The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-03-13 00:00:00

Dttroptitan (finssip.

gy OUP. OWN OORRESPuNDENT.

[The remarks under this head are to be regarded as the ev
Dression of independent pinion, from the proof a gentleman
In whom we have the greatest confidence, but fur which MO
•-gs du nut hob ourselves respoubiblel

everthCk3S

In the political world the chief topic appears still to
be the Irish Church question, apropos of Mr. Glad-
stone's bill. Immediately on the measure being
brought in there were conflicting rumours as to the
line of action which the Conservative party would take,
but there is now no doubt as to their course. Last
Thursday there was a meeting at the town residence
of Lord Derby, and it is said the feeling was unanimous
in favour—to put it in familiar English—of war to the
knife, and hence the notice of amendment on the
second reading, given by Mr. Gathorne Hardy on behalf
of Mr. Disraeli. The second reading of the bill stands
for Thursday, the 18th, and on that evening we may
expect one of Mr. Disraeli's elaborate and caustic
speeches. The debate on the bill is looked forward
to with much interest, as it is believed that both parties
will put forward their best speakers. As to the divi-
sion, the whips on either side will be hard at work, for
it is felt that the result will be of immense political
importance. People are actively speculating on that
result, but the dominant opinion undoubtedly is that
Mr. Gladstone will have a majority. Meanwhile the
House of Commons is hard at work on other matters.
The new Parliament, in fact, seems to have a vigor-
ous appetite for work. No less than forty notices of
motion were given on one evening, and the amount of
business already commenced, or which is indicated by
preliminary notice, is enough in itself for the remainder
of the session, at least. The attendance in the House,
too, is good, and the business of l'arliament, BO far, at
all events, as the Lower House is concerned, is carried

on with spirit.
The visit of her Majesty to London, the welcome
royal standard flying from the flagstaff on Bucking-
ham Palace, the holding of a court and levee, and the
announcement of further court assemblies have
naturally produced a cheering effect in our quiet re-
tired little village. The Queen's visits to London are
"short and far between," but they are valued all the
more highly for that reason. On the whole, the London
season this year promises to be more lively than any
we have had for several years.
-

The nation was heartily congratulating itself on
the prospect of decreased taxation, consequent on the
army and navy estimates showing a reduction of
P 2,385,000, when all of a sudden the Chancellor of
the Exchequer makes one of the most unpleasant
announcements we could have had. That wretched
Abyssinian war is very far from being paid for yet.
People were congratulating themselves that five
millions sterling would pay for it, but now Mr. Lowe
has asked for a supplemental estimate of £3,600,000,
making altogether the enormous sum of £8,600,000 for
releasing a few prisoners; and there is reason to fear
that this amount, large as it is, will not pay the
entire bill. Well may one of the members speak of
the monstrous discrepancy of the original estimate
and the total sum asked for—and granted. After all
this, he must be a very sanguine man who would look
forward to a very favourable budget.
Whether it would or would not be desirable to have
the ballot, I will not argue, but it is very remarkable
that a prominent member of the present Government
has avowed himself in favour of it. The Home Secre-
tary, in moving for a select committee to inquire into
the mode of conducting parliamentary and municipal
elections, stated that his experience at the last election
had converted him to the ballot, and avowed that the
object of this committee is to see whether some system
of secret voting cannot be devised. When Mr. Bruce
avowed himself a convert to the ballot there were loud
cheers from the ministerial benches. The matter as it
stands is remarkable, for such an avowal and such
cheers must be regarded as very significant; but of
course it remains to be seen whether the committee
will recommend the ballot, and whether Parliament
will adopt it if it be recommended. At all events the
advocates of the ballot are in high spirits at this
partial triumph of their principles.
Sir Rowland Hill in his most sanguine moments pro-
bably never thought that the gross income of the Post
Office would reach in any one year such an enormous
sum as £3,590,000, but the return just issued shows
that this amount has been earned during the last year.
Now that the Post Office has thus achieved so glorious
a success, the question may well be *lkea whether it is
not high time that we had a much-needed reform.
Ocean penny postage would he a glorious thing, but
this is not what I refer to. More desirable than this
is the reduction of postage on printed matter, and Mr.
Graves, the representative of a large commercial con-
stituency, does well to call the attention of the House
of Commons to the subject. We are behind America
and the Continent in this matter. What in wanted is
a halfpenny stamp for newspapers, circulars, and
printed matter generally, say under two ounces, or
some would say under four eunces. Now the former
would be a great boon to the commercial community,
newspaper proprietors, and newspaper purchasers, and
in directly it would greatly promote trade by the issue
and delivery of circulars by post. Perhaps a half-
penny stamp for printed matter under four ounces
would be too great a change to make at once, but the
minor reform would largely benefit the country and,
instead of injuring the Post Office revenue, would, in a
short time, largely increase it.
Miss Rye is again going out to Canada, in May,
with a party of young women as emigrants. She has
found that, when once in our colonies, women
can obtain immediate and satisfactory employment
Haw is it then that this lady receives so little patron-
age and aid! Very quietly and unostentatiously, but
also very persistently, she has now for several years
been helping women to emigre*. Cannot our noble
and wealthy assist her Great good would be done
in thin way, nit only by relieving our overstocked
female labour-market here, but the indirect is ence
in the cause of morality would be very great. While
Miss Rye is helping her poorer sisters, a numbs of
city gentlemen, with the Lord Mayor at their head,
ar trying to help poor workmen and their families to
emigrate from the wretched eastern districts of Lon-
don, and the Queen has come forward with a contribu-
tion of £l5O towards the fund. Another important
fact must be mentioned. The colony of Victoria is
arranging the preliminaries for a line of large steamers
which are to carry emigrants from England to Mel-
bourne in large numbers. And then there are emi-
gration clubs in various parts of the country, so that
altogether unusual attention is being devoted to the
subject of emigration.
History repeats itself, and some of the saddest
episodes in history, too 1 A month ago there was a
"deuble murder at Poplar," and now the body of the
murderer has just been found. He had committed
suicide. And simultaneously with this discovery the
town is ringing with the news of "another double
murder at Poplar and suicide of the murderer." These
two triple crimes have features of horror peculiar to
themselves, but, alas! they will probably ere long be
forgotten amid the details of some other horrid crime ;
for in each case the suicide of the murderer, though it
adds to the fearful character of the offence against
God and man, prevents public excitement being kept
alive as it would be were the trial of the murderers
pending.
- - - - - -

Another victim to working men's burial societies. A
workman applies to a magistrate to compel a burial
society to pay £7 to which the man is entitled. He
had paid 2d. a week for twelve years, and his wife had
belonged to the society for twenty years, and yet,
when the poor fellow's wife lies dead and he applies to
the society he is told that there are no funds, and that
the society is dissolved ! Well may the magistrate
speak f such societies as miserable swindles. "Com-
plaints of this kind, he was sorry to say, were too fre
fluent to be looked over; and every week some fresh
complaint of publicans and secretaries came under his
notice, people paying for a number of years and being
defrauded of their hard earnings. Be heartily wished
the Legislature would put a stop to such rascally pro-
ceedings." Too much publicity cannot be given to
such a case as this. Benefit societies, burial societies,
lc., are excellent things in their way, always pro-
vided they are honourably conducted and are secure;
but if neither, they are little lees than curses to the
working classes. The Legislature has an immense
amount of work on hand and before it, but really so
important a matter ought not to be neglected I For
years a remedy has been talked of, but that is all. I
cannot help thinking that Mr. Tidd Pratt uninten-
tionally and unavoidably does a good deal of harm.
Be is merely the revising barrister appointed to
certify that the rules of the benefit societies are in
accordance with the Act of Parliament, and this duty
no doubt he performs honourably enough; but his
name is advertised in connection with these societies
as though he guaranteed their respectability as
solvence. Ile does nothing of the kind, andhhe sooner
working men fully realise the fact the betteft
Slowly but steadily the ground is being cleared for the
new Palace of Justice, though, I believe, at the present
moment it is not absolutely decided that the new law
courts are to be built upon this site. In due time the
houses adjoining Temple liar will be pulled down,
they having just been sold for that purpose, and the
ugly old city gate will soon follow. Great progress is
making with Holborn Viaduct and the adjacent
streets, and it is hoped that in June or July this new
road will be publicly opened —perhaps by the Prince
of Wales. When the viaduct and the streets in the
neighbourhood are completed, this part of London
will have undergone the greatest changes of any, and
the improvement will be immense. Among other im.