Welsh Newspapers

Search 15 million Welsh newspaper articles

Hide Articles List

26 articles on this Page

IMALPAS.--.

QUEEN S FERRY.-.

SANDYCROFT.

CONNAH'S QUAY & SHOTTON.

I . FARNDoN.

I I HARGRAVE.

I i NOKTHOP..

I HESWALL.I

HAWARDEtf GUARDIANS. I

News
Cite
Share

HAWARDEtf GUARDIANS. I BUCKLEY PROPERTY TRANSACTION. j REMARKABLE SITUATION. I MR. WYNNE ON HIS DEFENCE. On Friday the Hawarden Board of Guardians again discussed the situation arising out of the sale of a house at Buckley belonging to a woman on whose estate the guardians had & da.1m. It will be remembered that, according to the details which transpired at the last meeting of the Board, a woman named Mrs. Sarah Wiliiarne owned & cottage in Buckley-square. It became necessary that she should be removed to Denbigh Asylum, and in respect of her nra-utcnance there the guardians were liable for the payment oi £4G. The guardians appointed Mr. R. h ynne (a. mem- ber or tlie Boaruj to let the house and oohect the rents. When the woman died the guardians decided to continue letting the house, it ap- peared there was a mortgage on the house lor j&tiU, and last March the mortgagee (Mr. iidwa.;<i Jones) gave SIX months' notioe tnat he expected, h.s money by the 30th September. The notioe was given to Mr. Wynne, who was in reosipt 01 the rent, and he submitted to the guardians at a later date. The matter was leIi; in the hands of the Clerk and the Relieving Officer. At the last meeting the Clerk (Mr. h. Goodman Roberts) produced a statement of the result of the sale ot the property to Mr. P. Wynne (lather of Mr. R. Wynne) for LLGO, which, addvu to t;.e £ 10 which the turniture real.sed and a sum ior rent, left the. guardians with about £ 10 short ol their aocount lor maintenance, after tne mortgagee'b claim had been satisfied. Several guardians at the last meeting said there was a feeling that the house had not realised its full value. MI. Hughes now re-opened the quest.on, sug- gesting the appointment of a committee to in- vestigate the whole matter. The Chairman said a letter had been received by the Clerk from Mr. Wynne, senr., the pur- chaser of the house, stating that he considered he had paid full value, and he should not return or pay anything more. Mr. R. Williams asked if anybody had a right to sell the house. The Clerk said they had power to sell the house, and repeated his explanation of the cir- cumstances prior to the sale. He heard nothing more until the house had been sold to Mr. Wynne and that the money would be paid by the 30th September. Mr. R. Williams suggested that the mortgagee never sold the house at all. Mr. Hughes: We never knew about it until the whole thing was sold. Mr. Wynne, junr., said he was very glad the Press were present. He was very glad also to be able to speak for himself. He wanted to say a word or two plainly, straightly, and truth- fully about that matter. He was glad to tell them there that day, and he would like every ratepayer to know, that he neither sold the house nor bought it. He had told the Clerk that his father was going to buy it; at least, that he offered to buy it. He did not then know that his father would buy it, but he offered £ 100, and he (the speaker) brought it to the Board in the way in which everything should be brought before the Board, which was through the Clerk. He ■> had not acted in any corner, and he asked the members to judge for themselves who was the right person to bring it before the Board—he or I the CLerk. He wanted them to "judge righte- ously, to judge fairly, and to judge like men, not for his sake but 'FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS' SAKE. I The Clerk was the right man to bring it under the notice of the guardians. The thing was not done in any oorner. If the house was worth more, he had nothing to do with it; he was clear of the sale of it, and he was clear of the purchase of it. What he wanted was fair play. Mr. Roberts, of Well House, had suggested a. fortnight ago that he (Mr. Wynne) ought to have used his in- lfuence as a guardian for the place. He thought hio did when he brought it to the front and brought it to the Clerk. He did not wish any- thing to be done on the quiet. The offer was brought to the Clerk at the Workhouse and why should he (Mr. Wynne) be blamed for it? If he made an offer to the Duke of Westminster it would be through the agent; and in that case he had gone through the Clerk. The thing was done fair and square and brought to the front. Mr. R. Williams: No; it is not done "fair and square." Mr. Wynne: As regards my position in the matter; you understand what I mean. Mr. Dunn rose to his feet and made some re- mark. Mr. Wynne Mr. Dunn, ohair, please! Mr. Wynne: Who received the t20, Mr. Chair- man? The mortgagee received £ 80; who re- ceived the £ 20? The Chairman: I did not receive it. Mr. Wynne: I believe the clerk has already stated that he received JB20, and that he was trustee for it. What right has he to receive the £ 20? Who gave the clerk the right, to pay Edw. Jones, the mortgagee, his expenses, 5s., jf he- had nothing to do with it? Now, friends, look at the thing fairly and: judge righteously. I only want what is right, but don't blame me when I am innocent. Mr. T. E. Williams: From what I gather here to-day notice of the mortgagee, was given on the 28th March, whereas the clerk received that notice some day in June. Why should Mr. Wynne have kept it for three months without giving it to the clerk ? Mr. Wynne: I cannot tell you whether it was four weeks; it might have been three weeks or five weeks. But I forgot it. It was in my pocket all the time. Mr. R. Williams: You had the notice? Mr. Wynne: Yes; the mortgagee asked me if I would hand that over to the clerk. Mr. T. E. Williams: Was it not quite three months ? Mr. R. G. Roberts said that -so far as they un- derstood each other there was one remedy. The house' was not perishable goods. It was there new, and it had been, bought too cheaply. Mr. Wynne's father had the option of selling it rather than any reflection should be oast npon him. He couid claim for any expense he had been put to. ilhc guardians had lost money on the house, and he did not know whether it was owing to pressure of business on the part of the clerk that they did not know all about it. It was evident the guar- dians did not know as much as they might have known with refei-enck, to the matter. It was very unfortunat.e. that it was Mr. Wynne's father. (Hear, hear.) Perhaps it would have been better if the purchaser had been an outsider. There was one question with regard to the col- lecting of the Tent. He should like to ask whether Mr. Wynne would be entitled to charge any commission, as he understood it had been charged, for collecting the rents. He should be j oniy too happy if it could be cleared up to the satisfaction of all. I RENT-COLLECTING COMMISSION. Mr. Wynne: You know very well, Mr Chair- man, that it was placed in my hands to colket. the rents. It is part of my duty to cacet rents; I do it for other people. You could not expect me to go to that house three years for nothing. Would you like to do it yourself? The Chairman: What commission did- you charge? Mr. R. Williams: The law is against him. Mr. Wynne: Five; just the shilling. Mr. Roberts: Was it legal for him to charge commission? The Clerk: I believe Mr. Wynne is entitled to make that charge, but if he does it and receives money it disqualifies him from acting as guardian. Proceeding, the Clerk admitted that it was an omission on his part not to have told the guar- dians immediately -of the negotiations for the house. He, however, had tboaght everything was fair and square, and that the house had sold at its ordinary value. It never occurred to him that there would be any question. He was quite prepared to accept Mr. R, Wynne's statement that be neither bought nor sold the house, and that he told him (the clerk) that his father was going to buy it. The message was a verbal one, and he (the clerk) had no communication from Mr. Peter Wynne, who ultimately bought the house. The negotiations must have taken place outside of him (the clerk). He had asked Mr. Jones (the mortgagee) to let him have the deeds, and he never brought them. Mr. P. Wynne brought them to his (the clerk's) office. As to who received the JE20, he (the clerk) did, because the money was paid at his office. He deducted the ordinary charges which would be made in any solicitor's office, and he paid the balance to Mr. G. Alfred Jones, the ..collector for the guardians. Mr. G. Alfred Jones (relieving officer and col- lector) signified that it was correct. The Clerk added that he did allow the mortga.- gee 5s. for expenses, and he had a receipt for it. If Mr. Wynne was candid he would admit that Mr. Jones asked for 5s. for each of throe days, that he (the cierk) told him he could not charge for loss of time, and that afterwards he proposed to allow the five shillings to settle the whole thing, and Mr. Wynne nodded assent. He (the clerk) fully admitted not telling the guardians immediately; he had no suspicion. On the 21st November ha wrote to Mr. R. Wynne: "I notice in your account re Sarah Williams you deduct 9d. for commission. I think if you charge commission it disqualifies yourself as guardian under the Local Government Act. If you agree, would it not be better to pay Mr. G. Alfred Jones J31. 2s. 9d., and let me know by return of post, so that the aocount may be correctly pre- sented ?" Mr. Wynne's reply en the 22nd Nov. read: "I collected the rent of the above three years or thereabouts. Do you think it fair for me as rent collector to go to that house all that time for nothing? I shall leave it as it stands." Mr. J. Hampson said there were one or two points very vague. He should like to know how Mr. Wynne's father, who resided at Ruabon, got his information that the house was on offer month s before the guardians and others living around the neighbourhood. Mr. R. Wynne: I have already stated that the thing was brought to the clerk. Mr. Hampson: But how did your father cb- tain his information? It is not your bringing it before the Clerk. Mr. Wynne: I told him. I am not ashamed of it. A SCENE. Mr. Dunn You did not tell anyone else in the neighbourhood. Mr. Wynne: That is my business and- not yours, Mr. Dunn. You don't know whether I did or did not. I brought the thing here before the Clerk. Mr. Dunn You are our collector. Mr. Wynne: Chair, please! I was on my feet first. Sit down. Mr. Dunn Well, stick on your feet a bit. Mr. Wynne reiterated that he brought the matter before the Clerk. Mr. R. Williams: A brother member from the same parish and I knew nothing at all about it until I was tackled about it in Mold. I should l.ke it to be cleared up, and the proper parties got at. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Wynne: I am very sorry this thing has happened. Mr. R. G. Roberts: Stell the house again, Mr. Wynne. Mr. Wynne: It is not mine to sell. Mr. Roberts Use your own influence. Mr. Wynne: You judge wrongly. I might suggest this, although I have no authority to say it, that I might help you in this way: If father would sell the house to anyone who would offer JB150 and turn the balance over to the guardians, I might suggest that to father if you will deal fairly with me. I have no guarantee that he will do it. Mr. R. Williams: He distinctly refuses to do it. The Chairman said he had hoped that before that day there would have been a satisfactory reply from Mr. P. Wynne with reference to the property, and to the effect that he would either pay the difference or allow the property to be resold. It was with that feeling that he had refrained from giving notice to move at that. meeting that the Clerk take steps to cancel the agreement. He felt very strongly that Mr. R. Wynne, brother member that he was, had not been quite "honour bright." It was quite right that all information should go through the Clerk. Mr. Wynne: Hear, hear. The Chairman added that he did not blame the Clerk now as badly as he did, at the previous meeting in his own mind. After the finish of the last meeting he felt that it was merely an error of judgment on the Clerk's part in not thinking there was anything behind it. The notice was not delivered to the Clerk for three months and it was not sufifo-ent notice to sell the house. Mr. t Wynne: That is not correct, sir. Continuing, the Chairman said if Mr. Wynne and his father, instead of standing as it were on their dignity, had allowed the property to be re- sold it would have cleared the matter up and shewn there was nothing behind the soenes. Un- less that was done, before the next meeting he should give notice to move that the Clerk take such steps to resell the property or cancel the agreement as were necessary. (Hear, hear.) If their Clerk did not like to act in the matter, he would suggest that the guardians should put the matter into other hands. If he did not receive within four days a note to the effect that Mr. Wynne was willing to so clear the matter up, he should send his notice of mction to the Clerk. Mr. Roberts took it that after the opinion of the clerk, Mr. R. Wynne was either bound to refund his commission or resign. Mr. Millington said that-, after the explanation of the clerk, he felt more like acquitting him than he did a fortnight ago. The keynote to the whole i' thing was how Mr. Wynne, sen., got to know that the house was to be sold. Guardians and people anxious to purchase knew nothing about it. He agreed that the contract should be broken and the house re-sold. The Chairman raid he thought the matter not, only reflected on the guardians individually at the Buckley end, but on the whole Board. (Hear, hear.) I Mr. R. WIUIame: In any cafe, have it re-eold. Several members rose to their feet to speak, but the Chairman suggested that the discussion should go no further at that stage. I Mr. Manley: I think the chairman's intentions should satisfy us. j With this the discussion oeased. CHRISTMAS FARE. Mr. Manley moved and Mr. Millington seconded that the usual Christmas dinner to the inmates be allowed. Miss Thorn moved and Mr. T. G. Lewisj seconded an amendment that the words with a pint of beer" be added. j Six voted for the amendment and nine agai, nst, | The original motion was therefore carried. On the motion of Mr. Millington seconded by jI Mr. Manley, it was decided that during Christmas week the out relief be increased as usual by Is. II for each adult and 6d. for each child. HAWARDEN PARISH NURSE. Miss Thom moved that application be made to; the Local Government Board to sanction an annual payment to the Hawarden village nurse fund. She suggested a sum of J65. Mr. Dunn seconded. Mr. Hampson asked why they should pay money out of the common fund in support of a nurse for Hawarden alone. Miss Thom mentioned that the nurse's services were available for Shotton, Queen's Ferry, Broughton, St. John's, Ewloe, Pentre and Manoott. Mr. S. Vickers mentioned that there was a movement to provide a nurse fund for Shotton and Queen's Ferry district, and if the Board paid to the Hawarden nurse there would probably be an application for support of the Shotton nurse. Mr. Millington considered that it would be very unfair for the rest of the union to contribute without sharing the benefit of the nurse's services. Miss Thorn and Mr. Dunn alone voted for the motion, which was lost.

I PKETTY WIRRAL WEDDING.

THE LATE -MRsTURN:ER, NESTON.…

DISTRICT COUNCILS. I

ISOLATION HOSPITAL. I - -…

NESTON.

Advertising

I -INCti.

I CREWE.

I FLINT.I

DUDDON.I

I MOLD.

Advertising

IMR. HOULT AT HESWALL. - -40--

THE NEW REGISTERS.

Advertising

Advertising

Advertising