Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-09-22 00:00:00

WEST DERBY GUARDIANS.

The usual weekly meeting of thiii body was held
yesterday, at the Workhouse, Everton. Mr. Pitts
presided, and the other guardians present were—
Messrs. H. Edwards, Reyes, Whitby, Morris, T. Edwards,
Roscoe, Mawdsley, Abrahams, Wareham, Medcalf,
Smith, and NYensley.

Aceording to the report of the Governor, the number
of paupers in the workhouse was—last week, 614 ; since
then 25 had been adMitted, and 27 discharged, whilst
one had died. This week there were 611 ; for the cor-
responding week of last year, 635 ; belonging to the
ToxtethiArk Union' 322. The number of patients in
the hospital last week was 94 ; admitted, 7 ; discharged;
9 ; death, 1; this week, 9 ,eoiresperidii* iiieek of
last year, 82. Thirty-one of the patients belong to
To xteth-p irk Union. .
The relief cases having been heaid, . . -
3fr. LESLIE, chaplain of the workheuse, attended the
board to complain of the reqUirement that he should
,vive three services to the inmates, and of remarks made
.by Members at the meeting list week. He said he had
occasion to complain of the' unjust and ungentionS
attacks which had been- made upon him, from time to
time, at that board.

The liAlnmA-N,thotiglit he had better not makeremarkii

. Mr. LESLIE said remarks had been made uponlim7tt.
that board, and he thought it would be unfair if heshould
not be allowed, to answer them. His character was in
the hands of the board, and he wished. to defend himself.
Mr. H. EDWARDS said there, had been no remark
made at the board prejudicial to his character.
Mr.-LESLIE-said they were contained in the papers of
last Thursday, which he held in his hand. One gentle-
man had said his servioegmight be made shorter : ano-
ther had said they were already . short enough. Now,
since his appointment, he had read the' whole Church
of En,4land service: in its entirety. Another gentleman
had said his heart*as 'not in the work.' 'Such a man
was to be pitied. Was he less diligent in his work than
before ?—less diligent than his predecessors ? (A voice,
" Yes:4 . Had the guardians ever .made a complaint?
The statement was untrue. . •

Mr. IL EDWARDS' —Mr. Chairman, I beg to cpll to
order.

Mr. LisLin said he considered it nothing but perse-
cution. The Chairman had stated it was his ill-health
which had made him object to three services on Sun-
days. His objection then, and now, was that it was both
unreasonable and unjust He had letters from
the Poor-law Board, which showed that this pro-
position of three services had met -a negative. He
could. only say that it was not required from his
predecessors, nor had it been from him lately ; but they
had better understand their positions. Had they a right,
either by. the spirit or letter of the law, to require three
full services on a Sunday ?

The CHAIRMAN said: if three services were thought
unreasonable he might state that Mr. Holmes, of the
Industrial Schools, bad told him that he had four ser-
vices, at least three services and a lecture, and that he
could do it comfortably. He did not think three ser-
vices were out of the way, for a person of Mr. Leslie's
age, if he were willing to perform them.
Mr. H. EDWARDS had understood Mr. Leslie to say
his reason was that his throat was sore.

Mr. LESLIE said that was not his objection. Ile did
not make it an objection.
Mr. H. EDWARDS—Then eitheryou or Itchl an untruth.
Mr. LESLlE—Either you or I must be under a. mis-
apprehension, but you state it as .a fact. Mr. Cleaver
will bear me out.

Mr. CLEAVER, the clerk, said it- was given 'as a
reason that Mr. Leslie had an affection of the throat,
and therefore could not give three services in the day.
Mr. LEsirE. said that, to show he did not shirk any
work, he should submit to lay the matter before the
Lord Bishop of Chester, or six clergymen chosen from
any given locality.
Mr. IL EDWARDS--WO have nothing to do with the
Lord Bishop of Chester.
The CHAIRMAN—Are you gointt to perform it ? •
Mr. LESLIE—I don't think laymen are capable of
judging what a clergyman's duty is.
Mr. IL EDWARDS—Is there anything se extraordinary
that a layman cannot judge of what a clergyman is able
to do ? It is the most ridiculous thing I ever saw.
You are idle the whole week, and yet cannot perform
three services on a Sunday.
Mr. FRENCH said the doctor would not do extra
duties without extra pay Perhaps that was Mr. Leslie's
objection.

H, EDWARDS—I think Mr. Leslie handsomely
paid already.
After some further painful altercation,
Mr. LESLIE said he should decline to take upon him
the third service till he was compelled to do so.
Mr. ISAAC EDWARDS thought Mr. Leslie quite justi-
fied in his determination.
Mr. H. ED-WARDS moved that the further discussion
of the question be adjourned for a week.—Agreed to.
_

The other miscellaneous business before- the board
does not call for public mention.
Some tenders were then accepted, and the board ad-
journed.