outlay for a larger room. Mr. H. Beck observed that they would have to borrow money at 5 per cent., and as they would only get 5 per cent. & would have to keep the building in repair, the Commissioners would be losing money. As also they might shortly have a market-room at the west end of the town, it behoved to them to act with caution. Mr. Harvey had no fear that market business would go westward. If a building were erected at the Priory such as he had seen proposed, it would cost six or eight thousand pounds, and the poor would be taxed for that which would give them no benefit. If the project was to have all the machinery of business together, the capital ought to be raised in shares and not be a burden on the borough rate. Mr. Womersley disclaimed any idea of conflicting interests between the two ends of the Commission, but the general idea was that things were moving westward. He did not know that such a movement was wise, or that it existed to the extent to which some persons supposed. He did not think it desirable to bring all sorts of business down to the west end: that district, as he viewed it, being more for the purposes of pleasure than of business. For this reason he had always questioned whether a harbour at the west end would be beneficial to the town. But the construction of a room such as contemplated in the report would not supersede a larger one for public purposes elsewhere. They had to bear in mind, however, that there would be at least a loss of about one per cent. To the Commissioners, and that Mr. West could only a hire the room for a term of three years. — Mr. Harman thought the Commissioners ought not to be particular to a hundred or two. True, their debt amounted to £11,000, but where was there an improving town in the kingdom which did not incur a larger debt in the course of 30 years? Mr. Dunk had not lost sight of a separate entrance, but that would involve the sacrificing the rent of a shop which realised £30 a year. — Mr. T. Edwards. moved as an amendment that the room have a separate entrance, Mr. West to use the room on market days, and the Commissioners retaining it had for their own purposes on other days. Mr. H. Winter would vote against Mr. Edwards’s amendment. He thought the Committee’s plan sufficient. If they meant to build a room still larger, it ought to be at the west end of the town, so as to be in a central position. — Mr. Wingfield did not see that because a certain gentleman had leased the Crown land, they should carry all their public buildings down there. The amendments being put to the vote, were lost by considerable majorities, and the Committee’s report was accepted by a majority of 28. It was further resolved that the architect should receive £200 as soon as the building was roofed in.
Withdrawal of Tender. At the meeting on April 7, Mr. Broadbridge declined signing his tender for plastering of the Market room, pleading -
