The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-03-13 00:00:00

ROYAL OAK BURIAL SOCIET

A public meeting of the members of this Society was held
at eight o'clock last night, in the Clarence-hall, Bond-street.
The public also were generally invited to attend, and aid the
committee appointed to conduct the investigation into the
affairs of the society. The attendance was numerous. Mr'
Joseph Shepherd presided.
The Chairman, in opening the proceedings, thanked the
meting for the honour they had done iin electing him t°
thee chair, and announced that free discussion would be allow( d
on the subject of the meeting. (Hear, hear.) He had so
often repeated the statement that large and serious frauds had
been perpetrated on the funds of the society, that he woula
not take up their time by dwelling upon that point. Ile took
it for granted that all now admitted that it was too true that
large amounts had been lavishly spent in the manner lie had
already so often described, as no one had had the moral
coinage to come foward to rebut his statements, or to vi
the character of these implicated in the cl arge.
hear.) It was thought at first that there was no law un
friendly societies' act to take cognisance of this partictu..
matter in reference to the society, and he might at once tell
them that they had very great difficulty indeed in finding
any
law under the act to meet this case, and that if it had not been
for the large powers vested in the County Court, a'legal
inquiry into the affairs could not at ail take place in Liverpool.
It should be tried in the Queen's Bench ; but fortunately 4
was found from the constitution of the County Court it could
now be tried there. They knew the judge who presided
there—they knew his impartiality, and patience in the investi•
gating every case brought before them—and whatever l'i!
decision might be in the inquiry in reference to the affairs 0'
the society, which would soon come under his notice,
ft
would be received, by all connected with the society.___vdt_l4

(gear,
to the

(Hear,

respect, and submitted to without a murmur by ths
bear.) He (the chairman) regretted that the press
predecessors were not like him, for if, like him,
gained for the County Court the
confidence of the public, which it uow
frauds of which they now complained, and but too
justly, would have been long since checked. Some people
might think that arbitration would be better than having
recourse to legal proceedings. Now, he would warn the work°
ing men generally against taking that particular course—arbi-
tration. He had known so much of buying and selling bY
arbitrators, that he always preferred, himself, to go before se
higher and legal tribunal where buying and selling was out et
the question. (Hear, hear.) He believed that arbitratiort
was a very bad system for the working classes of society, :I°4
he warned them against it in all such questions as that on
which they were now engaged. (Hear, hear.) He could
assure them that it had been ur-hill work with the committee
of investigation to bring the case to its present issue. A day
was fixed for the inquiry, and he had no doubt that when it
arrived, the result would be satisfactory to all parties. Their
case was just and well founded, and the more strictly the
investigation was conducted the clearer would the truth of their
charges appear. (Rear, hear.) Much was said as to the officere
of the society being now engaged in making all right.
(Laughter.) He doped they were doing so, and he hoped they
would make it clear that all was right. Every opportunitY
had been given to them; the committee had conducted tbeif
investigation openly and above board ; free discussion hdd beed
allowed at all their meetings, but as yet the officers had net
availed themselves of those opportunities to come forward and
rebut the serious charges made against them. (Hear, hear')
Nevertheless, he sincerely hoped, that when the legal inquiry
came, they would be able to show to the world that they sre,re
not those dishonest men they were declared to be. (Hear.) 11°
doubted not that many of the officers were able to refund the
money collected for the society, but they should remember that
they were bound to return, not only that money, but also the
sums which had been fraudulently voted to them. (gear'
hear.) In conclusion, the chairman maintained that it
was the
duty of the ratepayers generally to support the committee in
the inquiry in which they were at present engaged, in cenee-
qaence of the savings to the rates effected by such societies,
and concluded by calling for a vote of thanks to Mr. Sirre
son, who had kindly given them the use of the room. (4'
plausa.)
Mr. Henry Smith proposed the first resolution, which was
as follows :---“Resolved, that this meeting do hereby express
the great satisfaction with which they have heard that the
inquiry into 'the frauds perpetrated upon the funds of the
Liverpool United Loyal Friendly Burial Society is about to be
brought to a practical issue (a day having been appointed bY
the judge of the county court for entering upon the inquire"),
and we hereby approve of the measures already adopted by tlte
committee of investigation." In moving the resolution, no
said that to some extent the members generally of the society
were to blame, because, if they as a body had not been 5°
remiss in looking after a matter which so deeply interested theni'l
as the proper management of the society, the frauds whic
they now deplored could never have taken place. Weer'
been
hear.) In that duty they themselves had,unfortunatelY, ,
remiss, and they now felt the consequence. On that account
he thought the collectors were not censurable to the extent IL
would first seem ; but, nevertheless, nefarious frauds had been
perpetrated on the funds:of the society, which, though lately
detected, it was hoped would never be suffered to take Oa°
again. (Hear, hear.) It was unfair, however, that the coal"
mittee should bear, not only all the labour, but also the e."
pense of the investigation—(hear, hear)—and, therefore, he
hoped that the working men of Liverpool would come forward
with their pence and half-pence, to aid them in prosecuting
their inquiry to a successful issue. (Hear, hear.) Their cases
be was sure, would receive every attention and cons')
tion from the judge of the county
(Mr. Smith), had little doubt
in whose favour :be decision of the court would
(Hear, hear.) He exhorted the meeting to stand by thfiet
society, which when well managed, was the greatest bee,
that could bo conferred on them, and to support the corntelitt,ef
in rectifying the abuses which had crept into it, and which 11;
proclaimed had been fostered chiefly by its president, tka
whom no man was more unfitted for the office. (Applause.)
Mr. Henry Tailor seconded the resolution.
In putting it to the meeting, the Chairman took the theoP
tunity of passing a high eulogium on Mr. Murphy, one of f
auditors who was present, and who gave to the committee °
inquiry most valuable information. (Hear, bear.) that
Mr. Joseph Walker, of Dale-street, asked how it was n
Mr. Mut phy passed the previous balance sheets, and refused `-
sign the last one ?
Mr. Murphy replied that when the balance sheet was fairly
il
made out he had no alternative but to sign it. He Int4httee
aware, as indeed he was !aware, of the improper acts ofidy
management, but still so long as the balance sheet was but
made out, no matter how the sums were passed, he collie ne
sign it, and then tell the parties what he thought of their co ot
duct. (Hear, hear,) In the last balance sheet they did ebe
enter the money they had in hands, £6OO, and therefor°
refused to sign it. (Hear, hear.) He might say, howe/coi,
that when the investigation took place two-thirds of the e
lectors would be found to be honest men.
The Chairman observed that Mr. Murphy could state >
tb t
other interesting Lets, but the committee thought it Wise
he should reserve them for the inquiry. (Hear, hear.)
Tho resolution was then unanimously adopted. tielet
Mr. Whittaker Edmondson moved the second resn'e oe
fogey which was as follows :—" Resolved—That feeling ful;:s11
vinced that the existence of friendly societies is set's of
endangered by the impunity with which the perpetrlttel to
these frauds have hitherto escaped ; tending, as it &Tele
destroy all confidence in their stability, on the part ° ease
working classes; and, taking into consideration the inamlity,
saving to the poor-rates effected through their instrurnentl.„ of
this meeting declares it to be the imperative duty, not en 'noel
the members of the society, but of the ratepayers of Lirer'
generally, to support, by contributions, and every niensofel
their power, the prosecution of this inquiry to a secceo,l.
issue." He recapitulated every act of fraud, and and
administration, with which the management was chargenit
and
declared that they should be punished like Strahan, P3° of
Co., as he feared there was no hope of their consciousnef"obo
their offences driving them to imitate the last act of
Sadleir, on Hampstead-heath. (Cheers and laughter.) onie
Mr. M'Phillips seconded the resolution, which was
mously adopted. le
A collection was made at the doors to aid the comcnittea
carrying out the investigation. ism
fore
The proceedings closed by a vote of thanks to the c 1 e the
who stated that the committee had under considerati?''b tee
propriety of appointing medical officers, in connection wit
society, in different parts of the town.

TePpect

enjoyed, the

'ourt, and lie
as to the Part/
be.

4 p'"
THE SOLICITOR-GENERAL ON CHURCH t°
Richard Bethell writes on the subject of church es9ct
one of his Aylesbury constituents :—I shall certain,Y.oo
port every measure that is directed' to the abolcutorif;
church rates. I shall be obliged to you to make that "i-vvai'
at'Aylesbury. It was one of the first pledges I have:n.oo'.
kept, even to the extent of voting a a'nst the 5-
ment, of which lam a member. g 1 AP Ope;
DESTRUCTION OF COVENT GARDEN THEATILE.---,,oear,„-
cial inquiry into the origin of this disaster has been and
before Mr. Bedford, the coroner for Westminster, 0, thv
Itelligent jury. After hearing a mass of evidlibati°,,'
inquiry was adjourned to Saturday next. gr.
the civil engineer, who made the Covent Garde details et'
into an opera house, gives in the papers sonieedid efe,
its construction. He especially says, "I not.onlY to tot;
insert a single inch of bond timber, but w'traiehr had
whole tiers of bond timber which had origin4'l;er
inserted in the main walls. The former bond tlrn- t fro
failed, and in taking down the old vaults, at 13 fee 0 DI
the foundation, I found that a tier of Memel tiniber,vijoht:
6, had been introduced in the main wall, all around' e 0111,1,1
externally, appeared merely to have shrunk, 13° 19- rfeci""
nation proved to be not only useless, but Pe.
de ca
Myed."
u. SMITH O'BRIEN.—A detailed account of °ditte
y last'
view which several Irish members had, on Satin" 1.13,1 his
with Lord Palmerston, on presenting a me°, to ",,,,
permission to Mr. W. Smith O'Brien to retur- ape' t
native country, has found its way into the Irish Poj rte
ee
s
His lordship assured the deputation " that t- bich,
iaf
should have his most anxious consideration, „t°„v: veou.l;cl
added, it was entitled, not only on account ot 1;: der of
nature, but from the additional weight which 1 ot, 0
from that influential deputation. They 01°1'
give th%,,
course, expect that he could then be prepared t°,,, for tae
a distinct answer; and, indeed, it was imPosl",,'`;eot
to give them a reply at that mom,nt. The g5"l-41 of V.O
rober
and Pl
one to be considered not by a single me
Government, but by the Government at large ie, siv"
would submit it to his colleagues as soon as Possw
A announce their decision without delay." -