The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-08-28 00:00:00

THE GOVERNOR V. THE DOCTOR.

It will be in the recollection of our readers-that some
few weeks since there was a letter fraca between the
governor of the workhouse and Mr. Lister, the medical
officer, relative to the transfer of some children from the
workhouse to the hospital—thence to the workhouse again,
and then to the hospital. It was then decided by the
board that the children should be admitted to the work-
house, with a certificate that they were cured. This
appears to have been done, but since then, something has
transpired which has led to the following letter being
addressed to the board :

West Derby Workhouse, August 26, 1856.
Gentlemen,—lt will be in the recollection of the guard-
ians that, a few weeks ago, the medical officer of the
workhouse for the sick poor, made a complaint to the
board, relative to the removal of three children sent to
that establishment from the workhouse. It has subse-
quently teen reported to me, upon good authority, that
Mr. Lister has given utterance to statem-nts, with refer-
ence to this subject, which, if true, would not only render
me unworthy of your confidence, nod the trust which is
now reposed in me, but would also subject me to the con-
sequences of a criminal prosecution ; and I feel it to be a
duty I owe no less to the maintenance of my own charac-
ter than to the position I hold as your servant, that a
formal investigation should be made into the aspersions
which have been cast upon me, in order that the impres-
sion they are calculated to produce may be confirmed by
reasonable proof; or, on the other hand, the slanderer
of my reputation may be convicted of the wickedness of
his attempts to injure me by his unfounded implications.
—I am, gentleinen, your obedient servant,
EDWARD Gouow, Master.
The Chairman : The letter had better be referred to the
Hospital Committee. _ _ _

Mr. Lunt: The subject had better be dropped alto.
gether.
Mr. Wensley suggested that it should be referred to a
special committee.
Mr• Edwards and ;Ir. Batten moved and seconded a
motion, to the effect that a special committee be appointed,
which was adopted.

INCREASE OF SALARIES,

Mr. Batten, in compliance with a notice he had given on
the 13th inst., then proposed that the salaries of the
relieving officers of the Union—Messrs Potts, Barnett.
Lithgoe, and Allen Latham—be increased. Having
referred to what has already taken place on this much
urged subject, which has been so frequently before the
board, he said he wished to do to others as he would wish
to be done by, and, therefore, he did contend that £l3O
was quite insufficient to keep the relieving officers in the
respectable position they should move in—indeed. it was
not sufficient to keep body and soul together. He then
adverted to the answer that would be made to his motion,
that if they were to advertise for other officers, there
would be plenty of applicants. Such Was a fact; but
that was no reason why they should get rid of good
officers. lie contended that Toxteth-park had assisted to
the increase, and, therefore, would move that the salary
of Mr. Barnett be increased from .el3O to .el5O per
annum.
Mr. Ab7ahams seconded the motion.

Mr. Callis moved, and Mr. Pitts seconded, an amend-
ment, to the effect that the subject be deferred for six
months.

After some conversation the board divided, when the
amendment was carried by 15 to 6, The guardians voting
for the original motion being—Messrs. Batten, Abrahams,
Johns, Pickup, Siddeley, and Evans. .

This vote decided the fate of the motion as to the other
relieving officers, and the board adjourned.