Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-01-25 00:00:00

VESTRY MEETING AT BIRKENHEAD

Yesterday morning, a meeting of the parishioners of
Birkenhead, in vestry, was held in the Abbey Chapel,
Birkenhead, the Rev. A. Knox in the chair. The chair-
man having to leave, Mr. Richard Bryans was called on
to preside. There was a crowded attendance. The
purpose of the meeting was to establish a burial board
for the township in accordance with the various acts
relating to the burial of the dead.
Mr. Craven, jun., explained that he had been invited
to take up this subject, because the cemetery committee
of the commissioners, who had devoted their attention to
the subject for many years, had been unable to carry
out the Commissioners' Act. There was nothing now to
meet the case but a resort to the provisions of the Public
Burial Acts. One clause gave them power to appoint a
burial board, and that body could join with the burial
boards of other parishes in providing one common burial
place. The expenses of carrying out the act were to be
paid in the first instance out of the poor-rates, but there
was another clause which gave power to the board to
borrow money of the Government, to be paid back in
fifty annual instalments, interest being paid on the
balance at 4 per cent. The cost of the cemetery he
could not state accurately, for it was impossible to do so.
There could be no secrecy about the proceedings of the
board, for any ratepayer could go and copy any of the
minutes, and the board could not buy a piece of land
where they thought proper, or at any price they thought
proper, but must come to the vestry and have their
consent to any recommendation.
Dr. Baylis moved that the following gentlemen consti-
tute a burial board :—Messrs. Edward Bevan, W. R.
Mills, T. Gilbertson, E. G. Willoughby, W. Hinson, W.
Henderson, T. Bradley, H. S. Bristow, and Joseph
Craven. These names were a fair representation of the
various religious bodies in the township. He would re-
mark that some years ago the Commissioners of Birken-
head purchased £60,000 to £70,000 worth of land for
cemetery purposes, but had been unable to carry out
their act, and he therefore hoped the burial board, when
appointed, would negotiate with the Commissioners for
the purchase of a portion of that land, and then the
cemetery would be formed out of public land, and the
money would go into the public purse.
Mr. William Jackson, M.P., said the meeting was
decidedly out of order, for the notice said the meeting was
called for one purpose, and the law stated it should be
called for two purposes.
Mr. Townsend, solicitor, said the meeting was not
strictly in order.

Mr. Craven said the meeting was called to appoint a
burial board, in accordance with "the several Acts of
Parliament, from the 16th to the 21st of Victoria, both
inclusive."

Mr. Wm. Jackson submitted whether the parishioners
present should not allow this question to be thoroughly
ventilated in the township, and let the matter be taken
up at the next Easter vestry. He did not look at this in
a religious point of view, but as a sanatory measure
necessary for the good and welfare of the public. Sub-
ject to proper regulations and management, he was in
favour of this measure. Doctor Baylis was decidedly
wrong in his statement as to the price of the land belong-
in.. to the commissioners—it was only £l3O an acre.
He' thought they should consider whether they could not
combine with the other townships, and have a cemetery
that would suit the whole district. They had now a
population of 40,000 to deal with, and, in a few years
the interments in the township would be 800 or 1,000,
a year.

''rhe Chairman advised the postponement of the meet-
ing, as it was not legally convened, and that a legally
convened meetinc, should be held.

Mr. John Laird believed nine-tenths of the people of
Birkenhead did not know of the meeting that day. Every
ratepayer would have to contribute to the cost ; and if
the Act of Parliament were adopted now, it would result
in a rate in perpetuity of 3d. in the pound. (No, no.)
He believed that, to carry it out efficiently, would
require that sum ; and he hoped the ratepayers would
consider the question well. Personally he might tell
them that he would have to pay in rates, for cemetery
purposes, £l,OOO ; and therefore the question was one of
such magnitude that it should not be hastily dealt with.
Mr. Neilson suggested that the meeting should be
postponed, and that a committee be appointed to wait
on Lord Derby and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to
get a charter of incorporation for Birkenhead. (Hear,
hear, laughter, and " order.")

Mr. irenderson said that a cemetery would cost the
township about £20,000.
Mr. George Craven said that a rate of id. in the pound
would pity for the land.

Mr. Ilinderson : And a 2d. rate would pay for the
whole concern.

After some conversation, tho meeting broke up, it
being understood that a meeting should be called by the
overseers, foi• the Oeilei4qat4ni of this question, abwit
raster time.