Excerpt from Hadden's Handbook on the Local Government Act, 1894: Being a Complete and Practical Guide to the Above Act and Its Incorporated Enactments The meeting of inhabitants in Open Vestry for the business of the parish dates from a very early period, but there would be no advantage forthe present purpose in discussing at length any question whether the origin of the Vestry is to be attributed to the meeting of the inhabitants of townships for civil purposes, or to the meeting of parishioners for ecclesiastical purposes. A meeting held primarily for one purpose would no doubt be utilised for the other, and when it is remembered that the distinction between secular and religious business was not so marked in early times, there is no reason for surprise that the Parish Vestry has for centuries past had powers and duties that relate to both civil and ecclesiastical affairs. In either its civil or religious aspect the Vestry is a venerable institution, and the transfer of its civil business to Parish Meetings and Councils under the new Act may in some minds give rise to a pardonable sentiment of regret. The ancient Vestry will not altogether disappear, but will still be summoned for ecclesiastical affairs, such as the election of church wardens, and, in some parishes, matters connected with the administration or distribution of certain ecclesiastical charities. Every ratepayer who has paid all rates except those due within three months preceding the vestry meeting is entitled to attend the vestry meeting, and to have one vote for every 255 of the rateable value of his qualifying premises, but the maximum number of votes for each ratepayer is six. Under the Local Government Act, 1894, there is no plurality of votes at parish meetings or elections. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works."

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