The Telegram. — 1900-06-05 (Weymouth, Dorset, England)

THE RESIGNATION, &C.  The CHAIRMAN said he thought they would agree with him mat, following the receipt of such letters, it was quite out of the quesiion retaining Mr. TAYLOR, and he would have to leave. That part need not be discussed, but what they must deal with was the question of superannuation. Mr. BALDWYN FLEMING WAS present, and would kindly tell them what they could do and what thev could not do. •  Mr. BALDWYN FLEMING said Ire was pleased to be of assistance, snit besides calling their attention to the position of affairs, he would willingly answer any questions addressed to him. To start with Mr. TAYLOR was out of office. The resignation was a positive one, and did not require acceptance at all. Then came the question of superannuation, and he would lay before them two views upon the subject. It might be said that Mr. TAYLOR had ueen in their service for 20 years, and during the greater part of that period had proved a good, valuable, and faithful servant. The sante words could apply to his wife, the illation ; also that she had borne air excellent character, and there was nothing whatever against her. During the last two or three years the MARrEIi had sutlered very much in health on account of various attacks of finfluenza, which had resulted in health breaking down. • The man's powers deteriorated, but he did not ask for a holiday, and stuck to his work. Consequently, the brain somewhat failed, and the nooks got muddled and considerably in sneer. Taking the simple view that Mr. TArLon had, whilst in their service, become physically incapacitated front discharging his duties, he was, apart from any other incidents occurring, fairly entitled to supeiannuation. The actual amount was £3o 3s 4d per year. If the MASTER was entitled to superannuation on account of permanent incapacity, his wife, wino vacated ofhee at the end of June, also Was entitled to a superannuation allowance ifollowing 20 years' Service) of £29 10s per year. There could be no proportionate amount granted—it must either be the full superannuation allowance or none at all. Another view of the matter was: Mr. TAYLOR goes on all right for 16 or 17 years, and then is addicted to drinking. He drinks harder and harrier, becomes utterly incapacitated from doing his work, the auditor, on examining the nooks, cannot make head or tail of them. He calls for an explanation, but the Mawrgit goes od and attempts to comtnit suicide. If they accepted that view it was possible for them, under section 7, to, although the Master resigns, return the amount ot contribution paid towards superannuation (in this case £ll 7s 6,1) and they could also return to the Matron lier contribution; of £9 is 6,1. Further, ii they wished, they count grant Mrs. TaVLoa a gratuity, but it must not exceed twice the value uf salary and emoluments, so that the maximum would be £177. If they returned the MASTER his payments or granted the MATRON a gratuity, a month's notice oe the same must lie given every member id the Board. He (Mr. BALDWYN FLEMING) had riot expressed an opinion one way or the other, and it wan now for the Guardians to decide as to what they would do. —Replying to questions, the INSPECTOR said that if the folAsriot went our account of misconduct the Board could only return his payments under the superannuation account. Apart from misconduct, if a ItlasTedt was permanently incapacitated the granting of superannation was compulsory. In the present state of the case it was for the Board of Guardians to decide and the local Local Government Board had no jurisdiction, but supposing the Guardians found that the MasTita had been guilty of ulisconduct, and therefore made 114, superannatiun allowance, it would be open for Mr. TAYLOR to appeal toths Local Governmerit Board. Or it would be Open to the .auditor to, surcharge an allowance, but in either instance the Local Government Board, on being appealed to, would lie guided to a large extent by the opinions leading the Gu4ritians to their decision. Whilst not saying which course should or should not be adopted, his (the Inspector's) first inclination was undoubtedly to take tile lenient view in the case, for he had kuown Mr. and Mrs. TAYLOR for sonic years. Mr. G. Wit-soN, in moving that the MASTER and MATRON be Adapted the superanuation allowance according to the scale, said he believed it was the desire of the Board, and also of the ratepayers, that these DVS) people should be dealt with generously and fairly. As to Mrs. TAYLOR no question would arise, and the Board would unanimously grant her an allowance, but it being a joint affair, linked together in law, she would lose her superannuation if the MASTitit was found not entitled thereto. The total fur the two would be £65 135 4.1 a year, but assuming that the Board adopted the alternative, and, besides returning , the contributions, gave Mrs. TAYLOR the maXitinlin gratuity of £177, the total would be £197 13s. : 11 the latter was given in a lump , Slim the ratepayers of the Union would , make an enonuous profit, but he did not think it was their desire to do this. Assuming that there hail been no dereliction of duty or misconduct, they would have nu option but to grant the superannuation. • Here they had a medical certificate speaking of permanent incapacity, arid there was not the slightest imputation of fraud in regard to the accounts. Assuming that a deficit had arisen over the stock, this would , nut street the ratepayers, as it was .cutered by the Guarantee Society. The confusion in the books, through mental and physical incapacity, hid been accumulating tor a very lung time. and inure especially wits the ease with regard to tile beer. He (Mr. WILSON) believed they would be acting in unison with the feeling of the ratepayers by granting the superannuation allowance. Mit..CHISSKLL seconded the motion.  Mr. BALIIWYN FLEMING (iii answer partly to a query from Mr. HAticoop as to whether there was no inctliod of checking the stock) said that the Masritit ha I in his favour the fact that lie had been constantly working under a disadvantage. He had no porter, whereas this officer was a most important help to a master. It was part of his duty to check oh tile goods received and see that they tallied with the invoice. Here there was not a puttee and he (the speaker) had been told that in instances the amount of goods sent up to the Workhouse did not corresponu with the invoices. He hoped the Guardians, remembering this lesson, would take into consideration the question of appointing a porter. . _ _  The CLltßii observed dim, the MASTER made his books tally with the invoices, and if the goods did not correspond with the invoices discrepancy at once scent red.  Ine mutton to grant superannuation was then put and csrried by 15 votes tsi 7. The remaining Guardians were neutral.  THE QUhTION OF