The Press. — London, England, 1854-01-28 00:00:00

1111 82 THE reform of the present inefficient system of postal communication with Australia was discussed at an influential meeting of London mercantile men held at the London Tavern on Thursday. Resolu tions were then passed declaring the necessity of in creasing the number of steamers employed in carry ing the mails to that colony, and a petition to Parlia ment on the subject drawn up and adopted. MR. J. F. GROOM, one of the official assignees in Mr. Commissioner Holroyd's court, has resigned his office through indisposition, after having held it up wards of twenty-two years. Mr. Charles Lee, hitherto official assignee in the Manchester District Court of Bankruptcy, has been appointed his successor. THE OVERLAND MAIL FROM AUSTRALIA nOW due has failed to reach Point de Galle in time to catch the Indian and China mail. It will most probably be brought here by the Himalaya about the middle of next month. MR. WHITESIDE, M.P., and Mr. J. D. FITZGERALD, M.P., have paired off for the Nisi Prius sittings after this Term. Ir is estimated that at least 2,500 seamen are required efficiently to man the ships now fitting out at the home ports. Au. classes in her Majesty's dockyards, artificers, labourers, &c., are now placed on job stock.work, and all earn, according to a revised scale of prices, as much money as their skill and industry can secure them. GOVERNMENT are preparing to enrol 20,000 Irish and 10,000 of the Scotch militia. It is intended that these men shall be used to replace any troops that may be sent to the Mediterranean. LIEUT.-COL. Vicxs:ns and three other engineer officers have been ordered by the British Govern ment to attend the British squadron in the Black Sea. CABINET COUNCILS were held a►, the Foreign-office on Saturday, Tuesday, Thursday, and yesterday. Viscount Valmerston and the Duke of Argyll came to London specially from Windsor to attend at Thursday's Council, and returned to the Castle after it broke up. THE troubles of an "independent" supporter of Go vernment in the House of Commons, and of his secretary, are piquantly described by one of the latter class in a letter to the Times. His patron, he says, represents some 0,000 constituents who are also considered very independent, and who would be the first to denounce their representative if he gave too strong a support to any Administration ; and yet, since the acquisition of power by the present Minis ters, not a post arrives without his receiving letters requesting him to ask for places for these " indepen dent electors," or their "well-qualified" children or friends. Sometimes a memorial arrives signed by 50 or 100 of these " independents." The inevitable consequences of such an application are thus detailed by the secretary : "1. The letter from the electors is to be read. "2. It is to be answered, and, if the member should say that he cannot ask favours, be, of course, rouses the ire of the independent voter; but if he should answer by saying that he will forward the application, then, "3. He writes to the Secretary to the Treasury. " 4. The Secretary replies. " 5. The member has to read the letter. " 0. He has to send the result to the applicant. " 7. The applicant will, perhaps, acknowledge this let ter, which generally contains an expression of regret in the form of a refusal ; and, "8. The member has, perhaps, to read another letter from the elector, who frequently hopes that he may rely upon his representative making another application at some future time." Thus, then, when an "independent elector" makes this sort of request, he not only desires his represen tative to compromise himself with the Govern ment, but causes at least six or seven letters to be written. This is the first grievance. Other grievances are then described, and a series of considerations offered to the humanity and com mon sense of the independent electors : " I venture to suggest that if constituents ask their mem bers to solicit places at the Treasury, and expect them to remain independent men, they have strange notions of the quid pro quo of the Treasury ; next, that they will, when they send newspapers, place a mark against the matter they wish should be read; next, that they will not expect, because a man hoes his public duty as their representa tive, that he is to subscribe to every local institution in his county or borough, and give up his time to matters which purely concern the private interests of the inhabitants of the locality, and should be attended to by themselves rather than by the member of Parliament, who has other duties to perform. " Lastly, when the constituents come to London and want orders for admission to the House of Commons, let them recollect that a member can only give one order for each night. " Half the letters I open," adds the writer, " begin with the words—' Having given you my support at the last elec tion,' or ' Being anxious to retire from business,' or Having a large family,' or ' As secretary to the ustitution,' &c. Any M.P. or his secretary can antici- pate the remainder of such lettere." THE PRESS. gad an volitt. MR. WINCHCOMBE HENRY SAVILLE HARTLEY, who described himself as a gentleman, applied at the In solvent Debtors' Court for release from prison. He had twico before wiped away his debts by a similar process to the amount of 18,5001. in 1836, and of 10,0001. in 1843. His present liabilities exceeded 31,0001., of which 23,0001. appeared as a change in his "expectations." Since the former insolvency he had lived, it was stated, in Devonshire and elsewhere, keeping a large establishment and several horses, although his only income consisted of an allowance of 2001. a year made to his wife by her family. The expectations in question arose from the insolvent's reversionary interest in property worth 5,0001. per annum, belonging to a half-brother who was many years younger than himself, but had been a lunatic from his birth. Mr. Commissioner Murphy, consi dering that the insolvent's conduct had been marked by culpable improvidence, postponed his release until he had remained six months in custody. A FIVE-POUND NOTE, dextrously stolen by a pros titute, was bought by Edward Cruse, a beershop keeper in Golden-lane, St. Luke's, for 31., the woman not being able to pass it for full value. Inquiries afterwards instituted led to certain investigations, first of Cruse's money, and afterwards of his house, where a large stock of miscellaneous pro perty was found belonging to owners who certainly knew nothing of their situation. Silk handkerchiefs, wearing apparel, and some thirty or forty pewter pots with the names of their proprietors more or less obliterated, were among the articles discovered, Mr. Cruse stating in explanation that he had taken them in the course of business, in exchange for beer, from his usual customers. It was known that among those usual customers were many expert thieves ; and Cruse, after a searching examination at Wor ship-street, was remanded to prison. THE INVENTOR OF SOME IMPROVEMENTS IN BRICK MAKING wished to get up a company to work his patent, and applied to Mr. Rawlings, formerly a clerk in Somerset-house, to help him. Rawlings in turn applied to a Mr. Rochez, who succeeded in get ting together a board of directors, and the company was formed. When the office was established Mr. Rawlings endeavoured to work himself into the post of secretary, and was so entitled in a few of the pre liminary prospectuses. The directors, however, would not confirm the appointment, which it seems Rochez had secured for himself, and after much dis putation Rawlings brought an action against one of the board for compensation for the services he had rendered to the company. On the trial it was alleged that the plaintiffs services consisted merely in his having signed some prospectuses and calling fre quently at the office to inquire how they were get ting on. It was also stated that the patent had turned out a failure and the company had lost money. The jury believed that a degree of service had been rendered by the plaintiff, and estimated its value at 801., for which they gave him a verdict. SOME traces of the internal workings and indivi dual oppressions of workmen's "unions" were re vealed at the examination of William Tanner, a work ing mason, employed at the Sydenham Crystal Palace, under Messrs. Kirk and Barry, the contractors. The defendant was summoned at the instance of a fellow mason, named Wilcock, for having used threats to intimidate him from pursuing his labour, and also for inducing other workmen to combine to deprive him of his employment. As the reason for this hos tility, the complainant said that it arose solely from his having refused to join a certain association, called the " Masons' Union," or subscribe to its funds. His statement of the consequences of that refusal ran as follows, when questioned by the Lambeth ma gistrate : On Monday week Tanner came to me where I work, and said, "You must make up your mind to pay half-a-crown a week to en ter the union, which will coat you ss. 7d., this day week." On the following Monday he came to me and said, " Now, I must have half-a-crown a week off you, else you shall not work here any longer." I told him I had no money to spare ; that all the money I earned I wanted for myself—but I said that I should speak to the foreman to see if he would give me the money ; but, all the time, I determined on not giving anything to the union. I spoke to the foreman about it, but he said he should not interfere in the matter. I went to my work on Tuesday morning and the defendant again spoke to me, and asked if I did not get the money from the 'foreman on the night before, and I told him not. The defendant then said, "I suppose you don't mean to pay it?" I told him I bad no money to do it, and lie then said, " You will work here no longer than till dinner-time." The defendant then went about the men in the shop, and afterwards told me the men would strike against me at dinner-time. After the dinner-hour not one of the men went to work but myself, the other twenty remaining idle ; and, in about an hour and a half, the foreman came to me and said, " Come, my boy, you must pack up your tools and be oft:" I asked the foreman what I was discharged for, and lie said on account of the strike against him, and ho could not do less. After that I was not allowed to work at the Crystal Palace, but I procured employment elsewhere. Mr. NORTON : Now, do you know anything about the society, or this ss. 7d. entrance money? Wilcock : No more than that it was for the entrance fee into the union, and after that I should have to pay the usual contribu tion. About seven or eight years ago I was employed at Hull, and I was then obliged to contribute to the union, else I should not haye been employed. At another place I got work, and was then called upon to turn out against a man who did not belong to the union, but on that occasion six men do so, while ten turned out. I subsequet Mr. Myers's, and was then compelled to pay ing as I had done against the union. West, the foreman alluded to, adl the complainant applied to him 01 told him that he could not advise, I terfere in the matter ; but that whk other men refused to work along wii ness) discharged him, as being the course he could think of. It was stated of the proceedings that the funds - question were partly destined to among the masons upon fitting occasi fend ant was sentenced to one month', with hard labour. THE " GREAT NORTHERN LOAN inscribed on the front of an office in which a man named Pearse ostensibly official character. By , company every applicant for a loan pay some trifling sum for inquiries I expenses, and sundry intending borrow, thus induced to disburse money wit' advance, grew suspicious of the sui of the concern, and the result was before the magistrate at Clerkenwo swer the question whether`the soi was really a society at all, or onl: At his first examination a solicitor' , his defence : Moses Simons, of Somers-town, said , Great Northern Loan Society for a loan of prisoner, who gave him a printed form, for 9d., and he was to pay is. Rd. for inquiries a' he would have the W. loan on Thursday or called there according to appointment, but prisoner, the secretary, or anybody else bell and he, with others who were served in thi doubt the " establishment " had been got swindling the public. On one occasion he to be returned to him, and said that they v the prisoner took up a shovel, and threaten( Mrs. Mary Davis, of Britannia-street, who had applied to the society, gave a aimi Mr. CO11111E: Who is to advance the mow loans ? The Solicitor's Clerk : A company. Mr. COBRIE: It looks very like obtainit pretences. You have a large place, with Hai Northern Loan Society," Ac., in front, to attraci It is important that somebody should be her have money to advance, and it is equally ini nest of swindlers, that it should he exposed. The case, being adjourned, was upon a subsequent day, when the who bad defended Pearse appeared racter. He now stood forth as Mr. - street, promoter and principal of th, Still the fact whether anything in society existed remained exceeding) Mr. CORHIE said a representation had . several persons that they had been cheated and it was necessary to show whether it • did not produce something to prove this„ world that it was a fraudulent society. Thl do a great deal of good, as, through the proceedings by the press, it would cause their guard, and prevent imposition. Utu Lim that money was advanced by a color would set it down as being no society. Baker: 1 hope not, your worship ; i hat in it. Mr. CORRIE : Are you the company? (L Baker : No ; there were several others. money u loans. I carried on a loan society lost 4001., and I started the society in the toner acted as my clerk. I court inveetiga return the money I received to the pets()) having been defrauded. A person in court said that the gentlem( set down as (Bruton had never been appl Mr. CORRIE: The beet plan will be fOr thing to do with it. Baker saki he would return the parties got back to his office, and he would shut and wash his hands of it. The prisoner was discharged. MR. WILLIAM HENRY NEWMAN, Maddox-street, was brought befot on Monday, at the Marlborough-strf with having assaulted Captain Hussars, at the Conservative Club Captain Garth said : I live at No. 30, Ham This morning I was at the Conservative street, when a page-boy brought me a card, owner of the card wished to see me. I wem defendant. I asked him if he wanted nt recollect, some years ago, in the club, meant to insult me ?" I replied, "I recolle. so, but of you personally I have no recollectit defendant said, " Do you mean to assert either of me or my father? " I answered, nor the other." The defendant called me with his list. I have not the slightest not cause for provocation, or have the slighter his family. The defendant said be was passing the Captain Garth, who was at the window, mouth in what he conceived to be an int was the more convinced of this, because, viously, Captain Garth had spoken disrespectfully Captain Garth said he was perfectly certain 1. , ' the defendant in any way that morning. I know him, and was not aware that he was Mr. Hardwick said he could not um cats on such a case as this. The him to inflict a tine of 51., and it woull to impose such a penalty, considering society of the parties. He should, the case to the sessions. OATURDA Y and myself refused autly received work at sy penalties for set imitted that, whe n ni the subject, he and would not in- hen he found the with him he (wit. le most expedient sled in the course a of the union in o suppo r t str i kes xasions. The de. Ill's i mprisonment, LI.; SOCIETY" wa s a in the New_r oa d , attended in s ome the rules of the an was required t o es and preliminary rowers, having been without getting any tbstantial character is to place Name well Court, to an. oi-disant " society^ ily a make-believe. Cs clerk undertook that he applied to the of 01., when be saw the for which he demanded I about Lis security,and r Friday evening. lie it he could not see the elonging to the society, the same way, bad no t up for the purpose of he asked for his money were swindlers, when wed to beat hint with it. t, Bagnigge-wells•road, nilar testimony. my to the applicants for dog money wider files flaring letters, " Great attract public attention. here to show that they mportant, if they are a ed. called on again he solicitor's clerk red in a new cha- Baker, of Albany- the alleged society. in the shape of a gly doubtful : been wade to him by ed out of their money, was a society. U they it would go forth to the his investigation wok publicity given to the the public to be upon Wells it was shown to tpany, he (Slr. Come) tve lost upwards of lOU Latsghter.) era. I have advanced Lety in the Strand, and be New-road. The gation. I tun 1111111 4 to mons who complain of ten whose names were plied to or consulted. the public to hale w a their money when be t up the place directly r, barrister, living in ore Mr. Hardwick, treet Office, charged Garth, of the 15th : ane-place,Slosne . s tre e t. e Club iu St. Jon,e,t• out d he lie c a g n he JI ) 'ltd rti d i e: s e p le' the B n trti. : en e etie s anj: ert knowledge na n' t °tlyyi r oukni insulting ti, and i d f heei s s: 0t nn 1: : 33, 1 i eSat e l dr Pti h n re i d. a n en h ie m e e v n g:, Yer : fg i n e ,, rl°‘ vtll t tfuu es . f :g i i) r n e b i t ( n e i ! rkt l v e 3°l ni 1 : 1 T I : ee'r . w ut s ly a e clad. di- ckery r iniolaidnaduel we n c h er t d e t e to n h p a hbn ce e k i : e a lr e e: e r ,p e d afp tl o o f we l sr i n n e i t a etio i nt w on td • ,mair _\