View report page

10
THE VESTRY CLERKSHIP.
The Report of the Special Committee appointed on the decease of the late Vestry
Clerk to superintend and carry on the duties of his office pending the appointment of hie
successor, fully sets out the business with which they dealt, and is as follows:—
REPORT.
On the 15th July, Mr. Walker, the late Vestry Clerk, submitted a communication
to the Vestry, in which he stated that in consequence of a weakening complaint from
which he was suffering, lie would not for some little time be able to give that full
attention to his duties which they required, and asking for the indulgence of the Vestry,
until by means of the rest which his physician recommended him to take, he should be
restored to health. In spite, however, of the rest which he was able to obtain during
the vacation, Mr. Walker's ill-health increased, and after a brief but severe illness
which set in whilst he was away from town, he died at his residence on the 9th
September, 1890.
This sad occurrence was reported to the Vestry .at its next meeting, when the
Vestry directed a letter of sympathy and condolence with his widow and family to be
forwarded to Mrs. Walker, and, before rising, passed the following Resolution:—
"That a Special Committee of seven Members be appointed to supervise and
generally direct the work of the Vestry, until the election of a Vestry Clerk;
and to consider and recommend to the Vestry as early as possible, the best
mode of election, and the remuneration of a successor to the late Mr. Walker."
The seven Members thereupon appointed were—
Mr. Belstead Mr. Moffatt
,, Cox ,, Wenbokn
,, Martindill ,, Winkler
,, M. Moss
and Mr. Wenbokn was elected Chairman.
The Committee at once entered upon its duties, and held during the interregnum,
no less than 18 meetings, the greater number of these being devoted to the examination
and separation of the late Clerk's public and private papers, the purely private
documents being duly handed over to the Executor, Mr. J. J. Griffiths, and the supervision
of the Vestry's general work, which necessitated the giving directions and
assistance to the heads of Departments.
The carrying out of the duties comprised in the first branch of the reference to the
Committee was rendered somewhat more difficult by the sudden indisposition of the
Assistant Clerk, Mr. H. E. Jones, but beyond the Chairman's daily attendance at the
Office to open letters, Ac., no further difficulty was occasioned, as the work of the Vestry
Clerk s Office was, under the supervision of the Committee, efficiently carried out
l»y Mr. Burton and Mr. Bennett, willingly assisted by the rest of the Staff,