Northern Times. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-10-15 00:00:00

MUNICIPAL ELECTION. CASTLE-STREET WARD. IMPORTANT MEETING, YESTERDAY. . - -Yesterday afternoon, a meeting of the burgesses of this ward favourable to. the return of Mr. Thomas Woodbiun to the Town Council, was held in the Com mon Hall, Hackins-hey. There was a very numerous and respectable attendance, - the legal element being largely.represented. Amongst the gentlemen present we observed Messrs. Frank Maxwell, William.A Jevons, Henry Whitmore.(Honorary Secretary), William. Rad cliffe, Ambrose Lace, Henry A. Ewer, J. E. Gill, William Williams, W.. Whatham, It. A. Payne, . J. G. Livingstone, IL Roberts, Thomas Brakell, John Atkinson, Edward Glazebrook, George Webster, Edward Banner, Harmood Banner, F. S. Hull, H. Bardswell, H:. Moore, Edward . Lawrence, William Birkett, Charles Clark, E. G. Deane, Henry Bell, J. Forshaw, W. N. Winch, T. Martin, G. :.Byford, W. N. Coates,. H. W.:Banner, John Hand, David Evans, Robert Lock hart, John Bigham,. 11. Cleaver Chapman, H. Broom, and Richard Williams ; also, Messrs. Marshall, Ander son, Baron, Lowndes, Walker, Ilardisty, Dodge, Fraser, _Molyneux, Almond, Francis, Gorst, Daly, Ryan, Yxon,- &c, On the motion of Mr. Harmood Banner, . . Mr. MOROSE LACE was called to the chair. H e said they had heard, he dared say, a good deal up on this occasion about an attorney's: fight, and they would there fore nut be surprised to see, him in the chair ; but, if by: that phrase, it was thought they sought to get. a repre sentative of their profession in the Council on anyground exclusively their: own, for anything which ,would be inimical to the public, or of personal interest to them selves, .he should net have been there as chairman hear,)—nor would the profession have banded together for such. a .purpose. The consequences of law affected individually every member of the community, and thee, i';,re their profession-had tiiiat 1-c:ferule,: to the convenience or inconvenience of the public et large. .Mr. F. S. HU LL,, in a speech of considerable length, proposed the nomination of Mr. Woodburn. It was right, he said,.the public should know. why the solicitors had taken so,promment a position in the matter. They saw around them gentlemen of all shades of political opinion. He had always been of Opinion that politics had nothing to. do with the Town Council of Liverpool. There were sixty-four members of the Council, and he asked whether - the solicitors ought not to be, represented there ?. It. Was, well known that, a large portion of their body was „incorporated in the Law Society—a 'society which aiirent,"mueh time in looking over bills brought bef ore IWiLimnent.before they were passed, and giving practical Eng,lestions concerning them. Last session L or d St. Tjeonards had filtered an important bill solely, upon the representations of the,Liverpool Law Society; and they folt"they ought to haye in the Town Council some Member .who could represent their views. For want, of such a *resolution, they had, been obliged to lay before the Council reports, and that had been called "dictation." hn `Castle-street Ward, the lawyers numbered 127, of Whom 87 were on, the register; and theme were on the registe'r altogether, 1,300 gentlemen. In Manchester, for 'the last ten or't,Welve years, two members of the legal . profes s ion, Were': always elected .for St. Anne's Warde Mr. ling then. came to the question upon which, more especially,, .the solicitors had resolved to support WOodburn e . -tlie appointment of a second stipen diary Magistrate He gave credit to thelay magistracy fOr their impartiality and attention. Justices of the Peace, as the name implied, Were,originally appointed simply to preerve the peace; but; in reeentyears., Parliament had thought proper to thp.polioe magistrac y a trear,ociitional;twoiat of duty of 4 OM character, an 44 tho3s PaPeoger Act, It - occur • was. not an uncommon thing for them •to a pestion involving 'an amount of £1,500 or £2,000. Then ..tliere: ,was- the: - Merchant Shipping Act, a most intiicate and complicated Act. They might decide on salvage -claims to. the amount of £2OO. Then there were seamen's eases,.—nice questions as to desertion, , which. The ZiigistrateS seemed to assume the landions of • the: Admiralty, and of the Court of Chancery.' Under'? the -Dock Acts, the- magistrates could try collislow eases under L5O ; and in many cases there was 7 lo.appeal from the magistrates. Mr. Hull argued that any man,. to decide such questions, mist have a comtpotent leg-' training. He then criti cised Alderman' Heltne's'-speeth.on the first report pre sented.4by the Law' Society. Re said, there was the Ciiartilot -Passage ottier7. matters, by - attention to whiehthe . public might be served, if they had anybody in the.Councir who could be - the medium of communi cation-between the profession•and that body. Mr. Hull concluded by speaking e , f the great qualifications of Mr. Woodburn, who cwas a man of great probity , consider able intellect, and-`who would express his views in an honestiefearless, and , intelligent manner.: .He had great' pleasure in- proposing him , as a proper -person to repre sent the ward. ; ' Mr. E. LAwritN . cr,•-jun., said• it was only because he. thought Mr. Woodburn 'fitted, on generailligrounds, to.! represent the interests' of the-ward, that he had assented to second the resolution. He amused the audience by a sketch of what they did want, and did not want, in a Town Councillor. They did not want, to represent them-in the Town Council, a man who, in the purityof his character, considered himself so far' removed above. his fellow-men, that their actions, in his eyes, appeared nothing but venial, (Lau g ht er an d app l ause .) Oth er wards, he dared say, might glory in having such a gen tlemdn to repreSent them, hut they should rather have a man to represent them, who had feeling's and sympa _tides-in Common with . themselves, and who would pro bably be better able to do justice to their wants and requirements. They did not want a gentleman who writes addresses by the yard, and makes Speeches by the mile (laughter, applause, and a voice, "That is Tear:v.l—one \Nilo arrogates to him fielf the merit of every substantial movement made in the Town Council, and thinks that nothing on earth can possibly beat himself. (Laughter and applause.) Wit- 1 ness his address to the electors of Lime-street Ward. Nor slid they want one who finds mare's nests in every transaction not carried out according to his own pre, conceived opinions. (Laughter.) But they did want a gentleman to represent them, who had good, sound common sense, and who would devote his time and talents to the general welfare of the town, irrespective of any party. They wanted a gentleman to represent them who would have a due regard to the efficient and economical administration of the estate of the Corpora tion; avoiding, on the one hand, the lavish expenditure too often indulged by public • companies, and, on the other, the stunted parsimony which would only measure a man's services by the price at which somebody else could be got to do the work—(applause) ;—and they wanted a man who would do his best to carry out all those improvements which would raise our town iu a sanatary, intellectual, and moral point of view. Such a man he believed Mr. Woodburn to be. (Applause.) In answer to a question by Mr. Bigham, the Chair man stated that,that was a meeting of electors favourable to the return of Mr. Woodbura ; but after- he had spoken, he would be happy to answer questions which any elector might put to him. Mr. WOODBURN who was received with enthusiastic cheering, then delivered a very able and eloquent ad dress. The proud position he occupied was not of his own !coking, and never was he more astonished in his life than when a deputation waited upon him, and asked to put hi m in nomination forthe ward. He disclaimed the idea of going into the Town Council as the representative of any class, interest, profession, or party. A (=Teat deal h a d b een said that day about a second stipendiary magistrate, and they would be surprised to learn he had never been asked his views on the question; and, although the legal pro fession had asked him to come forward, he was not a member of the Law Society, and knew nothing of their discussions or proceedings but what appeared in the newspapers. There was no prominent question now be fore the town to engender the bitter party strife which had prevailed for so many years ; and he, therefore, regarded this as a golden opportunity for them ..th to proceed on the path of peaceful progress,—with their sanitary improvements, with plans forthe.h those rational t recreation and enjoyment of the people, and measures by which all classes, from the hi;lCst to the lowest, would be benefited. Mr. Woodburn thought the Council should be put in immediate possession of the return moved for years before by Mr. Robert= son Gladstone, showing-in what the corporate property exists. The word "progress" embodied a principle to which he was ardently attached ; but they all knew that it was amongst the cants of this canting world ; and he protested against any particular party appropriating the word, and the principle it embodied, to themselves. It had been alleged against him that he was not a party man. Ile admitted it. Daring his whole life be had avoided the strife of party politics, and no inducement would tempt him to enter that arena. But if they wanted in their representative something like independence, and freedom of thought and action, then he put in his claim. (Loud applause.) Mr. BIG lIAM asked Mr. Woodburn to say what prin ciple would guide him in the election of aldermen on the 9th November—whether he thought they should be taken from the Council, or selcetld from the town at large ? Mr. WOODBURN said, that acting in the spirit of the Municipal Act, he shoUld vote for those he thought the fittest men—whether in the Council or out. (Load applause.) • 31r; BlGHAM—Another question I wish to ask. Do you think the Dock Estate ought to be rated to the support of the poor ? Mr. WOODBURN—My own opin ion is it ought to be rated: Mr. BronAm—And would you endeavour in every way to have that carried out ? Mr. WoonntinN'—With great respect, I must not be drawn into giving any pledge as to any particular line of conduct. (Applause.) - Mr. BIGHAM —I must take some other opportunity. (A laugh.) The motion was then put, and enthusiastically carried, with but one dissentient. . • A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the pro ceedings. INERTON AND KIRKDALE WARD. A public meeting of the electors 9f the Kirkdale dis trict, favourable to the re-election of Mr. J. J.• Stitt,was held yesterday evening, in St. 'Mary's school-room, Kirkdale ; Mr. CHARLES MozLEY in the chair. There were also present, Mr. J. A. Picton, Joseph Atherton, James Halsall, J. Worsnop, William Swift, D. R. Hug ginson, &c. The meeting was very thinly attended, it being sometime past the hour appoinko (eight o'clock) before the people numbered tr. ore than a dozen. The proceedin, , :s co-nmeaced by the Secretary reading the notice cant cuing the•meeting. I The CHAIRMAN said it might occasion some surprise that he, who had resided amongst them for so short a time, should occupy the position of chairman at that meeting. This was explained by the fact that a num ber of electors had called upon him soliciting him to take the chair at that meeting, and to preside over the committee. He consented, first, because he desired to render what assistance he could to those amongst whom he resided ; and, secondly, to do what he could for the re-election of Mr. Stitt. When they bore in mind that Mr. Stitt had been their representative for the last three years, and that he had been such an efficient member of four important committees, his duty, as chairman, was very light in introducing Mr. Stitt to the meeting. Mr. MATzsu being called upon, moved the following rerol ition :—" That the able and independent manner in which Mr. J. J. Stitt has discharged his duty as Town Councillor for the last three years, fully entitles him to the reaewal of the confidence of the electors of this ward." Mr. BIDWELL seconded the resolution. Mr. STITT then proceeded to address the meeting. He believed that the confidence which had been placed in him three years ago, had not suffered by lapse of time. He would not conceal from them what he felt, that next the approval of one's conscience of their actions, was the approval of those who would support him in the midst of difficulties, misrepresentation, and even calumnies which some people uttered. He was prepared to give an account of his stewardship for the past three years, and_ to answer asy questions that might be put. If he had committed errors, they were errors of judgment, and not of. motive. A word called "compromise" was very common now-a-days and that word had been made use of with reference to himself, by a Liberal journal, in commenting on the proceedings of the election of an Alderman for Everton Ward, in the room of t i le late Mr. Chilton. He went on to quote the words of the article, "'loch, he said, fercibly re minded him of a line of Shakespere's,. Call ye that' backing your friends ? When he first went to the Council, he found members walking on tip-toe, as if afraid of an echo ; whispers, winks, and nods were freely exchanged, accompanied with frequent shrugs of the shoulders, and he was at a loss to know what it all meant ; but he at last found out that it was the plot of the cottonocracy of Manchester with • sundry landowners and rail way companies, by which plot it was 'contemplated to rob Liverpool. This came to a climax at last, and like all other infernal machines it burst, and the con sequence was, that one fine morning the Corporation found themselves poorer by £60,000 than they had been the day before. He did not mention this to give them an idea that there should be a feeling of hostility be tween the dock and corporate estates, but to show how matters were at that time. He then went on to give an account of his tlabour for the past three years, during which time, he said, matters had so much improved that a Jeffery, a Bennett, and an Earle, might now be led by a child.- He said he was willing again to do all that he could, if they choose to re-elect him ; but if they found a better man, then he was willing to retire. • Mr. HouoirroN then moved, " That as Mr. 'J. J. Stitt has consented to offer himself for re-election, this meet ing pledges itself to use- every exertion to secure his return to the Town Council". Plerox seconded the resolution, which was adopted: Thanks' were then moved to the chairman, and the meeting separated. • TRANSFER' OF LICENSES. On Thursday and yesterday the magiStrat& were engaged in considering the various applications for the transfer of licenses from one person to another, and of the removal of licenses from one house to another. After fully investigating each case, the following is the result of the session TRANSFERS GRANTED, Street. Front whom. To 'whom. • Ansa:elf-street Chas. F. Thirkell George Moss. Blackburne-stree; ...Daniel Prestwich James Rutrair. Blundell-street ......Bryan Holme (dead) William BnIVM. Do. Mrgt. Foulkes (do.) Margaret Park. Boundary-street Alice Gradwell Richard Croft. Bruniwick-road James L. Lobley Henry Luatb. Byrom-street Wm. Thornton John Lewtas. Castle-st., Everton...Edward Dickson William Crouch. Cheap , ide Richard Taylor Patrick T. Graiy. Coldagwood-street...Edward Jones Thomas Lawton. Copperas-hill Thomas Topping John Rimmer. Crooked-lane John Barnett William Beetham. Dale-street Thomas Bailey John Tiltson. Do, Henry Lumb Harriet Waddingto Daly-street Richard Pike (dead)Bridget Jane Pike. Denison-street.... John Case Evan L. Matthias. Do. John Hanco3k John Ladd Derby-street Edward Hull James Ditchfield. Duncan-street Mary Williams...;:.....Sarah Lawson. Ellenborough-street Daniel Lowry Alexander Kelly. Everton village Richard Dobson Benjamin Robinson, Fazakerley-street ....Hoary Cartmel John Wilson. George-street Niargaret French Ellen Dodman. Gibraltar-row Edward Davies Thomas Thorp. Gt. George-street ....William Bowman Thomas Wilson. Gt. Howard-street... Alex. Brittan(dead) Mary Brittan. Gricefield-street James Porter William Lloyd. James-street Edward Kins ....... ...Matthew Atkinson. London-road Thomas Miller John Hohnc,. _ _ . _ --- Do. William Morley....... Richard Mellish. Mann-island M. Thompson (dead)Robzrt Sutton. Mersey-street William Gills= David Gillson. Mill-street Peter Sykes Thomas Bailey. . Moorfields Mary Powell Robert Hineson. Napier-street Edward Backhouse—Ralph G. Gardner. Newsham street James Pye Thomas Clarkson. Pembroke-place Thomas Gibson William W. Gibson. Rathbone-street ......Jane Leadsom Peter Barlow. Richmond-street Margaret Hughes ...Mary Davies. Richmond-row John Wright Crosley.Peter Edward Baker. St. James's street Wm. Gillsan, jun.... John Shearson. Do. James Quayle John Mathews. Sefton-street William Whittleton.Willlam Wainwright Sir Thomas's-bldngs Benjamin Stockwell.Elizabeth Stockwell. Stanhope -street Patrick Fagan Richard Hignett. Trowbridge -street ...William Braaishaw Luke Bramwell. Union-street Henry F. Inman Charles Watson. Walton -road Joseph Holden Peter Sykes. Waterlos-road James Bond - William Murdoch. Watkinson-street ...Elizabeth M`Grath Peter E g an. TRANSFERS REFUSED. Bridport-street Daniel Evans Elizabeth Yallop. K Portland-streeti teh en- s t r e e t ...... J j a o n se e p P h ar \A r , y oods Cleveland-square - ...Robert H u l me J o h n Sh arp. Henry Parry. Princes-street Dale -street A n N ok T e t ) : Sarah Hallam Samuel Brand. Louis,. Daly. Sir Thomas's-bldngs.Mary Lee Elizabeth Brown. y D - . street, .Everton. Edward Baker, fro ß m E William Kelshaw, from Shaw ' s -brow t W o oodvdle-terrace, , Breck-road. REMOVALS REFUSED. from Harrington-street to M anc h ester-street, Mary Lee, from Sir Thomas's-buildings to 119, Smithd own - LuceoyrnNe V r ilk of i O e ld Haymarket. lane. Mary M'Carmick, from New Bird-street to 30, Great George street. STEEL-PLATED BATTERIES.—A correspondent of the Times says he has heard, on good authority, that the French have proved by experiment that their steel plated frigates will stand an hour's pounding from a 68-pounder at any distance, with little injury to the sides. They are likewise building fifty steel-plated gunboats, and the immense floating battery is being built at Bo:deaux, not at Boulogne. NORTHERN DAILY TIMES. LIVERPOOL POLICE COURT.--YssrERDAy. [Before Mr. MANsrrern.] CHARGE OF MURDERING A WlFE.—Peter Brown was charged with having caused the death of his wife, Elizabeth Brown, by ill-treatment. The case has already been before the Coroner's Court, and the jury returned a verdict of death through violence. From information received 'by the police,. inquiries were set on foot, and the husband, being suspected, was arrested ; and an additional witness gave evidence.to-day. The name of this witness is Antony Maringo, who said he was a carter. On Thursday week Maringo; who resides iu the same court as the prisoner, observed the latter and , his wife quarrelling—the prisoner had his hands round the throat of his wife, and was choking her. Witness told the prisoner that it was a shame to treat his wife in that manner, and the reply he got was some oaths and a command to " Go and mind his own bus;- ness.", Witness went to his work, and did not see the wife alive again. She died that evening, and he attended the wake on Saturday evening.. The prisoner was drunk, and made some foul expressions regarding his wife. Maringo also stated that the eldest-daughter of the • prisoner had said that,,if he gave, any evidence, she would murder him. (The girl, who was in court, was then ordered into custody.)—A brother of the deceased said that on Tuesday, the 4th inst., the daughter of the prisoner came to his house, and said that her mother was dangerously ill, and wanted to see .him. He went and saw her. She was covered. with bruises, but she would not tell him who had been beating her. He was was not satisfied, and he called in Dr. Ackerley on the Thursday morning.—Dr. Ackerley said that he visited the woman on Thursday morning. She died that night. On examining her he found severe contusions on the left leg, righearm, left shoulder, and the left side of the neck ; also bruises on the chest—these injuries must have been inflicted several days previously. He had also made a post m7rteln examination, and found that death was caused by inflammation of the plura and lungs on the right side—evidently the result of violence inflicted some days previously. There was not the least doubt the deceased came to her death through these injuries.—The prisoner was remanded for a week. - STEALING WATCHES.—Martin Duppe, an Italian, was charged with stealing three watches, value £ll.. It appears that the prisoner was a journeyman jobber in the employ of the executors of the late Mr. Duff, watchmaker, Tithebarn-street. The watches were the property of Mr. Armstrong, who had sent them to Mr. Duff, for the purpose of being repaired. The watches were handed over to the prisoner Duppe; but instead of repairing them, he want on the " spree," and pledged them at the shops of various pawnbrokers. A fourth watch (a gold one) was found on him in bridewell, but it has not been identified by any person.—The prisoner was committed for trial. [Before Messrs. R. HOUGHTON and PEEL.] PUBLICANS' AND BEERSELLERS' CASES. The following persons were summoned for offences against the Act regulating the sale of beer and spirits. PUBLICA.NS.—fohn Procter, Fontenoy-street, sum moned for permitting fighting in his public-house, was fined 20s. and costs.—Thomas Pierpoint, Bevingtoa street, was summoned for Sunday trading. Mr. Cobb, for the defence, urged that the drink was sold by a girl inadvertently. A tine of 20s. and costs was imposed.— Thomas Simpson, publican, Midgehall-street, was charged with refusing to admit the police. -Acquitted. —Fenton Finn, publican, Temple-lane, charged with selling at illegal hours, was acquitted. BEERSELLERS.—Jane Wright, summoned for selling beer at illegal hours, acquittel—William Parler, Chatsworth-street, Sunday trading, acquitted. Michael Gill, Midgehall-street, Sunday trading, fined 2s. 6d. and 2s. 6d. costs.—Thomas Slack, Mill-street, -Everton, selling at illegal hours, acquitted.—Mr. Longford, Blanche-street, off Crown-street, Sunday trading, acquitted.—Robert Culvert, Horatio-street, permitting drunkenness, acquitted.—Eliza Burns, Glover-street, permitting drunkenness, acquitted.—Charles - Morris, Towbridge-street, permitting drunkenness, acquitted.- . Mary Wallace, Hydra-street, selling at illegal hours, acquitted. WORKMEN'S STRIKES. The following illustration of the means which are adopted by various classes of work-people to . maintain, an ascendancy over their masters, has been handed to us for. publication in our-columns, in order to promote its general circulation. The particulars it contains refer more especially, it appears, to the masons ; , but we understand that similar arbitrary rules and regulations are in vogue amongst most of the trades. As friends of the working classes generally, it is impossible to approve of such proceedings on their part as are here disclosed. They are certainly not calculated to promote their own interests, whilst they evince a spirit of .oppo sition to their employers, which can never conduce to their mutual happiness and prosperity :—A new set of rules and regulations for the Friendly Society of Operative Masons was agreed to ea the 28th Octo ber, 1858, and came into operation Ist January, 1859. The attention of the master builders and the public generally, 13 requested to an extract from the "preface" by which these rules are introduced, and also to some of the laws which especially affect their interests.—Preface : "United we Stand, Divided we Fall." "As no degree of human happiness can possibly exist without society, it is the great,principle of the Friendly Society of Operative' Masons' to bring into -practice among its members the truly valuable object of a self-protecting power • against the selfish and unprincipled proceedings of the capitalist ; and although objections are sometimes raised against trade societies, and charge,i made that they are monopolies and unjust restrictions, yet those who experience the great benefit they confer can fully appreciate their general usefulness." The following laws are especially worthy of attention : —" Members known to disclose lodge business to em ployers, foremen, or any one not connected with the society, to be . fined five shillings for each offence." p; 17. —" Boys entering the trade on no occasion to exceed sixteen years of age, and to be legally bound appren tices till twenty-one years of age." p. 26.—" Working overtime tending to our general injury by keeping mem bers out of employment, shall , be abolished, excepting in case of accident or necessity, but no strike to take place for the abolition thereof without a special grant. When members persist in working overtime in opposition to the lodge of which they are members, that they be fined at the discretion of such lodge. A lessening of the hours of labour would be a great remedy for the wrongs we suffer, and may each member speedily perceive how deeply he is interested in its attainment. It is also requested that lodges harassed by piece-work or sub contracting, do apply at a reasonable time to abolish it. Where sub-contracting or piece-work is abolished, such is binding on the society." p. 25.—" If any employer should attempt to reduce the current rate of wages at any period of the year, or attempt to .intro duce piece -work, when it has been abolished, or infringe upon the established meal hours, or introducing individuals not of the trade, or the refusal of paying, and non-members to contribute to the society, members may' resist such infringements without a grant, if acceded to by a majority of the members of the lodge; but in all cases to wait upon employers previous to striking." p. 41.—" That an annual revised _black list be printed, showing the names of those who have worked in opposition, on strikes, or otherwise." p. 18.—From these rules it appears Ist. That the lodge will dictate to the masters, on the one hand, and the parents, on the other, when a lad may be apprenticed, and when he may not.-2nd. That neither masters nor men may make a contract, or work on ordinary engagements, except it be o n suc h con ditions, and at such times, as the lodge may approve.— 3rd. If the dictation of the lodge be not agreed to, the master is to be ruined by a strike, and the men put on "The of Revised a social c ß i a l a l e k List" persecution that t they h a that shallmay degrade and be made the victims ruin them.-4th. That all this is managed by a secret committee of a lodge which holds its sittings in an ob scure tap-room, and guards its doings from. the public eye by fines and persecution. Is this to be tolerated in free and enlightened England ? DEATH OF SIR GEORGE GOODMAN.--Sir George Goodman, formerly M.P. for the borough of Leeds, who for some time past had been suffering from a paralytic affection, brought on by his close and continuous atten tion to his parliamentary duties, died at his seat at Roundhay, near Leeds on Thursday morning. Sir George was a magistrate for the West Riding York shire, also for the borough of Leeds, and was the first mayor for that borough under the Municipal Corpora tions Act in 1836. To the same office he was also elected in 1846, 1850, and 1851, in the last of which years he received the honour of knighthood. While in office as mayor in July, 1852, he resigned t o b ecome a candidate for the r ep r esentation of the borough in Par liament, and was elected as the colleague of the Right Hon. M. T. Baines, ASSOCIATION FOR THE PROMOTION OF SOCIAL SCIENCE. MR. MONCTON MILNES ON THE PUNISH MENT AND PREVENTION OF CRIME. BRADFORD, Thursday. The proceedings commenced at ten o'clock, when Mr. Moncton Milnes read his paper " On the Punishreent and Prevention of Crime, and the Reformation of Ciiininals." He said—The section over which he had been appointed to preside had been entitled that of " Punishment and Reformation," two words which ap peared to have a natural and necessary connection. It would, however, be apparent to those who reflected upon the subject, that this presumed identity of purpose was but a recent and partial - result of a higher and purer system of legislation. He proceeded at some length to examine how it was that a combination which seemed to, us essential to raise the level of public justice above the fierce and even malignant dispositions of huMan nature, should have been so tardy in its origin, and should be, even now, so 'limited in - its application. He alluded to the systemof torture practised in the states of Europe and . in our own country down to the time of our. immediate ancestors, and said that if men were to be terrified into law and order, we had never been scrupulous about the means. Our country had seen upon the scaffold the man who prevented a horse from running at Newmarket, the woman who clutched a hand kerchief from o - sfside a shop to get breadfor her child, and the boy who ran off with a pewter pot supended on the rails of a London area. He heldthat the effect of the dis continuance of transportation had been to awaken the legis lature and the public to'a due sense - of the worth of the reformatory . treatment of prisoners, both youthful and adult ; to give to the man who had worked out his penalty the reasonable hope of restoration to honest life, and in the case of parents of convicted children to place the responsibility of guilt on the heads on which it should justly rest. (Applause.) He looked upon refor matory treatment as, alone, just and wise, independent of any results whatever. It was to America that we owed the first experiments of the separate system, the very foundation of reformatory discipline. He contended that the scheme of righteous vindictiveness had had its fair trial, and held that there was not a step in our amended discipline which was not the result of practical observation, and they dreli their reformatory principles from no puddle of sentimentality, but from the clear well-spring of common sense. After glancing at the ticket-of-leave system, and adVerting to the fact that it was to the governor of a Yorkshire prison (Mr. Shepherd, of Wakefield) that they owed the first successful experiment of a refuge for discharged convicts, lie proceeded to allude to ,the treatment of criminal children, and said that when the independent members of parliament in 1849 introduced a bill to alter the system that then existed, it was received by the practical men of the day as a presumptuous and specula tive piece of amateur legislation: - Out-of-door labour as remunerative and self-supporting as possible, personal supervision by one: master over a limited number of lad., plain and earnest religious teaching, and the careful development of the natural affections of child hood without sentimentality or indulgence—these were the recognised objects which every reformatory desired to attain. • He. considered the military and naval services the best outlet for boys who had been in reformatories, and regretted that the Akbar, refor matory ship at . Liverpool, was not fully supplied with inmates who would be a most serviceable portion of that force of sea boys which a late commission had so strongly recommended, but . not above half of which had as yet been recruited by the Admiralty. He did not fear, with many sagacious persons, that the recent discoveries in science would tend to the facilities of the commission of crime and the difficulty of detection. Let us only add to the wonderful advances of our knowledge, an equal penetration into the occult recesses of the human heart, and an equally fine mani pulation of the discrepancies of human character.; let us learn to prevent crime by education, and reform it in punishment; and our age will be no less famous for its victories over the moral, than over the material world. (Loud cheers.) The address occupied an hour and a half in the -delivery. THE DEPARTMENTS, The various departments met, and papers were read in each. ON WORKING MEN'S COLLEGES.—Mr. David Chad wick, of Salford, read a paper in the educational depart ment on Working Men's Colleges. The paper concluded by detailing the results of the experience acquired up to the present time, and eompared.the constitution of the Salford College with those in colleges of other towns, and recommended the constitution adopted in Salford to the consideration of the promotors of all working men's colleges to be hereafter established; urging also the desirability of giving the students of, all working men's colleges a voice in their management: An interesting discussion took place upon the paper. MEETING OF WORKING MEN, A meeting of the working classes - was held in St. George's - Hall, last night, to hear addresses on the sub ject of Social Science. The large. hall was crowded in every part. The Mayor of Bradford (Henry Brown, Esq.,) occupied the chair, and amongst those upon the platform were—Lord Shaftesbury, Lord Radstock, Lord Brougham, Viscount Raynham, Mr. M. Manes Mr. F. Crossley, M.P., Mr. Titus Salt, M.P., the Right Hon. W. Cowper, M.P., the Right Hon. C. B. Napier, Mr. W. Chambers, Sze. The Chairman briefly opened the" proceedings, and called upon Mr. Adderly to address the meeting. Mr. Adderley commenced his address by asking if they were not all, both the higher and the working classes, equally interested in the subject which had brought the association to Bradford ? If they looked through the list of subjects—the amendment of the law, education, the reformation of criminals, public health, social economy—in which of these subjects were the higher classes interested and the working classes not inter ested ? We were all praisers of work, but there was a dif ference between the praisers and the doers of work. He did not know the time, or place, or nation, or philosophy, .in which the energy of labour was not commended, and the pleasure of indolence condemned. But it was one thing to condemn a thing, and another thing to forsake it. It was one thing to commend, and another thing to follow. (Hear, hear.) He under stood, indeed he read, that certain cynics, perhaps critics, said that the members of Parliament went about the country at this time of year, harrangued every audience they could find to listen to them, and preached more than they could find to listen to them, and preached more than they practised. He thought that if any association 'could present itself before the work ing men of Bradford with less chance than anoth er of - this criticism being hurled at their heads, it was their association, whose permanent praident was a man .who had both preached and practised, and whose name was connected with every practical work of reform during his long life. (Cheers.) The president for the year, Lord Shaftesbury, was a man whose public eloquence in the cause of the working men was- only an expression Of his private life, equally laborious in the same cause. The fact was, that the — different - position in society and the different classes in the community alike were actually the very mode and means. of _ uniting them together. God had ordered that. some men should work with their hands, and some with . their heads, and had distributed the work among different classes, with the one sole object to make all man necessary to each other. (Cheers.) The screw and the nut did not fit because they were alike, but because they were the reverse the one of the other. (Cheers.) He hoped they were not all " screws "—(laughter),—nor half of them; but certainly no two screws put together could do any work at all. They had all different work to do ; but the variety was no variety at all compared with the sameness of the end they had all in view. In that same end and that-same work he hoped they might all feel confidence in each other, resolved that the right work of all was to serve one another. (Cheers.) Lord Radstock next addressed the meeting. He re viewed briefly the live departments of the association, and then went on to say that the . factory operatives of this kingdom earned £20,000,000 a-year. Notwithstand ing this, there was much destitution and misery, and the reason was unquestionably improvidence. If each of these operatives were only to lay by 4d. per week, that would realise half st million annually, which would be sufficient to provide against all the destitution and distress which existed. He then alluded to the 'United States, which had been considered a paradise for the working classes, and said he could state from observation that that land did not afford any greater amount of happiness than was to be found in Old England. (Cheers.) The taxation in New York, at least, was heavy ; and a gentleman with whom he stayed there six months ago said that his taxation amounted to 28 per cent. nn his income. (Applause.) The meeting was afterwards addressed by other speakers, and the proceedings terminated about ten o'clock. HANTS AND WILTS ADULT EDUCATION SOCIETY. THE BOOK-HAWKING ENTERPRISE, The fifth annual meeting of this associaticm took place last week in the Winchester Mechanics' Insti tute, the chair being occupied by Lord Viscount Evers ley. The proceedings of the meeting embraced the general top i c s w hi c h are hcluded in the routine of Mechanics' Institutes, and these were discussed at con , siderable length. Besides theSe, however, several other subjects were introduced and dilated on by the different speakers. ' Prominent among these were the general arrange ments for education amour , the operative and artizan classes. To this succeeded an interesting discussion on the subject of The Rev. N. J. R is i d o I T; - ir (or I.l K o iN ll a in : gton House) intro duced this subject in an elaborate address. He said he would first call attention to the subject by alluding to - its name, and he begged to remark that in its name a good deal was implied, involving, as it should, the very essence of the work. In France, the colportage and colporteurs might describe the Bible distribution which had been there so ably carried on, and the same might be said as to the great work in America. The title varied by the term " book agents" might give a correct apprehension of the Scotch Religious Tract and Book Society, established in 1789. But, excellent and valuable as all these various under takings were, and expressive as might be their several designations, yet none of them could be identified with the- operations of similar nature in England, nor did their titles describe the English work. 'heir system of agencies, if adopted here, would interfere with our valuable parochial system.. (Hear.) Book-hawking (proceeded the rev. gentleman) was the work wanted for England, and it was now gradually becoming sys tematised among them, and to " Book-hawking," as the straightforward expressive English name for it, let them keep. By book-hawking was not meant circulating a stock of tracts or religious books alone, much less of religious books bearing any particular party's stamp, but offering for ,sele at every house in each parish works of all kinds free from objectionable tendency, and so selected that every description of reader be able to find in the collection something that might add to his stock of knowledge or give him rational amusement in a leisure hour. The great variety of books which a care ful selection would allow an association to have in stock was an important advantage, giving to the hawker's pack a better choke than many a bookseller's counter presented, especially if a liberal confidence be placed in those making the selection. The speaker related an anecdote of an occurrence a few months back in "a thinly populated district. One of the society's hawkers fell in with a man travelling the country with a cart full of all sorts of goods, including books for sale among the poor people. The men began to compare notes, and presently the man with the cart said to the society's agent " This is all very well, but yours are not the right sort of books." Then says the agent, " what books are the right sort ? "-whereupon the man exhibited to him his stock, saying " these are the things to sell." These books included a number of very bad publica tions, one, in particular, being known as a book of the most corrupting nature ever printed in the English lan guage. The society's book-hawking system became a necessity as an agent of adult education. :It was wanted as an aggressive agency, to counteract the issues from the irreligious press ; to combat a real enemy whose armies had too long held the field unopposed. The aggressive character of the agency must not be dropped, for the emissaries of evil would not wholly disappear ; though their trade was now an uncertain one, yet it was too profitable to be altogether relinquished. Their book-hawker's pack furnished reading for the million calculated to interest the mind, refresh the spirits, edu cate the conscience, and by God's grace, help the soul towards Heaven. Therefore, (was it too much to say) the agencies of their society were as necessary for every county as night schools for every parish. The society took up as its proper objects of attention those ceasing to attend the elementary school, and engaged in indus trial occupations; those who, having learnt to read, wished to have their taste of reading kept up by evening classes and lectures. Their education having given them an intellectual appetite, how was that to be furnished with healthy food? The great bulk of those living in coun try parishes seldom visited a town, and when they did they thought little of making provision for future leisure hours at home. Aud the lending library only in part met the want. What can then come in better at this point, than book-hawking to help in carrying on education. The hawker, a man of the working-class himself, and on equal terms with the . cottager—one in whom, after a visit or two, they can feel confidence— comes into the village with a stock of carefully selected and low-priced readable books, and offers at the cottage door, at the roadside, in the farm-yard, in the hay-field; —the very food that is wanted. He can give some account of the contents of his pack, and will not hurry the people in making their choice. All the excellent edu cational projects were not suited equally for all districts, and for a scattered country.population the book-hawking system seemed to be the only mode of supplying sound and useful literature, whereby to prevent previous educa tion from becoming a dead letter. • In cities they could have Mechanics' Institutes, in towns working men's reading rooms, but in the country they could not often obtain these. Where the population cannot come to us, we must go to them, and the book-hawker would be found a valuable medium for diffusing useful know ledge. The success of the system had far exceeded the expectations of even its most sanguine advocates, as well in respect of the amount of sales as, in effecting those sales at the hands of the classes whom it was especially wished to reach. To quote from the most recent reports, one society'which in its first year, with one hawker, received by sales £ll4, had` this last year received, with two hawkers, £504. Another, with one hawker, had increased the weekly average of sales by 103. ; and a third, with one hawker amongst a pcpala tion of 57,000, had taken an average of 17s. a day. In North Hants the hawkers had reached £5 ss. per week, or 17s. 6d. per day, and in no districts had there been any falling off. In one district; with a hawker, the sales of bibles last year reached 833,- and 1,280 prayer-books; a great number of the former were large-type family bibles. In another, the increased sale of books, at and under 6d. each, amounted to 1,178 ; and in the same district the largest sale of any one book (except bibles and prayers), was for " Wood's Common Objects of the Country," a shilling volume, and of this fifty-nine copies were sold. The great proportion of the books sold in North Hants were at low prices, indicating beyond a doubt the class of customers. The receipts of the hawker came principally from the cottagers, and very little from the gentry. On this head - the rev. gentleman said he must refer persons wishing further information to a pamphlet written by the Rev. H. Bunsen, and to the annual report of the Church of England Book hawking Union, which contained much interesting matter collected from the reports and returns sent in from different parts. The book-hawking system had now out-lived the objeetion of its being injurious to the regular bookseller ; it had never -fallen to his (Mr. Ridley's) lot to receive other than kind co-operation and hearty friendliness from the trade; they openly acknow ledged that book-hawking gave a very . useful impetus to the . publishing and bookselling biismesses ; indeed, the subscriptions and donations to these associations might be regarded as- so much capital invested in the creation of a taste for reading, of which the regular bookseller would be sure to reap the benefit. The chief omen of the London bookselling trade, called the Bookseller, had spoken very favouraly of the Book hawking Union; and the.. Literary Churchman, , in an article on the subject, said :—" We recognise book hawking as a fellow-labourer with ourselves in the Cause of religious literature; we believe that the circulation of good books might be increased a thousand fold if. there were greater means of introducing them to the working classes." In conclusion, Mr. Ridley said he left the subject with the meeting for discussion, com mending it as an aggressive agency, needed to supple ment their educational efforts, and calculated to promote the happiness of English homes. Several other clerical gentlemen and lay friends of the Book-hawking Association also addressed the meet ing. The statements and observations of the different speakers evidenly created a favourable impression. We have witnessed Mr. Siemms extract corns, root and branch without pain, the operation is very skilful and won derful, in less time than a half-minute, the torment ros whom the foot and relieved the patient of an excruciating pain ch he hal been afflicted with for twelve years. We can recom mend Mr. Siemms' skill as admirable. HOLLOWAY'S OINTMENT AND PILLS.---The philosopher stands aghast at the computation of the number of our species hourly hurried off to a premature grave, through not trying to avert the first approach of disease, or when afflicted, not endeavour inr, to eradicate its fatal consequences. Whether be introduced acci d the emb all ryo o edi sor d e r originate in the body, oraccidentally through the skin, all furt her ill results may be warded off by timely resorting to one o r other, or both, of Holloway's pre parations. The Pills purify the blood, the Ointment corrects external ailments ---both combined cure all complaints, except " old age," whi , :h the y ha pp il y retard. 39 OCTOBER 15, 1859. WEST AFRICA. (From the West African Herald of August 19) The Sunbeam and Rainbow, after coming down front the Niger, returned on the 25th ult. The Rainbow had brought down a quantity of oil, which has been tran- - shipped on board the Ethiope, while she was staying, at' Bonny. • , At Bonny the natives have recently killed and eaten four men ; prisoners they had captured from the interior: The oil paid ou. account of the fine imposed by thd Consul had been sold by public auction. Season veil' severe, as regards wind and rain. Oil not very plentiful within the last mouth, and price very high. The bar very rough. On the 27th ult., four men, belonging to one of the ships, were drowned while coming in - for - the pilot. A fifth man was saved after being twenty-one how's in the water. • One of the great mischiefs occasioned by the disturb— ' ante in this district is the breaking up of the Wesleyan Mission School at Doonquah, which was first established, we believe, in 1847, and was flourishing. There were forty-seven scholars in August last, when it was broken. up. It is reported that the Rev. Mr. West, the super— intendeat of the Wesleyan missions in Guinea, will visit. Doonquah shortly, with the view of re-establishing the . school. " On the 10th inst. a canoe was capsized crossing Lagos bar, and two white men (names not ascertained), and a • coloured lady from Sierra - Leone drowned. Since the foregoing accident, another more terrible has happened in the same place. Lieutenant Hope, R.N. commanding her Majesty's steam-ship Brune, the second master of that ship, the gunner's assistant; with fifteen Kroomen, were all lost „by the canoe which car ried them swamping as it crossed the bar. The Spanish war frigate Ferrolana, conveying the new Governor, Brigadier D. Jose de la Gandara, had arrived in Fernando Po on the 28th of July. His Excellency was accompanied by his wife, two daughters, and an English governess ; 150 soldiers, with a civil staff for the administrative jurisdiction of the colony, were like wise in his suite. The ravages of the yellow fever at Sierra Leone had very much subsided, after sweeping away nearly one half of the European population of the colony. T eDEhA-Ca nadian Ho ad pM n .j at Three Riv ers , g i ves t h e following I' E ne particulars oiiN l published o HEAD. f th s melancholy event :—" It is with deep grief and pain that we are compelled to chronicle the dreadful accident which occurred at the Grande Mere, River St. Maurice, yesterday morning. His Excellency, the Governor - General, Lady Head, Miss Head, and Mr. John Head, with a distinguished party, left Three Rivers on Tuesday morning last to visit the River St. Maurice as far as the Piles Falls. The trip was en tirely successful until yesterday morning, when Mr. John Head, son of his Excellency, was unfortunately drowned while bathing in the immediate vicinity of the falls of the Grande Mere. The circumstances, as gleaned from our Mayor, Mr: Turcotte, who was present, are briefly these : About half-past seven yesterday morning, the Hon. J. Browne, son of the Earl of Kenmare, accompanied by Mr. Head, left the camp to take their usual morning bath. When they reached the spot where Mr. Browne had bathed. the preceding morning, he observed that he had for g otten his towel. He returnedi n search, of it, leaving Mr. Head to prepare for the bath. Before the former returned Mr. Head took the water, and was immediately perceived by the voyageurs, who were on a hill close by, to struggle ou his back. They rushed in alarm to the spot, but the unfortunate young man had disappeared. Auguste Bellemare, one of the voyageurs, dashed into the water and dived sixteen feet deep, but with 7 out success. Louis Decoteau, another voyageur, also dived, but with the same result. Boats and canoes were brought, a pole was planted, and Bellemare, who had since taken off his clothes, descended. to the bottom by the aid of the pole. On reaching the bed of the river, he had to walk on the bottom for same seconds before he succeeded in finding the body. Wool found, he took it under one arm, and with the other climbed to the surface, bringing the body with him. These acts of daring courage were performed within 100- feet cf the Falls of La Grande Mere, and in a place where the least false step would have led them over the falls. The body was but twelve minutes in the water, yet, although every appliance and effort were used to‘ revive it from eight o'clock to twelve, they were withold success." A BENEFIT SOCIETY SECRETARY ABSCONDED WITIL 1,400.—A man, named James Charles Lockett, has recently absconded from Manchester; and there is too good reason to conclude that he has embezzled about £1,400 belonging to the Bricklayers' Sick and Burial Society. Lockett is belieVed to have left Manchester on the 10th Ult. ; but circumstances prevented suspicion arising for a fortnight after that time, and it was only on Thursday that the knowledge of his flight was made known to the police. It seems that Lockett, who is described in Slater's Directory as " a surveyor," carrying on business in Charles-street, Byrom-street, has been for several years secretary to the Brick layers' Sick and Burial Society, which has its head at-flees in Manchester, with branches in several other towns. Shortly before the 10th ult. he applied to - Managing Committee for ten days' leave ofebsence ,111 d. this being granted, he started as was supposed ou a land sure trip. But he did not return at the time filed' is for some few days no importance was attached tc t ) . o A - - absence. When he had been over-due nearly a !ie ._ night, some of the officers of the society were the puted to go' to the bank in Manchester in whic h ha d funds were deposited, and where the bank book it been left. It was then ascertained that a dep os a note for a considerable sum, which should have b e F lodged in the, hank shortly before the 10th ult. n): the prisoner, was not- in the parcel with the' boo as it was expected to have been ; and inquiries prove: that rather more than £4OO was mi ss ing, , of fart supposed 'to have been safe i n _M anc hester. t A still heavier loss, subsequently discovered, seems ho have arisen thus :--A few mon th s ago , Lockett, a ° was very much trusted, had £l,OOO of the funds of t he _ society handed to him for investment in Consols. II: no doubt did effect the investment, name, in trust, as he was permitted to do ; but s is now known that the amount has since been " out," although the date of sale has not transpire, a • Bat there is no doubt that Lockett has mulcted the too-confiding society of £1,400 of its hardly-gatlct, savings, intended for the relief of its' members in ness, or the assistance of relatives in cases of de ath. A reward of £5O for the apprehension and conviction of Lockett has been offered; together with 5 per cent. upon all money recovered within six months. Lockett,,t. is thus described About forty-five years of age, sin. or Gin. high, stout make, round full face, swartnn), complexion, prominent nose, dark brown hair an d whiskers ; generally wears a moustache, and is of resn r e. able appearance. Had a massive Australian gOld . 0 1 7 in his ow. on little finger of left hand, and is a native of LOrICIA Ie DESTRUCTION OF THE HULL THEATRE-ROYAL• c ni head-quarters of the York theatrical circuitss fout pletely destroyed by fire on Thursday morning. street ca ve noticed smoke issuing from the back of the in Wellington-street, and gave an alarm. It b th half-past seven, some persons passing in the some time, 'however, before an entrance couldscr_ effected, and there was barely time to removene rti of the wardrobes and valuable documents con with the establishment before the whole T"_ Whe n rior of the bailding was enveloped is flames. , w ith once the doors were opened the flames spretao fifteen almost inconceivable rapidity, and in abouiven the or twenty minutes after the alarm was g hours, ' t he roof fell in. In the course of a couple of t.e first place was completely gutted. Shortly after etodrse a w l as arm o , n Mr. theßeynolds, n in saving the principal books and documenta rt e of the with the establishment, but the major pa l . .. s i c , contents of the house were destroyed. T le o ,na ‘ L,' en , properties, &c., were very valuable, and some e t_ i r riers cannot by any means be replaced. Thep e_ i : Trie of had not time to save any of their effects, and b is' them are now completely penniless. The b had tdhehytTrseuatrerextoertitohnes psraooepaereie_e_ctij fully insured •, but Mr. Pritchard, the lessee,_ mo st not taken that precaution, _ but his loss s deed severe. It will he recollected that about thre e ub " due a ago, a fire occurred at this theatre, which was s, aluab l° , before it had spread far, but by which several resel l " dresses were destroyed. The fact of the .P mu ch disastrous fire occurring so soon afterwards, is more commented upon, and the affair is rendered. st ill _ con in mysterious by the statement of the princiPall Chaplace charge of the establishment, that he examin ed after the carefully about one o'clock that morning, then not the lights were put ou t, and that there was w as bui lt slightest sign of anything like fire. The theat re Wilkiriboo. about the yea r 1808, by the late Mr . T ate n eed for produ.e: It is uotic,'eable that a dmiaa was annou t i t l e of "T" tion on Monday next under the Incendiaries."