The Sun.
London, England, 1828-06-12 00:00:00

PARISH OF ST. JAMES.

On Tuesday a very numerous and respectable meet-
ing of the inhabitants of St. James's, Westminster,
took place at the great room, 41, Brewer-street, for
the purpose of taking into consideration the neces-
sity of petitioning Parliament to substitute an elec-
tive in the place of a self-elected Vestry, and for the
better government of the Parish.

Sir FRANCIS BURDETT in the. Chair.

The Report of the Committee appointed to ex-
amine the Parochial books was read. It represented
generally that the concerns of the parish were most
uneconomically conducted by the Select Vestry, and
that even in one year there was an unaccounted for
deficiency of 15,188/. -55.. 5d.; that there were also
deficiencies to the amount of 11,000/. and upwards,
of which no satisfactory explanation was given, and
it recommended an immediate application to Par-
liament for a remedy.
Mr. BYNG, M.P. for Middlesex, believed the state-
ment made by the Committee correct, but he be-
lieved the statement (alluding to a paper which was
handed about the room, professing to be an accurate
detail of the receipt and expenditure) of the Vestry
to be also correct. If the Vestry meant to defraud
they would not have done it in so clumsy a manner.
If they were all rogues they would have put the
15,0001., one of the obnoxious items, into their
pockets more adroitly. Mr. Byng then stated that
a most favolfrable alteration had taken place in the
management of the parish, the accounts were audited
every fortnight, so that the tradesmen were paid
punctually, and, of course, enabled to supply neces-
saries at a cheaper rate ; and, as to the expenditure,
no parish in the Metropolis was rated so low. (Loud
cries' of disapproval, and laughter.) He repeated it
—the inhabitants were nominally rated at 3s. in
the pound, but in fact they paid no more than
Is. Bd. (Cries of " No, no.") Having declared
to the meeting most earnestly that he considered
the conduct of the Select Vestry most unexception-
able in every respect, and that the parish affairs
flourished under it, the Hon. Member sat down
amidst the most unequivocal symptoms of dissatis-
faction.

Mr. HotmousE said that it was his intention, in
the next Session of Parliament, to bring in a Bill re-
specting the abolition of the Select Vestries, -if
he received the support and countenance of the
parish, but without that support, he despaired of re-
medying so lamentable, a grievance as that of which
they so naturally complained.—(Cheers.)—The
parishioners • did not specifically charge the Select
Vestry with having pocketed the deficiency alluded
to. They only said that there was an apparent de-
ficiency of great extent, and they wished for a
House of Commons Committee to inquire into the
fact, and prevent any future occurrence of a .imilar
kind. The wish was not a novel one. One hundred
years ago a complaint was made against the parish
of St. Martin, and a Parliamentary Inquiry was 'in-
stituted, and an amendment was- the immediate
consequence. He recommended to the Meeting
not to enter in their application to Parliament into
any minute detail—for errors might, notwithstand-
ing the greatest caution, be made, where particulars
were specified—but to complain in a general way of
a large deficiency, and to seek redress for that to the
positive existence of which there could be no denial.
—(Cheers)—The parish was perfectly justified in
the course it adopted—(Loud cheers)—and he
wished it the utmost success from his heart.

Mr. FORES, in a strain of amusing ridicule, at,
tacked the Select Vestry, and Mr. Byng, for prop-
ping up so rotten a building.
Sir FRANCIS BURDETT said, that as to the neces-
sity for inquiry, there could not be two opinions
upon that subject. The Select Vestry described
their conduct as pure and upright, and the inhabi-
tants entertained a different opinion, and would not
take their words, because their money disappeared,
God knew how.—(l.aughter.)—The natural course,
under such circumstances, was to inquire who was
in the right, and the Select Vestry had no reason to
complain if they came out spotless from the investi-
gation.

A number of resolutions were then passed una-
nimously, descriptive of the sense entertained by
the Meeting of the conduct of the Select Vestry,
and voting an immediate application to Parliament ;
after which the Meeting adjourned.

We have the satisfaction to learn from a gen-
tleman who had an interview with the KING a few days
ago, that his MAJESTY was never in better health and spirits
than at this moment. —Brighton Gazette.
JUNE 10.—The hay harvest is now becoming
very geneial in this neighbourhodd ; the crops appear
strong, and the favourable change in the weather renders
the prospects cheerful. The wheat and barley look ex-
ceedingly flourishing.—Brighton Gazette.

LONDON OPHTHALMIC INFIRMARY.— The
Anniversary of this admirable Institution was yesterday
celebrated at the Albion. Tavern. War. Mar.usar, Esq.
in the Chair. The Secretary read a most flattering ac-
count of the state of the Funds of the Charity, not only on ac-
count of the liberal amount of subscriptions on that day
made, but particularly from the extraordinary addition de-
rived from the late sale at the Egyptian Hall, of works
contributed by Ladies, the net produce of which exceeded
2,340/. The number of patients relieved annually was
stated to he 5,200, and the gross sum expended amounted
to about 8001. per• annum; so that (as Dr. TRAVERS ob-
served) the average expense of each patient amounting only
to 3s. 6d. each, the subscriber of one guinea had the satin•
faction of knowing that he had enabled the Institution to
relieve six objects.

THE BRUNSWICK THEATRE.—Mr. CAR-
RUTHERS, the surviving owner of the late Brunswick
Theatre, yesterday underwent his final examination before
the Commissioners of Bankrupts. Several questions were
put to Mr. CARRUTHERS, respecting some household and
other properly of minor value, of which be was possessed,
to all of which he returned most satisfactory answers.—
Several minor debts were proved, and the examination
terminated. The bankrupt surrendered his watch and
money to the assignees, which were immesliately restored
to him: It was stated during the proceedings, that Go-
vernment had given up their claim on the materials of the
Theatre, which were forfeited as a deodand.
The "nee Committee', have agreed to
another Report ; it is wholly confined to the Ordnance
Department, and consists of a series of Resolutions. They
only remain for the formal revision of the committee,
which, it is expected, will be given so that the Report may
be presented on Friday ur Aiondm next. They recommend
Various alterations irt the department, but the principal one
is the aklition of the chief Officer, or Clerk of the Ord-
nance. Two Bills, it is mentioned, are likely to be moved
by Sir H. Pantsur.r., the Chairman, founded on the Re-
port ; and, if they he seriously entertained. or 'countenanced
by the Ministers, the prorogation of the House is nut likely
to take place quite so soon as the hurrying through of the
Eestimates lead some people, to anticipate. However,
when the Ministers have obtained. the " supplies," they
are not accustomed to trouble the Members much longer.

VAUXHALL GARDENS.

TO, THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sin—anfilienced by a natural regard for the interests of
my daughter (Catherine Coveney), and a desire that the
public, by whom she has been so liberally patronized,
should be put in possession of the particulars connected
with her sudden retirement from Vauxhall Gardens, I beg
to state, through the medium of your widely distributed
Journal, that the event in questiononwits origin solely to
a determination of the Proprietors not to allow the use of
any talent employed by them to any other place of amuse-
ment during their season. On receiving a communica-
tion to that effect, I necessarily had to choose between the
Surrey Theatre and the Gardens, to the former of which,
in consequence of the more Oxtensive muSical"priCtice my
daughter is likely to receive from very able. instructors, I
gave tie preference.

- It is by no means my intention to impugn the motives
of the gentlemen presiding over 'the entertainments of
Vauxhall; on the contrary, I am most ready -to acknow-
ledge their kindness and liberality in not enforcing the
fine attached to the agreement made between them and my
daughter; myitniiety being simply to show, that her se-
cession from her duties at that place has not arisen from
any want of ability to fill the situation to which she
had been appointed.

I am, Sir, yours, most obliged,
H. COVENE Y.
Wbeatsbeaf Tavern, Strand, June 10, 1828.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—Much has been said, and much more may he said,
on the subject of Emancipation ; it appears to me to be a
question of policy on the part of the Established Church,
and of interest in that of the Roman Catholics ; it were
well, .therefore, if something were devised to conciliate both,
and nothing seems so effectual as a change in the temporal
affairs of both Clergy; by reducing the very exorbitant in•,
comes of the one, and ameliorating that of the other ; and
I am well convinced from the experience derived by a resi-
dence of some years in a Roman Catbolie country, that if
the Clergy be satisfied,
,the Laity may be easily appeased•
Should this hint prove beneficial, it will gratify
Lambeth, June 11, 1828. A LOVER OF PEACE.