The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-03-29 00:00:00

PARISH OF CHRISTCHURCH, SURREY.

Yesterday a numerous meeting of the inhabitants of the perish
of Christchurch. Blackfriars•rosd, took place in the church.
Mr. Hwy Hug v. who is a parishioner, had issued a notifi-
cation that the objects for which the parishioners were summoned,
ten of which were fur the election of officers, and two for voting
away the money of the inhabitants, were twelve important reasons
why they ought to attend the annual vestry, to look into their own
concerns. Ile had heard it asserted in open vestry " that their
money might be misapplied to the amount of SOW. a-year."
One of the Churchwardens was in the Chair.
Mr. HUNT was himself elected one of the auditors for the en-
suing year. Upon the motion for the appointment of some of the
inferior officers of the parish, he took the opportunity of objecting
to the practice of asking for Christmas boxes. It was, he said,
nothing less than that very offence which they had received orders
to apprehend persons for committing—mere begging. (Applause.)
It would be better to Increase the salaries of their officers.

This suggestion was at once adopted; and it was submitted to
future consideration, whether it would not be advisable to increase
the officers' salaries, and to do away with the practice of Christmas
boxes.

Air. B. !fawn; in moving for the usual annual present to the
Rev. Mr. Mapleton. of 300 guineas, mentioned that, before that
gentleman became Rector, the seats were going a-begging, and
since that time, galleries had been erected; and the church had been
most numerously attended. The salary allowed by Act of Parlia-
Meat was Mg per annum; and it was expected that nothing like
a aissenting voice would be heard upon the motion for the usual
increase. Ile then moved, that the Churchwardens be directed to
present 300 guineas of the parish money to the Rev. Gentleman, in
testimony of their sense of his services.
Air. HUNT, in offering • few observations, did not mean to
withhold any eulogium from the Rector, of whose talents and cha.
raver he had heard very high approbation ; but he thought that
before they voted 300 guineas of their money to him, they ought to
ascertain the extent of the emoluments he received for births, mar.
naps and burials. (Hear, bear.) How was it possible to know
whether or not the sum Just mentioned was or was not enough to
grant, without knowing the remuneration which the Rector was in
the habit of receiving fromlother sources. To be sure, it might be
said that the Rector need not give an answer. He certainly might
refuse, but his parishioners might say, in return, " We won't give
you the 3110 guineas without that information." (Loud applause.)
He (Mr. Hunt) begged to be understood as not giving an opinion
whether the sum proposed to be voted was too much or too little.
Ile was only for haying laid before the parishioners that mite-
rim by which a true estimate could be formed. Air. Hunt then
stated, that the money of the parish had not been upon all occa-
sions applied as it ought to have been. A person who was now in
tho employment of Mr. Hawes, upon fifteen shillings a week, had,
when out of employment, applied to the parish for relief for his
wife and five children, and although several weeks without anything
to do, he received no more than seven shillings altogether in his
distress. (Cries of shame.) Now he (Mr. Hnnt) had made a cal-
culation, and taking the Rector's salary, fees, &e. at 10001. a.year,
that gentleman received just as much as 10,W0 poor labouring
men, who bad fifteen shillings a week, got for working from morn.
lag till night. (Laughter, and cries of shame.) Was this Chris.
than charity ? lie bad heard that great savings had been made of
late in the parish; he feared the saving had been made in the wrong
quarter. (Cheers.) These were not times when large sums should
be voted for labour, which was comparatively nothing. (Loud cries
of order.) lie repeated the word comparatively, fur he compared
the labours of the Rev. (Jentleman with those of the poor man
who worked from morning till night. (Cries of order and laugh-
ter.) These were times when they ought to take care of their
money. lie should not deviate from the strict course of his duty
on account of any cry that might be set up against him, and he
should move, as an amendment, " That the Rev. Mr. Mapleton
be requested to let his parishioners Know the amount of fees which
lie annually received.'
Mr. HAW ES said, he was glad to have an opportunity of an-
swering Mr. Henry Hunt. Every thinv, he assured Mr. Hunt,
was open to examination upon the subject of the affairs of that
parish and every body in it was at liberty to look into the books.
He bad, before he knew who Mr. limit was, called hint by the
name of Gentleman. Now 1111 must say that Mr. Hunt had not
acted like a Gentleman in dragging h 6 (Alr. Hawes's) name for.
word, coupled with a charge of inhumanity.

Mr. HUNT—I ask thosearound me whether what I have said
ought to subject me to this sort of attack—whether the language
just used islthat of a Gentleman. (Shameful.) Ile altogether dia.
avowed having imputed to Mr. Hawes any impropriety of conduct;
the words he used never conveyed any imputation of the kind.
Mr. HAWES declared. that the man who had applied to the
parish had acted against the law of the establishment to which he
belonged, as, in case of distress, there was a fund to which not one
of the workmen had ever applied in vain. Besides, there wee not
a man in the establishment wbo had so little as fifteen shillings a
week. He then contended that Mr. 'Mapleton was deserving of the
present annually voted to him. (In this opinion the Meeting
seemed unanimously to concur.)
A Parishioner bore testimony to the worth of the Rector, whom
he described as a man of unboun4ed charity and liberality.
. .

After wme further observation; from seieral of the Parishioners,
one of them sal I that what Mr. Hunt had stated was false, and
made some allusions to the wonderful blacking.

Mr. HUNT cried out, I'll not be dismayed by the bullying of
that tallow.faced Gentleman. (Loud laughter, and several persons
expressed their disapprobation adds mode of retort.)
Mr. HUNT said, that whenever any man charged him with hay-
frig uttered a falsehood, he should retaliate in some way or other.
It was evidently done for the purpose of exciting him to a degree
of warmth, calculated to do injury to the •ause, but it should not
succeed. He consented to withdraw his amendment, but he should
submit it as a separate motion. He wished merely to request that
the Rector would let his parishioners know the probable amount of
his emoluments. The Hector could not perform two duties, and
ha had another living to attend to.
The motion for presenting the 300 guineas to the Rector was
then carried, and
Mr. HUNT submitted his motion. He was anxious to know the
amount of fees fur weddings, burials, and christenings, of which
there were great numbers in that pariah. •
An amendment was moved, that it wan neither expedient nor ne-
cessary to make the inquiry; and Mr. Hunt was informed that he
might ascertain by the books that amount.
The amendment was carried by a large majority.
The motion that 100 guineas be presented to the Curate was op.
posed by Mr. Hunt, who naked whether the Curate, in tile event
of the grant being made, was sure to get it.
The Churchwarden paid his receipt was regularly given for it.
Mr. HUNT, in alluding to the large funds of the parish, sub-
mitted that the Hank of England ought to be prying as much in.
',rest upon the money placed in their hands by the parish, as would
discharge the amount td.* what the parish war lo the habit of pay-
ing to the Curate annually. (A pplause.)
The motion was carried, 4th hands having been held up fur it,
and 29 against
In the course of the d'srussin"... Mr. HUNT said he should cer-
tainly endeavour to save the 1:ar!: a serious sun of money during