The Sun.
London, England, 1859-03-09 00:00:00

WEST LONDON UNION.

At the usual weekly meeting of the Board of
Guardians of the West London Union, held yester-
day, the matter of .the summons issued against
three gentlemen of the board (Messrs. Potter, Long,
and Lamprell), was warmly discussed. The sum-
mons was for a cheque surcharged by the auditor,
amounting to £4 95., and was heard at the Guildhall
on Friday last, as reported in our journal.
Mr. HENRY POTTER explained to the board the
manner in which he acted upon that occasion, as
the representative of the board, and said that he
had certainly gained a little further insight into
the tyrannical nature of the Poor-law Board, which
allowed one of their officers to act as a Louis
Napoleon in a small way; drag three gentlemen
as criminals before a magistrate, and demand that
he should sign a distress warrant, without afford-
ing them any opportunity of giving an explanation.
He therefore called upon the board to take such
action in the matter as they thought proper.
Mr. LUSHER hoped the guardians of the West
London Union would, to a man, stand against the
encroachments of that centralising board, and op-
pose them in every possible lawful manner. He
therefore moved the following resolution :—" That
the clerk do write to the Poor-law Commissioners
and inquire why the letter of the 22d January, sent
from this board, has not been answered, and ex-
pressing the deep surprise and regret of this board
tb at three of their number should have been sum-
moned by the auditor before a magistrate for signing
a cheque which this board believed to be just and,
proper ; and this bciard enclose a copy of the pro-
ceedings for the information of the Poor-law Com-
missioners, and wish to know whether, under the
circumstances, the auditor will be instructed to
proceed further in the matter. The board would
also like to know how the expenditure in question
was contrary to the statute, or to any order of the
Poor-law Board, by which alone they are guided."
Mr. PEDLER would do all in his power to sup-
port the dignity of the board ; and he, therefore,
heartily seconded the resolution.
The resolution was carried unanimously.
It was then moved by Mr. PEDLER, seconded by
Mr. BUTCHER, and resolved—" That this board
approve of the way in which Messrs. Potter, Long,
and Lamprell met the summons taken out against
them, and that those gentlemen be assured that
this board, whilst sympathising with their position,
will resolutely support them in their continued
opposition."
Mr. PONTIFEX (the clerk) read a letter which he
had received/from the commissioners, with reference
to his conduct at the Guildhall on Friday, asking
whether the reports in the public journals of what
he then said was correct.

His reply thereto was read and met with the
hearty approval of the board.
Some routine business was transacted, and the
board adjourned.

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.—The following
gentlemen having undergone the necessary examinations
for the diploma were admitted members of the College at a
meeting of the Court of Examiners on the 7th inst.—viz.,
Messrs. Henry Nichol, Haddenham, Cambridgeshire;
George Palatiano, Corfu, lonian Islands; John Alderson,
Aslackby, Licolnshire ; Daniel O'Brien, Piccadilly; Hugh
Lewis Pugh, Dolgellan North Wales ; George White
Martin, Rochester; John Edmonstoune Stewart, Port
Royal Jamaica; Charles Searle Bayliffe, Chippenham ;
George Verry, Kilburn ; Brownell Richard Murphy, Royal
Navy ; and William Henry Richardson, Clifton,_ York.
CITY COMMISSION OF SEWERS.—At the usual
weekly meeting of the commissioners yesterday, Mr. Deputy
Christie in the chair, Dr. Letheby, medical officer of health,
reported on the state of 209 houses, and submitted a list of
44 places requiring sanitary improvement in various parti-
culars. The mortality returns for the week were greatly
below the average, the number of deaths being only 48,
against 51 for the corresponding period of the last three
years. The weekly death rate in January was 68, and in
February 55 ; it appears, therefore, that the public health
has been undergoing a marked improvement for the last few
weeks. Of the 41 deaths, 21 were among children, of less
than five years old, and 8 among persons of sixty and up-
wards.
Among the causes of death there were 10 from
hydrocephalus and the convulsions of infancy, 3 from
whooping cough, 2 from measles, and 1 from fever; but
there were no deaths from diarrhoea, dysentery, small-pox,
or scarlet fever, and of the pulmonic affections 4 were from
phthisis, 2 from infantine pneumonia, and 9 from bronchitis.
Altogether the improvement in the state of the public
health is highly satisfactory.
THE CASE OF THE REV. MR. PUGH.—Yesterday
at the weekly meeting of the directors of the poor of the
parish of St. Pancras, held at the Vestry-hall, Camden-
town, Mr. Churchwarden Attenborough in the chair, a com-
munication was read fram the Poor-law Board, enclosing the
copy of a letter they had directed to be sent to the Rev.
Thomas Pugh, the late chaplain of the workhouse, on the
subject of his dismissal by the vestry, on the recommendation
of the director:, from that office. It will be remembered that
the ground of the dismissal of the Rev. Thomas Pugh was
his alleged correspondence with, and refusal to give up the
address of Muskett, one of the medical officers, who, having
been guilty of a criminal offence, had absconded. The com-
munication from the Poor-lawßoard, after adverting to the
circumstances of the case, and the refusal of the vestry to
afford them any information, expressed an opinion that
although in the course he had adopted Mr. Pugh was ac-
tuated by conscientious motives, still the Poor-law Board
could not feel surprise at learning that the directors had com-
plained of such proceedings, and they certainly thought
e wholethu s concludeso f
the
facts, -
and looking
it was calculated to weaken the confidence which the di-
rectors had previously placed in him (the Rev. T. Pugh)
and to prejudice his future ministrations as chaplain. The
communication
of the Upon
ok o ai
ncareful
h e consi-
deration
posi-
tion in which you are personally placed with regard to your
future ministrations at the workhouse, the board think it
right to intimate to you that they will not be prepared to
maintain you in the office of chaplain, and they therefore
consider that you most expedient course will be at once
voluntarily to tender your resignation." This document
Was received And ordered to be entered on the minutes,