The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-14 00:00:00

ST. CLEMENT DANES.

On Thursday evening a Vestry meeting was held at
the Vestry-room, St. Clenient's-churchyard, for the pur-
pose of assessing a rate for the poor and the nomination
of overseers ; Mr. Churchwarden Lane in the chair.
The Vestry Clerk, Mr. Isaacson, having read the
minutes of the last Vestry, stated that, upon the appli-
cation of the Commissioners of Taxes, the sureties of the
present collectors had assented to enlarge their respon-
sibility to the amount of 2,6001., on account of the defal-
cations of the late collector, Mr. Thomas Bolton.
Mr. TAYLOR, in proposing a rate for the maintenance
of the poor for the current quarter, said he much re-
gretted that, owing to the inclemency of the weather
and the dearness of provisions at the present period,
there was found a great difficulty in obtaining payment
of the rates ; and in order to obviate the evil of increas-
ing the distress by enforcing strictly immediate payment,
which must make things worse, he had to propose a
small increase in the assessment of last quarter
of 10d. instead of 9d. in the pound. This
would place in the hands of the overseers a small
floating capital, enabling them to wait till a more
favourable change took place.
Mr. CHAPMAN moved an amendment that the rate
should be limited to 9d., and entered into a long financial
statement to show that there was already a balance in
the overseers' hands of about eleven hundred
-pounds,
sufficient for all purposes.
Mr. MASON said the available balance in the hands of
the overseers did not exceed 2601.
The VESTRY CLERK corroborated this statement.
Mr. OSMOND observed that if Mr. Chapman's state-
ment was founded in fact, he should vote for the 9d.
rate, but if the parish officers were correct, for the larger

sum.
Mr. JAMES, who seconded the amendment, considered
the question was whether the overseers should have a
floating capital in hand of 3001. or 6001. He was the
last man to wish to oppress the poor, but he thought
the former sum quite ample for all necessary purposes.
He then proceeded to charge the parochial officers with
falsifying the accounts, particularly in the assessment of
the rates of Mr. Spillman, Messrs. Abbott and Son,
and others.
After an angry discussion, the Chairman put the
amendment to the vote, when there appeared for the 9d.
rate 13 ; on the contrary, an immense majority.
The original motion for a temporary rate was then
carried.
Mr. WILLETEIt moved that the two present overseers,
Messrs. Mason and Taylor, be elected for another year.
Mr. OSMOND was opposed to this double service of
overseers, and the system by which it had been attempted
to be carried out. It prevented parishioners from enter-
ing office, and he knew in one instance, quite a youth—
a Mr. Judkins---serving the office to the detriment of
old inhabitants of the parish. This arose from the affairs
of the parish being managed by a clique of a few per-
sons, who wanted to have all their own way. (Hear.) He
had 'been a parishioner for 25 years, but never sought
office—in fact he had lived in the parish for fifteen years
without knowing where the vestry room was. (Laugh-
ter.) They could not accuse him of being an agitator,
for he never sought office, nor would he ever serve. He'
could bear testimony to the high respectability and
talents of the two present overseers, more worthy men
could not be elected, but he thought the election for two
years was improper and got up on a bad system.
Mr. LEWIS objected to the list of names banded in to
serve the office, as giving rise to the charge of the affairs
of the parish being managed by a clique. He moved
that the names of the present overseers in the list be
omitted and two others substituted.
After a prolonged and tedious discussion, the amend-
ment was finally carried, the numbers being
For Mr. Lewis's amendment l6
Against it
13
The original Majmotionority-3
was consequently lost. After
thanks had been voted to the chairman for his great im-
, partiality in the chair, the meeting dissolved.