of a public character. There would be no harm in publishing the results of discussions in committee, and letting the public know what was proposed to be carried into effect. Two years ago he intended to have submitted this motion, but he was told it would not do that there were leases of the sales and purchase of property which it would not be desirable to place before the public until the terms were agreed upon. He admitted that in the Watch Committee there were certain things which it would not be advisable to publish before certain periods arrived; but no such objection could by any possibility exist as regarded the Town Improvement Committee. H. Ald. Dodds, as chairman, and the other members of that committee, gave the utmost attention to the objects that came before them, and everything was settled on the most equitable and correct basis; but the public outside complained that they did not publish these matters before they were really carried into effect. All business emanated from the committee room, and in the Council it was all talk. With the alteration he had mentioned, he submitted his motion, and he hoped it would be carried. ("No, no.")

Mr. NEWTON Seconded the motion, although he did not think he would receive the thanks of the gentlemen of the press. It would be a very serious infliction upon them.

Mr. GREGSON rose to object to this proposition. It was not the first time that they had had something like it before. He told Mr. Dickinson that he knew nothing of the subject. ("No, no," and "hear, hear")

correct.

Mr. H. PARKER: Although he's a member of the committee. Mr. DICKINSON: I must explain here. (Cries of "No, no.") Mr. GREGSON said the phrase he had used was quite Parliamentary, and he had no doubt he should satisfy Mr. Dickinson that he was He begged to tell Mr. Dickinson that the Town Improvement Committee, or the Finance Committee, or any other committee, never carried out large works, paved streets, or made large excavations, or did anything without first receiving the sanction of the Council. It was quite absurd to say that the Town Improvement Committee did this, that, or the other. They did nothing without the sanction of that Council; and if r. Dickinson had been longer in the Council he would have known that that was the fact. At all events, he hoped they were sled that it was so. Whatever was done in the committees must be sanctioned by the Couucil.

Mr. DICKINSON: I am quite aware of that, sir.

Mr. GREGSON: said there was another point. In the Town Improvement Committee, as well as in the Finance Committee, or other committees, it occasionally happened that there were contracts, and parties tendering for contracts for work, &c.; and did Mr. Dickinson tell him that it would be either right or prudent to those contractors to have their position or the means of carrying these contracts into execution, or even their character as good, bad or

indifferent workmen publicly criticised? It would put a stop to all business. It was absolutely impossible; and he begged to say that all that the public had to do with the matter was, when the Council, who represented the public, gave their decision in favour of those works. Contractors would not tender for works if their characters were thus open to publ e criticism. It was only lately that they had had to refuse a contract, because their officer expressed an opinion that the person could not carry it out for want of means. He said it would be a most offensive thing to publish such a matter. It was totally impracticable. No one liked publicity more than he did in a reasonable manner; but he would not like the world to know what sort of contracts he made, and the like. He would be exposed to an action for libel if he made the least comment upon it such matter. Mr. Ald. NICHOL (to Mr. Dickinson): The best thing would be to withdraw your motion.

Mr. HARFORD was sorry that Mr. Dickinson had altered the terms of his motion. He certainly thought it would have been more appropriate in its original form. There was a great deal of force in the objections Mr. Gregson had stated; and he thought the cause would be more effectually served if Mr. Dickinson would undertake to move that the meetings of the Council should be open to the public.

Mr. Ald NICHOL: They are open to the public.

Mr. Ald. WILSON hoped Mr. Dickinson would withdraw his He would get no support in the matter.

motion.

Mr. DICKINSON said he did not pretend to be a prophet, but he ventured to affirm that ten, or even five years, would not elapse until every committee room was open. He pressed his motion, and asked that the names should be taken down.

This was done with the following result :

FOR THE MOTION.-Messrs. Dickinson, Newton, and Clark-3.

AGAINST THE MOTION.-The Mayor, Sheriff Ald. Ingledew, Dodds, Nichol, Bell. Philipson, Ridley, Hedley. Laycock, and Wilson, and Messrs, Parker, Hutchins n. Falconar, Beck, Potter. Sanderson, T. Robinson, Smith, T. Forster, Gregson McAllum, Tone, Harford, W. Stewart, Burrell. Plummer, Mawson, Charlton, Brown. J. Robinson, J. Angus, H. Angus, Pollard, Barkas, Morrison, Hodge, G. Forster, and Milvain-39.

The motion was consequently rejected.

THE ACOUSTIC DEFECTS OF THE COUNCIL CHAMBER.

Mr. BARKAS desired to call attention to the following notice of motion which appeared upon the paper relative to the accommodation of the Council Chamber:-"That the pillars recently erected in the Council Chamber be removed, and the seats of the Councillors and Reporters restored to their original positions; that in order to improve the acoustic properties of the Council Chamber, a ceiling be constructed on a level with the projecting cornice; and that to

protect the members of the Council from draughts, a moveable curtain be suspended over each entrance to the Council Chamber." For some time past. he said, there had been considerable discussion as to how that Chamber might be improved; and owing to instructions given a sort of barricade had been erected across the room, with a view to the improvement of the acoustic effects of the Council Chamber, and to render it altogether more comfortable. Prior to the erection of these pillars and curtains-termed the "Gates of Gaza” Gaza" by Mr. Gregson-(a laugh)-suggestions were made for the lowering of the roof and the formation of another ceiling, in order that gentlemen who had not very strong voices might be heard. Now, those of them who knew anything of acoustics were perfectly well aware that if a room was very high there was always great difficulty in persons without strong voices being heard. The great majority of those in that Chamber were not heard; and they would observe in listening that the voice seemed to be lost about the room. Many gentlemen were convinced that if that ceiling, beautiful as it was, were hidden by being brought down to a level with the present cornice, they should then have a room of right proportions.

Mr. Ald. DODDS: Oh, fie! (Laughter.)

Mr. BARKAS said it was a question of beauty on the one hand and of utility on the other; and whenever that was the case, he presumed the utility should have the sway. The right proportion of a room was fifty feet by thirty feet, and twenty feet high. Now, the room was the right proportion, with the exception of the height. Those of them who knew anything of the construction of rooms knew that if the ceiling were level they should hear with comparative ease There was another disadvantage of these curtains, and that was they did not vibrate to the sound of the voice. If they had very thick walls and very unvibrating curtains, they were sure to have the voice very much deadened. The introduction of an ornamental ceiling, not too thick to prevent its vibrating, would, he thought, result in their hearing each other quite well throughout the length and breadth of the room. Another disadvantage of the present arrangement was that they were all crushed up together. Those gentlemen sitting in front of him [the reporters] had a very inconvenient position. He was quite sure they would agree with him when he said that it would be much better to have them in their original position. They would hear better; and he thought the Council would feel that it would be desirable to have them out of such a place, for this reason, that when anything was moving in front of a speaker it was apt to distract his attention. He trusted that the suggestion he had made would meet the approbation of the Council, and he had pleasure in submitting the motion to their attention.

Mr. Ald. LAYCOCK said it was a pity that the suggestion was not made before the pillars were erected.

Mr. BARKAS: I knew nothing of the matter till I saw the pillars erected.

Mr. GREGSON rose to second so much of Mr. Barkas's motion as related to the removal of that very formidable barricade. He thought it had spoiled a very noble room.

Mr. Ald. BELL: You're not in order. You cannot second part of a motion.

Mr. HARFORD then seconded the motion.

Mr. GREGSON said he certainly should support the part which referred to the removal of the barricade. He did not think it had improved the hearing qualities of the room one bit. When there was no talking every individual in that room was capable of making himself heard. At all events, if he was not, he should be. He was sure when Mr. Barkas was speaking he (Mr Gregson) felt the sound of his voice almost painfully-it was so distinct; and he thought that any gentleman in that room was quite capable of being heard, provided there was no loud buzz and hum of subdued conversation on all sides. With regard to the ceiling, he certainly would oppose that. The hearing in that room, for the reasons he had stated, was quite sufficient. It was a very beautiful ceiling; and he should not like to see it interfered with. Moreover, he very much objected to the expense. The expense of a new ceiling to that room would amount to a great many pounds. Let them, in the first place, remove that very formidable barrier, and try the effect of that. He thought the Mayor would agree with him that his original idea was that brass rods with curtains should have been suspended, which were easily removable, and would have been neither an eyesore nor an obstruction. Son.mes public bodies made use of that Chamber. At least the Council ..ndsomely accorded public bodies receptions. They had had experience of that during the British Association week, the Prince of Wales's marriage, and other occasions. Now, on any such occasion the size of the room would be very much limited, and the space very much dwarfed. A more useful and ornamental plan would be to remove those gigantic columns, and suspend curtains from brass rods. Certainly, as far as Mr. Barkas's motion was concerned, he had great pleasure in seconding it to that extent. As to interfering with the ceiling, such a step would involve a great expense, and spoil the beauty of the room.

Mr. PLUMMER thought that the motion should be withdrawn for six months. For his own part, he thought they heard far too much of the Council. (Laughter.)

Mr. T. ROBINSON certainly thought, however, that the gentlemen of the press should go back to their old situations.

The MAYOR: I may state in justification that the reporters were constantly complaining of the difficulty of hearing behind this chair.

Mr. GREGSON moved that that portion of the resolution relating to the ceiling be struck out.

Mr. DICKINSON seconded the amendment.

Mr. Ald. BELL said it struck him that they should have a little patience to see the effects of the alterations which had been made. If every gentleman who came into the Council was to begin and try experiments on acoustics and other matters, they should be involved in a continued series of change and expense. Of course, Mr. Barkas might be quite right in what he stated; but it was, perhaps, rather premature to condemn what had already been done. They should let the matter stand over for a few months at all events. (Hear, hear.)

Mr. Ald. Nichol: Be advised Mr. Barkas.

Mr. HARFORD said that all the objections seemed to come from the high end of the room. He was sure that if those gentlemen who sat there sat at the lower end they would have more sympathy with Mr. Barkas. There was one gentleman in that Council whom everybody liked to hear, whether he agreed with him or not, and that was Mr. Ald. Philipson. Now, they scarcely at the lower end of the room ever heard that gentleman.

Mr. Ald. BELL: Then I beg to say it is Mr. Philipson's fault. Mr. GREGSON: It is nothing but refined affectation and a mincing of the Queen's English. (Laughter.)

Mr. Ald. LAYCOCK said all the complaints as to not hearing came from the low end of the room. He did not understand why that should be, believing, as he did, that not only all the wisdom, but all the speaking came from that end of the room, (Hear, hear.) Therefore, they had a full opportunity of hearing their own circle at any rate. (Laughter.) He could only say he was very sorry that the room had been so disfigured by these pillars. They ought not to have been put there without more consideration.

Mr. BARKAS agreed to confine his motion to the removal of the pillars. They were a great eyesore, and a very undesirable thing to have across the room.

The MAYOR: It was at the request of several gentlemen who suffered from cold that these curtains were put up. I do think we should let them hang a little longer.

Mr. W. STEWART said they all knew what the room was before the curtains were put up. They could not hear then, and they heard just as badly now. If anything was to be done, they should try the experiment with the ceiling.

The altered motion was then agreed to.

THE WESLEYAN BAZAAR.

The MAYOR said he had just received a note from the committee of the Wesleyan Bazaar, which was being held in the Town Hall, asking the Mayor, Aldermen, and Councillors to patronise the bazaar.