The Union and journal., 1860-04-06
Your Committee submit the following
EPORT.

Your Committee submit the following
REPORT.
Pursuant to public notice, containing q
call upon all persons for information relating
10 the subject committed. your Committee
met at the Selectmen's room, on Tuesday,
March Is, 1860. at one o'clock, z. NJ, and
in session until night. They then
adjourned to meet ut the same place on the
day following, and continued in session all
that day. BY agreemen, Of the Committee.
on Thursday. majority, consisting OF Messrs.
Over. Deering and Perry, visited the Poor
Farm, and spent that day in the examination
of all its departments. Several other meet
inys of the Committee have been subsequent
ly held.
Our course Of proceeding has been to hear
all complaints, and even rumors OF complaints;
and the statements of any person in support
or reiutatiun OF such complaints or rumors
and then have we made such further inqui-
ry as we saw fit. At our public meetings
we requested the attendance of the Overseers
Of the Poor, and Of Samuel Mckenney, the
Superintendent Of the Poor Farm, with their
recor Is, and accounts. They were according
ly present, and submitted themselves to be
QucstlOueu W @"N"
books and records were produced and open
to inspection.
We will proceed to notice the various COM
plants and rumors Of mismanagement, which
have reached ms, and to give our conclusions
as to what are the facts with respect to them.
1t was complained that the printed report
of the present Board of 0verseers was incor-
rect in certain particulars and LIST, that the
.E tod nj
Farm the present year was not "a, as there
stated.
We find that the average number OF per-
sons so supported, exclusive Of Mr. Mcken-
ney's family, is 2l-But including him and
family, it is 25.
I'd. 1t is complained that the number at
the date of this report was not 81, as there
stated.
We find that the number was 81.
Sd. Ii was complained that the amt. paid
for .labor ON the farm during the past year,
beyond Mr.. McKenney's salary, was much
larger than the sum of S2i.93, Us stated in
said report.
We lind the whole bills for labor connected
with the farm, exclusive Of salary, as fol-
lows:
Bu,chering 3 2.3o
Watching with sick man 225
Use Of Thrashing Machine 300
Cutting wood on Heath Lot"
aud "labor or farm, H.l4
In all S37.7S
We do no, perceive from this result, that
the sum of S24.93 was too low a statement
of amt. paid Tor "labor on the farm" strictly
speaking. -,
Again, il was complained that Samuel Nc
Kenney had received, directly or indirectly,a
larger sum than the salary Of $3.50. stated by
said report to have been paid him; and that
he derived other benefits from the town,
which are not represented.
It appears that during q past year n
sick and aged inhabitant Of this town was re-
ceived at the house as boarder in the family
of Mr.. McKenney. The alternative being
presented by his friends to the Overseers' of
taking him so, or as a pauper. In considera-
ton OF Mrs. McKenney's consent 50 to take
him, she was TO receive 20 cts. per week.
This being not included in the original con
tract. they were entitled to such terms. we
learn that the wants Of this sick man were
attended tc by Mr.. Mckenney and
his wife.
Also to accommodate the School District,
a teacher was admitted to Mr.. Mckenney's
family on same terms, 25 cents week to
Mrs. MeKenney-hc occupying bed belong
ing to them. We think they were entitled to
il.
1t also appears that from the time OF Nc
Kepney's going on the farm, until the past
year, no has not paid highway tax. or been
called on to pay, otherwise than as follows:
During his first year on the farm, the sur
E.l hat IN
farm ought to do its share on the highway,
and that such had been the practice; his
predseessor working out his own highway
tax. From that time McKenney has contin-
ued to work on the highway with the town
team. without being called to account for
his own highway tar in any other way, until
the past year. when he was regularly called
on to pay his highway tax for that year.
Complaint was made that Mckenney had
been in the habit of leaving the poor farm,
taking with him one of the paupers, and 60
ing to help his father get his hay crop.
liz was also said that Mckenney began his
having on the town farm unseasonably some
two or three weeks earlier than other farmers,
and finished as much earlier; to the injury
ofthe crop.
Upon this subject We find that for several
years priut 10 laSt yeeh loes s"U' N'ssy 49,
McKenney, after securing his own hay crop,
was in the habit Of gcing for scme two to
four days in theseason. to help his father
ce, his hay; sometimes taking with him an
insane pauper. whom, he says, he was afraid
at such times to leave at home. They return
ed each night. McKenney says that the or.
igin Of this practice was under the consent OF
the Overseers in consideration that he should
&c, his own hay without extr. help for that
purpose-and that he had continued the prac-
tiee with that understanding on his own part.
One of the Oversecrs states. that this prse-
ties was acquiesccd in. in consideration OF the
general strict attention. extra labor, and con.
staney. Of McKenney in the discharge OF all
his duties on the farm. It was discontinued
on its becoming subject of comment.
. We further dnd that McKenney has not
got his hay crop two or three weeks in ad-
vance Of other farmers, nor in any sense un-
ssasonahly. His usual time Of commencing
has been about the fourth Of July, and sccor.