ezplaining the state of the
works, and fifterwards received..akother

"3rd July, 1854.
" Dear Sir,—l can but repeat that I have the strongest
possible objection to the old Nisi Rrius Court. Its incon
venienee and the nuisances attending 4 have been the
theme of observation, for years on. fbe pAtsf all who have
been compelled to resort thither. After the resolution
passed some 'time since hy the Tcwn-council relative to
the holding Of the Sessions and Passage Court in St:
George's 110,7 it does seem somewhat strange that the
surveyor and-the committee should throw such obstacles
in the way of eur sitting there. In December or January
last the Mayor requested as a favour that the Recorder
and I would lied our then and next",ensuing courts in the
Sessions-house, -pledging himself that before the spring
assizes the Courts and St. George's ,Hall should be com-
pleted. Howlar. that pledge was . redeemed the present
position of St' George's Hall wilnshiaw.

"If the CoUrt of Passage be .of any importance to
Liverpool, a suitAtile place for. its reception should be pro-
vided. If the wints and disputes of the merchants and
others are of no consequence compared to the reception of
royalty or visits of philosophers, probably the best course
for me to adopt rill be, to postpone the holding of my
next court till after the long vacation, when we may cal-
culate, with some degree of -certainty, on St. George's
Hall being completed.—l ain, yours trnly,___ _

E. JAmEs."
•
Mr. BRANcinnt Apprehended that the Council might
get into a difficulty,ler, after receiving that note, it would
appear that Mr. lames would not content. Now, they
must have the assent of the whole fear, for,, after the
refusal of one, it would be invidious to ask the others.
In answer to Mr. lintnett, the Tow-N:aLEBH said that,
were the amendment as he.had ,drawn it up carried, it
would be necessary -to .have the consent of the four.
There was a great difference between the,assizes and the,
sessions.-- !The assizes,hey knew, wozadsonly be held at
one time ; the sessions certainly would be held twice
;during the time.

Kr:Ma.nzr. hoped that They would not be driven to a
;vote on the question, because. the Recorder and Mr. James
should know that it was far from the wish of the Council
to do anything to inconvenience them. (Hear, hear.) He
thought, too, that it would'be placing Mr. James and the
Recorder in a position that ;would be hurtfnl, because the
judges of the land could not bnt,accede to the wishes of
the Council. He hoped that fir. lienderson, on behalf
of•bi.s brother, would not put them into the pogition of
having to vote. If so, he should vote for the resolaticaii
Proposed; because it seemed now that a royal visit "eight
really be expected, and he for Km should wish .to co-
' operate in having that building finished in a proper
state to .receive her. (Applause.) He hoped, therefore,
that Mr. Ilenderson would withdraw his .notion.
Aid. H,oxars said, it certainly appeared to him that,the
passing of the amendment would involve them in some
degroe of difbeulty, because, if some of the .parties refused,
the hall could not be completed by 20th Septeniber. The
Assessor .held Us court in three days from this time, on
the 20th the assizes commenced four daiys :afterwards ;
then the intermediate sessions ; and they should have a ,
,full occupancy of the hall till September, • There was a
deal of worm" yet lo do at the hall; it was only for this
occasion that the judges, assessor, and recorder were
asked to forego the use of the courts, and they might
afterwards occupytheln with thegreatest quiet. There were
-all the internaldoors yet to fix, and, being of bronze, the work
would cause much noise and reverberation. There was the
,iloor to be completed, and laid with Minton's tiles, a
work requiring to be done with the greatest accuracy.
There was the organ and case in progress, and every
'Stroke reverberating throughout the hall would render it
impossible for any one to be heard in the courts. There
was also a considerable quantity of work yet to be done in
the Concert Hall, whichwas 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
he completed .by the 20th of Septerober? (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 I
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, and 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. Mr. Henderson unfairly
complained that the committee were behind-hand, and
that they had not done their duty; but. bad 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 an unlust one. They could not finish a build-
ing of that sort, as they coulda 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. Hendersc
had intimated that the cegunitt

,erred to meet

ble in any

elle council. Now, there was nothing tc
gentleman in the room; the only terrible gc....vinan 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.)
Ald. PARKER supported the original motion, and thought
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. BIG-HAM 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. BENNETT 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. FERNIHOUGH 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
to "voice" the organ was this dinher-hour. He required
to have, during the whole of that period, perfect silence,
and if they admitted strangers then, they retarded the
work. He only regretted the latter part of the resolution,
allowing members of the Council to go in, for he was
sure that they would find it advisable to give up that
right altogether.
Mr. Eircirrim then said that he should withdraw his
proposition.
Ald. BENNETT asked if an hour at night would not
suit as well for Dr. Wesley ?
The MA-Yon said that Mr. Troutbeck had more than
once within the last week called upon him to show him
finger marks in 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. Dr. Wesley was anxious that it should be
yoked, not in London, but in the hall where it was to be
heard. That operation took from twelve to one o'clock,
and then from six in the evening, till nearly one o'clock
in the morning, Mr. Willis was there.
Mr. GREGSON thought it would be most advisable to
close the Hall altogether. (Hear, hear,) He begged to
move that.
Mr. TYRER seconded the motion.
A strong opinion was expressed against the proposition,
Mr. Brairem referring to the number of persons coming
continually from the Continent and elsewhere anxious to
view the building, and Mr. C4anGsorr withdrew it.
The MA-ron hoped that the members of the Council
would attend to fhis, that they would not take in those
living in the town, but strangers only. (Hear.)
Alderman J. TURNER--Then, perhaps, it will be under-
stood, also, that members of the Council shall only take
in strangersbetween twelve and one o'clock.
The Micron announced that he had no communication
to 'submit

The Cuanoll then adjourned