The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-12-11 00:00:00

I WEST DERBY BOARD OF GUARDIANS

Yesterday (Wednesday), the West Derby board of
guardians held their weekly meeting, Rev. W. Badnall in
the chair. Messrs. J. Harrison. C. H. Edwards, Evans,
Pickup, Whitby, Abrahams, Elias. Wilson, Siddeley,
Callis, Pitts, Lunt, Shaw, Batten, Wensley, Johns, and
Sagar being present.
Cheques for out-door relief were granted in the following
—Mr. Potts, .e2OO ; Mr. Lythgoe, £22 ;
Mr. Gough, the governor, reported the

I proportions, viz

Mr:Olney, £3C

number of paupers in the- Workhouse to be, this week,
660, corresponding week of last year, 667 ; admitted during
the week, 32 ; discharged, 26 ; born, I ; died, 46. Mr.
Davies, the master of the hospital, reported the number
of patients in that establishment to be, this week. II"

last week, 101; corresponding w

as t year.

admitted during the week, 18; Rlischar
From a report made by a special committe
to investigate the charge of negligence and drun

ppointed

__, one
preferred against Mr. Latham, of the relieving officers
of Toxteth Park, by the Rev. IL Postance, curate of St.
James's church, it appeared that the committee met on
Monday last, in Mr. Cleaver's office. The chair was
occupied by Mr. J. Harrison ; the other members present

and Medealf. The Rev. IL Postance and Mr. Latham
were a6o present. The witnesses examined were Mrs
Latham, Emma Kenyon, Alice Matthews, Sarah Lucas
Susannah Williams, William Whithouse, Mary Wil
and Lydia Boardman. The evidence given by th

named six witnesses was to the effect that Mr. Latham
was perfectly scber, and had not been guilty of any negli-
gence on the occasions referred to by the Rev. H.
Postance. The committee, after havizig duly considered
the evidence, came to the conclusion that the charges of
neglect and drunkenness preferred against Mr. Laiiis.l.ll
had not been proved. The report was approved of.

In the case of Margaret Clark, the wife of a master
mariner, deserted by her husband, and has been, with her
tour children, an inmate of the workhouse for the last four
years, without, as she said, up to a comparatively late
period, she had been at all aware of where he was to be
found. A short time since, however, she was confined,
previous to which she almitted to the governor that in
February last she had had several interviews with her
husband. She was questioned by several of the guardians,
and also by the chairman, relative to her knowledge of

where her husband now is,'or wnere he had gone to when
he left Liverpool. To all these enquiries she steadily
averred that she did not know either wnere he now is, or
what place he went to, or in what capacity, when he left.
She admitted that her reason for not informing the
guardians of his arrival into Liverpool was to avoid his
being taken into custody, but she expected he would make
provision for her and the children, At the conclusion of
the enquiry the poor woman was removed in a very
excited hysteric state.
Mr. Shaw moved that she be dismissed from the estab-
lishment., she receiving a small weekly sum as outdoor
relief. In doing so, Mr. Shaw intimated pretty plainly
that he considered she had been guilty of immoral conduct.
Mr. Edwards said those who were acquainted with the
peculiar love towards the township, could be at no loss
to'appreciate the motives by which he was actuated on
all occasions. In the present instance his conduct to-
words this poor woman had been marked by his usual
attention, as well as by his customary good feeling. It
was no part of his (Mr. Edward's) intention to suggest
what might be the reason why Mr. Shaw was so much
interested in the case of this woman ; he felt assured,
however, that the interest was not based on philanthropy,
and he thought it would be well if that gentleman would
confine his observations and look more strictly at home.
Mr. Johns moved as an amendment, that she be cow
tinned as an inmate of the workhouse. In doing, so. he
said the insinuations and remarks of Mr. Shaw were dis-
graceful.
Mr. Harrison seconded the amendment, and said he did
so the more readily as the remarks made by Mr. Shaw
obviously led to the conviction that that gentleman in-
sinuated the father of the child might be found at no great
distance.

Mr. Edwards said—Yes, Mr. Shaw has stated in the
hearing of several parties, his belief that the father might
be found within a hundred yards of the gate. (Hear, hear.)

Some confusion in the discussion took place, after Which
the matter was put to the vote, and the amendment was

Mr. Abrahams gave notice that at the next meeting he
should move that the salary of Miss Hobbs be raised from

£4O to '5O per armpit

Abraharr

said, as the period for observing the
mas festivities was now nearly arrived, he should

take the present opportunity of moving that the inmates
of the workhouse be allowed their usual dinner of roast
beef and pudding on Christmas day.—Agreed to.
In answer to a question, Mr. Gough stated that at pre-
sent the house is so full that there in not accommodation
for a single patient on the male side who may be dismissed
from the hospital. If he were allowed to incur the trifling

expense of or for a stove that he put up in a poi:
tion of the " old men's" ward, that difficulty might be got
over.—Mr. Gough was instructed to get this done.
Mr. Whitby drew attention to the fact that there was a

large amount of outstanding rates uncollected in th

Toxteth

Park district, amounti
£1,500 ; yet, so compltt

as he nndersto(

) some

ciirecte

Park district should have their attention drawn to this

circumetance

Mr. Harrison said, as the rateable value of property in
the union was subject to frequent changes, and as the data
for fixing the averages of rating in the different districts
will have their term of three years' duration expired in
March next, be thought it was highly expedient to have the
averages fixed soon enough to allow of their being made.
applicable to next year's rating. This would be laid in
March, and he should move that the Poor Law Board be
memorialised, with a view to having this arrangement
carried out. The motion was seconded by Mr. Abrahams,
and, after some discussion, adopted.
Mr. Harrison said, as the number of applicants for relief
among able-bodied persons was now very great, and as the
season was fast approaching when experience taught them
to expect a still greater number of such applicants, he
thought it highly expedient that the board should be placed
in a position to apply the labour test in the stone breaking
yard. To do this, he should move that one cargo of the
first-class stone be procured, in order that the breaking of
them might be applied as a labour test. This having been
seconded by Mr. Bitten, was, after a brief discussion,
agreed to.
Mr. Harrison said he unierstool that, in Liverpool,
there is a standing committee, to which any complaint
made Against any officer belonging to the board was, in the
firstinstance, submitted. This was highly expedient, as,
in many instances, complaints of a very trivial character,
but effecting the respectability of even the highest officers,
were made. As at present arranged, sueh complaints, if
made at all, must be at once made public. He should there-
fore move that such a committee be formed in connection
with this board.

Mr. Bitten seconded the motion, which wf s carried ; the
committee to consist of the chairman, deputy chairman, vice
chairman, and deputy vice chairman. _ _ _

A protracted conversation then ensued relative to the
burial of paupers. After numerous motions on the subject
bad been discussel, it was resolved that all paupers belonging
to the townships of the southern division of the union shall
be interred in Toxteth park Cemetery.
The meeting then adjourned.

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