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535
to pay him a retaining fee of 100 guineas per annum for
certain fixed and stated duties, and that for all other work
he be remunerated according to the recognised scale, all his
bills being duly taxed under the Solicitors' Acts.
For the retaining fee the Solicitor should advise the
Vestry generally upon all points of law as they arise, should
attend all meetings of the Vestry, the Finance Committee
(including the Law and Parliamentary Committee), and such
other Committees as required, and should attend when
necessary, to represent the Vestry at the Police Court. For
many years a portion of the legal work of the Vestry has
been done with great care and success by Messrs. Marsden
and Son, and we recommend that under these circumstances
Mr. George William Marsden, Junior, be appointed Solicitor
of the Vestry.
Assistant Vestry Clerk—Mr. F. A. F. Rees has for many
years been designated Assistant Vestry Clerk, but his duties
have chiefly been in connection with the office of the Churchwardens
and Overseers, where he has most efficiently directed
the business of the Department. This work has very much
increased, and is likely to still further increase, and we think
that it would be an effective arrangement to obtain the whole
of Mr. Rees' time and ability for the discharge of the duties
which he has made peculiarly his own. We therefore
propose that the office of Assistant Vestry Clerk be abolished,
that Mr. Rees should be the Clerk to the Churchwardens
and Overseers, and that his salary should remain as at
present. It would be desirable, if it could be arranged, that
Mr. Rees should have a separate department and room
under his immediate control.