The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-03-27 00:00:00

''Retropolitan 03ossip.

Of OUR OWN CORRISPONI ENT.

aka remarks under this head are to be regarded as the ea-
preasion of independent opinion, from the pen of a ,entleman
in whom we have the greatest confidence, hut for which we
nevertheless do not hold ourselves restmisiblej

The Irish Church, consequent on the great debate on
the motion for the second reading, and Mr. Disraell's
direct negative amendment, is the prevailing politicAl
topic of the day. Without entering on the merits of
the totally opposite p,diey maintained by Government
and Opposition, it may be added that apparently no
difference of opinion exists on one point—that the
second reading will be carried, where people differ
being as to the majority. What is speculation now
will be superseded by fact when this is read, and there-
fore the former would be idle. But, supposing the
second reading carried by a considerable majority, the
probability is that there will be continued guerilla
warfare in committee over the clauses. As to the
House of Lords, the opinion of the best informed
appears to be that, looking at the Home as a whole,
they will accept the measure. Many of their lordships
of course are opposed to its policy, but it is thought
that some of these will refrain from voting, and that,
like the Conservative party in the Commune, the Oppo-
sition in the Lords will only use their efforts in Com-
mittee.
- - - • • •

----- -
On Easter Tuesday the Earl of Shaftesbury is to lay
the memorial stone of the first estate of the Suburban
Village and General Dwellings Company, the estate
being situate at Loughborough Park, Brixton. Of
course, there is no park there, but it is a very nice
neighbourhood, nevertheless, although at present it is
quite in a transition state Irons fields to streets. This
company is &commercial speculation, but at the same
time its operations are beneficial to the public, inas-
much as it enables persons of moderate means to live
in houses cf their own, always a private and public
advantage. But still the company does not meet one
great want of the times—commodious and healthy
dwellings for the poor, any more than the "Peabody
buildings" (what an odious came!) do. Indirectly,
however, all this extension of house accommodation
will have a tendency this way. The great fact remains,
that our poor en masse live in unhealthy dwellings,
overcrowded, badly drained, dirty, and badly venti-
lated ; but another great fact is too much overlooked,
that the rent which the poor pay is quite sufficient, on
the principle of co-operation, with subscribed capital, to
provide decent and healthy accommodation. Why
does not some partly commercial and partly philan-
thropic company solve this not very difficult problem?
Considering what a tendency to the reduction of
poor-rates emigration has, the Poor Law Board ought
to encourage emigration, but to all appearances they
have been very hard upon a Board of Guardians in
Birmingham. These guardians paid ES for the passage
of a woman and eight children from that town to
Liverpool, on their way to America, but the Po9r Law
Board will not refund the money, though it has been
proved that by thus assisting emigration much money
is saved to the parish. The chairman of the Board of
Guardians refuses to pay, and, to cut a long story
short, this gentleman has his tables and chairs seized
to make up the money. There is right, perhaps, on
both sides, but certainly the Poor Law Board ought
not to be too straitlaced where it is shown that emigra-
tion is assisted. This Board, as well as vestries and
boards of guardians generally, have yet to learn that it
costa less to send away a family as emigrants than it
does to keep them as paupers; and the alternative very
often presents itself. It is surprising that public atten-
tion is not more earnestly directed to this phase of the

emigration question.
Whatever opinions may be held as to the political
cause with which Mr. Beales has for some years been
identified, it must generally be admitted that he has

-
gdined nothing pecuniarily by it, and it will be remem-
bered that he lost the position of revising barrister for

.„
Middlesex owing to his connection with the Reform
League. Now that this League is dissolved, few
people, perhaps, would be sorry were he to secure some
appointment to compensate for the lose alluded to. I
have heard his name frequently mentioned in connection
with a County Court judgeship; but he has hithsrto
been disappointed if this were the object of his ambi-
tion. There was some chance the other day of his
obtaining such a position in Essex, but the gentleman
who was about to retire has thought better of it.

Apropos of the principles which the League espoused,
I regret to see that it is determined to have a demon-
stration on Good Friday, in Trafalgar Square, in honour
of the memory of the late Mr. Ernest Jones. With all
due deference to the ultra Radicals of London, I do
not think the memory of any man can be honoured by
such a " demonstration " as we are likely to have, and
that it is a pity to choose such a day for it, more
especially after the sensible rebuke that the intending
demonstrators have received from a Government whose
liberality cannot be doubted.
It might be worth the while of those who are
specially interested in the Turf to reckon up the severe
k es it has had during the last year ore. in the personae
ad its distinguished patrons, both by retirements and
deaths. Several once celebrated names, once honour-
ably known in the racing world, are known to it no
longer, withdrawal after withdrawal having taken
place ; and several deaths have also thinned the ranks
of the patrons of the turf—for instance, Lord Glasgow
Mr. Stephenson, and Mr. Heathcote—Squire Heath-
cote as he was commonly called.
There is one question, always agitated more or less,
which now bids fair to be agitated more than ever, and
that is the opening of the national museums on Sun-
days. On this much-debated point Ido not intend to
enter ; but why, it may be asked, should the discussion
be confined to the pro and con on this question, while
both sides could advocate a step which would, if taken,
be undoubtedly advantageous to the working classes,
leaving the said pro and eon still open to argument?
I refer to the opening of the British Museum, National
Gallery, and other national exhibitions, in the evening.
Why cannot such institutions generally be opened in
the evening as the South Kensington Museum is? The
only two arguments I have ever heard against such a
course is the danger of fire and the increase in the
number of attendants that would be required. But
surely, if the chance of fire is to settle the matter, we
ought to have Parliament sit by daylight, the Kensing-
ton Museum ought to be closed at sunset—and
hundreds of institutions which are open at night all
ever the world. As to the increased number of at-
tendants, so much the better. The national money
cannot be better spent than by giving honest employ-
ment like this.
There is a domestic subject which just now is of con-
siderable moment, which can be put into tbree short
expressive words meat is dear! Paterfamilias
grumbles loudly at the increased demands made upon
him, and Alaterfamilias declares she cannot make her
former housekeeping money "do ;" while as to the
poor, who, as a rule, seldom eat meat, they may now
be said never to eat it, as a rule, with but very few
exceptions. I fear that the experiments for introducing
Australian meat have, as a whole, proved a failure,
and the " fresh " meat that is brought over is certainly
net fresh, while the salted and cured meat in tins can-
not much influence our market. There is one permanent
cause of dear meat which does not appear to be suffi-
ciently taken heed of; and that is the (all things
considered) absurd practice of killing lambs and calves
to no great an extent. "The slaughter of the inno-
cents," in the shape of lambs, is at this season frightful,
and will continue so for some time. In one sense this
is killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. If we
will have lamb and veal, in which there is precious
little nourishment, we thereby throw away good mutton
and beef? But how remedy it? Cattle-dealers, sheep.
farmers, and butchers say it is the fault of the public,
and the public retort that though it is true that demand
creates supply, it is equally true that supply creates
demand, and that were not lamb and veal so ruinously
pressed on the market, the public, on the whole, would
be content, and would find out the benefit of their
partial abstinence in the long run.
Whether we English are progressing in morality or
immorality is a disputed point, but I fear there can be
no disputing the fact—and an alarming fact it is, if a
fact—that the French are retrogading. There is in
France an office or board of Public Assistance., which
answers to our Poor Law Board, though the French
take a more comprehensive view of this, as of other
matters, compared with ourselves. The Director of
this Board, for the Department of the Seine, has just
made his report, and this clearly proves that in that
department, the most important of all, immorality and
luxury have both increased pnri passu. In Paris
immorality has made alarming progress. During the
last year or two trials for adultery and seduction (the
French law on the latter subject is very different to
our own inadequate law), have increased by one-third,
divorces have duplicated, illegitimate births have in-
creased and are increasing, and the number of mar-
riages is on the decline. These are saddening facts,
and their troth cannot be denied, for they are stated
as plain matters of fact by the chief of the Public
Assistance department
Here is another action brought by a gentleman
against a lady for breach of promise of marriage. Who
shall say, therefore, that this turning of the tables
will not become quite common? In the present case,
I read, 'an attorney's clerk, named Watson, brought
an action to recover compensation from Mrs.
Strangways for having changed her mind, and married
her present husband after promising to marry him."
'ng funny that—"having married her present
after promising to many. him!" Of course—
'''s just what the Laly ought to have clone! But

Something

husband

hL