The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-01-02 00:00:00

A MAN SHOT AND EATEN BY DOGS.

1 etropolitan 6ossip. 1
WE OWE OWN COBBIIIPONEENT. 1

i., remarks miler thu bead are to be regarded as the ex.
..tow of mdepen.leut 11.1nion, from the pen of a gentlemaw
n whom cv have the grv:Ltset conadonee: but for which w
1.-,vuttheh d•-• 'IOI,I um -selves r•sponsitde 1

POitieß

, are at low-water mark, linsinesit for the
moment is dull, and at the time of w i ing there in no
existing public topic. Those of us who can do so are,
n fact, enjoying our holidays. In spite of the
w,-ether I fancy this Christman has, on the whole, been
i as heartily as Christmae ever was enjoyed.
Faie iloyers have, pretty generally, been liberal inthe
matter of time, and from Christmas eve till the fl-
owing Monday night was granted in a large number
ofestsblishments. The liberality of the rich towards
the peer has this Christmas-title perhaps been be-
e. ..wail mire bonatifidly than ever. The money that
Mut been given away to the ionumerable instituti ~,, s,
the Its id fast and clothing, the dinners to the peer
n our workhouses, and the many other forms that
eharity has Laken, are beyond all calculation. NVere
any one in a position to ascertain the amount of the
donationa that have been publicly made to the various
chant Able instituti no slime, this amount would no
doubt be fi nand to be enormous; hut who could
ivr•ertain it And who could ;ascertain the vast
amonnt given in pro :ate charity ? Verily if
our potr laws are a disgrace to us, our
supplementary charity must be unequalled by that of
any other country in the worliL But our holidays are
passing sway, and we shall soon have to turn our
attentien to serious business. From remarks that
several of the Ministers let fall during their recent
eleetion speeches, the public look forward to con-
siderable reductions in the national burdens, and it is
sail that even now some impittant inquiries are being
senile with this view. It is said that the Premier, in
cot ianction with Mr. Childers and Mr. Stausfeld, have
is contemplation is great scheme for the reform and
reorganisation of the whole Civil Service, and that to
prelude this Whet. Mr. ficulamore is to be removed
free the Pent-Office, where he is second assistant
secretary, to the treasury. I was looking out for his
name in connection with the Government scheme for
wi rking the telegraphs; but the above rumour may
be true, nevi rtheless. 'the report, uo doubt, sends
consternation into several of the public departments,
for reform 'mut mean reduction of the nett amount
paid in !salaries ; but if the reform be carried out the
public will be the gainers, and if there be here and
there individual hiss this is but the old tale, from
which there is no escape. Orin thing at least is
certain, that with such men as Mr. Gladstone, Mr.
Itrielit, Mr. Lowe, Mr. Stansfeld, and Mr. Childers
in the Government, the British public will confidently
expect financial reform.
It is not easy to overrate the importance of the
juilement delivered by the highest legal tribunal in
reference to the innovatioes f tho ritualistic party,
and I refer to them in no sectarian spirit, but, as a
great public matter. The Ritualists have hitherto
maintained that any rite or ceremony not condemned
by the l'rayer Iliwk might lawfully be revived; but
the Judicial Committee of Ow Privy Council decide
that ceremonies, kc., not prescribed by the Book of
C' -mouton Prayer is ipso facto abrogated. This makes
ju-t all the difference, and the effect is likely to be
most powerful for the fut.ire. The question now
apt earn Li be whether the Bishops will in their
meeiral dioceses act up to the spirit of this decision;
and that question is susceptible of a variety of
answers, according to the opinions of the bishops
theitinelviss. That in m-any cases, however, the
judgment delivered by Lori Cairns will be acted
upon, to the discouragement of ritualistic practices
there can hen.. dieffit. It should be added, that a
large wineregation assembled at St. Alban's (Helbern)
on Chrietniae day, mary id them no doubt to see
whether any alteration would be made in the service,
and that, strange to say, Mr. Alackonochie continued
the identical practices that the Privy Council had
condemned. Whether the judgment of the Council
is to lie inoperative remains to be seen. I can also
vouch for the fact that at another London church, on
the following Sunday, one of the practices condemned
liehted candles at the altar) was adopted.
The postmen are like (fiver Twist, they ask
"fit snore!" But they appear, like him, to have right
it their tilde. One of their number puts their
grievaneee in a clear light, anil if his statements be
tree, they show that the public have a right to
lent mil that the men be better remunerated and
alt!!gether better treated. Ile says: 'Sonic few months
twee Parliament granted £13,000 annually Li the Post
rifles that the rinp(ogree might receive a higher
eie id wages, but the only effect of this new rate of
pwos ti 1,11,S r,,,,er discontent than ever." Anil
o I e gsa i7,t details whiela certitinly hoar out his
p ihei ; reel he Mows that the additional pay has
gine: to the upper ranks, awl that the hard-working
men 1. see hail rio 1,. n--fit from it. " The business 0
tt e fleet I Mee," he continues, "has greatly increased
amble' tho last few years, but this increase, instead of
being mu. t by the employment of additional hands, is
1M t by Fitting extra work on the Lands already em-
ployed. It is high time that full inquiry were made
into the truth id melt allegations as these, which have
been frequently repeated of late. For myself, I believe
them to be in the main true, fee they tally with the CURIOUS CASE of the DISAPPEARANCE
remelts of many inquiries pereinally made. I have no
doubt indeeil that the Poat Office, hawever admirably OF A CHILD.
managed it may lie so far as the pubiic service is con-
.Some eryinthe since, when wages are high, w woman
cernel, requires laden". Like Ineet public establish- tip-,l,trthi,amel:!'fLlt:heeaPirlinteaflotliVnlitnY' .1 n. the
labourer. Tipperary
BIWA'S. it appears to lei efflicted v. ith tini great au in- :Awl a farmer's wife there to tat'e care of the child
equality it pay. the I havigs are pail tot lunch, and for her, whilst she herself should gut about earning
the hart-a-irking I:Osier-es tiiii little. With upwards nioney, and Ale promisnl to pay Is. per week for
of a million surplus, the Post Office, at all events, has Tiprst. Site tail aniing was heart of hrft asthshe
it.ta aihpt right an economy, awl the only *'t
vit eekirtli'iseafl'ett`u;:r".iiei
Nir;;;tS
oree
uder iS that the men as a rule are so honest and than tO desert her youne hidger and leave its
trastwirtlay. Rapport on her. She, therefore, brought the child tothe
The eleriiimi uncertainty of the law in a matter 01 nittagiCaTit.e.s,
ttolleeinhseirttstt%yatthßeallrzentls iteti;et tcyhmstints,e
freqnent comment, but at least we have been in the
:leen to aie relieving officer yllr. Lane who resides
habit of supposing that when a criminal trial has in the village. for conveyance to Urling' ford Work-
culminated into a verdict and sentence, there is an end house. Mr. Lane saw the child, but he states that
of it. We have no Court lif Criminal Appeal, though whiteout making arrangements for taking it to Urling-
men-lewdly certain lemal pointe in criminal procedure fei:Ttlitwas” from na his hilisealndt. he
is that
are reserved for f lather adjudication. 'Madame the get
w'ra's eel:Myer' again.
'e
viece°,
le'crs cane, hada is shortly to enter oa a new trate and alno a guardian of the union, with the
ph, e. is a startling episode in our criruitual annals. expresse I view of relieving the rates. However, after
Th., lady, who gave her legal opponents so much a ithort time the mother, or the reputed neither, went
I tilt. azedeneitit jaeti,rtigcartne to.
tfin;rl,fftwe
trouble, and whil has already been tried twice, is now
at liberty, audio to have the advantage of being tried '
Urlingford lwaril Ie f-aris,ers 'd
Penardia`ne, who claim
course hail no
simile Be the result what it may, the case, as it power to get it back:but Lehi the 'particulars' before
stands, is curious, and it is marvellous that not till the Poor-law Commissioners. It is said the gentleman
after she had underaiine part of her sentence, was it alleged to have taken the child has gene to live in Eng-
discovered that Mr. Commisniener Kerr hail no maim lwnil, and has the chill with him, widen he refuses to
city to sit nsa judge in the Central Criniinal Coart, i the ial•nda?i'i
Eft:. I,ptt.ed Be this as
_it
gakar;CliPans 'aeninlifte tire
hers
awl that the same aldermen atweye Le present and it le saida limit is to be raised, by subscription',
throughout the whole of the trial. I have lately leiarl for the purpose id carrying them on.
the remark, more than once, that if Madame Rachel
hail ni,t, rich and influential friendis, iilie would never !
have been liberated in bail, but our judges are men of
too rigid uprightness Li deserve such a remark. It is
undoubtedly true, IlOWeVt.t, that there are many
persons now undergiene penal servitude who have
been nelitenceil with juts the same legal informality WI
'Madame Rachel, and her thinl trial, therefore—will
be laikeil ferward Li with great public interest.

After a long season 14 financial duke,ci there have
recently been signs of ylurning animation in the in-
vesting world, and at the turn of the year no doubt
several new companies will be brought forward. This
in its iii enci ouragin e, but it is still more uni,mraging
to had that shareholders are beginning to see the ini•
portanee of united action met mutual protection. Some
little time ago a Foreign Ilondholders' Association was I
au id, and 11w a :*.liarelnolders' Protection As keia-
tni I..ks either been formed or is in process of f num-
Con. I have often heen surieised at the apathy of
shsreholilers. They tic . often take the reports for
Rrautid, leave the accounts entirely to the auditors,
and permit a few shareholders to settle the most im-
portant affairs at the half-yearly meetings. Now, if a
man is either F. busy that hi; cannot, or so apathetic
that be will not carefully watch what other people
are .lung with his money, he must not be tuirprised if
too much of it goes to tin 'rooters, aid to an unmeessatily
large ls card of directors, as well as being wao.teil owing
ti contractors not properly mrforming their agree-
ment. and in ninny other ways. I tin Iker,ll:l4l,tl thlt
shareholders would often 1 e startled were they tio know
how 'cry few persons attend the half-yearly meetings
" There will be plenty there without me ' is a Cllllllllllll
idea, and it is one that directors find works very ;
but shareheldi ecu oftin find, to their c.eit, that it wets
very badly fir the..

A. n ill nicity inctltilt7iills for which Liimbut is
fattens are the Citei-liain L, ctinr. s, by Sir
'lb mini ire-liani. Ti.,•ne is a large fund for the IWO, n-
temice Of those lectures, lent the public derive very
little benefit ten su them, owing to the antiquated regu-
lations in ciri•inntscribe them. The hleii tif deliver-
ing a tore in Latin at the prieent day ought to he
ie. n not as an absurdity. Some nincli-tieetlei refornte,
honever, are to be carried Init in reference to three
lectures, and an there are ample funcht, end a readinenn
on the part id the pliblie to avail themselves of really
valuable information, there is no reason why the
Grediam Let-Purrs nhould wit letconie what their ,
founder would doubtless desire were he now living.
Country friends up on a vinit to London have a
night worth lookint at in front of ltenson's watch-
factary in Ludgate-hill. Information, gratis, in c nun-
v..yu.d as to the state of the wind, the exact time, the
tlay of the week, and the d tile month. The
calendar is, moreover, so itaeniounly arrangi-d that it
notes the 29th of Februsiry, that in to say, that it will
note iL for those Viilo liveto are that date in year of
grace 1872. The machinery to effect all this must be