Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-02-10 00:00:00

WORK HOUSE COMMITTEE.

At the weekly meeting of this committee yesterday,
Mr. Churchwarden Cropper presided; and the 'other
members present were Messrs. Smith, Scott, Peck, Caf-
ferata, E. Byford, Williams, and Broome.
From the medical officer's report, it appeared that the
total 'number of paupers. in the sick wards last week,
was 693'; new cases since, 169 ; cured and discharged,
154; died, 24 ; this week, 684'; including 14 fever and'
4 itch cases. The number of destitute persons relieved
in the vagrant sheds during the week -ending the 4th
inst., was 126 men, 46 women, and 9 children ; total,
180 ; being a. decrease of 23 during the week, and of
69 as compared with the corresponding week of last'
year. The governor's weekly return showed the, num-
ber- of paupers in the house to be 2,233 ; showing a
decrease of 43 as compared with last wielt," and a
decrease of 115,..as,compared with the corresponding
week of last year.
The goVernor reported in his journal that the Rev.
James Fleetwood, the Roman Catholic priest appointed
to visit the workhouse, had made an entry in the book
to the effect that a scripture reader 'of the name of;,
Evans had been making public prayer, expounding the
scriptures aloud, and delivering tracts amongst the
inmates of the workhouse. It was also complained
that some of the lady visitors had been explaining the ;
scriptures aloud and
,delivering tracts.
Mr. "SCOTT observed that this was one of
,the thinem
which were.inherent in the system. was what migrit
have been expected, but it could not be allowed,
Mr. CARR, the governor, having been called in before
the committee, explained that in the early part of the'
week some of the lady visitors (Roman Catholic) came_
to him and told him of the circumstance' now com-
.
plained of, 'stating that-if they were' allowed to dd the.
same they would make no objection to the practice, Re
told them he could -give no such permission, as the
practie,e, was entirely against the rules. The ladies
referred,to requested. that their names might not be
mentioned in the matter, Mit as he fold them it was his
duty to bring it befOre'the committee; they. placed, _the
affair' in • the hands -of the Rev. J, Fleetwood, .and the
complaint according came from him. lie (the governor)
made minute inquiries in the house, and found that
the complaint was well founded ; .indeed, he ascertained
that the practice preyailed to a much greater extent
than he expected to find '
HAnGER, the clerk, read the minute, dated 1856,
referring to the permission of Evans, the scripture
reader, to ehter the workhouse, the condition being that,
he was •" to avoid disputation or proselytism."
Mr. PECK fi4id there had been a distinct breach of
the' rules, and moved that Mr. Evans be requested to
discontinue his' visits for the future.

I Mr. Cinit, in reply to Mr. Cafferata, stated that the
Roman Catholic inmates had not made any formal com-
plaint to him on the, matter.
The CHAIRMAN thought the matter should not have
been made public; that it should have been alloweirto
pa.‘ by quietly, and that the go.vernor should havd cau-
tioned the offending ladles against, acting in' opposition
to the rules.
Mr. emin said he would not on anyacancountmheaavre,
acted in the manner suggested by the chairm •
hear.) The complaint having been made, it was his
duty to bring the matter before the committee, antlit
he had allowed it to drop quietly he would have been
acting in opposition to his duty.
The motion for the dismissal of Mr. Evans was
agreed to unanimously.
Mr. PECK moved that the chairman be requested to
communicate with the offending ladies, pointing out
that, they had committed a breach of the rules, and
cautioning them against any repetition of such' a
practice.
Mr. SMITH seconded the motion.

Mr. CAFFERATA. wished to mete out equal justice to
all, and moved that the ladies berequested to withdraw.
Those ladies, had' each a copy of the rules, and if they
chose knowingly and wilfully to violate them, he did
not see why they should be treated in a different manner
to the scripture reader:

Ultimately, Mr.
,Cafferata withdrew his amendment,
and Mr. Peck's proposition was agreed to.
The other business before the committee had reference
only to matters of routine.

-DISTRICT PROVIDENT :SOCIETY. _

The annual meeting' of tie friends and subscribers of
this valuable institution was held yesterday at the
Savings Bank, Rold=itrect, tinder the presidency of the
Mayor. The Rev, Rector Campbell; the Rev. Messrs.
C. Wray, Robberds, Maddock, Walsh, ' and Messrs.
William Brown, Payne, and ;Tones, Were also present.

The 11fAven said that it had been the custom 'for.
Many years for the. Mayor to take the chair at the an-
nual meeting of that society, and he gladly responded to
the wish of the .committee to continue that custom. As
that was the thirtieth annual meeting, and as the society
was so ,well known and so highly appreciated by the
public, it was quite unnecessary for him to say anything
in its favour. They would be aware that its operations
were divided into two parts"; one for visiting the work-
ing classes at their homes, and collecting deposits from
them which were kept for them' ap_d' returned' wlien
required, so as to encourage habits of care, saving, and
prudence ; and the other for the relief of 'casual and
urgent cases of distress. Some idea of the work effected
by. the society may' be formed by the informatibn that
since it had been in existence, no less had been
deposited in its hands than £304,982, and no. fewer than
,351,826 cases of distress had been relieved, and the
latter he believed. was equal
,to 1,700,000 individuals.
This plain stateMentr of facts should ensure for the
society the cordial'sympathy and Siipport of every right-
minded member of the community. There were two
'points to which the committee wished to call the atten.-
tion. of the public. The first, was the inadequate number
of visitors, and the 'Second the 'small amount of sub-
scriptions in comparison- with the expenditure of the
society. It was essential to the working of the society,
'that there should be a considerable -increase in the
number of visitors, and, he was sorry to observe by the
report that there were only 37 districts,out of 51 visited
at that moment, but those that were visited, were
efficiently attended to. The committee were, aware that
the public of Liverpool were always ready to respond to
any appeal of that society when its funds were exhausted,
but they also felt that a 'larger fixed -annual income
should be placed in their hands, and they therefore
appealed for an increase of subscriptions. He was sure
that if parties who gave' casual' relief in the streets
would send it to that and to 'other 'kindred societies,
they would soon be in a flourishing condition, and, at
the same time, a great deal of harm would be prevented
which arose from indiscriminate charity. He could only
say for himself that, both in his individual and official
capacity, the society had always attended most readily
to any orders which
,he might make upon it. , He con-
cluded by calling upon the secretary to read the report,
which was as follows :