STATE PAPERS. 



S9i 



shall think fit, to assist the over- 

 seers in the execution of their 

 duty, and that two or more pa- 

 rishes or townships mitcht unite for 

 the appointment of such officer, 

 and apply such proportion of their 

 respective rates for the payment of 

 his salary, as shall be agreed upon 

 between them Such an officer 

 properly selected and remunerated, 

 may be expected so to devote his 

 time and attention to his duty, as 

 to make himself fully acquainted 

 with the character and circum- 

 stances of each applicant. 



In recommending such an ar- 

 rangement, your committee pro- 

 ceed on grounds of experience ra- 

 ther than theory, the practice 

 having been long beneficially a- 

 dopted in many populous parishes, 

 either under a provision in local 

 acts, or with the unanimous con- 

 sent of the parishioners. And it 

 would be sufficient strongly to re- 

 commend such a practice, if it 

 were not necessary to legalize the 

 payment of the salary ; for, ac- 

 cording to the present law, the 

 objection of an individual, how- 

 ever unreasonable, may control, 

 in this respect, the wishes of the 

 rest of the parish. Your commit- 

 tee are alse of opinion, that it 

 might in many cases tend to an 

 improved management in parishes, 

 where no such officer with a salary 

 might be appointed, if the present 

 law was so far altered as to admit 

 of any individual rated to a parish, 

 being eligible to fill the office of 

 orerseer in such parish, although 

 not actually residing therein, pro- 

 vided the place of his habitual re- 

 sidence should not be distant more 

 than three miles fioni the church 

 of such parish. It is not, how- 

 ever, proposed to make such an 



appointment of an overseer with « 

 salary,compul8ory, because in many 

 small parishes it may be unneces- 

 sary J and your committee take 

 this opportunity of observing, that 

 they have felt it their duty in other 

 instances to recommend enabling 

 rather than compulsory provi- 

 sions, from the obvious considera- 

 tion, that the most judicious mea- 

 sures cannot be equally adapted to 

 the town and country, to an agri- 

 cultural and manufacturing popu- 

 lation. 



Having thus attempted to correct 

 the defective execution, arising 

 from the duration of the office of 

 overseer being only annual, your 

 committee are of opinion, that the 

 relief and maintenance of the poor 

 might be better administered if 

 more important assistance could be 

 required from the vestry of each 

 parish, than is usually derived 

 from that quarter. The legisla- 

 ture has indeed contemplated their 

 interference, but having left it to 

 the body at large, which is not 

 perhaps in populous parishes very 

 conveniently constituted for that 

 purpose, their interposition has in 

 many plcices been discontinued. 

 Your committee think it expedi- 

 ent, therefore, to enable parishes, 

 either singly or in union with 

 others, to establish select vestries, 

 for the purpose of mantiging the 

 parochial concerns ; and that such 

 select vestiies should be annually 

 chosen at a general vestry, and 

 should consist of the minister, or, 

 in his absence, the lesident curate 

 (being assessed to the poor rate) ; 

 the churchwardens, overseers, and 

 as many other substantial house- 

 holders, not exceeding a limited 

 number, as the majority of such 

 general vestry shall think proper 

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