Oldalképek
PDF
ePub
[blocks in formation]

Roman Catholic Chapel

Irish Church Sustentation Fund, part of 20001., leaving 500l. to pay

Grants towards buildings 2.

Annual subscriptions .

27 2 0

583 18 3

69 12 8

500 0 0

35 0 0 106 11 0

£1852 12 8

Matthew Eakin, donation in consequence of a fire on his premises, 201. J. B. Scott, grant towards the restoration and repairing Banagher Church, 251.

2 Rev. S. M. Dill, towards building a manse for the Presbyterian Church at Lower Cumber, 251. Rev. N. M. Brown, towards expenses of Presbyterian meeting house, Drumachose, 107.-Total, 351.

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Royal Agricultural Society, towards expenses of show at Londonderry
Presbyterian Church and Manse, Ballykelly

[ocr errors]

John Robinson, grant towards funeral expenses of his mother
Annual subscriptions

[ocr errors]

88 19 8

110 0 0

372 11 1

67 2 0

698 14 5

50 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 109 11 0

[blocks in formation]

Walker's Monument in Derry (repairs)

Presbyterian Meeting House, Myroe

[ocr errors]

Rev. Edward Loughery, Roman Catholic Curate of Tark, towards

building a house

Annual subscriptions

[ocr errors][ocr errors]

£1509 18 2

23 2 6

130 O 0

317 12 7

765 2 3

52 7 0

109 11 0

£1397 15 4

49 1 3

140 0 0

257 11 0

1192 5 11

72 7 0

10 O

25 0

25 0 0

10 10 0

10 0 0

15 0 0

[ocr errors]

99 11 0

£1906 6 2

1 Jane Robinson, as widow of late bailiff, 51.; John McGrath, for the orphans of John Reid, of Glasvea, 407.; Martha Dunn, to build a porch at back of house, 147.; North of Ireland Horticultural Society, 107.; David Evans, sub-agent, on leaving house, 51.; Mrs. Scott, late Miss Gage, on her marriage, 31. 10s.; Rev. R. L. Rogers, 251.--Total, 130l. 10s.

[blocks in formation]

Presbyterian Ministers and Roman Catholic Priests

Pensions and casual relief

Schools on the estate

Farming societies.

Ulster Institution for the Deaf, the Dumb, and the Blind

Faughanvale Presbyterian Church, Eglinton, towards Manse Purchase

Fund :

[ocr errors]

Faughanvale Roman Catholic Chapel, towards its enlargement
Upper Cumber Presbyterian Church, in aid of a Building Fund for a
Manse:
Annual subscriptions.

26 10 5

120 0 0

250 4 8

1188 16 4

42 7 0 300

[ocr errors]
[blocks in formation]

The Livery Companies' general

beneficence.

It is within the mark to say of this ten years' record of the good Fishmongers, that if Mr. Firth and his comrades have been guilty of no other good, they merit general gratitude in having been the means of its publicity. The Goldsmiths', the Drapers', the Clothworkers' and indeed all the Companies make like exhibit of boundless charity, and these donations are all outside and irrespective of their general charities. London abounds in evidences of their goodness. One of the greatest pleasures of the writer in occasional visits to London is to grope about among the old City churches. The general world has little idea of the The Ironmongers' charms these old temples of God afford. When worshipping in that Company and venerable and beauteous fane, St. Bartholomew the Great, close to the Church of St. Hospital, he found it evidenced that the good Ironmongers had been for generations thoughtful for it, and that probably they have been no mean helpers in keeping the blessed edifice from becoming a ruin. The paint on the old Benefaction Board is well-nigh worn off, but strong spectacle power enabled the deciphering that every now and then the Ironmongers look in and drop a hundred-pound note as evidence of mindfulness. Good Companies all! treasure you up this grand old St. Bartholomew relic, it is a gem of old London, beauteous in the extreme! Make it a suitable approach for the world's entrance and gaze! The service now rendered within its sacred walls is hearty, and well conducted, the worshippers are many, and though perhaps not over-endowed with this world's goods, yet they show becoming reverence for God's sanctuary. Good Ironmongers keep their holy temple in remembrance.

Bartholomew
Great.

In course of the inquiry several of the public Educational Colleges, and also a few Charitable Institutions presented themselves before the Commission as candidates for any monies that may be lying about in odd corners, should the hoped-for plunder ever be consummated. The wily agitators had urged the applicants to push their several imaginary claims to the front, knowing that in so doing they were adding fuel to the fire. Like adroit public showmen at the fair, they realized that noise was the all-desirable feature.

CHAPTER VII.

The testimony given by her Majesty's Charity Commissioners in itself a refutation of the false words of Companies' slanderers-Evidence of Mr. Hare, her Majesty's Senior Inspector of Charities; his definition of functions of the Charity Commissioners under the Act of 1853-Charity Commissioners' powers to call for any documents relating to charities-Case of Wax Chandlers' Company applying a surplus to their own funds-Vice-Chancellor Hall and Lord Selborne advise Merchant Taylors' Company as to their surplus-Charity Commissioners practically in possession of the whole of the charitable trusts of the guildsSuggestions of Mr. Hare-Explanations of Mr. Hare relating to his evidenceEvidence of Mr. Longley, her Majesty's Commissioner of Charities-He testifies that the Companies are exceedingly liberal in the administration of their trusts, and that all the Companies have rendered proper accounts-Mr. Longley says the various Companies are anxious their alms-folk shall have sufficient stipends -Mr. Longley testifies that the Mercers' Company's large income of St. Paul's School is judiciously expended; and that the management of the Mercers' Company is excellent -Mr. Longley states that he never knew of any member of a court taking lease of property and subletting at higher rate-Necessity of heed being given to the important declarations of the Charity Inspectors so favourable to the Companies.

THERE is not any more important feature of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Livery Companies than the testimony given so readily by her Majesty's Charity Inspectors, evidencing as it does such thoroughness in the charity work of the much-abused Companies. It has been the object of Mr. Firth and his lieutenant Beale to represent to the industrial classes at the meetings of their clubs that the working classes of the metropolis would in some way or other be benefited by the transfer of the corporate property of the Livery Companies from the Companies to some other body or trust, and used in some way for their purposes. It is to be hoped the class will look at the question fairly and honestly, free from the serpent-charming of paid agitators who for their own purposes of getting hold of the constituency, make outrageous misrepresentation of actual facts. If this class will listen to the counsels of safer advisers, they would find that the money now expended by the Companies either directly or indirectly for their benefit would be withdrawn from them, and without their getting any equivalent.

Mr. HARE, her Majesty's Senior Inspector of Charities, and Mr. Longley, her Majesty's Commissioner of Charities, gave evidence at the earliest sitting of the Commission.

The CHAIRMAN (Lord Derby), addressing Mr. Hare, said: I think you are the Senior Inspector of Charities under the Charity Commission, and I need not ask you whether you have taken considerable interest in, and paid much attention to, questions of municipal government and of charity administration?

I have.

You have been occupied, as I understand, with the charities administered by the City Companies at various times?

At various times, many years ago. I have not done much in that way since 1865.

Between 1860 and 1865 I think you were employed in that way?

I was.

Will you kindly explain to the Commission what are the functions of the Charity Commission; under what Act of Parliament it obtains its powers, and what is its position as regards the City Livery Companies. Probably you would prefer to give your explanation in your own way?

Mr. Hare's definition of the functions of the Charity Commission

under Chari table Trusts

Act of 1853.

The Charity Commissioners have powers to call for any documents relating

to charities.

I suppose that the Commission knows that the Charitable Trusts Act was passed in the year 1853. It was the first jurisdiction then established applicable to charities exclusively, and it was intended to prevent the vast waste of money which was constantly incurred in charities, by the institution of suits by relators whenever they thought they had an opportunity of having them inquired into in the Court of Chancery. The powers, which were general, are set forth at considerable length in the Act of 1853; it gave power of inquiry; it gave power of authorizing leases and for the alienation of estates; it gave also for the first time an officer who should be the conduit-pipe of the real estate, so that the real estate should be vested in one person continually, while the trustees should have the management as before for the purpose of administration. It gave also the power of taking proceedings for setting new schemes where the charities were under 301. a year; the amount was afterwards increased to 50l. upon the application of one or more inhabitants or persons interested. That is the present restriction. It gave full power of inquiry into all charities.

You have been brought, as inspector, into contact with the Courts of the various Companies, I suppose ?

No, not with the Courts; very rarely were they attended by anybody. but their clerks or one or two persons who produced the documents and gave me the papers I asked for; but very rarely by any of the members of the Courts.

There are in existence, as we understand, reports dealing with all the charities of the City Companies?

The Charity Commission, which commenced about 1818 by Lord Brougham's instigation, went on under several separate Acts of Parliament and finished its work about 1840 or somewhat later. All their reports are printed, and they occupy about forty or fifty folio volumes. Have you had to examine those reports, and, as a matter of fact, have you done so?

In all cases when I went to the City Companies I took the printed report of the former Commission, and began by inquiring w hether that was accurate, and whether there was any addition or amendment to be made to it. I adopted that as the basis of my inquiry, taking up, of course, the subject of any variations in the property, and subsequent gifts, if any.

Had the framers of those earlier reports which you consulted full access to the documents of the Companies?

The power given by the Act of Parliament enabled them to inquire into trusts only, and, therefore, if an independent title was asserted, they would have had no power to go beyond the trust.

The Commissioners had power to call for any documents relating to the charities of the Companies, had they not?

Yes; they had.

But I presume in a doubtful case the Company itself would be the judge whether the property was held in trust or otherwise?

They must necessarily be the judge.

You have drawn up reports of your own between the dates you mentioned, 1860 and 1865?

Yes, for a great number of Companies--all that appeared by the former reports to have had charities.

Did you base your reports upon those of the earlier Commissioners? I began with those in my inquiry; I took them as the basis of my inquiry, and then I referred, where the documents were the same, to the former report.

« ElőzőTovább »