Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-03-04 00:00:00

TOXTETH BOARD OF GUARDIANS

This board.held their usual weekly meeting yesterday,
at the public offices, Park-road. The members present
were —Mr. Thomas Urquhart in the chair. . Messrs.
H. Ogden, Alexander .Miller, William Baynes, John
Wilson, Samuel Siddeley, M; A. Johns, John Moss, Henry
Layland, Thomas Harrison, William Johnston, John
Rogers, Arthur . Grindrod, William Leyland, J. B.
Hughes, and JoSeph Wilson. The relief of paupers
having been attended to, Mr. Gough read his report;
which showed the statebof the Workhouse to be as
follows :—Last week, 356 ; this week, 355 ; correspond-
ing week last year, 419. In the hospital last week, 39
this week, 40. Cheques were granted to the relieving
officers to the amount of £134.

Mr. Miller- said—Mr. Chairman, before proceeding
with the more important business of the board, I wish
briefly to draw your attention to a case which' came
before yon last week. It may have due effect at this
particular time, when there appears to be such diver-
sity of opinion with regard to medical treatment. *I am
sure, sir, it will be gratifying to every unprejudiced
member of this board to know that the case of the wo-
man Brady has been successfully treated by Evan
Thomas.
Mr.
Thomas. That her shoulder was out of joint there can
be no question or doubt whatever, as our relieving officer
can inform you, for he was present during the operation ;
and, if I am credibly informed, when the shoulder bone
was forced into its original socket, it gave a crack which
might have been heard distinctly at a distance of twenty
yards. She called at my house last night, to thank me
for the little interest I had taken in her behalf, and also
to let me see that she could move her fingers and hand
freely. I mention these facts, sir, in order that suffer-
ing humanity may be benefitted in future, and that every
facility may be afforded to poor creatures similarly
situated, and also to convince any gentleman present, if
he is not already so, that the efficiency of this practical
man goes far before the philosophy of those who would
teach us to despise him. In alluding to the abilities of
Mr. Thomas, I should wish to be distinctly understood
not to speak disparagingly of eminently qualified medical
gentlemen ; but in their order, sir, as in every other,
there are many botches. My only object is to enlist
sympathy in ftivour of such distressing cases as the one
we have witnessed. The woman was for three months
rubbing and plastering her shoulder, and after all was
desired by one of our guardians to go into the hospital,
which, I sincerely believe, if she had- done, she would
have been a cripple for life.
Mr. Moss said, there was another case of that kind
which had come before his notice, a poor woman, a
charwoman, who had hurt her finger, and been
unable to work for three weeks, during which time she
had been under surgical' treatment, who went to Evan
Thomas, and he told her that her finger was out of
joint, and that he would set it for ss, and made it quite
well.

Mr. J. B. Iliighes said, he thought Mr. Miller should
take back a remark that he had made about Mr. Moss,
on the last board day. " That he was something like
a sweep that went up the chimney, and came down into
the parlour, determined to make as much of his time as
possible, for he would not be long there." He (Mr.
Hughes) thought that was a very strange remark, as they
all knew the nature of Mr. Moss. If Mr. Miller had
said he was a brick, it would have been nearer the
truth.

Mr. Miller said he was very willing to take back the
remark, but in doing so he would say -that he had given
his friend Mr. Hughes credit for more good sense than he
had displayed in mentioning the matter. He thought
Mr. Moss understood what was meant, indeed, he was sure
he did, and so ought Mr. Hughes.

The Chairman said there was nothing arising out of the
minutes of the last meeting, except a notice of motion by
Mr. Moss.

The Clerk then read a letter from the Poor-law Board,
approving of the course adopted by .the guardians with
respect to the vaccinating officers.
The report of the building committee was then read, in
which was stated that 500 loads of sand had been sold at
9d per load.

Mr. Moss : In moving the confirmation of these pro-
ceedings, I have to bring befure the board a rather more
important question.

r.fhe Chairman : This is the question before the board
at present, and we cannot take up another till it is settled.
If Mr. Moss is prepared to move the confirmation of the
proceedings of the committee, we will hear him after-
wards

Mr. Moss accordingly moved the confirmation of the
resolutions,-and Mr. Hughes seconded the motion. •

Mr. Harrison said he understood that there was a great
quantity of saud still unsold, and he thought that more
than 9d a load might be got for it if they were to adver-
tise for contracts to purchase it, as it was of a superior
quality.
The Clerk said it was now before the board whether it
was to be advertised for sale.

Mr. Harrison said, if they could get a better price for
the sand than H. a load for the asking, they would be
foolish not to do it. He' thought.they should advertise
for contracts, as the, advertisement would not cost much.
He moved that the sand be sold by contract,' in lots to
suit purchasers, as by selling it by contract they might
get a shilling a load for it.

- Mr. Baynes said, he was of opinion that they would
get more than 9d. for it.

- Some further discussion took place, and the matter
dropped.
The Chairman then said he had received a note from.
Mr. Monkhouse, the surveyor to the local board of
health, which he would read : " I am instructed by the
local board of health of Toxteth-park to lay before your
board for approval, the plan of the contemplated im-
provement in Smithdown-lane, by widening the same in
front of the new 'Workhouse." The plan is here and Mr.
Monkhouse is in waiting, and I will call him if any
guardian wishes to ask him any question.
Mr. Moss said, before calling Mr. Monkhouse, he
wished to say that, after they left there on Monday last,
they met a deputation from the rural board or sanitary
board of health on the' subject, and that rural board con-
templated to effect the intended improvement in Smith-
down-lane, by throwing into the road a large slice of the
Toxteth Guardians' land. He thought that making the
road wider was a most excellent proposition ; but the
gentlemen belonging to the sanitary board wanted that
township, after having paid a large sum of
money for their land, to make a public road
through this laud, which contained about 1;000 yards.
He thought that was rather a modest request,
to ask such a large slice from the rate-
payers of Toxteth-park. He would not oppose
their having it, however, on certain conditions.
First, that the sewer be sunk to the depth required .by
Mr. Culshaw ; secondly, that a proper footpath be formed ;
and thirdly, that the stones of the present wall be removed
into the Guardians' own land, and a fence of posts with
three rails be erected thereon. He thought that it was.
absolutely necessary not to grant the land, except on such
conditions as he had proposed, which would show that
they'had the interest of the ratepayers at heart. These
were his views, and he hoped that the guardians would
agree with him.

-The Chairman said, before proceeding further in the
matter, it would be well to refer to the proceedings of
the building committee on the subject.
The Clerk read the minutes of a previous meeting of
the committee.

Mr. Monkhouse was then called, who stated that his
only object in coming before them was to explain any-
thing that might be said with regard to the plan that he
had submitted. The quantity of was exactly stated
in the plan - 900 yards.

Mr. John Wilson : I move that this land be granted.
The Chairman : Stop a little.
Mr. Joseph 'Wilson : What difference will this curve
ake to narting ;

to go on the curve ? -
Mr. Monkhouse : Not if you make a front walk.
Mr. Harrison : Are we giving up more land than the
local board are giving for the formation of the road ?
Mr. Monkhouse : The local board give the most. •
Mr Moss said, in reply to Mr. Wilson, that the land
would be quite straight enough to make a house square.
Mr. Monkhouse stated that the local board were pre-
pared to make the sewer the extra depth required, and
they expected the guardians to put up the fence.
Mr. Moss said,- he thought they were fighting with
phantoms in thus discussing the question, as these-was
was
nothing in it. , .
The Chairman said, the board of health had:agreed to
give the guardians fair access to their sewer if the land
was granted.
Mr. Moss then moved that the proposition of the
board of health be accepted on the condition that the
sewer be sank to the depth required by Mr. Culshaw.
The Clerk was' instructed to send a letter to the board,
which had been prepared on the subject, and to add the
condition mentioned. in Mr. Moss's motion.
Mr. Moss said, he would withdraw his motion, of
which he had given notice at the last meeting, as they
were on the eve of a new election.
This concluded the business.