Mr. GREGSON said be that as it might, he must express his decided objection to the plan which showed the great curve. He had heard no argument in its favour except by Mr. Sanderson, who calmly told them that they must drive a horse within thirty yards of another. (Laughter.)

Mr. SANDERSON: I didn't say so.

Mr. GREGSON thought he was a better driver than Mr. Sanderson, and probably he had had more break-neck escapes than any other person, but he flattered himself that he could drive to an inch and manage the inch too. (Laughter.) There had been no argument uttered for delay, except on the part of Mr. Hodge, that they might be led into some difficulty with gentlemen interested in the question. He had therefore great pleasure in moving that this affair be settled at once, that the town might reap the benefit of the great improve

ment.

The vote was then taken. For the amendment proposed and modified by Mr. Hodge 19 voted, and against it 12. The amendment was therefore carried.

PAVING STREETS.

Mr. MAWSON, in the absence of Mr. Ald, Wilson, moved the application of the provisions of the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Improvement Act, 1865, relating to the formation of new streets to the streets undermentioned, that such streets be sewered, paved, and flagged with the meterials, according to the manner and levels specified by the Town Surveyor in his estimate of the costs attending the several works, within one calendar month from the 4th day of September, 1867; and that such estimates be adopted and confirmed by the Council, and that the requisite notices be forthwith given to the respective owners, as required by the Act. Back Stoddard Street and Clarence Crescent, estimated cost, £200 1s. 7d.; Clarence Crescent, £321 12s. 11d.; St. Mary's Crescent, Carlton Place, and front of Windsor Crescent, Jesmond Road, £552 16s. 8d.; property and yards behind Cut Band, £156 9s.-total, £1,231 Os. 2d. The motion was agreed to.

The Council adjourned for a week.

ADJOURNED MEETING.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 1867.

AN adjourned meeting was held to-day in the Council Chamber-the Mayor (Mr. Ald. Hunter) presiding. The other members of the Council present were the Sheriff (Mr. R. Cail), Aldermen Dodds, Pollard, I. L. Bell, Ridley, Hedley, and Wilson; Messrs. Curry, Hunnam, Henry Angus, Gregson, Thomas Robinson, Dickinson, W. Hawthorn, Milvain, Hodge, I. Temple, jun., Newton, Clark, Harford, Barkas, Hutchinson, Morrison, Hamond, Falconar, Harle, Smith, Stokoe, Jos. Cowen, jun., Jonathan Angus, Tone, Sanderson, Plummer, and Potter.

THE GREAT FIRE,

The TOWN CLERK read a letter from Messrs. Merryweather and Sons, London, with reference to their patent fire engines and fire escapes, stating that they had seen from the papers that there had been a destructive fire in Newcastle, and giving it as their opinion that had there been steam fire engines a very great deal of the property that was otherwise lost might have been saved. It was added that, if the Council thought it necessary, their agent, who would be in the neighbourhood in about a fortnight, would wait upon them. A letter, very much to the same effect, was read from Messrs. Strand, Mason, and Co, London. The communication enclosed some price lists of steam fire engines, and it was stated that the writers were the first to introduce this kind of engine since 1830, when Mr. Braithwaite brought them forward but failed to establish them. [See "Record," August 11.]

Mr. SANDERSON asked if some of the hose pipes which split so frequently during the fire were not provided by the Messrs. Merryweather? He was inclined to think they were.

The MAYOR: I cannot answer that question.

Mr. GREGSON thought Mr. Sanderson, before introducing such a question, should have made sure who were the parties who supplied the defective hose. An insinuation such as that mentioned might prove very serious.

Mr. SANDERSON: I think you will find I am correct.

Mr. GREGSON: Then I think you should say so.
The letters were referred to the Watch Committee.

THE NEW STREET THROUGH ST. JOHN'S LANE.

The TOWN CLERK read the following report from the Finance Committee on the proposed new street through St. John's Lane:—

The Finance Committee have had under their consideration the Parliamentary plans for the street through St. John's Lane, and also the agreements between the Corporation and Mr. Pattinson, and between the Corporation and Mr. Angus, as well as the plan referred to by the trustees of the Savings Bank as having been exhibited at the time of the purchase made by them of the Vicar of Newcastle. The committee are of opinion that the agreements with Mr. Pattinson and Mr, Angus, preclude the Corporation, unless with the consent of those gentlemen, from forming the proposed street on the line approved by the Council on the 10th July last. Under these circumstances, the committee recommend that the street be formed in general accordance with the plan prepared by Mr. Lamb which accompanies this report, but with power to the committee to make such alterations, not inconsistent with its general direction, as may be thought desirable.

Mr. HAMOND: The plan referred to is a new one, I presume?
The TOWN CLERK: Yes, a new plan.

Mr. MORRISON understood that when they broke up at last meeting it was with the view of deciding, when they again met, which was the better plan of the two before them-that of Mr. Lamb or that of Mr. Cail. But Mr. Lamb now presented another plan, which he did not know they could consider, as it was not one of the two upon which they had adjourned, and it therefore seemed to him that they would be out of order in going into it. He had had no time to see this plan. He had well considered the other plans, as every member of the Council had done, and now they were asked to adopt another plan. He did not quite understand that. He understood that the last meeting was adjourned to give members of the Council an opportunity of further considering the merits of the plans that were then laid before them. (Hear, hear.)

Mr. HAMOND: And how far they agreed with the Parliamentary plan, and the agreements entered into with different gentlemen. Mr. MORRISON: There is now a new element introduced amongst

us.

Mr. Jós. CowEN, jun., understood they could not proceed legally under the present plans. Was that so?

The MAYOR: We cannot comply with the requirements of the parties to whom we sold land by the plan of Mr. Lamb, which we adopted.

Mr. CowEN: Can we adopt Mr. Cail's?

The MAYOR: This new plan meets those requirements.

Mr. MORRISON: I understand this new plan approaches nearer to Mr. Cail's plan than the former.

The TOWN CLERK, at the request of the Mayor, read the resolution passed at the last meeting, which was as follows:

That it be referred to the Finance Committee to consider the best line for St. John's Lane, having a special regard to a new line of street exhibited to Mr. Angus and other persons, with whom a contract was entered into for selling the sites. Also the Parliamentary plans, and any plan assented to by the Town Improvement Committee as exhibited to the trustees of the Savings' Bank at the time of the erection of that building.

The MAYOR: It is quite open to consider any plan.

Mr. HARFORD: We could get over it by moving an amendment. Mr. HAMOND: This is as nearly as possible the Parliamentary plan.

Mr. GREGSON: I think my motion is on the paper. I shall not trouble you long in bringing it forward.

Mr. Ald. BELL said that, as a matter of form, there was nothing before the Council. A report had been read, but no one had yet moved its adoption by the Council. As vice-chairman of the

Finance Committee, he now rose to undertake that duty, feeling at the same time that he was an unfit person for the task, inasmuch as he had not had an opportunity of hearing the various arguments either in favour of the one plan or the other. So far, however, as the attention he had paid to the circumstances enabled him to form an opinion, the deviation from the original plan, as laid down by Mr. Lamb, was based on these considerations-first, that Mr. Lamb's plan, at least so far as his own opinion was concerned, was decidedly not one which could recommend itself either for beauty or convenience of direction. Partly from that circumstance, and partly also from the fact that there were some engagements into which the Council had entered, the plan was abandoned, and the committee then proceeded to consider the plan of Mr. Cail. He might again state, so far as his own individual opinion was concerned, that the Sheriff's plan was the one which recommended itself most to their attention, in so far as the mere matter of beauty was concerned. At the same time, he was given to understand that with it, as with the one by Mr. Lamb, certain technical objections opposed themselves; and in consequence the committee had been driven to adopt another plan which would combine as nearly as possible all the advantages sought to be acquired by the plan of the Sheriff. The result of the deliberations of the committee was to be found in the plan now before them, and which, in point of fact, followed pretty nearly the direction of Mr. Cail's, only instead of adopting the very graceful curve projected by that gentleman they had been driven to adopt the straight line before them. With these observations, he moved the confirmation of the report.

Mr. HAMOND: How far is that plan in accordance with the wishes of the Savings Bank people?

The MAYOR: It is quite in accordance with their views.

Mr. Ald. BELL: There is no difficulty there.

Mr. MILVAIN seconded the motion.

Mr. GREGSON moved-" That the resolution passed at the special meeting of the Council held on the 10th July last, approving of a line for the new street through St. John's Lane, be rescinded, and that the plan submitted by Mr. Cail be adopted." He did not know whether he should exactly call that an amendment, as he thought Mr. Ald. Bell took pretty much the same view as he did himself. At all events, the notice stood in his name on the paper, in which they found he had recommended, as he did before, the adoption of Mr. Cail's plan in preference to any other. The subject was discussed so much in detail at the last meeting that very little was necessary on his part in introducing that particular motion. He must say that having conidered the plan before, and having again considered it as carefully as he could, he had seen nothing to shake the opinion he had previously expressed that Mr. Cail's plan combined all the advantages of a very graceful street, with a very gentle curve, and a more equable distribution of property on each side. On the other hand, the more valuable part of the street was, according to Mr. Lamb's new plan, reduced to about twenty feet-by Mr. Lamb's plan he meant the new one now submitted to the Council. Mr. Ald. Dodds had said that, upon the reduced portion of the street so represented, a barber's shop might be built. (Laughter.) He (Mr. Gregson) could not but feel an objection to any small shop being placed in what might be a noble street when completed. Mr. Cail's plan, while it had more depth on one side than was afforded in Mr. Lamb's, gave ample room on the other. He thought the Council had a right to congratulate itself upon the result of the proceedings now before them, because if the original resolution had not been rescinded, he had no hesitation in saying that the Council would have been committed to a plan which was exceedingly faulty, and which would have led them into very expensive, and, he had no doubt, just litigation. He did not think the Savings Bank had much of a case, but a certain plan had been introduced which gave Mr. Angus the go-by, and had thrown him in to akind of cul de sac, which he had never bargained for. Therefore, that delay had been exceedingly to the advantage of the parties concerned who had so far gained, and the Corporation had certainly not lost, As he had said before, he saw nothing in this new plan, which was a very slight variation of the plan of Mr. Cail; and had Mr. Lamb really adhered to his original plan, he did not think there would have been so much opposition. But still this was a plan that he did say had not been sufficiently considered This was the first time he had seen it, and he dared say many other gentlemen were in the same predicament. Mr. Cail's plan they had not only seen, but had had the advantage of seeing it with a model, which certainly gave a much better insight into the state and position of the properties in question than any mere tracing could do. He took the opportunity of saying that he thought the Corporation were extremely indebted to Mr. Cail, who had spent a great deal of time, some temper, and, he was sure, some little expense in getting up these elaborate models. (Hear, hear.) He should only conclude by saying that he saw no reason whatever to procrastinate or alter