The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1880-09-21 00:00:00

NOISY VESTRY NESTING.

A meeting was held in the Oldießowe Hall on Friday,
for the purpose of passing the churchwardens' accounts
for the year ending March 116th. General Maclean preside&
and amongst those present were Messrs. H. Heyter and
T. Munckten (churchwardens), R. P. Hopkins and C. H.
Frampton (outgoing churchwardens), C. Parkinson, W .
Druitt, G. Wilson, R. Ford. J. Joiner, C. Bilis, T.
Custard, B. J. &snide*, J. B. 'envoy, R. Roberta A.
Purkia, H. W. Dibben._lt Polden, J. DAVIT, J. Bartlett,
B. Smith. H. White. H. Bally, K. Willis, T. Russell J.
C. Barnes, J. Chapman. & Randall, J. Page, J. K. B-ine,
sf. Mille, G. 141• Ail, N Haydon. G. L rk. W. Stevens,
F. J. )(seder, T. Life& Voeper Thomas, B. J. Wareham,
J. T. Sandell, H. Richards, F. J. Meader, and Kr. Ce
Munckton vestry clerk.
An objeotion was made before the sommanasneent of
the business that the meeting woe illegal, as it had not
been called by the present charehwaidena —The notice
"Parish of Wimborne Minster. • meeting of the rate-
oonveniae the meeting was read, and was as follows t—
me will be held at the Oddfellows' Hall on Friday, the
17th day of September, 1880, at 1630 a.m., for the purpose
of poising the churchwarden's somounta for the year
March 115. 1879, t • March 26,180). 11.. P. Hopkins, C. H.
Frampton, church wardens. Dated September 11th,
1890."—Mr. &cock salted if the meeting was • legal one,
seeing that the notice oonvening the meeting was signed
by the pant churchemdens and not by the churchwardens
at present in oflitte.—The Chairman did not think it was
mettle of much mew (wore who signed the notice,
but if any ratepayer had any of jeetion to make he could
do so.—Swe discussion took place as to the legality of
the meeting, and ultimately Mr. Herridge proposed, and
Mr. Dibben soonded, "list this meeting be declared
all, because the churchwardens did not call the meet.
Parkinson proposed. and Mr. B. Smith
seconded, as an amendment, that the business of the
meeting be proceeded with. The amendment was
corded by an overwhelming majority.—The accounts
were then read through, and showed a total expenditure
of 4:1134 lk 6d., and receipts to the amount of '.0882115.. 11d.,
leering • balance of ,Cll 17e. 61. doe to the outgoing church-
wardens. Among the items of receipt wag one of £13645. 61.
for pew rents to March, 1361 —Thie wasobjected to by Kr.
Wilson and others se being illegal, Mr. Wilson remarking
that they were met for the purpose of pNleitlit the church-
wardens account, for the year ending March 16, laft me
receipt, for pew rent, for the year ending March 26th,
1661, ought not lobe carried into that account, as it was
part of the revenue of the current year.—The Chairman
said it bad been customary to do so for years post.-11r.
Wilson and others still objeeted.—ft. Shock asked for the
bank book.
hot Kr. Hopkins ...id most of the items hal
been paid through or from • private amount, —Mr. Wilma
said the ratepayers hal a Perfect right to ask for the bents
book—The Immo for cleaning the church clock was
questioned, and Mr. Kloock moved a resolution that the
work of repdring and cleaning the church clock he in
future put up for tender. —During the diecumion Mr.
Waterfall said the clock bat not been four minutes out of
the correct time ter the last two yews, and gave some
dstalle as to the clock which was • very ancient affair.
During repairs to the clock. .me few yeses ago one of
the wheels cat found to be a gaoler .1 an inch out of the
centre.—Mr. Waterfall mid a nee clock waa wanted.—Mr.
Hopkias. who had left the room for the bank book,
returnee shortly afterwards, hut in the meantime a
discussion had arisen as to wh, s, place it woe to collect
the pee meta, make out the receipts, and do
other churchwardens' work, including the keeping
of wounta, for which • sum of 1,5 5.. appeared
in the amounts as having been paid to Mr. 'envoy —Mr. 0.
Munckton, the medstant °Telmer, said that when he was
appointed it was part of his duty to see to that work, bit
be had not done so for the last two or three years, a. Mr.
Hopkins, as churchwarden, had employed some other
Le=—Mr. Hopkina said the reason of that was that Mr.
toe took unhroge at something maneeted with the
parish work, and told him (Kr. llopltins) that he bad had
enough of his nonsense. He then employed someone else
to keep the accounts and do the work.—Mr. Munckton
gal 4 Mr. Hopkins had behoved to him in a shameful
manner, and own when greatly provoked he said he
could not stand any more nonsense. If he had known Kr.
Hopkins was going to be acted churchwarden he would
have thrown up hb appointment as aosistont 0•1114af
Man aga• (Applause and disorder.)—Mr. Hooking here
met the romm—The bankbook wee again Woad for and •
useseage we. sent to Kr. Hopkins, who sent beck word by
his late colleagite4.(,73: to .enFrampton) that he had attended
with the beak intending give every imformation,
but that, as he had abused and insulted. be Mad left
the meeting, end was ni,t ring hack again—Mr. Wilson
t_tolsert it was a serious thing for • responsible parish
to attend • meeting for the of explaining
roarTeissi matters and then, when information was mini red
by the public, to go away from the meeting. —Mr. Mulickton,
after an animated and somewhat turbulent discussion, pro-
ceeded to moire further explanations a the rupture
between himself and Mr. 11 toting, which, he st•ted, was
Principally caused by Mr Hopkins taking some of the
perish maps, of which he (Kr. uncktos) was the legally
appointed custodian, and refusing to give them up to him
wain. On one °cession two "elicitors went to him (Mr.
Mona:on) and asked to see the pariah maps or award, and
threatened to make him reenousible for their expensee(i4
4. )as he could not produce them. He went to Kr. Rep.
kin.' house at the time, aim told he Mrs. Hopkins that
Mr. Hopkins was from home, but that he was not going
to give the maps UP: and it was then that he (Mr. Mundt.
ton) mid he had had enough of that nonsenaa lie should
Ilk, to ask the meeting If that was not enough to provoke
blia—lbear, hear, and applausie—and be should like to
ask the meeting whether he had insulted anyone that
morning. (Cries of " No, no.")—Mr. Frampton said that
anyway Mr. II unckton's remarks on Mr. Hopkins had
been tusoomplimentary.—Mr. Munckton said he had only
spoken the truth, and was sorry Mr. Hopkins was not
there to bear what he said. (Hear,
_heer.)-13oure further
dimmed= took Plies, after which Mr. Monekton said he
made a vary recent application to Kr. Hopkins for the
maps, which he understood had since been delivered to one
of the present churchwardens (Mr. Harter), from whom
Kr. Hopkins bad taken a receipt for the same.—Mr. Hayt r
said some maim had been handed over to him by Mr.
Hopkins, to whom he can a reosipt. The maps were now
In the &math library, and he should like the authority of
the vestry as to what to do with them, se he did not know
to whom they belonged. He referred to a resolution
permed, on the motion of Mr. Chislett, at a vestry meeting
on the Mit of June, KM, respecting the appointment and
duties of an sedatent-overeser, which he should like to be
reedePted or acted up to by that meeting.—The resolution
In question was as follows: 'That he make out and
°onset ell poor ratea highway = rates, rates, mews earl any other rate* that may made e ithto the
'not be keep the 000nate of the churchwardens,
"ofircersimr4gatseatiPectms. render
rtnivrearrus parish
assistanout the duties of their respective ,4108“ that be make
out all notices of vestries, have the $ inns posted at the
usual places of wocp attend the said vestries and make
minutes of the ee, thereof in the pu minute dah minu
book ; that he pin his custody the valuation lies,
book., maps, and all other documents belonging to the
dime of the Polish, and that the salary now fixed shall
14 for the performseee of the whole of the aforesaid
duties...—On the motion of Kr. Wilson, wended by Kr.
peride, the resolution was again ed°Pted.—Ukletakde
the motion of Mr. Siceekeeoonded bY Mr 8 the
=alletoursed next Than= es, fee the
d beak-book sad los biftnailiga