Though the name of Mr. LOVELAND is always spoken of with the greatest respect as the former vestry clerk of this parish, yet we by no means wish to infer the necessity of a legal gentleman filling that office. We believe that it could not be in better hands than it is, and we have felt it to be our duty, on more occasions than one, to express our warm approbation of the conduct of Mr. LAHEE. Litigation will arise in every parish, and may be promoted to a very great extent by the appointment of attorneys, and even if it were not so they would get the credit and the obloquy, and therefore should not be placed in so unenviable a position. Mr. Toulmin Smith says, ‘It may be safely stated, that it will be usually the wisest course not to appoint a person of the legal profession to the office of vestry clerk. It is quite unnecessary to the discharge of any of his duties that he should be of that profession; while his being so has a tendency to encourage a narrow technical mode of dealing with the duties of the parish, and very often indeed lead to litigation, for which there is no real occasion whatever. ‘Every parish should, however, have some known and confidential professional man of the neighbourhood, to whom it should refer on occasions needing professional action or advice.’ Again, in Brady and Mahon’s work on Parochial Law and Taxation it is said, ‘A custom has prevailed of late years of appointing attorneys as vestry clerks. The numberless statutes by which parochial affairs are now regulated, give something like a satisfaction to this practice, and the conflicting decision of the courts of law on parish cases, would lead to a belief that none but a lawyer could be qualified for the office. But whatever may be the cause, the fact appears to be unquestionable that such appointments have tended greatly to the increase of parochial expenditure; for the professional gentlemen thus selected as vestry clerks, however unjust it may be to attribute to them obliquity, foul play or evil designs very naturally carry with them into office a sort of _esprit du corps_ which leads to appeals to quarter sessions, vexatious removals, litigious contests, journies half over the kingdom, the inevitable consequence of which is an enormous annual expenditure, amounting, it is said, to something like one third of the total poor rates!’ With such statements as these emanating from lawyers it would be absurd to argue for the continuance of a practice fraught with such imminent danger to the pockets of the parishioners. APPENDIX No. 21. CREMORNE GARDENS. _Report of the Committee of Works and for General Purposes_. Board Room, Manor House, September 24th, 1860. To the Vestry of the Parish of Chelsea. Gentlemen,—We, the undersigned, of your Committee of Works and for General Purposes, beg to present the following special report upon the resolution passed by you on the 11th instant (25):—