The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-12-22 00:00:00

CIL% DLEY HEATH.

PROSECUTIONS UNDER THE FAC PORY A CT.—At
the Old Hill Police Court, on Wednesday, before
Dr. Walker and Messrs. B. Hingley and H. T.
Hickman (magistrates), William Priest, chain manu-
facturer, High Sireet, was summoned for violating
the Factory and Workshops Act by employing a
boy named Stokes full time, who had not passed
the fourth standard. Mr. Hoare, thellnspeetor of
Factories, appeared to prosecute.—An assistant in-
spector, named Hammond Platt, stated that he
found Stokes, who wn3 thirteen years of age, and
had not passed the fourth standard, working morn-
ing and evening on the 9th inst. The Bench fined
defendant 40s and costs.—Edward Bradley, chain
manufacturer, also of High Street., was fined 5s and
costs for ernp'oying a child in a workshop after
seven o'clock in the evening —Joseph Davis, nail
and chain manufacturer, 'l'i e Five Ways, was fined
20s afri costs for employing a child ten 3 ears of
age.—Rowland Trowman, of the same address, was
also fined 17s for a similar offence.—James Gower,
chain manufacturer, Chapel street, was tined 10s
and costs tor employing a ctiild under l 3 years of
age full time.

-SAVAGE ASSAULT ON A POLICEMAN.-At the same
Court Thomas Jo, es, labourer, cf Worcester, was
chargeu with being di unk and also with assaulting
the police.—On Tuesday afternoon the prisonet
went into several tradesmen's shops in High Street,
Qu •rry Bank, in a uruuken state andsolicited alini:,
and upon being refused relief he threatened to knock
their brains out. Upon Police-cons ablp li,inian
taking him into custody he kicked and bit iliii,, and
conducted himself like a maaman. it, was Lund

necessary to strap his legs and to remove hint to
the police station in a carr.—The Bench sentenced
the prisoner to one minth's imprisonment with hard
labrur.
OPENING OF A COFFEE-HOUSE —MT. W. Bassano
J P., opened a new café in digu Street, Cradley, on
Wednesday afternoon, in the presence of a number
of influential inhabitants. Mr. Bassano said any-
one looking at the enormous amount of tr..e national
drink bill would be able to deduce from it some
idea of the frightful amount of misery, trouble, and
want that it bought on innumerable famities. One
of the most terrible considerations before the country
was vie amount of money that was wasted, or worse
than wasted, in the purchase of alcoholic beverages.
It was by providing a kind of club place where men
could meet their friends that the coffee-h )uses of
the country were to have a splendid future in so
exercising a beneficial influence on the morals of
the people at large. He declared the cafe opened,
amid applause.—Replying to a vote of thanks
passed on the motion ot the Rev. R. Grove, and
seconded by Mr. B. Hadley, Mr. Bassano, in con-
trasting the condition of classes at the present time
with that of a few y-ars ago, said the middle class
could not be called intemperate, and happily there
was nothing less tolerated by the higher classes of
the country than drunkenness. That had all been
brought about by the spread of religion and educa-
tion.—The proceedings were brought to a close
by a vote of thanks to Mr. G. Green for presid-
ing.

AR. BRINTON, M.P., AT KEDDERMINSTER

Mr. J. Brinton addressed his constituents on
Thursday night in the Town Hall, Kidderminster.
There was a large attendance. The Mayor (Mr. D.
W. Goodwin) was to have presided, but he had
been subpcenaed on a court-mar ial at Plymouth,
and his place was filled by Mr. M. Tomkinson,
Amongst the gentlemen on the platform were
Mr. E. Baldwin, M.P., Major Talbot, Messrs. W.
Hatton, S. Streeton, E. Parry, J. Humphries, J. J.
Corbet, G. Holloway, E. Potter, G. W. Naylor, G.
Holdsworth, Revds. T. Fisk, H. Baxter, &c.

The Chairman, in opening the meeting, explained
the circumstance 'leading to the Mayor's absence,
and said he had had a telegram from him that after—
no, 71 wishing them a most pleasant meeting. Mr.
T Lea, M.P., also regretted that he could not be
present,

Mr. J. Brinton, M.P., who was well received, said
that was the third time that he had had the
pleasure of addressing his constituents from that
platform. He met them at the fourth session of
the present Parliament with feelings somewhat
different from those which animated him when he
was their selected and untried member. It was
exactly fourteen months since he addressed them.
Since that time a special autumn session of Parlia-
ment had been held, It was a very unusual occur-
rence, but was neccessary for the effectual carrying
out of the policy of the Government. Parliament
was summoned to consider especially alterations in
the rules of the procedure of debate also the right
and proper control of the immoderate speeches
whieh had characterised the debates of the two pre-
vious Parliamentary sessions; and, further, to con-
sider whether something misht not be done to
faciliate busine-s by the establishment of Grand
Committes There was a very stron4 opposition
offered to any alteration of the rules of the House.
The proposals made at th outset had been modified
but the rules of debate were altered so as to deal
with obstructive members, and those who used im-
moderate speech for the purpose of delaying the
proceedings. The result of the working of the bill
had not been to curtail the privileges of members.
The impression of some right-thinking men still
was that too much latitude was allowed. (Hear,
hear.) The Grand Committee had fully justified
by the results of the past session the prediction of
its illustrious suggester, Mr. Gladstone. (Applause.)
He rightly defined the subjects for the consideration
of the committee as of a non-contentious character
The subjects dealt with were of an argumentative
and not a poliiical character. The committees were
composed of 60 members, who had a special apti-
tude or interest in the subjects to be brought before
it. Meetings tiok place in a morning so that the
committees might be called an additional legisla-
tive engine to the great house. One good thing
about the committees was that there were very few
speeches, because there were no reporters present.
(Laughter.) The result was that some really good
work was done. He thought that there was an im-
portant future value to be attached to the Grand
Committees. When be last addressed them he
drew a favourable augury with regard to the Irish
remedial measures which were passed in the session
of 1882. The result was that rents were paid and
the country was tranquilised. (Hear, hear,) Crime
had been checked, business was more prosperous
and was returning into the channels, and there was
a uisposition to accept the plinciples ot the Land
Act in their country. (Applause.) Both landlords
and tenants were convinced that in that Act they
would find that practice which they required. Pat..'
sing on he said that the conspicuous measure of
the last sesssion was the Agricultund Holdings Act.
The bill might not inaptly be termed one to extend
and enforce the provisions of the feeble Act of 1875.
The provisions ot the last-named Act were entirely
optional, and landlords were able to contract them-
selves out of its operations it was practically use-
less. In fact, it was another specimen of the futile
legislation of the Conservative party. (Hear, hear.)
If they were to have legislation it should be com-
pulsory on every one. (Hear, bear.) The new
Act set forth the tenants right to compensation for
unexlaausted improvements upon quitting his hold-
ing, and in his opinion it had iairly met the griev-
ancess of tenants. In fact, its object was to do
justice between both parties. Its moral effect was
to encourage good cultivation instead of negligent
farming. (Hear, hear.) It was of nationul import-
ance to every thoughtful man, who believed that
every acre of his native country should be made
productive. When the bill st ent up from the House
of Commons it was received very scornfully by
Lord Salisbury —(hisses)—and for a few hours it
appeared that it would be rejected; but the Duke
of Richmond overruled Lord Salisbury, and carried
it through the House of Lords. (Applause.) He
then went on to speak of the admirable changes in-
troduced by Mr. Childers as Cuancellor of the
Exchequer, and afterwards referred to the Bank-
ruptcy Bill.
A vote of undimished confidence in Mr. Brinton
was unanimously passed.
Mr. Baldwin, M.P., moved a resolution affirming
that it was desirable that at the earliest possible
period next session a measure should be introduced
extending the county franehise, and also aseituilat
hug the Irish trancnise to that o: England and
Scotland.
The resolu ioa was carried unanimously.