208 
SECTION FOR STATISTICS AND SOCIOLOGY. 
February 11th, 1862. 
Dr. Angus Smith, F.R.S., in the Chair. 
Mr. David Chadwick, F.S.S., read a paper “ On the 
Responsibilities of Trustees in regard to Charity and other 
Public Funds.” 
Mr. Chadwick considered the great importance of this 
question, in regard both to its social and statistical bearings, 
well worth the earnest consideration of the Section. 
He referred to the rule of law that the Sovereign, as 
parens patrice , is the guardian of all charities, and the 
Attorney-General, at the relation of an informant, may file 
an information in the Court of Chancery, to restore any 
abused or dilapidated foundations ; and also to the various 
acts in relation to charitable trusts, and to the powers and 
duties of the charity commissioners. 
Mr. Chadwick then referred to the duties of trustees in 
relation to public hospitals, schools, religious endowments, 
sick, burial, and trade societies ; savings banks, charities 
distributed in money, food, and clothing, &c. And he held 
that, in consequence of the legislature not requiring all 
trustees to “ give an account of their stewardship ” in a 
clear, open, and satisfactory manner, many charities had 
been lost, and many had been seriously impaired. 
Reference was made to some of the principal charities of 
Manchester and Salford, and the mode of their management 
by trustees, and of their distribution ; and it ivas strongly 
recommended that the trustees , as well as the distributors, 
