PENRITH HERALD, October 17, 1874 / WEST WARD UNION.........Part IV

[Barb Ontario Canada]

WEST WARD UNION............................Part IV

 

 

THE CHAIRMAN further observed that under the circumstances no one ought to sign the memorial without convincing themselves of the suitability of the place by viewing the site.  It was the worst even for Shap, and it was adopted in a very hasty manner, notice of motion being given at the first meeting after the other scheme was withdrawn, and at the following meeting, without taking steps to find a more suitable and proper site, it was carried.  He was quite sure there were sites in the Union to be obtained without objection to the climate or to any other circumstance.

 

REV. C.. W. BURTON – How long is it before the memorial has to be sent to the Local Government Board ?

 

THE CLERK – Till I can certify a majority of signatures.

 

MR. BURTON – How many have now signed ?

 

THE CLERK, after counting, said that there were fifteen.

 

HON. H. BROUGHAM – What is a majority ?

 

THE CHAIRMAN – Twenty-two.

 

THE CLERK – It is to be signed at a Board meeting, so that any guardian must attend for the purpose.

 

THE REV. W. RICE MARKHAM said he wished to make a few remarks.  If they were to get a place without rain, they would have to go out of the county, and he certainly thought there was not more rain at Shap than at Crosby Ravensworth.  He had always understood Shap to be a very healthy place, with a very dry soil.  He considered it a mistake to build at all, but if they must build, it was better to have the workhouse and vagrant ward together, which would ensure a saving of expense in officers’ salaries.

 

THE CHAIRMAN said the Union did not care, it would appear, for expense, for when they could have had a workhouse for twenty-three hundred pounds, they would not have it.  It was now a question whether they would consider cost equal to the inhumanity of sending old people into such a country.

 

THE REV. W.R. MARKHAM said that so far as he knew the old people at Shap were as happy as old people anywhere else.  There were plenty of old people at Shap in good health.

 

THE CHAIRMAN – They have become acclimatised.

 

REV. W. R. MARKHAM – As to windows, why not have windows to the south at Shap ?  There were windows to the south at Shap as well as anywhere else.  That is all nonsense.  If they could do without a workhouse at all, but form an amalgamation with the East Ward Union, that would be the best thing.

 

CAPTAIN MARKHAM said that he still thought an effort should be made for a junction with the East Ward in preference to going in for this building.  They were almost unanimous at one time for that proposal, and when sometime ago the question was brought before the guardians for the East Ward, the motion was defeated by only about two votes.  He though it would be very desirable to try to get some gentlemen to bring the subject before that Board again, and he believed MR. MASON, the chairman, would do so if asked.  He was a strong advocate for it before, but being High Sheriff at the time, he was not then able to give the movement his support.  It would be a very good thing if they could avoid the heavy expense of building, especially with present building prices, and he thought they should do everything in their power to save plunging into such expense.  With regard to the site at Shap, he thought a workhouse could be carried on there cheaper than at any other place, but he strongly objected to having to build at all if they could possibly avoid it.

 

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The meeting will continue with Part V........

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barb, ontario, canada.