Mr. Watson represented himself as being chief draughtsman in the Town Surveyor's department. He received a salary of £2 10s. per week, and he stated his time was fully employed. That he prepared and completed fully four-fifths of all the plans that emanated from Mr. Bryson's office. He was also sometimes employed in out-door work, and occasionally, but not often, assisted by Mr. Bryson, jun., with his private plans. Many of the plans prepared by Mr. Watson were inspected by your committee, and were approved of as creditable works of art.

John Buchan is one of Mr. Bryson's foremen. He looks after the sewering, paving, and flagging, and attends at the time-taker's office in the morning to see the men, and to assign their work. He has heard, and believes, that "allowances are sometimes made to contractors, and he thinks, if it be so, it does not appear under the head of "allowance," but is done by adding increased measurement to that actually performed.

Mr. Bryson, jun., denies the correctness of this statement, but admits that "allowances" are sometimes made, and are paid separately from measurement. Buchan has heard that Corporation materials have been taken to, and Corporation men employed at, the houses being built by Mr. Bryson, jun., but he has not seen such things done. It is only fair, however, to say that these allegations are wholly denied by Mr. Bryson, jun., and that the evidence of this man was given with so much hesitation and in such an unsatisfactory manner as to render it for the most part untrustworthy.

Engineering Department.-Mr. Lamb was engaged about three and a half years ago, as chief engineer to the Corporation, at a salary of £500. The scope and nature of Mr. Lamb's duties have not to this day been defined; and, although the inference is self-evident, from the style and character of his appointment, that it was intended he was to be head over the town surveyor and road surveyor's departments, yet he has not in any way interfered therein, nor has he beenconsulted in relation thereto; and as a consequence, his office has degenerated from that of chief engineer to but little more than an estate agent over the property of the Corporation, the greater part of which is situated in the neighbouring counties and borough. Nevertheless, this injurious system of division is attended with the cumulative evil of entailing the cost of a separate and independent staff of clerks and artisans in addition to those employed by the town surveyor and road surveyor. Mr. Lamb has under him the following staff, irrespective of artisans:-Appointed by the Finance Committee, William Pearson, head draughtsman, £150; appointed by Mr. Lamb-J. M. Robinson, draughtsman, £109 4s.; Peter Weatherly, copying clerk, £70 4s.; George Little, foreman, £91.

It may here be observed that Mr. Robinson, who is engaged in Mr. Lamb's office, also, like Mr. Bryson, jun., has occupied himself occasionally with preparing for builders, in competition with professional architects of the town, who, having to deposit their plans with the Corporation, give to persons situated as Mr. Robinson, a most unfair advantage, and, therefore, it cannot be a matter of surprise that the practice is much complained of by architects whose interests are prejudiced by its operation.

He

Road Surveyor.-Mr. Dawson has the superintending of the Macadamised roads and the scavenging of the town at a salary of £200 per annum. has men under him on whom devolve most of the executive duties of this department, such as superintending the men and carts employed on the roads, as well as those engaged with the night and day scavenging, with buying horses, as well as all corn and hay, keeping the carter's and men's time, and engaging and keeping the time of carts not being those of, or in the permanent employ of the Corporation. Mr. Dawson has left your committee at a loss to decide as to whether, to any, and if so, to what, branch of his duties in particular he gives his personal attention, because in addition to their other functions, his foremen engage and discharge the carts and the workmen, and fix the rate of wages to be paid to each.

Chief Constable.-Mr. Sabbage appeared before your committee, and explained the nature and extent of his duties, and laid before them a summarised statement of the whole constabulary force under him, by which it appears there are, including himself:-Chief constable, 1; inspectors, 7;

sub-inspectors, 9; sergeants, 8; detective officers,4; merit class constables, 29; first-class constables, 83; second-class constables, 16-total, 157. Your committee have much pleasure in observing that in their opinion Mr. Sabbage's duties are well performed, and that he is entire master of the important situation he holds.

Resume.-Your committee having now laid before you a brief outline of the most material portion of the evidence taken by them (and they beg to refer you to the minutes taken by Mr. Carr for the remainder), they submit that the first part of their task, under the resolution appointing them, is ended; and that the second and most responsible portion is about to begin, viz., that of laying before you their impression, as deduced by evidence, of the existing organization for administering Corporation affairs, and their recommendation for its re-construction, in part, on a basis which, they believe, will not only ensure increased efficiency, but will attach to the heads of departments real and direct responsibility, where at present very little, if any, exists. In the first place, they approve of the following offices, and of the manner in which the duties assigned to them respectively are performed, viz.:-"Town Treasurers," "Rates Assessors," and "Clerk of the Corporation Offices, and the management of the police force." From the evidence taken as to the departments called at present those of the borough engineer (which your committee have shown to be much more of the nature of that of land agent), town surveyor, and road surveyor, your committee are forced to the conclusion that the existing sub-division of duty, and consequent indirect responsibility, in these departments tend to a large and useless cost in management, and that the arrangement is far less efficient than is most desirable it should be, and as it is believed would be, were these departments placed under one competent and responsible head, assisted by a staff which might be selected from among the numerous staff of employés now engaged in the three departments separately. Under the existing arrangement, Mr. Lamb, the “borough engineer," has under him a staff unnecessarily expensive for the duties he has now to perform, whereas with a small and well-selected addition, the whole work of the three departments already referred to might be equally well, and, in the opinion of your committee, very much better done than it is at present, at a largely reduced cost, and with direct and incontrovertible responsibility attaching to the officer, who, it is strongly recommended should be appointed, and should have the whole of these three branches of administration under his absolute charge. This plan would also have the additional advantage of confining to the care and responsibility of one and the same officer all the great expenditure which is incurred under the direction and order both of the Finance and Town Improvement Committees, an expenditure, which at its present rate of increase, will tax the resources of the Council to meet, and it would also guard against the evil and loss which are sometimes incident on conflicting directions to separate offices emanating from these two governing bodies respectively. With the view, therefore, of carrying out the foregoing suggestions, your committee propose the following resolutions for your approval and adoption:-I. That one officer be appointed, to be called the borough engineer. II. That to him be entrusted, assisted by such a staff as he may suggest, and as you may approve, the different departments now carried on under the names of the "borough engineer," "property surveyor," "town surveyor," and "road surveyor," the duties of which department, when concentrated under one head, may be briefly summarised as follows:-1. The designing, execution, superintendence, and maintenance of all engineering or architectural work required by or incident to the Council. 2. The oversight and inspection of all buildings, so as to enforce compliance with the building or sanitary laws in force in the borough. 3. The maintenance of streets and roads. 4. The scavenging of the town. 5. The management of the Corporation property (other than coals) within and without the borough. 6. And any other analogous duties which may from time to time be required by the Council. In order to give practical effect to these suggestions, if they be approved by the Council, your committee further recommend the subject to the re-engagement of those at present employed, who may be considered competent and required, whether for the office of chief or for any of the subor

dinate posts hereafter to be created. III. That notice of discontinuance of service, conformably with the several terms of engagement, be at once served upon all persons, other than workmen, now employed in the present borough engineer's, town surveyor's, and road surveyor's departments; and that in the meantime your committee be continued, and empowered by the signature of the commmittee, or other appointee, not only to give such notices of discontinuance of service to each person indicated, but that whilst the said notice, so to be given, are in course of exhaustion, they be requested, and are hereby authorised, to make such arrangements and appointments, as they may deem best for reorganising the several offices thus to become vacant, on a plan, as near as may be, in conformity with the recommendation contained in this report, and that when the same is completed, they report accordingly, and obtain the sanction of the Council.

The report, in accordance with the motion of Mr. MORRISON, was ordered to be printed and circulated.

COMMITTEE CHANGES.

Mr. SMITH moved that Mr. Pollard take the places occupied by Mr. Philipson on the various committees; and that Mr. Stokoe serve on the committees on which Mr. Pollard had previously served.

Mr. CURRY seconded the motion, which was unanimously agreed to.

CORPORATION DOCUMENTS.

Mr. Ald. INGLEDEW asked whether any arrangement had been made for removing the records from the Sandhill to these (Town Hall) buildings? The Corporation were possessed of a great number of records, very old and very valuable. His inquiry was whether any arrangement had been made for the removal of those records.

Mr. CLAYTON: Great progress has been made in the removal, and in a few weeks it will be completed.

Mr. Ald. INGLEDEW: Is there any inventory of the articles?
Mr. CLAYTON: There will be a perfect inventory.

THE NEW POLICE COURT.

Mr. CLAYTON read the following communication from Mr. Bulman, clerk to the magistrates:

Police Office, June 14th, 1867. Gentlemen,-I am directed by the magistrates to transmit the accompanying plans of a new Police Court for the examination and consideration of the Council, and of the committee specially appointed with reference to that subject. The magistrates desire to act in co-operation with the Council, in order that the common object of both parties, the providing of the most suitable building, and at the least practicable expense, may the more readily be obtained. It is felt by the magistrates that considerable inconvenience and much expense would result from even the temporary transaction of police business at the Guildhall, and they would be glad if this could be avoided. I am to add that the magistrates have appointed the Mayor, Mr. Hamond, Mr.

Dodds, Mr. Liddell, and Mr Wilson, to be a committee, with reference to the proposed new Police Court, and that the committee so appointed would be glad to meet the committee of the Council, and to discuss with them the best mode of proceeding.

I am, Gentlemen, your obedient servant,

JOHN BULMAN, Clerk to the Justices. Mr. HARFORD did not think that they could adopt a course of this character without suspending the standing orders. It was altogether irregular. It was a new attempt to get rid, by a side-wind, of a previous decision of the Council. It might be very proper that it should be done; but certainly they should not concede to the greatest man in the Council the right to get the question settled in that kind of way. There was order in everything, and that order ought to be preserved out of respect to the humblest member of the Councilespecially, he said, out of respect to the decision come to by the Council, after a very strong resolution. The buisness ought not to be introduced in that way. If it was to be done, let it be done manfully, and in broad day-light. Let them not have anything that wore the aspect of a clandestine mode of upsetting the decision of a previous meeting.

The matter was then allowed to stand over.

THE HEALTH OF THE TOWN.

The following letter was read from the Board of Guardians:— Newcastle-upon-Tyne, June 22, 1867.

Dear Sir, The Board of Guardians have had brought under their notice the report of the Public Health Committee, presented to the Council on the 7th March last. Although this Board is not the nuisances removal authority, certain duties are imposed upon the Guardians in relation to the public health under the Diseases Prevention Act, and the orders of the Privy Council thereunder; one of which is to cause a report of any nuisances in the Union which may come under their observation, or that of their officers, to the nuisances removal authority. The Board have much pleasure in acknowledg ing the prompt attention of the Council to all the reports which have been made to them in the exercise of the duty referred to. With regard to the report of the Public Health Committee, the Board direct me respectfully to urge upon the Council the early consideration of the suggestions and recommendations contained in that report with a view to the improvement of the sanitary condition of the town.

I am, dear sir, your obedient servant,

GEORGE FORSTER, Clerk to the Board of Guardians. John Clayton, Esq., Town Clerk, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

The commuication was referred to the Sanitary Committee.

THE ADJOURNMENT.

Mr. Ald. INGLEDEW: Perhaps, under the circumstances we are placed in to-day, we might adjourn this meeting. I, therefore, move that we do now adjourn.

Mr. HAMOND: Previous to the adjournment being put, I must press my motion (in respect to the finances of the Corporation.) I am not aware that it will lead to much discussion. It has stood upon

the paper for some months, and it is absolutely necessary that it should be passed at this meeting.

Mr. H. PARKER seconded the motion for the adjournment.

Mr. GREGSON moved, as an amendment, that the Council meet that day fortnight.

Mr. HAMOND: I shall press my motion.

The MAYOR: It has not been seconded.

Mr. GREGSON: I second it with great pleasure.

Mr. BARKAS: Is there any special reason for adjourning? There are some very important things before us. One matter is, the new street from Grainger Street to Neville Street. It is desirable that that should be proceeded with as soon as possible.

Mr. HAMOND: Adjourn when the very system of our taxation is under discussion; when the future prosperity or woe of this Council is to be discussed! (Hear, hear, and a laugh.) Is it not treating us in a very light manner to move an adjournment for no other purpose than to please a few people? I would like to know why we are thus asked to adjourn.

Mr. Ald. INGLEDEW: As a mark of respect to the late Town Clerk.

Mr. HAMOND: We have paid every possible mark of respect to the Town Clerk. I am sure it is no wish of his that we should adjourn. Mr. CLAYTON: You must consider me quite at your service in any way.

Mr. HAMOND: Mr. Clayton is functus officio. Mr. Philipson is supposed to be here now.

Mr. GREGSON repeated his amendment for an adjournment for a fortnight.

Mr. TONE seconded the amendment.

Mr. HARFORD: The idea of adjourning for the purpose of paying a tribute of respect to Mr. Clayton is perfectly ridiculous. There is but one feeling in this Council on the subject. The question is, whether the business of this Council had not better be proceeded with.

Mr. HAMOND moved that the names be taken down, that the public might have an opportunity of judging who were inclined to do nothing.

The amendment was then put, when there voted in its favour, 18; against, 21. The following was the order of voting:

FOR THE AMENDMENT.-Messrs. Hamond, Hutchinson, Dickinson, Sanderson, J. Robinson, Tone, T. Forster, Falconar, Gregson, M'Allum, Cowen, Harford, Harle, Burrell, Charlton, H. Angus, Milvain, and G. Forster-18. AGAINST THE AMENDMENT.-The Mayor, the Sheriff, Aldermen Hodgson, Dodds, Pollard, Sillick, Laycock, Ingledew, and Wilson, and Messrs. Parker, Potter, Smith, Oliver, Newton, Scott, Stokoe, Barkas, Hodge, Morrison, T. Robinson, Hunnam, and Mawson-21.