The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-01-11 00:00:00

THE PREVAILING DISTRESS,

In London, on Monday, a full council meeting of the
Charity 0- gauization Society was held in Buckingham-street,
In continuation of the meeting of the previous Monday, to
consider the means to be adopted to meet any pressure of
distress which may arise in London. Reports from the
Boards of Guardians, the parish officers, and the district
committees of nearly every place in L nodon were received,
and these were nearly all to the same effect—that there was
no "exceptional distress " prevailing among the poor. In
fact, it was stated that the publichouses in the East-end of
London had been exceptionally busy. A resolution was
passed dec aring that at present moment the distress of the
metropolis is within the powers of the usual organisation to
meet, proviled that the. public continues to support the
existing mean of dealing with it • but that at the same time
it is very desirable to strengthen the committee of the
society with both money and men without delay.
On Saturday morning the Mayor of Sheffield gave a free
breakfast in the Cutlers Hall to one thousand men, women,
and children. These for the most part were persons in the
deepest poverty and had received tickets tor the breakfast
from the various relief committees. The Duke of Norfolk
was present, as well as a large number of ladies and gentle-
men. The Mayor, after the breakfast, expressed a hope
that when the good time of trade arrived again, a time
about which Florence Nlghtingale had so lovingly written,
the men would be able to see their way to woik lonuer
hours. There would be no hardship, he said, in their doing
that; besides, he believed that no cmntry in the
world ever yet prospered by idleness' and he main-
tained that it was only by industry that Englishman could
maintain their pre-eminent position among the nations of
the world. The Duke of Norfolk said that when it pleased
Providence to send a return of good trade, and the pinching
distress and misery and suffering were over, there would re-
main many loving and tender memories of the generosity
and kindly help given in these sad times, and that the
bonds of union between class and clans would never be
broken. Much good had been done not only to those who
were relieved, but to those who relieved, because it
brought them face to face with the great suffering -which
now existed in the town and brought out much sympathy
and kindly help. At noon a special meeting of the
Executive Relief Committee was held, at which the
Duke of Norfolk attended. The Mayor reported that em-
ployment h,d been found for a number of men in mending
the roads, and a report to be submitted to the town council
was read as to the employment of the distressed on the three
recreation greundsgiven to the town by the Duke of Norfolk.
The proposed work will cost £3,100, and the Duke of Norfolk
offered to defray half the cost.

The number of persons relieved in Burnley last week was
in excess of the previous week by more than 10 per cent.,
and in excess of the same period of last year by about 100
per cent. The total number relieved was 1,600, out of a
population of 64,060.
Great distress prevails in Warrington and every effor
is being reside to meet it. Nearly 300 able-bodied men are
breaking stones at the workhouse, and the corporation have
engaged a number to assist in street cleaning. Nearly
every branch of trade is depressed, and numbers of agri-
cultural labourers are destitute. A soup-kitchen has been
established and the number of applicants for relief increases
daily.
At Barnsley the frost put a stop to outdoor labour, and
thousands of persons are out of work. Should the dispute
between the miners and colliery owners not be adjusted,
from 20,0(0 to 30,000 persons will be thrown idle.
In the Wolverhampton district the distress continues to
increase. In the workhouse there is an increase of 160
paupers upon the number twelve months ago, while those in
receipt of out-door relief number 6,000, or 2,000 more than at
the corresponding period of last ear.—Ons Tuesday after-
noon another distribution of bread and oatm-al was made at
the Towe-hall to the distressed. Alacigether 2.500 41b. loaves
were given away. The oatmeal consisted of 251 packets, At
the request of the Home Secretary Mr. Underhill, the town
clerk, has sent another letter about the great want in the
town. He states that apart from those who are relieved by
private benevolence—and the number is very large—many
hundreds of families are dependent upon the he p they get
from the.central relief committee- About 800 unemployed
operatives are stone breaking, and the union workhouse Ls
full. The exiting distress requires much help, and if the
present revere weather continues the grievous sufferings of
many will be bitensified.
The distress from which the country is suffering has
reached Dorsetshire. At Bridport, in that county, where a
considerable trade in hemp and fisx g sods Is carried on,
great depression has been felt, and in order to relieve thp
prevailing distress a special committee appointed for the
purpose has just been expending £l2O, the balance of a relief
fund established for a similar purpose in IS6B.
It is stated that inquiries made in the several districts of
Bristol show that, although a large amount of distress pre-
vails there, it is far from equal to what is prevalent else-
where, and it is, to a large extent, confined to three trades
which are always slack in winter. The prolonged severe
weather has, of course, increased the privations of this
class of workmen and their families, and in the eastern
parts of the city the mechanics and labourers have in many
instances sold their furniture to obtain food. The ordinary
channels of relief will be sufficient to cope with
.the distress
if it does not extend further, and the local clergy are receiv-
ing liberal subscriptions for the poor.
At the meeting of the Peeston Board of Guardians on Tue7,-
day, Mr. Jackson, the chairman, reported thst the distress
during the past week had hardly appreciably increased in
the town. The number on the books was over 2 000. The
Mayor has replied to the communication of the Home
Secretary, stating that all cases are easily relieved by the
Poor-law organisation without any need for voluntary charit-
able efforts. Two mills have started full time.
A relief fund for the alleviation of the wants of the neces-
sitous poor in Peterborough has been set on foot by the
Mayor and Corporation. Subscription lists at the different
.banks have been well filled, the Mayor having headed the
donations. The distress in the town is not great compared
with that existing at other places, and is chiefly confined to
the very poor and those thrown out of work by the very
severe weather. The frost h.as interrupted the drainage and
waterworks, on which a great number of hands were
employedl

Scomein.—Lord Finvost Collins has forwarded informa-
tion CI the Home Secretary that there are 6,600 men, who with
their wives and children repretent about 25,000 persons, now
in a statb of destitution in Glasgow, and in receipt of relief
from funds raised by benevolent citizens. There are also many
skilled workmen out of employment, who are subsisting on
their latt savings, or on money received from benefit
societies and trades unions, as well as other temporary
expedients. But if trade does not improve there is too much
reason to fear they also will become claimants on the
liberality of the citizens. His lordship points out that
besides these poor people to whom he refers, there are many
others in receipt of relief from the parochial board.
- -

.0n Tuesday the number of men employed by the Town
Council of Edinburgh in clearing the streets and breaking
stones was 871, being the largest number yet on the roll.
At a meeting of the Town Council a proposal was remitted
to the Public Parks Committee to employ men in laying out
a proposed public park at Regent-road, in the formation of
walks in the meadows, and in the repairing of roads on the
Calton-hill and in other parts of the town. Treasurer
Harrison said that during the recent severe storm they had
give(' work to nearly every man who had applied for it, and
that a sum of £l,lOO bad already been expended in wages.