The annual produce of these tolls, deducing the expence of Houses, Collectors, &c. was estimated at £1715. The committee likewise proposed a rate, not exceeding 6d. in the pound, per quarter, on the landlords and occupiers of houses, &c. within the city (exclusive of the hamlets), the annual produce of which was calculated at £3000; so that the whole expence, under the proposed bill, would have stood thus: £ £ For lighting, watching, and cleansing 1770 For keeping in repair such parts of the city as 1000 2770 could not be immediately paved Produce of tolls 1715 of rate 3000 4715 Leaving for the immediate commencement of paving, the sum of £1945; which sum would have been increased by the annual payment of a certain sum by the Corporation, the Bishop, and Dean and Chapter, for such parts of the city now repaired by them; and by the annual decrease of the sum of £1000, in proportion as the new pavement was completed. The committee concluded this well-digested report by stating its opinion, that no time should be lost in applying to Parliament; but as it had several other matters under consideration, it begged leave to be permitted to make a final report at some future time. The general meeting concurred, after some deliberation, with the committee; and a petition was signed by most of the Inhabitants of the city, for leave to bring in a bill for the several purposes mentioned in the report. Unfortunately, however, the petition could not, from some unforeseen circumstances, be presented that sessions; it being a standing order of the House of Commons, that no such bill could be brought before Parliament, unless notice of it had been given at the preceding Michaelmas sessions: but it was suggested, seemingly from authority, that such notice, in the present instance, might be dispensed with, provided the city would abandon the toll, or a tonnage on goods. To such a restriction, the committee would not submit; it therefore resolved to postpone the petition to the next sessions of Parliament, and, in the mean time, that a committee of Country Gentlemen, to be appointed at the ensuing sessions, should be requested to meet a sub-committee of the city, to hold a conference on the subject. This conference took place, and after a number of queries had been proposed by the Country Gentlemen, to all of which satisfactory answers were returned in writing; notice of the intended application to Parliament was ordered to be affixed on the doors of the Sessions Hall, both in the county and city.