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To the Vestry of St. Mary, Islington.
The Special Committee appointed on October 17th, 1890, to
consider the relations between the Vestry and the Churchwardens,
begs to report as foMows :—
It has held six meetings for the consideration of the matters
referred to it by the Vestry. At its first meeting Dr. Buckell was
appointed Chairman, and submitted a statement which he had
prepared as to the past history of the relations between the Churchwardens
and the Vestry, and also an abstract of the Churchwardens'
general accounts from 1875-6 to 1889-90. These, together with a copy
of the Case submitted to Counsel in 1874 and of his Opinion thereon,
were ordered to be printed for the guidance of the Committee and
will be found among the appendices to this report.
The Committee proceeded in the first place to take into consideration
the expenses of the Churchwardens under the several headings
set forth in the "Abstract of Accounts " in the order therein adopted ;
and subsequently dealt with the mode in which the monies necessary
to meet the civil expenditure of the Churchwardens should be provided
by the Vestry and with the audit of their accounts.
The duty of preparing and printing each year a list of persons
liable to serve on juries devolves upon the Churchwardens and
Overseers pursuant to 6 Geo. IV., cap. 50, s.s. 8 and 9, as amended
by 25 and 26 Vict., cap. 107, sec. 6. The expenses in connection
therewith are directed to be repaid by the parish or township, and
by 7 and 8 Vict., cap. 101, sec. 60, it is enacted that they shall
be defrayed out of the poor rate. The Committee is informed
that in Islington the list has always been prepared by the Vestry
Clerk from the rate-books under the authority and direction of the
Churchwardens, the accounts for work done being paid by the Senior
Churchwarden when certified as correct by the Vestry Clerk. The
resolution of the Vestry of October 30th, 1874, on this subject
(Appendix F) gave no instructions as to the rate to which jury-list