Notes: BALLINA CHRONICLE Ballina, Mayo, Ireland Wednesday, November 14, 1849 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE Captain Hamilton then read the following report of the committee app ointed at last board day to inquire into and report upon the financial state o f the union:- "Minutes of the proceedings of the Finance Committee held at the Boa rd-room on Tuesday, the 6th November, 1849. Present-John Symes, Thomas Paget, Simon Bredin, and H.R. Crofton, Es qrs. Colonel Gore chaiman of the board, and Captain Hamilton, P.L.I., were lik ewise present. It appears by the document appended (No. 1) that on the 29th day of September, 1849, the sums due to the undermentioned parties were as follo ws:- Contractors and others...Ã18,067 5 5 Workhouse Officers....... 405 12 7 Relieving Officers........... 599 18 5 Fever Hospital............... 245 17 61/2 Cholera Hospital........... 457 17 21/2 Overseers..................... 99 6 0 Rate Collectors............. 594 8 7 Total................... Ã20,467 5 9 It further appears that there are at present outstanding cheques t o the amount of Ã465 12s 10d, a list of which are appended (No. 2) The amount of rates uncollected of the rate struck on the 8th of Jun e last amounts to Ã3987 6s 3d, for which warrants are held by the collectors. Th ese two sums, amounting to 5247l.9s.6d. are exclusively to be applied towards the liquidation of debts incurred prior to the 29th September, 1849, and ar e not available towards current expenses. Your committee suggest that no further cheques be drawn until thos e which are outstanding (to the amount of 465l.12s.10d.) be paid off. With reference to the debts now due, your committee suggest that tw o bills for clothing supplied for emigrants, amounting to 105l.11s.2d. for whic h each payment was distinctly promised on delivery, and on which promise a spiri ted competition arose by which the union very much benefitted, should be nex t paid when funds become available. It appears to your committee that next in order as to prompt paymen t come those persons who, being charged from employment from the union, are now prevented from entering into other pursuits for want of the arrears of sa lary due to them being paid, and of this class it appears to press hardest o n the Overseers (the sum due to them amounts only to 99l.6s.) Your committee th erefore recommend that they be first paid of this class whose claims they recomme nd to be next considered. The class which suggests itself to your committee as requiring payme nt next in order are the officers of the establishment, both indoor and outdoor ; and after such consideration your committee have arrived at the following a s the most just arrangement, taking into account the limited prospect of fund s which may be at the disposal of the board, viz., that all those officers be pai d up to such a quarter day as will not require a greater sum to meet than one thi rd of the entire sum due to them, giving to those officers of the indoor establ ishment who do not receive rations as additional quarter of the sum due to them respectively. Cases of extreme hardship and suffering have come before your commit tee, where the sums due are but of trifling amount. Your committee asks for au thority from the board to investigate such cases and to recommend payment in such precedency as the urgency of the case may require. Your committee now come to the consideration of the most serious mat ter in the financial state of this union, and of those which formerly comprise d a part of it. Your committee allude to the enormous sum due to contractors and tradesmen. Your committee cannot see any prospect of having sufficient fu nds to liquidate the full amount and defray the current expenses of the union, y et they would desire to establish such understanding between the former union an d its creditors as would prevent angry feeling and its general attendancies, he avy legal expenses, which in the present case it is quite clear must injure a nd cannot benefit either party. Your committee therefore strongly recommen d that when the board shall be in a position to pay off any of those debts it sh all be done in the most independent spirit of justice and equity, by giving a pe r centage according to priority. But your committee expect that no vexatiou s litigation will be resorted to to compel them to recommend a decided prio rity to those who have treated the union with indulgence. In conclusion, the committee strongly recommend that the desperate financial position of this union be forthwith laid before the Government , as they fear that without immediate and considerable pecuniary assistance i t will be impossible to carry on in a satisfactory manner the affairs of the uni on, but expressing at the same time the willingness of the board to do its duty a s guardians, and rate payers, if they are put in a position to enable the m to administer the laws effectually; and to order to prove to the creditors a nd to the government the anxiety to effect this, after mature consideration you r committee respectfully suggest to the board the propriety of striking a u niform rate of 3s.6d. in the pound upon each of the new Electoral Divisions, inc luding 6d for the rate in aid, to be levied in the instalments of 2s. and 1s.6d . with the understanding of not irritating and injuring the rate payers by stri king a new rate in spring, as was done this year, to the very great injury of th e union; and lastly, your committee consider it the duty of the board to pl edge themselves never again to strike a rate until by a new valuation of the u nion and adjustment of its liabilities they are enabled to strike a discrimina ting rate, and one which will be what the proposed is not-a poundage on a real valuation. The postponement of the indoor and outdoor establishment is necessarily postponed to next week." Captain Knox proposed and Captain Atkinson seconded a resolution-tha t the report of the Finance Committee, just read, be approved of and adopted. C arried unanimously. ...to be continued... Cathy Joynt Labath Ireland Old News http://www.IrelandOldNews.com/