Minutes of evidence.

  • Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Select Committee on Andover Union
Date:
[1846]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Minutes of evidence. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    21/1416 (page 17)
    they were sold at from 17 s. to 19 s. previously to that time, and they realized 23 s. or 24 s. afterwards. 409. Did the bone-dust from the union sell after it was an open market for more money than the bones ground at common mills ?—Yes. 410. What was the reason of that ?—The bones were much better. 411. Do you mean that they were in a more green state ?—The bones that generally come from the mills are, many of them, foreign bones, and they are nothing like so good as English bones ; they are very old and of very little service. 412. How was the sale conducted after it was thrown open ; was there still an auction ?—No ; it was by tender. 413. Did any one who wished for bones send in a paper, saying he wished for a certain quantity of bones ?—Yes ; notice was given that they could tender for a certain quantity, and that they should send in tenders on such a day. 414. Shortly after this bone inquiry, there was another inquiry, was not there, on various allegations against the master of the workhouse ?—Yes. 415. What was the first that you heard relative to that; who told you first that there were allegations against the master ?—Mr. Loscombe, one of the guardians. 416. Did Mr. Westlake communicate to you previously to his bringing it before the Board ?—No. 417. Were you upon intimate terms with Mr. Westlake before this inquiry? —No; I knew him, and that was all. 418. Did Mr. Westlake communicate it to anyone else before it was brought • before the Board?—He named it to the chairman, to Mr. Lywood, to Mr. Loscombe, and Mr. Potticary. 419. Did they approve of his going on with the inquiry?—I suppose so. They desired him to get up as many cases as he possibly could, and three of the guardians assisted him in getting up those cases. 420. When was the inquiry first brought before the Board of Guardians ?— I cannot say. 421. Can you tell when the allegations against the master were first brought before the Board of Guardians ?—I cannot recollect. 422. Was it two or three weeks previously to the inquiry of Mr. Parker?— A fortnight previously, probably. 423. The first day that Mr. Westlake made his statement to the Board, were witnesses examined ?—Yes. 424. Witnesses were examined before the Board ?—Yes. 425. Were there many witnesses examined ?—I think there must have been 24 or 25 witnesses present. They examined about half of them. 426. What was the general opinion of the Board on the subject?—They thought it was useless to go into further evidence; they were perfectly satisfied. 427. What were they satisfied of?—That the charges were clearly proved. 428. What proceedings were then taken by the Board?—I am not quite positive, but I think the evidence was forwarded to the Commissioners, with the request that they would inquire into it. 429. Did the Board of Guardians suspend the master on the first day ?—No. 430. On the next Saturday did Mr. Parker attend the Board ?—Yes. 431. Were many cases gone into then ?—No. 432. Was the result of that that Mr. Parker fixed a day for instituting a public inquiry into these allegations against the master ?—Yes. 433. Were you present during that inquiry?—Yes, a portion of the time. 434. Almost every day ?—Nearly every day, I think. 435. What is your opinion of the manner in which that inquiry was con¬ ducted by Mr. Parker, the Assistant Commissioner ?—I think it was rather a partial inquiry. 436. Why do you think so ?—I think the witnesses were treated differently on one side of the question than on the other. Those that were brought for¬ ward by Mr. Westlake were treated differently from the others. 437. How were they treated ?—I do not think they were treated so kindly as the others. In short, it struck me that an attempt was made to keep back evidence on one side. 438. On which side was that ?—On Mr. Westlake’s side. 0.45—1. E Mr. II. Mundy ■ 24 April 1846. 439- By