The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-11-29 00:00:00

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Cur fantion aorrtspottent.

11Ve deem it right to state that we do not at all times
Identify ourselves with our Correspondent's opinions.]

It is just two years since, on the 4th of December,
1882, the Royal Courts of Justice were opened by
her Majesty, and as one result of the ceremony Lord

Chancellor Salborne received an ea,rldorn. Judges,
counsel, litigants, jurymen, and witnesses have, there-
fore, now had experience of the structure, and it
would be impossible to declare that an unanimous
conclusion has been arrived at with respect either to

its architectural beauty or its internal convenience.

The proportions of the courts themselves certainly

bear no comparison with those which might be
expected from the Strand frontage and the great

central hall. Not a term passes in which there are
not complaints either as to the draughts, or the want
of ventilation, or the bad light, whether natural or
artificial, or the lack of accommodation for some of
the numerous classes interested in attending the
tribunals—bench, bar, press, or public. Remedies for
these grievances will no doubt be found with the
advance of time and the development of science. It
will be remembered that there were grumblingsoveithe
ed courts in Westminster Hall down to the very end
of their existence; but then it was always understood
that the erection of these courts was merely a
temporary measure until the completion of a new
Palace of Justice.

It is when a great case is being tried that the
capacities of the new courts are put to the test. Let
us take the day when the son of a late Lord
Chancellor was sued for a breach of promise of mar-
riage, and the on of the Lord Chief Justice of Eng'w: d
wasproceeded against for libel. Both were entrre.l io
trial before the same judge—Mr. Justice M.lsii,r7;

and either would have filled his lordship's little c.
five times over. But the combination on the sainJ
day brought together such a croNd of the curious as
had not before assembled in the Royal Courts of
Justice. To the importunate requests for admission,
the adamantine officials replied with the imperturbable
question, "Have yon a ticket ? " In most cases, of
course, the reply was in the negative, courts of justice
being supposed to be open to the public in this
country without distinction. This plea, however,
did not avail, and even representatives of the
press, although supplied with credentials from
their own offices showing who they were, had to
remain outside because they were not provided with
the tickets issued by the authorities of the courts
themselves. It is to be hoped that the ticket system
of admission to English tribunals will not be extended.
In this instance many who had legitimate business in
the court with a view to the discharge of an important
professional duty, wore excluded; while others,
attracted by mere curiosity but favoured by circum-
stances, were enabled to get in.

The restoration of Westminster Hall has been the
subject of inquiry before a Parliamentary Committee
—Mr. Shaw Lefevre in the chair. All who have had
an opportunity of seeing the outside of this historic
structure, facing towards Westminster Abbey, will be
inclined to think that the sooner the stage of inquiry
is ended, and that of action begins, the better. Any-
thing more suggestive of ruin and decay can scarcely
be seen in the wide area of London. It shows more
strikingly by contrast with the sumptuous pile em-
bodied in the Palace of the Legislature on the one
side and the ornate architecture of the venerable
Abbey on the other. The old Law Courts have been
down nearly two years; yet this aspect of dilapidation
which is such an eyesore to the daily stream of traffic
flowing between Victoria Station and the City, is now
in the stage of inquiry before a Parliamentary Com-
inittee, which sits an hour or two twice a week.
In connection with the recent re-arrangement of
Ministerial offices, a point has come out in connection
with two vacancies which is worth a passing notice.
In the present Administration the First Lord of the
Admiralty has been a peer, and the Secretary has
acted as the spokesman for that important depart-
ment in tles Commons, has explained the esti-
mates, and answered all questions. The Secretary-
ship of the Admiralty is not, however, technically held
to be an office under the Crown. So that whoever is
appointed to it has not to appal to his constituents
for re-election, while the Civil Loreship, a sub-
ordinate post with half the salary is a Crown
office, so that Mr. Caine's acceptance of it
necess-kated an appeal to the electors of
Scarborough. Again, a Minister of the Crown, in
moving from one office to another, does not vacate his
seat. But when Mr. Trevelyan and Mr. Bannerman
successively exchanged the duties of Secretary to the
Admiralty for those of Chief Secretary to the
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, they had respectively to
be re-elected because the latter is an office under the
Crown while the former is not. These distinctions
are puzzling to many persons, who on seeing a number
of minor ministerial changes made, are unable to say
off-hand what re-elections will be involved. The
Secretaryship for Ireland is the only post described as
a secretaryship in all the departments of the State
which is nominally held to be a Crown office.
The Royal Commission which has been issued to
inquire into the best means of promoting the success
of the Indian and Colonial Exhibition to be held in
London in the summer of 1886' is about the most com-
prehensive list of names for such a purpose which
has ever been brought together. For next year we
have the Exhibition of Inventions, and those who have
it in hand hope to rival the success of the Fisheries
and the Healtheries. That, however, which is pro-
mised to us for 1886 should be one Of very great in-
terest; at all events, there is ample time for the
Royal Commissioners to make their investigations.
Specimens of the products, industries, arts, and
manufactures of India and of every British possession
in every clime upon the surface of the globe, in charge
of the natives of the different countries, will prove
such a draw as certainly to equal, if not to surpass,
any previous exhibition which has of late years been
held in the English capital.
London is governed, so far as the City is concerned,
by the Corporation, and outside the civic boundaries
by the Metropolitan Board of Works. These two

bodies have between them carried out vast improve-
ments, and that which will occur to most people so
far as the Board of Works is concerned, is the gigan-
tic system of main drainage, while the Corporation
stand out conspicuous, more especially by the Hol-
born viaduct and new Blackfriars bridge. But
there is an undertaking which, thus far,
neither of these two powerful bodies has been
able to accomplish, and that is to cross the Thames
below London Bridge. Each has discussed schemes,
but hitherto without result. At length both the Cor-
poration and the Board of Works have given notice to
apply to Parliament in the coming session for powers
to construct two projects very different in character.
The former proposes to throw across the river between
the Tower and Tooley-street a bascule bridge at an
estimated cost of three-quarters of a million sterling,
while the Board of Works will make two steam
ferries much lower down as a temporary measure,
and until something permanent can be agreed upon
for dealing with a long-standing and ever-increasing
difficulty.
The Covent Garden Promenade Concerts have
Some to a close after a successful season, and there
are signs in the theatrical world of the approach of
Christmas. It would be interesting to know how
often "Whittington and his Cat" have done duty as
the subjects of a pan ,omime ; but Mr. Augustus
Harris will continue to find some fresh fun in it, for
he has advertised it as forming the basis of the
Christmas entertainment, which is so much appre-
ciated by the juvenile portion of the population. Mr.
William Holland, an indefatigable caterer for the
public entertainment, and whose name has been asso-
ciated with the management of the North Woolwich
Gardens, the Alhambra, the Surrey, and other places
of amusement, will take charge of the pantomime at
Covent Garden. On the south side of the river the
Surrey pantomime is always a great attraction; there
is invariably a plenty of it for the money, and lots of
fun, while for spectacular display those who are fond
of it flock to the old house in the Westrain.ster-road
conducted by Messrs. Sanger.

The Rev. Canon Hume, LL.D., a well-kn, _
arehmologist and traveller, and a: member of several
of the learned societies has (lied in Liverpool.

Lown

HULL AND BARNAEY RAlLWAY.—Arrangements
have been finally made by which the Hull and
Barnsley Railway and Dock works, which have been
stspencled for some time through want of money,
will be resumed on Dec. 1. According to the new
arrangement the whole of the undertaking v ill be
completed by June next. The locomotives al-a ex-
pected to arrive in Hull in the course of a short time,
and all the capital necessary to complete the works in
the time names w.;11 be forthcoming.