The chief blame for this rests with the Parishes. If they took care, as it is their duty to do as the members of a free state, to watch and know every proceeding in Parliament, and immediately to communicate with their county representatives (where there is no borough) on any measure that can in any way affect Parish action, powers, or interests, the results of legislation would be very different to what they now are; and the present empirical system, by means of which every kind of jobbing is perpetrated, under cover of ill-considered and smuggled Acts of Parliament, would be put an end to. It can be put an end to by no other means. The highest intelligence, and the uttermost free choice, of the Representatives themselves, can never gift them with the means of doing what can only be done by the watchful attention and practical suggestions of those immediately concerned. The perpetual, ill-considered, and often purely selfish attempts at shifting and experimental legislation, that are now made in every session, render the carrying out of the recommendation above made a matter of the very highest practical importance.

The Churchwardens ought to summon a Vestry, without delay, whenever anything occurs that affects, or may affect, the welfare or property of the Parishioners.* They ought also always to summon it, at the requisition of any respectable inhabitants, on any matter that the latter state, in their belief, to require it. And they are bound to summon it for such an hour as will be most convenient to the greatest number of the Parishioners to attend.†

Care should be taken, in every Parish, that, before the choice of any fresh officers or committee is made, the full and plain statement of all the transactions and accounts of the late ones is before the Vestry.‡

* Take, as an example, the receiving notice, under the Burial Acts, 1852, 1853, 1855, of any intention to make a Representation to the Queen in Council touching the Burial-Ground. So, the introduction into Parliament of any Bill which will, either directly or indirectly, affect the powers of Parish Action in any way, or the local interests of the Parish.

The true voice of the Parish is sometimes practically smothered, by calling Vestries when few can attend; as at 10 or 12 o'clock in the morning. Nothing can be more reprehensible. The right way is, to fix an hour by Bye-Law, adaptable to circumstances: and then, if the Churchwardens infringe this, they should be summarily dismissed, and fresh ones chosen. When there is no such Bye-Law, the hour named in any fair requisition should be adopted.

The exactness formerly observed in matters of account, and Reports of

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Every Committee, appointed for a special purpose, should be required to make to the Vestry, from time to time, written Reports of what it has done; and, at the end of its task, to make a complete Report of the whole of its transactions. An example of this has been already given.* These Reports should all be entered on the Vestry Minute Book.

Every Committee, whether temporary or permanent, should be required to keep regular minutes of its own proceedings; and, at the end of the task, if a temporary one, to lodge these minutes among the Parish Records. On such minutes, the names of the Members attending each meeting, should always be recorded.

The expenses attending the action, both of Officers and Committees, must be provided by the Parish. There is always some expense, though it may be often trifling, attending the work of every Officer and Committee. If men give their personal efforts, for the benefit of the whole, the least that can be done is, that all needful means shall be provided at the common charge.

some.

It has been shown to have been formerly the custom, that the Parishioners were in the habit of coming together, at regular times, in social meeting;-both in hospitable manner, and in public games.† Nothing can be more right or wholeGood neighbourhood and social charity, health of body as well as mind, discussion and mutual better knowledge of obligations and means, are thus promoted in the most effectual manner. But such good neighbourhood and social charity, such discussion and knowledge, are what Centralization most dreads. It has always been the crafty trick of the enemies of free institutions and human progress, "to forbid feastings and other meetings,-which increase love, and give opportunity to Officers, is illustrated, not only by the systematic inquiries and returns, which have been shown to have been formerly always made, but by the fact that payments used to be commonly made, and balances settled, in the open Vestry. Thus (Ardley) :—“ March 31, 1746. John Crane, Churchwarden, has in hand £7. 9s. ltd., which he pays upon the Table." Same date:"Mr. Larkin, Overseer, pays upon the Table 16s. 9d." On the same date: -"Due to Edward Parker [the other Overseer] £5. 13s. 44d., which he receives from the table." And this is the common form.

* Before, Section 12, p. 538.

+ If we do not now have target practice (though why not?), what could be better than to have a Parish Cricket-Ground in every Parish? See also, before, p. 249.

confer together of public matters,-under pretence of sparing cost for better uses."* Under such false and hypocritical pretences, the promoters of the functionary system have contrived to fix a stigma on these old and good practices, in order to enable the modern system of organized jobbery to be carried out. The result is, that,-while deep-reaching evils of a social and moral kind have followed, and are increasingly following, -ten times the amount ever spent of yore over parish dinners, "ales," games, or any other social purposes, are now squandered, sunk, far worse than uselessly wasted, in sustaining the functionary system itself; in what are sought to be disguised under the high-sounding name of "administration expenses,”—but the real title of which should be:-"Cost of meddling with free action and hindering self-reliance."

Every Parish, and every Committee of every Parish, ought to be very careful to have the duties of all its officers well defined. This has been already illustrated in the case of the Vestry Clerk. It is equally necessary as to all other officers.† Thus only can disputes be avoided, and that mutual good understanding and kindly relation be maintained, which are essential to right Parish action.‡

To complete the assuredness that the duties will be fulfilled, which every Parish, as, in itself, a Unit, owes to every one of its members, and which every one of its members owes to the Parish, it would be highly useful if each Parish were called upon to give, as one of the Units making up the State, an account to the State at regular times, on certain points; whence the fulfilment or not of these duties may be known. Its own Officers and chosen Bodies give an account in detail to the

Sir Walter Raleigh's 'Prince: or Maxims of State,' p. 28; and before, p. 505, note. These words, written 250 years ago, exactly represent what the English Centralizers of our time have systematically done.

+ See Chap. III. Sect. 14; also, p. 527. There are few Parish Officers whose duties are now so much misapprehended as those of "Assistant Overseers." Encroachments and unjustifiable assumptions by this officer are frequent, in consequence of his erroneously fancying himself independent of the Parish. (Compare p. 223.) It must not be forgotten that he can discharge no duty, without the express vote and sanction of the Vestry. See before, pp. 162-165.

Complete suggestions and forms for Standing Orders and Bye-Laws, and for defining the Duties of the various paid officers, are given in my 'Practical Proceedings,' etc., already referred to (before, pp. 256 note, 258). It is unnecessary, therefore, to repeat these in the present volume.

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Parish, that the Parish may know that all its parts have fulfilled their duties to itself as a Unit. The Parish ought to give an account to the State, that the State may know that all its own integral parts have fulfilled their duties to it as a larger Unit. The Law and the Constitution require this. It has been shown in this Book that formerly this was regularly and thoroughly done. Until it is done regularly and thoroughly again, the soundness of Parish Action cannot be felt to be assured.*

* See before, p. 46, and after Chap. IX.; see also, my 'Practical Proceedings,' etc., before quoted, pp. 94-97. A meagre return, in a very imperfect method, as to Highways is now made. It is of little value. See before, p. 247.

CHAPTER VIII.

RATES AND TAXES.

THE power inherent in parishes to make rates upon themselves has been already fully shown and illustrated.* Though technical detail on the subject would not be consistent with the scope of this work, the general points that arise upon it may properly be embraced.

The most essential thing to a rate is, its equality; that is, its falling in equal proportions on all those within the Parish. It is unnecessary to enter here into the nice distinctions that have been drawn, arising out of the complicated character of modern pursuits and property, in order to get at a nearer approach to what is believed to be a true and real equality,which may often differ from an apparent equality. For ordinary practical purposes, the comparative value of houses, land, or other premises-that is, what they are worth to hire for rent, for their actually used purposes, and deducting the outgoings necessary for sustaining them-serves well enough, when truly taken, as the basis of assessment. This is admitted to be the sound rule.

The very word "rate" means, proportion. The equal fairness of the tax made, constitutes it a rate. Unless this exists, the rate, be it for what it may, can be resisted as unequal, and therefore illegal.+

It is the duty of the officers of the Parish, to take care that

Chap. II.; and see p. 436. "Parishioners," says Viner, "have a sole right to raise taxes for their own relief, without the interposition of any superior court." (Abridgment: 'Parishioners.") "None but Parliament can impose a tax. But the greater part of a parish can make a Bye-Law ([to raise a tax]." (1 Modern Reports, p. 194.) "The major part of them that appear may bind the Parish" (ib. p. 236). "It must be done by the Parishioners themselves" (2 ib. p. 223). As to raising money at "Ales," see pp. 497-503, etc.

Which would formerly have made the rate bad altogether, in every case. The Act of 41 Geo. III. c. 23, modified this as to Poor-rates, on account of the very inconvenient consequences.