The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-04-26 00:00:00

ROYAL OAK MIRIAL SOCIETY

A public meeting of the members of this society was held
last evening at the Richmond Hall, Great Xchnicnd-street,
for the purpose of giving a full statement of the proceedings
relating to the alleged frauds, and the future prospects of
the society, as it is hoped the society will be conducted on
the new principle. _

The meeting was not so well attended as might have been
expected from the importance of the subject to the working
classes, which may be principally attributed to the members
not having had sufficient notice, and that the locality, a
very handsome and commodious room, was ainknown to the
general public; but notwithstanding there was a fair repre-
sentation of the members present, in favour of, and support-
ing, the Investigation Committee.

Mr. Shepherd, who has taken a most active part in
endeavouring to have a full, fair, awl impartial enquiry
into the affairs of this society, was unanimously called to
the chair, amidst the applause of the public.
On taking the chair he detailed at some length, and
explained, the position in which the society was placed prior
to the appointment of the Investigation. Committee, and
also the proceedings which had taken place in the County
Court on the 13th inst., a report of which appeared in this
Journal, and was to the following effect :
Mr. Hull (of the firm of Fletcher and Hull), on the part of
the Committee of Investigation, stated their case; when his
Honour remarked that the plaintiffs came before him under a
recent act of parliament, and that they sought to bring the
matter under the 40th and 41st sections—coming, in fact, as to
the Court of Chancery, both in respect to statuary and ordin•
ary acts, to ask for the removal of certain persons whose
removal it is thought would be for the benefit of the society,
and to ask for orders for the payment of moneys and for the
settlement of accounts, and to ask for such directions as would
be necessary to ensure the well conducting of the society in
future. With respect to the rules, tie (Hr. Pollock) would
say that the sooner they were altered and amery'ed the better,
for they were all but unintelligible, and most difficult to be
worked out for the benefit of the society. It would be well if
the society took advantage of the new act of parliament,
and place itself under a clear code of rules, by which the
future proceedings could be carried out satisfactorily.
After some; discussion it was agreed that two of the com-
mittee of management should retire, and that Messrs. Shep-
herd and McPhillips should be appointed in their stead.
Some further conversation then took place relative to the
re-moddelling of the laws ; and, at the suggestion of his Hon-
our, Messrs. Hull and Martin undCrtook the task of (hawing
up of a new code. At the same time his Honour animad-
verted on the law relative to the appointment of three trustees,
and expressed his concurrence with the remark of Mr. Hull,
that it would be as well for the society to have trustees who
were not members of the society at all. Such being his
opinion, he would make an order for the removal of Messrs. IL
Balding, George O'llanlon and Edward Duffy. After stating
that he would nominate an audtnr to inspect the accounts
every Saturday, his Honour adverted to the case of Mr. Curry,
and ordered that, as the sum total due to the socieiy was
£1 850, ho should pay over every week to the receiver of the
court the difference between his receipts and disbursements,
retaining in his hands £5O to pay for funerals. He should
show to the officer all the books under his control, and in
case of any default, should forthwith pay the sum of £3OO,
by virtue of an execution, without notice. Ho was at present
liable for £1,850 ; he was bound for £3OO, and had given two
policies for £5OO each, with sureties to keep. them up, and for
the balance of £550 he would give policies and. sureties to
keep them up. To secure that, the court would give an order
so tint the society might be secured. His Honour then re-
viewed his judgment, and said that Mr. Cullen was to continue
as president, two of the committee were to retire and be
replaced by two fresh gentlemen, new rules were to bedrawn
up as speedily as possible by Mr. Hull and Mr. Martin, the
three trustees were to •be removed and be replaced by whom-
soever the society might think fit, and any collectors who owe
money to the society were to obtain the sanction of their
sureties for repayment in time, and, if they could not obtain
such consent, Mr. Hull was to apply forthwith for an order of
the court for immediate payment ; and, as respects Mr. Curry,
he (Mr. Pollock) would order that proper sureties be given for
the £1,850.

The Chairman then continued, and expressed his
opinion that he had no faith in the head officer
of that society, bat as they were under the entire
control of the judge of the County Court, they could not
do much harm, but it was for the members, who bad the
power, to get rid of those officers as soon as the new rules
were agreed upon. He stated, that since the case had been
heard in the County Court, the Investigation Committee had
been twitted that they had compromised the affair, but the
taut Was, they had not compeotnised at all, bat had acted
up to the law, and saved the society from endless litigation,
and which might have ended in the ultimate annihilation of
the society. He concluded by intimating, that a future
great public meeting would be held, when the members
would be called upon to adopt the new code of laws, to be
drawn up by the gentlemen appointed by the Judge of the
County Court, and to elect new officers; then, and then only,
would it be the duty of the members to speak out, and by their
voices say, whether the society should be re-organied, and
do the good it was first intended to tha poorer classes, or
sink to rise no more. He briefly alluded to the causes—
the peculiarities of some of the officers— of this agitation,
and concluded by calling upon the secretary to read the
report of the investigation committee, which was as

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