Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-01-13 00:00:00

TOXTETII BOARD OF GUARDIANS.

The weekly meeting of this board was held yesterday
at the Public-offices, Pari-road. Mr.' H. S. Aipass
took the chair, and the' other members' preSeat were— •
Messrs. H.. -Harrison,' W. Baines, J: D. Carter, G. W.
Haider, A: Grindrod, J.Moss,W. Leyland, H.-LeYland,.
-and'. Wilson. The, governor reported the number of
paupers in the workhouse last week to be 367, this
week 365, corresponding week last year 409. The
number oflsick was last week 68, admitted since 18,
discharged 7, dead 3—this week 66.
Mr. HARRISON moved that the proceedings of the
Visiting Committee, with reference to the repair of the
'roads leading to the Workhouse, be confirmed. These
proceedings contained a suggestion that the roads should
be repaired by contract, instead of employing, for that
purpose, the able-bodied men who were on out-door
relief. • He (Mr. H.) thought they were now in a con-
dition to receive the whole of the paupers from West
Derby. It was gratifying to know they had reached
this point, although there was still more to be done
before the labours of the board in that direction could
be completed.
Mr. WILSON objected to the proposed scheme for a
contract to complete the repair of the roads. If the
roads were rather bad, they could employ an extra horse.
The CHAIRMAN thoH6t that ir the present ifilern of
repair *as continued, the cost would be enormous. - He
was therefore in favour of a contract.
After some discussion Mr. Harrison's resolutiOn Was
seconded by Mr. Hunter, and carried.
Mr. Moss wished to call the attention of th board to
a letter which appeared in' the Liverpool Mercury of
Monday last, -and signed J. Edwards.. The letter was
in reference to a man named Potter, who was a servant
in Mr. Edwards's employ. It stated that Potter having
been accidentally wounded in the leg, was conveyed to
the Southern Hospital, the medical officer of which •
ordered the application of poultices to the wound durin
that and following days. In consequence of the negli-
gence of some of the servants, the wound remained
exposed for about two hours, and it was ultimately
found necessary to amputate the limb. During the oper-
ation the poor man died, and his master being willing to
show some respect to the widow of his late servant, pur-
chased. a coffin. Upon the widow making application to
Mr. Williams for the burial of the body, she was told to
do what she liked with it, and come to the board on
Thursday. This was the substance of the letter, and
considering the respectabilitv of its author he (Mr.
Moss) thought' it was entitled to the attention of the
board. The conduct imputed to the relieving officer
was exceedingly cruel, and required explanation.
The CHAIRMAN intimated that the board had passed
a resolution to the effect that persons who were buried
by the parish should be conveyed to the burying-ground
in a hearse, coffin, &c., of the parish's providing.
Mr. WILSON thought that, if Mr. Edwards had suffi-
cent respect to provide a coffin, he might also have
buried .the body.

Mr. WILLIAMS stated, in reply to the chairman, that
he merely told the woman he could not bury her hus-
band without sending a hearse; and he did not use the
language stated ix the letter. ' •
Mr. Moss said Mr. Wilson-had no right to dictate to
Mr. Edwards as to what he should do for his servant.
If a coffin was purchased it was so much relief- to the
parish, and why then should the parish refuse to bury
the man ?

The CHAIRMAN read a letter from Major Greig refer-
ring to a man now an inmate of Brownlow-hill
workhouse. The man was found by a policeman and
taken to the workhouse ; he was examined by the
medical officer, who reported him to be labouring under
delirium tremens. When at the workhouse,.he said he
lived in Lansdown-street, Toxteth-park. A .police-
'officer was therefore despatched to Mr.. Heath, who
refused to admit the man into the Park workhouse
because (he said) he could not believe the statements of
a lunatic. Inquiry was subsequently made iu the street
which had been named, and it was discovered that the
man's statement was untrue. : •

The board considered that Mr. Heath had acted in a
most proper manner, and that it -was the duty of the
officers of the Brownlow-hill Workhouse.to receive the
man when their medical officer had declared him a.
lunatic.
This concluded the business.