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TAKEN BEFORE FINANCE COMMITTEE: 1828. 3
Do the honorary commissioners ever attend?—Yes, they attend at the general
boards.
John W. Warren,
Esq.
18 March,
1828.
Attendance
of
Honorary
hence a
year
Left &then place-
seaure London Master
How often are those general boards?—Theya re held always twice an year pre-
viously to the presenting the half-yearly Report; each board produce their own
Reports, and they are considered, at least so far as it is necessary, at a general
board, or more than one if necessary.
What is the rule as to meeting in London?—There is no rule, but each board
meet as they find it expedient.
Is there any register kept of the times of meetings?—Yes.
How often do they meet in each week?—At the time they are in London they
meet very seldom, except when they are on London charities, or those within reach
of London;the business done with respect to the country charities which have
been examined into after the return of the commissioners, is sometimes done at the
office, but more frequently at their private houses or their chambers.
Were you one of the original commissioners?—Yes.
From whom did you receive your instructions as to the extent of your duty, and
the times of attendance, and modes of proceeding?—We received no instructions
at all; we met as soon as the commission was issued, and considered what mode
we should proceed in, and our proceeding has been on our own suggestion; the
honorary commissioners, as well as the stipendiary commissioners, met for that
purpose.
Time for every
thing left to Com-
missioners
By treasury nothing
known but to op
inions.
Was it left for yourselves to fix what time you devote to those matters?—
Yes, entirely.
Has no report been made to the Treasury of the time you would devote to it?—
No.
Have not the Treasury been acquainted with the number of months devoted to
this matter?—No, they have not, except by the accounts of our travelling
expenses.
Have there been no other reports to the Treasury that those which have been
printed?—Our accounts are passed at the Treasury, but our Reports are made to
theSecretary of State.
Do you not think the business might be much more quickly performed, and per-
haps better performed, if the commissioners had nothing else to do but attend
to that duty, and sit de die in diem?—Unquestionably, if they were to sit de die in
diem they would get through more business; the business they do get through,
I think, they could not get through more expeditiously that they do.
Making allowance for the time they devote to it?—Yes.
Does the secretary issue regular summonses for the board days when in town, or
does the secretary always remain in the office, and allow the commissioners to come
when they please?—The commissioners appoint days when wish to meet.
Do the same commissioners always form the same board?— Not in the exami-
nation of London charities, but the same commissioners usually travel together.
In London wider
digesting
Report proposed.
When the commissioners are in London, is there any additional expense similar
to expense for travelling?—None at all, there is no expense then; and that is
one reason why we wish to shorten as much as possible the time that we pass in
the country; we employ ourselves there in taking evidence simply, and taking
abstracts of deeds, and we devote so much time in the preparation of the Report,
and digesting the evidence in London, because there it is done without any extra
expense.
Which are the 13 counties which are finished?—Bedford, Cumberland, Derby,
Devon, Oxford, Rutland, Somerset, Southampton, Stafford, Surrey and South-
wark, Westmorland, York, and the City of Bristol. York may be considered as
three counties.
Pluralism
What proportion of the 10 commissioners are employed in travelling in the
country?—They are form travelling boards; all four boards are now out of town
on their circuits; my colleague is on his professional circuit, otherwise we also
should now be travelling.
Do the same two commissioners always go together?—That is the general prin-
ciple, but it is not invariably observed; one of the commissioners was taken from
our commission, and went to Ireland on the Irish Education Commission; during
that time we had a broken board, and the work of the commissioner who was so
let loose from his companion was apportioned among the rest; his time was not
lost; but that made a variation in the mode of the commissioners going together,
and other causes have at times occasioned such variations.
225. Do
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charities inquiry / evidence / taken before the finance committee, and the return laid before the committee in 1828, which were presented to the house upon the 24th day of june 1829 |
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