The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-04-16 00:00:00

SELECT VESTRY.

The mat business was the confirmation or otherwise of
the appointments to the vacancies in the select vestry.
Mr. HOUGHTON said, the parties appointed were.
Messrs. J. G. Scvainson, Ford, and Bremner. who had
succeeded Messrs. Henshaw, Wilkinson, and Doke.
Mr. BIGHAM here asked who had appointed Mr.
Weightman as surveyor, under whom the rate bad been
altered and increased?

Mr. HOUGHTON replied, the churchwardens and over-
seers, with the concurrence of the select vestry.
Mr. BIGHAM said he had examined the parish books,
and went into a long statement to show that in Lancelot's-
hey and elsewhere, where the buildings were almost ex-
clusively warehouses, there had been no increase in rate-
able value, while property in Dale-street, &c., chiefly in
shops, had been greatly increased.
Mr. RADFORD said the cases cited only showed that
shops had been underrated before, and warehouses fully
rated.

The CHAIRMAN said no surveyor could lay a rate to
please everybody. He had himself been assessed at £5O
above his rent; he had appealed and had it rectified, and
the same course was open to others.

The names were then put to the rote. To Messrs.
Maynard, Hugh Molyneux, and Ferguson, there was no
opposition. The list of those proposed, and those named
in opposition to them, finally stood as follows, the latter
being all carried, some by a questionable, others by a
small, and others by a considerable majority :
Mr. Swainson opposed by Mr. Avison.
Mr. Ford ~ Mr. M,,uld.
Mr. Bremner M r. Snowball.
Mr. Hand „ Mr. T. Bryden.
Mr. Groom ~ Mr. Thos. Taylor.
Mr. Mayor ~ Mr. T. F. Roskell.
Mr. Bennett _

A poll was demanded in each case.
Mr. SMITH then moved, that it be a recommendation
from the parishioners then in vestry assembled, to the
select vestry, to admit reporters to their meetings. In
doing so, he could say emphatically that he did not desire
it as a member of the press, but as a parishioner, anxious
to know how the vast sums that passed through the hands
of the select vestry were expended, and whether they kept
in mind as they ought to do the interests of the poor, and
those out of whose means the poor were maintained. He
wanted them to do this, and to give to the poor enteusted
to their care a moral, useful, industrial, practical educa-
tion—something above mere theories, above mere dogmas.
They had lately applied £32,000 to build a new establish-
ment at Kirkdale • but unless the system were changed,
they would merely be creating a larger amount of vice
and poverty. He thou.:ht the presence of reporters in
the select vestry would not, as had been alleged, have the
effect of encouraging talking, but, on the contrary, that it
would check a great deal of twaddling that now went on.
(" Hear," and laughter from the radicals.)
The CHAIRMAN said, Mr. Smith would be glad to learn
that the object contemplated in the expenditure of money
at Kirkdale was the very object that he had in view. The
school now erecting there would be the first great indus-
trial school ever attempted in the kingdom. Therefore it
was not quite a new era : some little credit must be given
to the old ones. Much, of course, would depend upon
the mode in which the school was conducted.

Mr. SMITH next referred to the parcelling of lands, re-
specting which he said Dr. Wetherill could give them
some interesting information, and show how poor-rates
might thereby be altogether abolished. •
Mr. PARKER thought it did not become any gentleman
to rise in ,hat place to throw a stigma upon the clergy.
(Cheers, hisses, and much uproar.) The system in ope-
ration at the Workhouse had been under the superinten-
dence of the rectors of the parish.
The CHAIRMAN did not think they were paying the
rectors a great compliment. (Hear, hear.)
Dr. WETHERILL rose for the purpose of making some
statements relative to the Workhouse regulations, but
was interrupted by
The CHAIRMAN, who said the subject was one which
they could not there entertain. Dr. Wetherill had better
speak to some friend on the select vestry.
Mr. URQUHART supported the motion of Mr. Smith.
The select vestry seemed so to act as to keep the poor in
a state of ignorance. By direction of the poor-law com-
missioners, a committee had been appointed to report
upon the state of education in the Workhouse department.
They found in the establishment at Low-hill more than
200 female children and infants without a single teacher;
not a single voice was heard, saving those of the children,
the pauper nurses, and a few pigs. And what was the
state of the other schools, in Brownlow-hill ? Not a sin-
gle individual was exclusive'y employed in education :
the principal teacher was the chaplain's clerk. He did
think the case was lamentable. Notwithstanding the re-
ports that had been made, nothing had been done except-
ing the appointment of one female teacher. Mr. Urqu-
hart went on at some length to denounce the constitution
of the select vestry, which he said was altogether uncon-
stitutional.

The CHAIRMAN checked Mr. Urquhart. With regard
to the long tirade in which Mr. Urquhart had indulzed,
against the persons officially appointed, he did not think
it worth while to offer a single word in• reply. (Cheers.)
He had been fifty years a clergyman of the parish, and he
left it to the parishioners. He had been constantly work-
ing on committees of education during the whole of that
period, very frequently on five or six at the same time.
(Applause.)
Some further discussion ensued, Mr. Urquhart wishing
to read a letter from the poor-law commissioners, which
the Chairman decided to be out of order. Eventually,
on a show of hands, the motion was approved of by a
large majority. _

_
Thanks were then voted to the honorary physicians and
surgeons of the Workhouse.
On the motion for a church-rate of ld. in the pound,
Mr. BICH AM moved a direct negative, characterising
the rate as unfair. The dissenters supported their own
places of worship, and churchmen should support theirs.
A show of hands being taken, the rate was carried.
The usual sum of £5O was voted to the parish clerks,
and £5O for the Welsh service at St. Paul's. The pro-
posal of £5O to the clergyman of St. Matthias's as before,
was opposed, Mr. Bigham moving that it be £3O, in con-
sideration of the minister having obtained another living;
to which the churchwardens agreed.
Messrs. Muncaster, Houghton, Riding, Henshaw,
Branch, and Helsby, were appointed commissioners of
St. Paul's and St. John's, to fill up vacancies.
The business of the vestry being concluded, the Chair-
man named ten o'clock next day for taking the votes, at
the church. -
Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, and the ves-
try adjourned.

WEDNESDAY.-THE POLLING.

At ten o'clock the polling commenced, and was car-
ried on throughout the day with much spirit. At the
close this day, the ten conservative candidates had each
obtained upwards of 430 persons, having upwards of
1230 votes. Those nominated in opposition to them
had obtained each upwards of 380 persons, and upwards
of 1025 votes,—with the exception of Mr. Roskell, who
obtained but 5 persons, having 15 votes. At the close,
Mr. Mayor was declared to be duly elected, no vote having
been tendered for his opponent, Mr. Roskell, for some
hours. The polling was, at four o'clock, adjourned to
Thursday.