Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-03-25 00:00:00

TOXTETH BOARD OF GUARDIANS,

The usual weekly meeting of this board was held yester-
glay, in the board-room of the Public Offices, Park-road;
1111 r. Urquhart presided. The other members present were
—.-Jkssrs John Moss, John Wilson, Joseph Wilson, Joseph
Nacrison, Wm Baynes, Wm. Johnson, Wm. Leyland,
New"- Layland, Samuel Siddeley, M. A. Johns, Arthur
prod, John Rogers, and J. B. Hughes.
The report of Mr. Gough, Governor of the West Derby
Korkhouse showed that in the house there were belonging
foxtett: Park last week 346; this week, 358 ; corre-
idling week last year, 429.
cheque was drawn to the amount of £l2O for the relief
car th,

mt-door paupers.
Medical Committee were empowered to make
Dimas with four respectable druggists in the
for such medicines as might be required during
/suing three months for the use of the poor.
r. Cleaver, the clerk to the board, read the following

bierrsent

THE GUARDIANS OF THE POOR OF THE TOWNSHIP

" OF TOXTETII-PARK

1" Gentlemen,—The first election of guardians of the poor
fur ttlis township, in 1857, was conducted by Mr. Avison,
wilcitor, who was appointed returning officer by virtue of an
caviar of the Poor-law Board, directed to the overseers of the
&cot; and at the first meeting of the guardians elected
Avison, pursuant to the said order, delivered to them
tbir voting papers used in such election. On the same day
"ire papers were confided to my keeping as the clerk to
'l.a guardians, and the key of the closet in which they were
sikposited was handed to me by the board. This said closet
sz. 4tuate in a room in the public office opposite to the

•lirdroom

"After the election in April last year, I placed in the
Janie closet the voting papers relating to such election, and
maitl my own hand locked the door of such closet, and have
resmined in my possession the key from that time to the
'resent.

" On Monday last I received information that an entrance
%sal been effected into the closet in question, and the voting
!risers, or a portion of them, taken out.

lA-I 'went -immediately to the public office, and having
oistairied access to the room in which the closet was situate,
end the door of the latter unfastened, and upon a casual
iiiipection of the voting papers, perceived that the bundles
lay which they were tied had been recently opened. I there-
von took possession of all the voting papers, have since
Al.-lined them, and at this time have them in the board-
>a, awaiting the direction of the guardians as to their
sLtme custody.

may state, in passing, that the guardians are required,
order of the Poor-law Board, to preserve the voting
livers two years at the least.

"With reference to the impropriety of the proceedings I
srae. thus related, so far as it affects the board, it is not in
31wr province to speak ; but I consider that I have personally
a
rat (MUSE to complain of it as an act which, had it not been
ilsomered, might have led to consequences which wouldhave
tiled serious blame, if not disgraCe, on myself as your
; and I trust that, should hereafter any of the papers
erred to be either missing, mutilated, or altered, I shall
e held responsible. —I am, gentlemen, your obedient
"WILLIAM CLEAVER.

wzlvut,

'Board-room, March 24, 1859."
Mr_ Moss: I hope the gentlemen who are implicated in this
artter will give an explanation.
Mae- Chairman: You are assuming that members of this
Beard have committed this felony. Now, Ido hope that
lo of them would do such a thing, and I hope Mr. Moss
I not identify such a proceeding with the members of this
trli- I will protect them from anything of the kind.
Sir. Moss : I don't think they want your protection, and
have no doubt that they will come forward and state
,fi• reasons for doing so. lam not conversant with the
nsaction. I think after the very proper remarks of Mr.
r no member will refuse to give what he knows of
Itter, and I think it necessary that they should.
Chairman : I think it was very proper for Mr.
r to bring this matter before the board.
'son : Whose propertyshould these voting papers

Cleaver : The Guardians

Nr John Wilson : I know something about this matter,
sod I have heard it stated by the Overseers that they have
right of access to any papers in this building, and no
rrsitn or place should be locked against them. It appears
tiaNt the first batch of voting papers were in the hands of
Avison, and it was a disputed point who should have
gr-ss,ession of the first batch of voting papers. As to the
mussseers having looked into this room, I know something
4'4-, and lam not ashamed to acknowledge it. I. am not
a "-felon," and I think the word "felon," as used by
1t chairman, was uncalled for (hear).
lae. Chairman : I think it is a felony to break a lock.
Moss: With a felonious intent.
Tile Chairman : Of course.
:Mr. Moss : Just so.
T. Wilson: I don't see the use of "me speaking with

iterruption

The Chairman : Gentlemen, will you bear Mr. Wilson.
but right you should hear him, as he is implicated in
tflii disgraceful transaction.

Mr. iitilson: Some time ago it was hinted that a certain
kPity of Toting papers had been abstracted out of the
batch. A certain printer was asked about the matter,
Ng Be was stated to have sent several more than was ordered
a*v place which he would not name. This work was said
Cik-ie done at improper hours. All this was heard by the
wct,rseers, and they thought it well to have a peep at these
wers.. They did look in at them, and the papers were
iikpirt back into their place, and the closet locked. In a
rim days after other parties come and break the lock to get
kat?, the cupboard, and then they insist that it was open,
32r.. Cleaver : I am prepared to swear it, sir.
ler. Wilson : Well, well. The papers were put back
xsadtlie doors locked on them, and there was no harm done
ra, Orem, I will swear that. If any person got in on the
acroitry-- If any person got in, I say, we cannot help that.

told that there was a man at work in the room-above
r the half of the day last Sunday. Talk of breaking
1; I have had a locksmith half a day in the
eh breaking locks. (Laughter.) I don't see
I have much more to say, b\ut I will say that I was

•of the three overseers that were there on that day, and
tie-papers were put back into the room, and it was locked.
Mr. Tiarrison : Will you give us the names of the other

sfr Henry Leyland : I will give my testimony to the
atstrzaent being correct that the door was locked.

papers they should have named it to this board,
Ind I am sure the board would not have objected
Moss : I don't know that
The Chairman : I think th

new ti

is one

)oilit on- which w

eav-ahl have taken the responsibility to concede to the request,
'it been made. We are responsible to the Poor-law
Marti for the safe keeping, of these papers.
Harrison : I think Mr. Cleaver very right, and must
he has taken is the proper one in this
ked Mr. Wilson who were there, and I
I now ask in this way—Were you

fiat the tours,

have

I cannot allow you to

k the gentleme

because he is no

Lough to tell who were, tl

The law says

he won

any of these papers is
punished b`• incareera•
11 mention that bad they

3uld havi

jut as we can c

committee of this board b
a, and find if there be an

now, I moire that
ed to examine those pap

I more, then, that Messrs. Johnsor
J. B. Hughes, form the con
:med.

. .
motion, and said, I am muc
Mr. Cleaver. has brought tl

amt er before the ha

any ma
se if AI

.sed

n has told.t
Now I ha

K teat could be found.ont. Mr. W
was the overseers for the time being
nour to be an overseer, and I was not there. It mu
;en Joseph Wilson, .henry Layland, and J. D. Cart(
its that I may protect myself. +.
-
Put John 'Wagon on the committee.

party m;

saes far as
fir. Moss

committee of gentieM;

Heed in the matter

Cleaver

ted the part of

gentleman ;
en notice of what he intended to do,
otter ; and I dare say Mr. Wilson was
repared as he would have been had he
1g up. That, however, I need
y that I heard it, represented tha'
uspieion for gr.--
with

ne>ome time that there
heard it stated, I t
when
papers,
iaiih,
print r did not deny it
livi lually
I knovi n
pence to the members ' of
I shall therefore move that
—,,Bement of the matter, and Mr. Wilson's
,-,, oe sent to the Poor-law Board, and that they send
Anise a competent person to examine into this matter. Let
ia San upon the powers above to send down a proper

Individ

logers: The powers that be. (Laughter.)
N. Moss : Come, now, Mr. Monosyllable, let us have no

more of your interruption. I very often hear that much
from you, and no more. I will move that Mr. Cleaver's
statement, and Mr. Wilson's reply, be sent to the Poor-law
Board, as I have already said. We have not the power, as
a committee, to get the necessary information, and the Poor-
law Board can compel it.
The Chairman : We don't delegate our power to the com-
mittee, but merely that they should report to the board on
the subject. _ . _ _

Mr. Rogers : I will second the amendment proposed by
Mr. Moss, for I suppose it is an amendment. I think it
would be well to have the matter referred to the people in
London. lam very sorry to hear such statements made, if
there be truth in them, which I think there is, or they
would not have been made.
Mr. Siddeley : I will vote for committee at once. lam
met by people outside, who are talking -about certain
matters which are going on with us that should not be, and
I want to stand before the public in a proper light.
Mr. Hughes : I will support the motion by Mr. Harrison
for committee. I say we cannot tell, when they met
themselves, -and no one with them, whether papers
been put fn or abstracted

Mr: Wilson : That's our business.
Mr. Hughes : You should have brought it before the
board.

Mr. Johnson : Can a committee of this board have the
privilege of calling witnesses.
Mr. Moss : Not for a felonious crime.

Mr. Wilson : Had this been a misdemeanor or a felony,
your humble servant would not have been here to-day, as
enquiry has been made.

Mr. Henry Layland said Mr. Johns was implicated, and
if they talked of picking locks and charges of felony, let it
be general.

Mr. Cleaver said, when he heard of the picking of the
locks, he was going up the street to inform them of it, when
he met Mr. Johns and Mr. Siddeley, who were going to his
office on the same errand, .to see the state of the office.
He asked the caretaker where the key was, and
she told him that she had given it to Mr.
Joseph Wilson ; that he got the keys on the Satur-
day, and she had not seen them since. Mr. Barnett
was asked about the matter, and he said he saw the
overseers in, but all the harm was done when he saw
them. They sent for the keys to Mr. Joseph Wilson, but
he would not send them. They then sent for a locksmith,
and broke the door open, but the press was open.
Mr. Moss insisted that the matter should not be left to a
committee, as it was nothing but a party question:

Mr. Harrison said, the whole thing had assumed a degree
of importance which he did not think would be attached to it.
He would be a bold man that would say that Mr. Horsfall,
Mr. Ewing, Mr. Aspinall, and others, who had formed the
first board there, would have attempted to hold their seats,
if obtained in a disreputable manner. He would say, let
thein go into committee, and report on it next week.
He thought he had kept as clear as possible from naming
party men for the committee, but he would have no objec-
tion to have Mr. Moss as a member.

Mr. Moss : I wash my hands of your dirty work.
The resolution and amendment were then put to the Tote,
and the former was carried.

Mr. Joseph Wilson moved that a special meeting of the
guardians should be held on Monday at 10 o'clock, the
object of which did not transpire. The motion was

ai.reed to.

this concluded the business

DOCK BOARD

The usual weekly meeting of this board was held yester-
day, Mr. Brocklebank in the chair. The other members
present were—Messrs. Rankin, Bold, Segar, Rounthwaite,
Shand, Littledale, James Holme, Anderson, Farnworth,
Moss, Langton, Forwood, Smith, Lockett, and Boult.