The Sun.
London, England, 1866-02-01 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY CONTEST.

Yesterday a special and most exciting meeting of
the Vestry of St. Pancras was held at the Vestry-
hall, Camden Town, for the purpose of considering
certain motions, of which notice kid been given by
Mr. J. R. Collins, for withdrawing the parochial
accounts, amounting to upwards of £200,000 per
annum, from the London and Westminster, and to
transfer such accounts to the Camden Town branch
of the National Bank. Mr. Churchwarden Law-
ford presided.
Letters were read from Mr. Ewings, general mana-
ger of the London and Westminster, and from Mr.
Chester, manager of the Camden Town branch of
the National. That from Mr. Ewings expressed re-
gret at learning a proposal was to be submitted to the
vestry to remove the banking account of St. Pancras
from the London and Westminster, and to appoint
the National treasurers in their place. It reminded
them that the London and 'Westminster had held
the accounts for over 26 years, had from time to
time made considerable advances, and trusted that
their long connexion would not be severed so sum-
Marily, but that the claims of the London and West-
minster would receive that courteous and deliberate
consideration they were entitled to by length of
service. The manager of the National applied for
the account on the ground of the advantages which
its central position in the parish afforded to the local
boards and their officers, offering every facility, and
security to any amount.
Mr. J. R. COLLINS moved kis resolutions, which
enforced the advantages afforded to the inhabitants
—" That it was advisable the vestry should avail
itself of the advantages thereby afforded by appoint-
ing the National treasurers to the vestry and direc-
tors of the poor; that the resolution dated Aug. 28,
1839, be rescinded, appointing the London and
Westminster treasurers ; that notice be given to the
London and Westminster that they would cease to
be such at the close of the collection of the current
rates on March 24 next ; that the National be ap-
pointed as such treasurers from that date ; and that
the necessary steps be taken with that object, and
with respect to security, &c." Mr. Collins went
into statistics to show that the commercial stability
of the National was quite equal to the London and
Westminster, and that being ratepayers, and afford-
ing the advantages of local banking accommodation,
the latter was deserving support. He pointed to
the fact that Islington, Holborn Union, and Clerken-
well had placed their accounts with the London and
County, and Paddington and Kensington with the
National, from a similar cause.
Mr. STOCKTON seconded the resolutions.

Dr. COLLINS very warmly denounced this pro-
ceeding as most unfair to the London and West-
minster, and ridiculed the idea of the National being
at all equal to the former bank. He moved an
amendment expressive of confidence in the London
and Westminster as the treasurers of the parish, and
regret that any proposal for the removal of the ac-
counts should have been contemplated.
Mr. DOUGLAS seconded the amendment. Ile looked
upon this movement as having originated in the
connexion of a certain gentleman who was a direc-
tor of the National with that borough. (No, no,
and hear.) The fact was that the National was a
series of Irish banks, and if this Fenianism got the
upper hand what mould become of their security ?
(Laughter and hear, hear.) He contended, if they
carried these proposals they would be going from a
good security to an indefinite one.
Mr. EAMES, Mr. CAMERON, and Mr. FURNESS
supported the original proposals. The National had
been established thirty-one years, and twenty-one
in England, and it was contended that after the
services the National had recently done the parish,
in lending it £50,000 for paving purposes at low in-
terest, were deserving of every consideration.
Mr. NODES and Mr. ELDRIDGE supported the
amendment, and the latter contended that by
taking this step they were involving themselves by
taking the liability of all the Irish banks on their
shoulders. (Laughter.)
The amendment was negatived by
a majority of
52 to 11, a second amendment by 51 to 10, and on
a division the motion was carried to rescind the ap-
pointment of the London and Westminster as
treasurers by a majority of 53 to 10.
An amendment to postpone the subject for six
months had but four supporters. An amendment
to divide the accounts between the National and the
London and South-Western, another local branch
bank, was negatived by 46 to 5. Ultimately the
whole of the resolutions withdrawing the account
from the London and Westminster, and appoint-
ing the National as the parochial treasurers, was
carried by an equally overwhelming majority ; and
after a discussion of three hours' duration the pro-
ceedings closed.

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