gentleman had referred to that subject that he had heard, and he thought it was one of very considerable importance. If they adopted the plan in its integrity, they would have a cross street of a width of some thirty-eight feet. Now, thirty-eight feet was much too wide for a back street, and much too narrow for a front street. If they intended to run through a street there, which should be available ior the ordinary purposes of traffic, it must be greater than thirtyeight feet wide. He was strongly of opinion, however and he believed many members of the Council and the public held the same view-that a street in that direction was altogether useless. It would only shorten the distance to the Stephenson Monument, which was the nearest point of approach, by, probably, four or five yards, and that was round by a narrow back street-a place where only persons of ill character would in all probability assemble (hear, hear)-so that the cross street, instead of being a convenience, would be a serious nuisance. He was told that men from Stephenson's and Hawthorn's factories came up in that direction in great numbers, but it was quite clear that that line would be a very slight inconvenience, as they would only have to walk a few yards further to get to Westgate Street, or wherever their dwellings might be. would, therefore, respectfully suggest to the Council, not to pass a street through there at all, and that Mr. Pattinson be supplied with the site that he originally took, next to the churchyard; and if it were thought that it would be convenient to have the side of a house projecting towards the street, and possibly to the business approach down from the station, all that would be required to be done would be to allow Mr. Pattinson to have a twenty feet yard next to the Church wall to build a front equivalent to the other houses in the street. By that means persons coming from the station up the street would see a properly-built front instead of back windows and back walls, and they would save a great number of yards in space, turning a considerable amount of property to eligible and proper purposes, It was said that eventually they would have a cross street through Rosemary Lane. If so, they would have the old churchyard on one side, and houses on the other; and the principal question was whether that would be carried out at present. His own opinion was that they had better not make a street there at all.

He

Mr. PLUMMER (who had just entered the Council Chamber) said he was not present at the commencement of this discussion, and, therefore, he did not know quite the reasons why the Finance Committee had reported against Mr. Lamb's original plan. He liked that plan best for this reason that it brought St. John's Church prominenty forward into such a position that it might at some day become the centre of a square. He had no doubt the day would come when the churchyards in the town would be thrown into the streets, as they were already beginning to do in London. That would take place when the near relatives of persons interred in the churchyards were dead, and when, of course, no strong feeling would exist on the point. It was only a matter of

some forty years hence, and the Church, if then brought forward, would be not only an ornament to the town, but might become the centre of a well-built square. He had just been informed, however, by the gentleman next him that there had been some difficulty as to the previous contracts they had made with parties to whom they had sold sites, and that in consequence of that a different plan had been adopted. Of course, in that case, he should support the report of the Finance Committee, but he would observe that he was exceedingly sorry that the Sheriff should have brought forward a plan in his own name in competition with one of their own officers. He would recommend Councillors, when they came in contact with officers appointed by the Corporation who might be in the same profession as themselves, to move that instructions be given to the officer to do so and so, instead of taking the undignified course which, it appeared to him, had been pursued on that occasion. He should not like solicitors, for instance, to make motions in opposition to the Town Clerk, who was the legal adviser of the Corporation. (Hear, hear.) He thought it would be very much better for the future if instructions were given through the committees to their respective officers. He remembered very well some three or four months ago Mr. Lamb coming to the Town Improvement Committee with a draft plan, and asking what was thought of it previous to his making out a properly coloured design. He consulted him as one of the members of that committee, the plan which he submitted showing a straight line, and he said to him-" Mr. Lamb, I don't like these very straight lines.".

Mr. GREGSON: This has nothing to do with the question whatever. The MAYOR: Mr. Plummer is quite in order.

But,

Mr. PLUMMER Continued: "I don't like these very straight lines; I think it might be very much improved ;" and the committee were divided upon the question as to whether they should accept the plan, or whether the opinion of an architect at a distance should be called in. The plan bringing the Church forward was approved by a majority, but two or three days afterwards the Town Improvement Committee adopted a resolution that some architect at a distanc e should be consulted. This led to the whole of the confusion. in addition to that, if he had been in a minority on last occasion, he would have voted against rescinding the resolution carried by the Council, for the whole of the day at the last meeting was taken up with attempts to rescind resolutions-one with respect to the magistrates' court, and the other with regard to that particular street. Now, where was this to end? Whatever resolution they carried that day, any gentleman in the minority had a right to ask that they rescind it again. The practice was a most mischievous one, and he hoped they would see the necessity of considering carefully and definitely what they wished done. There might really be some new facts in the case, but in general he protested against their time being taken up with rescinding resolutions previously carried by the Council.

Mr. MILVAIN said that as he was the person who moved the adoption of that report in committee, it might be expected that he should say a word or two to explain to the Council how he took that upon himself. He had attended to the matter as closely as he could. He had listened to the arguments, which had really been without end; and he had listened that day to what had been so repeatedly stated about Mr. Lamb altering his plan. Now, there was one thing they must not forget when they heard that, and that was that Mr. Cail had also changed his plan.

The SHERIFF: No, No.

Mr. MILVAIN: No, but you have said how you would do it to meet the objections which the Town Clerk started to that plan being adopted. He (Mr. Milvain) moved the adoption of Mr. Lamb's line, because he thought it was the simplest and best of all the plans that had been submitted either to the Finance Committee or the Council. He remembered well enough at last Council meeting that the argument of the twist, or bend, in the street was one that was attacked right and left. It was contended that the straighter the street the greater the beauty. According to the arguments that day, Mr. Lamb came before them with a plan straighter than either Mr. Cail's or his own former one, and now they objected to it because the street was too straight, so that they blew hot one week and cold the next. (Laughter.) They had heard something which was likely to tell with every commercial man in that Council about the great amount of saving there would be by adopting the Sheriff's plan in preference to that of Mr. Lamb-that by Mr. Cail's plan they could gain 380 yards; but it could not be denied that when the Sheriff gained on the one side he would lose on the other. (Hear, hear.) There was a given space; and the only way by which the saving of 380 yards was to be made, if he was correctly informed, was by taking it off one side and giving it to the other. That was an arrangement that every commercial man would understand. He was one of those who gave all possible credit to the Sheriff for the labour he had undertaken, and he thought they were under an obligation to him; but he hoped and believed they had not come there that day to fight a battle as to whether the Sheriff should have the honour of projecting the new street or the Town Surveyor. They were there to adopt the line which they thought best adapted to what was required by the town. By adopting the Sheriff's line, they threw themselves on the mercy of the Bishop and Vicar and that class of people. (A laugh, and cries of "No.") He begged their pardon—to make that line it would be necessary to purchase a piece of St. John's Churchyard. Mr. HAMOND: Which we have power to do

Mr. MILVAIN: And for which you will have to pay. By adopting the plan of Mr. Lamb, as it had been amended, they got clear of the churchyard altogether, losing not a single inch of their ground, and they would get a plan that would please everybody. By adopting the Sheriff's plan they would have to buy other people up, or make some arrangement with them. By Mr. Lamb's plan

they were able to accommodate all the people with the very sites that they had purchased without any payment whatever beyond the contract, and that being so, he felt then, as he felt now, that he was justified in asking the committee to adopt the line which was simplest, which would lead to the least possible trouble, and by which they would get a street with everything that the public required. Now, then, they had heard something from Mr. Hodge; and they knew that anything that that gentleman addressed to the Council came with peculiar weight, because he was a man who was exceedingly careful; but it was his duty to tell them that day from what had transpired in the committee room, that there was no plan either Mr. Lamb's or the Sheriff s-that would meet the views of Mr. Hodge. He told them they had no power to make the street without making the back street

Mr. HODGE: I never said so.

Mr. MILVAIN said Mr. Hodge had certainly advocated a back street in committee. (Cries of Question.")

Mr. HODGE: I have said nothing about that here. I am prepared to justify what I said in committee if I should be called upon to do so.

Mr. MILVAIN Would pass that by, and come down to the last speaker, Mr. Barkas, who had some particular plan of his own. He had not submitted it, except in argument, which he had done cleverly as he always did. (Laughter.) But what he had said having reference to a plan not before them was not to the point. With these observations, he would support the motion of Mr. Ald. Bell. Mr. GREGSON: Mr. Mayor

The MAYOR: You have spoken already, Doctor.

Mr. GREGSON: But I surely have the right of reply.

The MAYOR: It is Ald. Bell who has to reply—not you.

Mr. GREGSON: Then all I have to say is, that I have heard so much nonsense that it is hardly possible for me to keep my seat. (Great laughter.)

The SHERIFF asked to be allowed to make one or two remarks. Mr. Sanderson, a gentleman of large property, had told him that he might perhaps be going to apply for a situation under the Corporation. (A Voice: "Not seriously.") Mr. Sanderson might have been serious or he might not, but a man who professed such high principles, should not abandon the principles he advocated last week. Mr. Sanderson's great argument at the previous meeting was that there should be as much ground on the North side as could possibly be got. He now supported a line which took less ground than his own (the speaker's), and, therefore, they could place a value upon his principles. Then Mr. Plummer said that everything should be done by the officers of the Corporation. But in what he was doing he was not competing against any of their officers. He was not getting a farthing for what he was doing; and they knew that. He was

simply acting for the public good, and it was his belief that his plan was more likely to benefit the community than that brought forward by Mr. Lamb. By not commencing his curve so soon, he accomplished all that Mr. Lamb could do.

Mr. CowEN: Mr. Mayor, we have talked a full hour by the clock. (Hear, hear.) I think this a "small tempest in a teapot." (Laughter) I think to talk as we have done is exceedingly trifling for men of business, and I protest against it. (Hear, hear.) I could make a speech for an hour. (A Member: "Aye, two hours," and laughter.) I do not see the necessity of wasting time. I say-" Vote." (Hear, hear)

Mr. BARRAS gave notice of another amendment-"That the line of street now recommended by Mr. Lamb, be adopted; and that the cross street projected from the new street to Rosemary Lane, be left for future consideration."

The MAYOR: It is so; there is no cross street before us.

Mr. Ald. BELL rose to reply. He did not agree that the question was one of the nature of a tempest in a tea-pot," as had been

Mr. HARLE: If there is to be a speech, I should like a few words, Mr. Mayor. (Laughter.) I thought Mr. Cowen extinguished everybody.

Mr. Ald. BELL was willing not to make a speech, excepting to remark that the difference between Mr. Lamb's plan and that of the Sheriff, arose from the fact that the design of Mr. Lamb did not embrace the curve introduced by Mr. Cail. He would submit, therefore, that they could not be far wrong in adopting a resolution to the effect"That the street be formed in general accordance with the plan prepared by the Sheriff, but that power be given to the Finance Committee to make such alterations therein as they may think desirable." (Cries of "no.")

Mr. GREGSON had no objection to adopt that resolution as his amendment.

Mr. Ald. Bell said that individually, he was ready to adopt it in preference to the report of the Finance Committee.

A show of hands was then taken, when there voted, for the amend ment, agreeing to adopt the plan of the Sheriff, subject to alterations, 17; for the motion, 16.

The amendment was consequently carried; and, on the motion of Mr. Gregson, the motion adopted on the subject at the meeting on the 10th of July was rescinded.

THE CORPORATION OFFICIALS.

Mr. MORRISON said, as chairman of the special committee on the officers of the Corporation, he was commissioned to present a report to the Council, which he did some few meetings ago. He now came forward to ask them to adopt that report, and give effect to it He