The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-03-26 00:00:00

WEST DERBY GUARDIANS.

The usual weekly meeting of this Board of Guardians
was held yesterday, at the board room, Mill lane, Ever-
ton. The Rev. William Badnall, the chairman, presided.
The other guardians present were Messrs. H. Edwards, J.
Harrison, Abrahams, Lunt, Craig, Wilson, Wensley,
Elias, Siddeley, Johns, I. Edwards, Pickup, Medealf,
Almond, Whitby, Shaw, and BAtten.
The clerk read the minutes of the last meeting, after
which the following official returns were presented :
The master of the Hospital reported that last week there
were 110 patients in that establishment, since when 40
had been admitted, 11 discharged, 2 deaths; leaving for
the present week, 137 ; for the corresponding week of
last year, 112.
Cheques to the amount of £250 were voted for the
relief of the out door poor.
The Master of the Workhouse reported that the number
of paupers in the house last week was 679, since when 16
had been admitted, born 3, discharged 53, deaths 3. This
week 638; and for the corresponding period of last year,
720.

THE BOARD AND ITS MEDICAL OFFICER.

In pursuance of a resolution adopted at the last meeting
of the board, the following report from the porter was
submitted to the Guardians:—

West Derby Workhouse, March 15th, 1857.
Sir,—l beg to inform you that the average attendance
of Dr. Nevins, according to the annexed return, is two
hours and forty minutes per day at the workhouse.—l
am, sir, your obedient servant, P.T. KENNEDY.

W. Cleaver, Esq.
Accompanying the above report was a tabulated form,
showing the daily attendance and the time occupied on
each visit of Mr. Nevins, for the last six months.

This report was received and adopted without any
comment, but at a subsequent period of the meeting,
Mr. Shaw moved the following—" That the Clerk be
requested to write to Dr. Nevins, asking him to say
whether the statement made by him, in his letter inserted
in the NORTHERN TIMES of the 10th instant, that seven
dead bodies were waiting in the dead house for inter-
ment, on a single day last week,' was intended as a
charge against the guardians or any of their officers,
and if not so, what meaning did he intend to
convey to the public by such a statement."
He said he should propose that motion, and he hoped that
it would be unanimously carried, as the letter to which
he had referred made a charge, at least it was insinuated,
against the whole Board of Guardians, as it alleged that
they had been guilty of harshness to the paupers. He
would repeat what he had slid on the previous occasion,
that with regard to the conversation which took place
between himself and Mr. Nevins, and that the latter said
to him that he did not devote more time to the paupers
now that there were 250, than he did when there were
only 50, and that he said that he could not, nor would not,
give any more time, was perfectly correct, and he was
ready to snake an affidavit to that effect.
Mr. Harrison said he thought that there had already
been too much time wasted on this paltry discussion.
Mr. I. Edwards said he would second Mr. Shaw's
motion.

Mr. Batten said he would move a direct negative.
Last week Mr. Shaw had bad the opportunity of hearing
Mr. Nevin's statement, and of contradicting that expla-
nation, but, instead of doing so, he never attempted to
controvert a single point. He (Mr. Batten) could not
see why the time of the board should be occupied any
further in the motion.
Mr. Abrahams suggested that Mr. Gough should be
called into the board room, and be could explain why the
seven dead bodies had been in the house at one time.
The Chairman said he could explain that point satis-
factorily. He thought that after what had taken place,
the whole subject should be buried in oblivion.
Mr. Whitby could not see any objection to Mr. Sham's
motion. Certain charges had been made, and were
certainly of a very grave nature, and he could not see
any objection to the adoption of the motion.
Mr. Johns also supported the motion.
Mr. Shaw, in reply, expressed the surprise he felt that
Mr. Batten should have opposed his motion, and stated
that be bad, to the best of his ability, replied to Dr.
Nevins on the former occasion.
The Board then divided, when there were twelve for
the original motion, and four for the amendment, The
former was therefore carried, and the clerk was instructed

accordingly.
In the course of the conversation that took place, Mr.
Batten expressed his disapprobation at the returns that
had been made in reference to Dr. Nevins' attendance, as
they did not show the time he attended during the night ;
the time he was occupied at home in making up the
books ; nor did it give the time that Dr. Wilson
attended. It, was denied that the board had anything to
do with Dr. Wilson, as they did not know him ; all they
knew about him was that the board had employed a per-
son to dispense medicine.
THE SUPERINTENDENT OF OUT DOOR LABOUR.

This officer applied for an increase of salary, but his
memorial was understood to he ordered to lie under the
table for the next six months.

THE UNION SCHOOLMASTER.

Mr, Cutts, the schoolmaster, sent in a very long address
to the board, explaining the duties he had to perform, not
alone as schoolmaster, but also as organist, and asking for
an increase in his salary. . . .

:.fr. Pitts, in moving that this memorial be also laid on
the table, took occasion to cast some reflections on Mr.
Cutts for making the application, seeing that he had been
born, bred, and educated in a workhouse, and had a right
to be satisfied with a salary of £6O per annum.
Mr. Johns, supported by the entire board, denounced Mr.
Pitts for the illiberal sentiments he had given utterance to.
Mr. Whitby considered the application very reasonable,
and said he would give notice that he should move that it
be considered.
After some further conversation, the letter was referred
;o the visiting committee, with a request that they would
'report on the subject.
After transacting some routine business, the board sepa-
rated.