Mexborough and Swinton Times November 20, 1891
Parish Meeting At Conisboro’ Last Night.
The Clerk to the Burial Board.
Last night a meeting of parishioners was held in the National School, Conisborough for the purpose of fixing the salary of the clerk to the Burial Board. The chair was occupied by the Vicar, the Rev. J. G. Wood, M.A., and there was only a small attendance. Early on in the meeting the opinion was expressed that a resident clerk should be appointed, instead of that personage living in Doncaster as at present.
The Vicar objected, remarking that he did not think it would be wise at the present to change the clerk, inasmuch as the work connected with the establishment of the cemetery, for the Board had been all in his hands, and it was not yet finished. He expressed the hope that the parish would not, at least for another year, make any alteration.
Mr. C. Kilner thought that far too much money was pant for the duties performed in the future. He knew in the past there had been legal work included in the £25, but it was not likely that there would be any more ; at any rate whatever legal work there was to do at the commencement ought to be effected by this, as the matter had been in hand now for three ,years. (Hear-hear.) The clerk to the Rural Sanitary Committee at Committee at Conisborough did his work for nothing, and although he did not expect that the clerk to the Burial Board should he asked to accept the office on the same terms, yet he suggested that £10 per annum is quite sufficient.
The Vicar again asked the meeting to elect the present clerk at the same salary until the cemetery was really opened.
Mr. Earnshaw asked if some definite time could be fixed for the opening
The Vicar said the Board could not fix it itself, but they hoped the opening would take place about February or March. Much, however, depended as the nature of the winter season. The reason why the work had been hitherto delayed arose from several causes.
Mr. W. H. Smith pointed out that it was twelve months ago since the members of the Burial Board asked the parish to grant the clerk £25 just for another year, because of the “great amount of benefit ” that would accrue from Mr. Nicholson’s re-appointment for another twelve months The parish consented to this, but during those twelve months eight or nine of the Board’s meetings had been attended by the late Mr. Scholes, Mr Nicholson’s clerk.
Mr Kibler: Not so many.
Mr. W. H. Smith, continuing, said that also at the audit of accounts Mr. Nicholson was represented by Mr. Scholes, who signed the receipt for ‘ Mr. Nicholson’s salary for the twelve months. (Laughter.) He thought that meeting ought to consider the parish as well as Mr. Nicholson. He had come to the meeting prepared to move that Mr. Nicholson be continued another three months, but after Mr. Kilner’s lucid statement, he now thought that £10 per annum would be quite sufficient. He moved that £12 be granted to the clerk for the ensuing £12 mouths.
Mr. F. Dearden seconded.
The Vicar, in defence of Mr. Nicholson, observed that he had unavoidably been called away from those meetings that he had not attended. He did not think that the meeting should be too hard on him, especially as he was not there to speak for himself.
Mr. Dearden : You will excuse some folks, but others not at all.
The Vicar: Oh, don’t say that. He’s not here to answer for himself.
Mr Smith : I wish that he had been here.
The Vicar: I don’t know that he has any right here.
Mr. Whitfield asked the Vicar if he had any idea what Mr. Nicholson would like. At present they were discussing the thing in the dark. Would he take £12 ?
The Vicar: I can’t say, but I am under the impression that he would not take one farthing less than £25.
Mr. Whitfield observe that he had been pleased with Mr. Kilner’s remarks—he had spoken like a sensible gentleman that night—(laughter)–and on this subject was a man after his own heart. It was not clear to him, however, whether Mr. Kilner was speaking for another clerk, or for Mr. Nicholson to accept the proposed new terms
Mr. Kilner : I’m not speaking for anybody ; I am speaking for the parish. (Hear, hear )
Mr. Whitfield said that he intended to propose that Mr. Nicholson be appointed, and that he have as many shillings as he was now getting pounds. (laughter) In all earnestness he thought that that would be sufficient. He had already received £50 which in his opinion, ought to cover all the legal work that was to be done. If it was not done, Mr. Nicholson had not had the trouble; if it was done, Mr. Nicholson ought to do the work for 25s. for another year. He believed in spending the ratepayers’ money as he would his own, and he thought that the Burial Board members ought to do the same. As an amendment he proposed that Mr. Nicholson be paid 25s. per annum.
Mr. H Baker: You are not sincere, sir-25s.? Mr. Whitfield : I not sincere !
The Vicar recommended Mr. Whitfield that they were discussing the salary, not the appointment at the clerk, which was left to the Burial Board to decide.
Mr. Whitfield then proposed that the clerk be appointed at a salary of £6, according to Mr. Kilner’s computation.
Mr. Holmes said that Mr. Kilner’s was simply a suggestion to form a basis.
Mr. Kilmer: Yes, make it £10
Mr. Whitfield: It’s not worth £10. I have to help to pay it, and I don’t pick it up so handy as that If you put it at £10 I might be a candidate. (Laughter.)
Mr. Kilner: And so far as my experience goes of your clerkship you would not be a bad one. (Renewed laughter.)
Mr. Whitfield: I propose that he have £6 and nothing more.
Mr. Dearden: I’ll second that. £20’s plenty. Mr. J. Gillott, as another amendment, proposed that the salary be £10 per annum.
Mr. Jones seconded.
Mr. H. Booth asked if the clerk would he at the beck and call of everybody. Would he have to at- teed funerals?
‘I he Vicar said the duties would he to attend at the board meetings, to do the correspondence. and other matters.
Mr. Booth : If he had to attend funerals .£10 or £12 would not me enough.
Mr. Kilner said the clerk was never expected to attend funerals.
Mr. Whitfield you stated that he could give an instance where a clerk only get £5 for his services.
The Vicar said it wanted a man of some education to do the work.
Mr. Baker said he should like the present man to keep it. He was used to it, and would make a good clerk.
The Vicar: That is not before the meeting.
Mr. Blyth thought that they ought to advertise for a clerk in a proper way, and appoint the one that was willing to come fur the lowest salary.
The Vicar said that meeting had not the power to do that. ‘The vestry would decide the salary, and then it was left to the Burial Board to appoint the man.
Mr Blyth thought that Mr Smith’s proposition was a fair one, and he should support it.
Mr Earnshaw proposed that Mr Nicholson be kept on in the office into the new cemetery was completed, but the proposition found no seconder.
The Chairman then put Mr Gillott’s amendment, that the clerk receive a salary of £10, and it was carried by a majority of two.