Welsh Newspapers

Search 15 million Welsh newspaper articles

Hide Articles List

20 articles on this Page

ABERYSTWYTH.

BORTH.

IMACHYNLLETH.

LLANBR YNM AIR.

LLANIDLOES.

LLANWNOG.

NEWTOWN.

MONTGOMERY.

BISHOP'S CASTLE.

GUILSFIELD.

[No title]

CORRESPONDENCE.

MACHYNLLETH PARISH VESTRY.

News
Cite
Share

MACHYNLLETH PARISH VESTRY. To the Editor of the COUNTY TIMES AND POST. SIR,—I notice in your last issue a letter from the Rector of Machynlleth, in which he refers to a report of a Vestl-v meeting and your comments thereon, and in which he attempts to correct soma misapprehensions therein. With regard to his statement No. 1, I should have thought it would hardly have been necessary for a requisition to convene a Vestry which had already been adjourned from a previous date—at any rate as far as the election of churchwarden was concerned—and for the appointment of whom only the adjourned Vestry was intended to he held. In most parishes the Rector avails himself of the opportunity and privilege which the law affords him of presiding at all vestry meetings, and one would have thought that in view of the requisition "innuentialty signed Canon Trevor would have made a point of attending the adjourned Vestry, or, if he could not do so, would have given the ratepayers in his notice of Vestry, some information as to the matters to be discussed, and it would have been interesting to the ratepayers to have a glimpse at this important "requisition," and to see exactly what it contained and by whom signed, for! would remind your readers that those ratepayers who attended the adjourned vestry for the purpose of discussing the other matters relating to the parish expressed themselves perfoctiy ignorant of the intention of electing a churchwarden at that vestry. To say the least of it, it would have been more satisfactory if the Rector had sent the requisition to the vestry with an explanation for his absence on such an im- portant occasion. However that may be I consider that the adjourned vestry in the way it was con- vened was totally irregular if not also illegal. With reference to the statement No. 2 the Rec- tor says that it is not his business or duty to pre- sent the parochial accounts to the vestry, and that lie is not an officer of the ratepayers, and goes on to point out what is the duty of the outgoing church- wardens, and has been good enough to enlighten the incoming wardens in regard to their liability for the obligations of their predecessors in office. I think it is pretty well established what the Rec- tor's duties are or ought to be, and, with this in- formation before us, it can easily be ascertained how far those duties may be fulfilled or to what extent they may be exceeded. I believe it is the custom, if not also the duty of the Rector and churchwardens to distribute annually the various charities belonging to the parish. It has been the custom (and which I think is a very proper one) to obtain from the various Non- conformist ministers in the town a, list of the' deserving poor attbnding their respective places of worship, and who should participate with Church- people in the enjoyment of the charities intended for that purpose. It would be interesting to know whether the Rector has during the past year adopted anything like a strict adherence to what cannot but be recognised as a fair and proper com- pliance with the practice hitherto followed in this direction. Is it not a fact that last year the Rector took the matter into his own hands, and dis- tributed the charities in a manner totally incon- sistent with a, practice hitherto adopted, and that several complaints were made by most deserving poor as to the mode in which the charities were distributed daring the past year, and as to which not even one of the churchwardens was consulted ? If this be true, how is it possible under these cir- cumstances for the churchwardens to render an account of the charities which the Rector considers it their duty to presont, and the distribution of which he has taken into his own hands ? If this be the fact the position he has thus assumed is hardly consistent with his statement that he is not an officer of the ratepayers." It may be fortunate for him that he is not such an officer As a ratepayer I should like to see an account of the distribution of the Charities referred to, for I am not aware that any such account has, as yet, been presented to the vestry. With regard to the Rector's statement, No. 3, I think your readers will agree that it has been the immemorial custom here for the Rector to appoint one Churchwarden and the parishioners the other and to the outside public it would appear that the I Rector passes as u The great upholder of ancient customs," but alas how many of these customs have besn broken since his advent into Machvn- lleth While thus recognising the custom" of appointing Churchwardens in the manner above indicated, aud a ttempting to assure your readers of his de.v'ro not to interfere in the election of Parish warden, he, in the same breath, gives himself away by appointing both wardens, without giving an opportunity to the parishioners of exercising the right t:!1:/ possess of appointing their own warden. What his authority for assuming that there has been default by the parishioners to elect their warden is best known to himself. On the contrary the vestry was adjourned for the sole purpose of appointing a parish warden, and I fail to see where the default comes in. I question very much whether, under the circumstances, his appointment of parish warden is regular or legal, but I believe the iaw has very properly provided the means whereby appointments of this kind may be legally teste and 1 hope th it those who appreciate agooil tes- and 1 hope th, t those who appreciate agooil old cij.stom will take steps to oppose, such an un- warrantable i novation. AN UVHOI.DKH or ANCIENT CUSTOMS Machynlleth, June 4th, 1896. To the Editor of the COUNTY TON-IS AND POST. SIR,—Kindly allow me, through the medium of yonr columns, to make all explanation for my not acting as sides-man in the Parish Church at present. The strange appointment; of churchwarden from the ranks of the Nonconforum.,tR-thou;h legally justifiable—was not at all in accordance with my views as a Churchman. I sincerely trust the above is sufficient explanation for my action. Thanking you in anticipation of allowing this communication to appear m vour paper, and with great regret at the i urn of affairs, I am, Sir, Yours truly, Titos. PARSONS. Bui-combe House, Machynlleth, .JUIIC gnl, J(,,hii JI orris (sides-man), Birmingham House, wishes me to add that he approves of the above ldter, and that the same applies to himself. T.P. — ♦

ME. HUMPH RE YS-OWEN AND THE…

WELSH INTERMEDIATE EDUCATION

OSWESTRY.

[No title]

Advertising

Family Notices

Advertising