The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-04-16 00:00:00

WALTON VESTRY MEETING,

The animal general meeting of the leypayers of the parish
of Walton was held on Tuesday, in the church, for the pur-
pose of receiving the accounts of the wardens for the past
year; the nomination and appointment of wardens for the
year ensuing ; and the laying of rates for the same period.
The Rev. THOMAS Moss, vicar of the parish, took the chair.
Mr. THOMAS BIRKETr, one of the wardens, produced the
accounts of himself and his colleague, Mr. Broadbent. It
appeared that there remained due to them £36 10s. 4d., to
meet which there were from £7O to £75 of collectable arrears.
After having laid before the meeting a table of the amounts
due from each township in the parish, Mr. Birkett observed
that the amount received was in a greater proportion to the
rate than was collected in Liverpool, where the arrangements
for collecting were scientific.
A LaYPAYER enquired what amount had been received of
the whole rate ?

Mr. BIRKETT replied £lO3O.
The LEYPAYER next asked what the twopenny rate upon
the whole of the parish assessment came to ?
Mr. BIRKETT said, £1250, or more probably £l2OO.
Some years ago it was £l3OO or £l4OO. They had collected,
as he had said before, a larger proportion than was collected
in Liverpool; for instance, in Liverpool the collection ave-
raged only 75 per cent., but in this parish it averaged from
80 to 85. Formby was but a small township, but the whole
of its rate bad been received, and nearly all from Bootle and
Everton.

In reply to a question,
Mr. BIRKETT said, the Quakers would be summoned to
pay their church-rates next week.

Mr. HARDY said, he for one would pay his rates, and would
not be summoned. He considered such a proceeding very
just, and he was glad to hear the churchwarden say the
Quakers were to be summoned. He (Mr. Hardy) would
cease to have any connection with a party who acted incon-
sistently, and, for one, he would pay his rates with great
pleasure. To be consistent himself, he should not vote for a
rate, neither should he oppose one, because he conceived
that those gentlemen who would not—he alluded to a cer-
tain class of persons—come to the annual vestry, where
they could legally oppose a rate, or, when a poll was de-
manded, would not vote in opposition to it, were incon-
sistent. He could not, he repeated, see the consistency
or the common honesty of men refusing to pay a rate,
when it was become legal, and which they, by their
attendance here or on the poll, might have rendered
illegal. He had no sympathy for the principles of such men.
He had no sympathy with those who came to oppose the
rate professedly, but who subsequently, from the caprice of
the moment, turned round and proposed a rate ! He could
act no longer with such gentlemen. (Hear, hear.) Neither
did he approve of the actions of others who might be reckoned
as leading men in opposition to church-rates, and who con-
stantly opposed them, but who nevertheless universally sup-
ported the passing of the warden's accounts, legal or illegal.
He could not see how such persons, could with consistency,
refuse to pay their rates; and under such circumstances he
separated himself from them, and should pay his rate.
(Applause.)
Mr. BlRKETT.—Whatever your reasons are, I admire your
conclusion. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. SQUIRES moved that the accounts of the church-
wardens for the past year, be approved and past.
Mr. Moor; seconded the motion.
A LEYP AYER asked whether the churchwardens were at
present £32 10s. 4d. out of pocket?
Mr. Bißxerr replied that the parish owed it to them.
They had also £5O to pay to Mr. Leigh, so that they were
about £lOO short.

A LEYPAYER.—What is that for?
Mr. BIRKETT.—It was ordered two years ago, but Mr.
Leigh has been willing to be paid the last.
Mr. HARDY .—I suppose you are aware you cannot levy a
rate to pay arrears ?
Mr. BIRKETT.—I am aware of that; but in this parish as
in others the accounts are current.

. _
The CHAIRMAN then put the motion that the accounts do
pass, and it was unanimously carried.

APPOINTMENT OF CHURCHWARDENS

The CHAIRMAN said the next part of the business was for
the rector (lay) to nominate a churchwarden for the ensuing
year ; and he had been authorised by the rector of Walton to
act for him. In this instance, therefore, he begged to nomi-
nate Mr. Thomas Birkett as the rector's churchwarden.
Mr. BIRKETT said he had consented to serve one year
more, but no longer.
Mr. HANNEY proposed Mr. Richard Squires as the other
churchwarden.
Mr. J. S. LEIGH seconded the motion, and it was mini
mously carried.