The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-04-29 00:00:00

ettr ii:ontea torusponbtut.

11.7 e tictla it iitzlit atate that a e tlo pot at all Itard
41161tity Ulll,OVeB %MI our c•iriespoittletti's oplitioitgl

It is stated that preparations are being hastily pushed
forward for the receptlon of tier Majesty at Balmoral,
and that the t2m.en i. expected there during the first or
second week of next month. It may be remembered
that I ler Map sty male • very long bt.y at Balmoral
last year—in (At that she then rebi,led at B.Mnoral for
a longer peri.l than during any pre.vi.ms year since the
death of the I ',ince Consort.

It would be rather lste in the day now to discuss
the lludget, and I accordingly refrain, but wiFI just add
that though the Government have large majorities in
the House of Commons on this subject—and the other
House has no control ever money matters—the Chan-
cellor of the Exch.-Flees prolvmsle do not appear to
be vary popular out of doors. He must have money,
however, and perhaps any proposal he may have made
would have met with pretty general disapproval.
When the pinch of real taxation comes, we none of us
like it.

Whatever opinion may be entertained by the public
generally as to the tax on matches, it has caused
ronatereatien anietign the puor pelVel—the robserahly
poor—enpsged in making match-Loxes, and of
course those who are empluyad in making the
matobes must be eimilarly affected. I writer
gives in the Doily News a painfully Interesting
account of the inatch-leox manufacture, in the
wretched "homes" of Bethnal Green. The tiniest
little children—lL:av, n help them —are engaged in
this employment, children even under two yours of
age, and in fait children before they can walk I The
sand-paper, it well]; is "the nas tieet part of the work,"
and one poor litt!e fellow'a fingers were bleeding from
the result of this department of the wretched employ-
ment. Many years ago, society was much moved by
Tom Hood'eheclebratel"Soig of the Shirt," the pathetic
lines of which are so well-known; but it would appear
that a song of the Matchbox might be made to tell
a still more harrowing tale. The makers are paid
twopence-halfpenny per gross, out of which sum they
Lave to find poste and string to tie up the
boxes! Oao woman spoke almost boastfully of
her family tu-Mng out six gross a day—b. di. —from
which Ruin the deductions alluded to have to be made.
No wonder these poor people were very anxious to know
whether the tax would throw them out of employment,
and a,ked " What', the ebject in making them endear
when we get so little out of them, and have all the
work to do ? " Earnestly Is it to be hoped that the
tax will not act in Veda dirccti en. I should tidtk that
at all events the poor creatures engaged in this trade
must have one consolation—that they are paid so little
that the ecrew cannot be turned any tighter upon
them. But thew there are the poor match boys, the
fusee boys, the "boa e' lights!' boys—and girls—about
the streets. Oi c Aim they are a gr-at nuisance (unless
you happen to want a hex of matches), but still these
poor creatures are thus far at least en,aged in getting
an honest living, such as it is, and it will be vary hard
upon them if their means of livelihood be reduced or
cut off.

Be the Government Licensing Bill good, bad, or in.
different, it is very (doubtful whether it will be
carried, so active and energetic is the opposition to it.
In all parts of the cotuery m-etings are held to pro-
test against some of its provisions, and this oppo-
sition will make itself felt when the second reading of
the bill ia moved by the Home Secretary. Of couree a
great deal of the opposition DI of an interested charac.
ter, but then it is all the stronger on that account, and
moreover the opp.rients of the measure are extremely
well organised. Od the other hand those people who
may be in favour of the bill make no sign; they give
silent assent which contrasts strongly with the vigorous
demonstrations against the measure. On the whole,
therefore, without expressing any opinion as to the
character of the bill, I opine that it will either be
thrown out or ehe considerably modified.
The news from Paris continues to be of an almost
hopelessly painful charact(r. We in our OWD country
have friends of the Commune, thoogh happily they
must be a very small minority, and if theft persons are
hoping for the fmal success of the thannuniste, they
are hoping against hope. There is nothing to lead to the
conviction that the insurgents will ultimately triumph.
They have no definite policy; they are divEed against
themselves ; and they are alike wanting in power, die-
cipline, and uniform motive. On the other hand the
really nett na' part, under the Versailles Government
15 gaining strength and cohesion, and their triumph,
sooner or later, s ems absolutely certain. But when?
Ay, there's the rub. Before that triumph, before order
Is restored—to be followed in due time by the red wa-
tion of oonfiJetce—what sc,nea of ltorrr are likely
to be presented to the eyes of the Parisians !
Meanwhile they are endcavonring, often in vain,
to fly from th dr own capital mai (torn their fellow.
citizens. Unhapp3 Paris, unhappy France ! what
may they not yet have to euffer ? Is France to pass
through the horrid stage of insurrection and ro:vil war
to become the prey of rival military aspirants, and
then suffer the w .es of milit iry d sp Akira ? It would
not Le for the first time in the history of France if this
dreaded re(ult were to ensue At present we, at a
distance from the theatre of civil war, can but painfully
wait, acid watch, and hope.
A very pretty little tale has been very widely spread
It was to the effect that the late Duke of Wellington.
irwr to his coison, Prince Arthur, a casket, with
directions that it should not be opened till the Prince
came of so. Prince Arthnr completes his twenty.
first year on the Ist of May next, and, according to the
swetty tale alluded to, the casket was "then" to be
opened. Meanwhile, speculation has ben rife as to
what the casket contained. Madam Fatima was
scarcely more roix,oue to know what Blue B-ard's for.
bidden chamber contained than some people have been
to know what can twin this mysterious casket. When
the celebrated pie of a fairy tale was opened "the birds
began to sing," and something almost as wonderful
appears to have ben n exp:cted from this casket afore-
said. But now it turns out that the whole tale is
merely imaginary, and that there is no such cathet in
existeece. But the story is not altogether a bad one,
and se non ê rero, ten frame°.

The gratitude of the working clasees generally ia due
to those who have organised vieits of werk ng men to
our national institutions, hr the purpose oi explaining
their objects and their treasures. Some 1,500 working
men have just been shown over the Royal Albert Hall,
which is no intimately associated with the Internatimal
Exhibition to be opened in a few dayr, and during the
visit the aim and purpose of the forthcoming annual
exhibiti, nal were carefully explained. It is by such
means aa them that an intelligent interest is awakened
In the minds of the working class concerning
International exhibitions generally, and the sip.
proachir:r exhibition especially. Such exhibitions
intimately concern them, and, whether our work.
men will or no, decidedly affect their interests. I
conch doubt whether the London International Belli.
bitten of 1671 will become a very popular Owe of
*wort; it ix situated in too fashionable a locelity and
is too far from the districts which are crowded by our
working bees. But of its importance as affectmg our
industrial interests there can berm doubt.

The present Government is certainly not very rapid
in filling up vacancies. Mr. Justice Mellor has es
eathedrl just complained of the Court of Queen's
Bench being, as we common folk would say, ehort-
handed. Mr. Justice Hayes has been deed about
seventeen month?, and yet .r.o appointment has been
trade to the vacancy. The vacancy also caused by
the lamented death of Mr. Rivison, Judge-Advocate
General, will not be filled op for seine time; indeed
there are not wealth; those who say that it will not be
filled up at all. It is !Wed that "some matters
relating to the position and duties of that office will be
considered by the Government." The office in fact is
little more than a sinecure. I doubt, by the way,
whether had Mr. Davison lived be would long have
retained it. lie was arising man and his talents were
highly appreciated by the Dlioiitry, so that I feel as.
erred he must have been reasonably looking forward
to some higher appointment.

It is pleasing to hear that the exhibition of palstings
at the Old Bond-street Gallery, which his been held
during the last few weeks for the bei,e6t of the dis-
tressed peasantry of France, has proved highly suc;
caudal ; for these unhappy peasants require all the
aid tbat can be given to their. Tne Gallery is now to
revert to its original men, and will be next month
opened for a summer exhibit:on of pictures, so that I
suppose we may now regard the Old Bondoitreet
Gallery as an established institution among the picture
exhibitions in the metropolis.
Lord Charles Russell, the Serjeantott-Arms of the
House of Commons, has, it is said, on re-consideration
granted permiseion to a well-known artist, celebrated for
his caricatures, to frequent the lobby of the House of
Commons. Well, this is very liberal of Lord Cherie.,
and I presume he at least will not be caricatured. But
look out, ye other members;

A elders &mug ye battle notes,
And faith hell prent 'eds.
"Madame Tueeand," I read, "bas reeently added
to her fan,,,us collection," &c. What vita it), there is
In a familiar flans The good old lady hai been dead
these twenty years.

The wife of Professor Fawcett, I see, is lecturing on
the question, "Why Women Require the Suffrage,"
the lady of entime asauming that women do require the
suffrage. With all due deference to the lady lecturer
I don't think women require anything of the kind;
that the riverwh,lini,w majority of women do not care
a pin for a vote; and that an immense number of them
would not know what to do with a vote if they had
no. Nor is thin by any menu disgraceful to women,

All but a few of them have hitherto abetained
polities and have tuner asked for a vote, and why
they ehould Low "require the euffrage" when it has
been ro largely extetded it,. not ra4y to See.