The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-06-27 00:00:00

THE FRIENDLY SOCIETIES BILL.

o'clock in the evening a gun announces the time at
which the convicts must return to their quarters.

Frequentrounds of the sentinels coverthewhol;s island;
and the warders, armed with chaesepots and revolvers, The I jars has publishes' the following letter on the
have orders to shoot any nocturnal promenader who lerlenffiy societies BM :
does not giv4 the countersign in answer to the first Sir,—Therfe is one part of the Government Friendly
' Qui sive ?' ! As for the sea, ships are ferbidden to Societies Biltwhich does not appear to have attracted
approach within a thousand metres of the peninsula. mach att.:Mimi in London, but regarding which I
Gunboats are ever on the watch in the bays. Thus the have received a number of communications from my
chances of escape were few. The first difficulty for a constituents. I refer to the proposal altogether to
convict would be to get clear of the Duo* peninsula ; prohibit children under three years old being entered
and it is certain that if he could effect this unseen, and as membere ef burial societies. This provision, my
without receiving a bullet, his absence would be ills- correepondenite contend, will inflict great hardship
covered after a very few hours. But supposing that he on parents belonging to the poorer classes, and in
could sumionnt this first difficulty, what wetild happen? many cases COlllid thelfl ill their hour of bereave-
If he should enter Noumea it is COO :Lill that, however meat, to incur the dormlation and miseries of seeing
little his features; might be known to the police, who ! their children buried by the aid of the parish.
form a fourth part of the town's population he could
I think, Sir, there is much weight in this view of
not proceed a hundred paces without being arrested.
' the question, and as I was one I,f the witnesses ex-
In brief, escape by land was impossible. The only hope , amined by the Friendly Societies Commission who
of the captives was to wait for the appearance of a t
gave evidence as to he effect of burial benefits in en-
vessel under'a foreign flag and then to commit them, g nes • • .
couragmg imanticide, and as my evidence on this
selves to the waves, reach the ship, and seek for • •
refuge on board. There had been no opportunity id vir.iit is referred to by the Conunew• ioners in their
port, perhaps you will allow me space to say is few
carrying this plan into execution, when the prisoners ,
, words on the subject.
received a visit from M. Jourde. This gentleman, 1, Under the Liw as it stands there is nothing to pre-
af ter a sojourn of some months in the Isle of Pines, had ,
obtained permission to settle in Noumea. His first a vent a person who, let us say, has adopted a child for
' small suns entering it as a member of half a dozen
visit was to 11. Paschal Grousset, with whom he had burial societies. Now, in some of these societies a
contracted an intimate friendship during the severe payment of 2d. entry money and Id. per week for
trials which they had undergone together. M. Grommet one year. or Is. 6d. in all, entitlea th persan who has
presently communicated to him the plan which he had entered the churl to a benefit of et{ on its death.
formed with H. Rochefort, begging him to assist them Supposing,therefore a child to be entered in three
if it should be in his power. IL Jourde promised; • . ~ .
su societies, its swath wont& at the cost sav a
and less than a month later he was able to fulfil his
, Ito., entitle its guardian to a benefit amounting to
promise. On the 10th of March last a three-masted
£l2. When therefor; it is remembered that until
English vessel, named the' P. C. K.')' Peace—comfort very recently', if not to 'this hour, any number of per-
-ease 'l, ~f 400 tons, commanded by Captain I.aw, , sons could be found leady to adopt an infant for life
which had been for months past trafficking between for a premium ef £5 or t 6 it can 'easily be seen what a
Newcastle (New South Wales) and New Caledobia, owerful incentive the facility for trebling the nioney
entered the roads of Noumea, with a toren of oil.
I, be made out of the transaction held out to the
It was to leave again on the 21st ; and in the mean- baby-fanner, and how great was the temptation
time it was riding between two ships of war, about i ff o ered to unprincipled persons to insure children and
seven miles from the Ducos peninsula, and .sue I
! then allow them to die. But all this will be changed
mile from Noumea. Nothing was more easy than for !
, when the Government Bill becomes law. lu the ease
MM. Jourile, Bailliere, and Bastien to reads it 1
of children above three, when a restricted insurance is
from Noumea, where they were at liberty; nothing
permitted, no one will be allowed to receive the
more difficult fur MM. Rochefort, Paschal Grousiset, ,
urial benefit except the parents of the child, and
and Pain, who were narrowly watched in the peninsula. , iaid shall
i
But thanks to the devotion cif their friend., to the ' ire
not he allowed to eion is made that the total benefits texceed a certain Apecified sum. Now,
marvellous precision of the measures adopted.
Sir it seems to me that, with theserestrictions, the
and to a fortunate chance, so necessary to all '.
great enterprises, they were able to do it. It
714 111 on um age might very safely be reduced, or the din-
was arranged that at ten o'clock in the evening' 4
with aitogetn
ualifito account on vomit of tender age be done away
. . .er.
on the night of the 20th sir 21st of March, a
boat, rowed by MM. Jourde, Balliere, and Bastieu ln dealing with ordinary life assurances no iinc is
should wait for MM. Rochefort, Paschal Gronisset, allowed to insure another person's life who has not an
and I'ain near a rock stand,rig in the bay about three insuiable interest in that life. A profemional man,
miles from the peninsular. Th e latter were to swim
for example, cannot insure the life a hts wife or child
,
Ito the rock if they were lucky enough to escape the unless it be to cover some monetary loss which he
vigilance lof the sentinels and warders. All went would incur through that wife or child's death. There
well. About nine o'clock the three prisoners noise. can, therefore, be no hardship or invidious class die-
lessly quitted their hut, and crept among the brush- Unction in preventing the working-man parent from
wood, Indian fashion, to the shore. Fortunately I deriving any pecuniary benefit from his child's death;
the night was dark. They lay under water, only but at the same time it is meet undesirable to interfere
with the channel through which working men have
raising their he ads to the surface in order to
become accustomed to make provisions for the contin-
breathe. Shoals of fishes leaped about them in the
ph' sphorescent sea, and the noise which theyThmatte e
sen-
gesey of funeral expenses, and still more undesirable
covered the movements of the three men.
to accustom them to content themselves with the !
:
finds passed without perceiving them. The greatest Pauper interment of ther siemi.
difficulty was over. Less than an hour later they I would suggest, therefore, that the true solution of
reached the rock. Here they had waited barely ten the difficulty would be to allow infante to be eligible
minutes when the boat containing their friends came for burial benefits, provided such benefits were made
in sight. To leap back into the sea, to clamber into payable to the parents, and to no one else, and were
the boat, to grasp the hands of their comrades, to dress carefully restricted to what would suffice to defray the
themselves in the clethes which had been provided, all cost of burial—say IA or El 10s. in all in the case of a
this was done quicker than one can write it, and the child under one year, £2 in that of one between one
fugitives were on their way to the 'P. C. E.' The and two, and so on. While this would put an end to
distance was traversed in less than an hour. The only a pernicious and exceptional system of insuring lives
ncident was their coming across a eentry-boat, which in which the insurers have no insurable interest, it
might have been fatal to them had it not been would avoid the objections to which the Government
for their coolness. As soon as they saw them proposal is liable, and do so without introducing any
they cried 'Au far-pc! Keep your distance ! ' The novel principle into the conduct of such societies; for
sentryboat thought that it was a pleasure-trip of officers some of these already collect payments as low as a
from one of the ships, and they passed on discreetly. halfpenny per week, and for that rubscription for one
A snore perilous contretemps happened in the form year, with ist. entry money, give a benefit of £2.
of a sudden squall, which came on just as the boat was Very little modification in the stipulation as to
reaching the end of its journey. The rain fell in tor- duration of papnent would be necessary in such cases
rents, and the clouds intensified the darkness to such to adjust the relations between premium and policy
all extent that it was impossible to make out where on an equitable basis. I offer this suggestion with all
the 'P. C. E.' lay. The great danger was to come too deference, as lam aware of the very great care and in-
near one of the neighlanuring memof-war, which would dustry which the Chancellor of the Exchequer and
have demanded explanations very difficult to give. ! the other members of the Friendly Societies Couunis-
The fugitives wade their calculations, and determined sion brought to bear upon this inquiry, and as being
,to make for the black mass which seemed to be the myself strongly impressed with the urgent necessity of
ship which they wanted, running the risk of a mis- legislation concerning infant insurance, and I should
, take. Fortunately they hit upon the right one, and not have troubled you with this letter but that I fear
' five minutes later they were on board. lest, by going too far' a reaction may be induced
" The rain still fell in torrents, and the deck of the ' against all restriction, however salutary.—Yours very
`P. C. E.' was deserted. The crew of a dozen were ! sincerely, CHARLER CAMERON.
sleeping conscientiously. The prieonem who had left Home of Commons.
their boat to take its own course upon the waves,
quietly erept to the hatchway and hid themselves A numerous deputation of the Associated Council of
below. It may be imagined that the long night WAS Friendly Societies, in England and Scotland, acoompanied
not too comfortable for them. The slightest noise by several Members of Parliament, had an interview with
might betray them. A sailor happening to come where the Chancellor of the Exchequer in Downing-street, on
they lay might suffice to ruin all ; and they were in Saturday afternoon, with reference to certain provisions in
the Government Bill. The NI l'.'s present were Messrs. W.
dread also of the visit to which all ships are liable on Holms Paisley), Charles Turner, Wheelhouse, Macdonald,
quitting the roads of Noumea. They were destined to Ripley, Greenall, Ramsey, James Cowen, E. Jenkins, F.
succeed ; this visit did not take place. Dayeame ; there Harrison, R. Reid, A. WArthur, G. Anderson, J. Tore, A.
was the bustle of departure in the ship ; the chain cable M•Gregor, and Dr. Cameron.
groaned on the capstan; the anchor was weighed. It Was stated that the societies desire the consolidation of
This was at seven in the morning sin the 21st of all Acts affectirg them. They object to the large discretion
propose,:lf to a :.'etell to tile C::ici.elhßeeqs.tx:ittioontho; lilnlAtaltnit
March. As soon ais they were on otaen sea, and the subordinate
pilot had left the ship, the prisoners left their hiding- 14IS'nurtipidice,sus sting cornprMnises oil: this point, and to
place and came on deck. The captain displayed the other minor regulations hi the bill.
livelieet astonishment, and was enraged against the The Chancellor of the Exchequer, in reply, said
intruders ; but the latter at once offered to pay for the iiin had been prepared at very short notice, but
their passage; and with so fair an argument a the Govemnieut considered it better to bring In a mea-
satisfactory compact was soon entered into. It was sure this session, if only to obtain. discussion upon it.
on the 28th of March, at daybreak, when the fugi- Unfortuoatelv there had not been tane for the Govern-
ment to consult persons Interested in these societies be-
tives landed in New South NN ales ; and, after a rest fore introducing the bill and hence he was glad of the
of ten days, they took the mail for Europe. M. opportunity for the present eonference upon leading
Rochefort has made sip his mind to reside in points of the measure. as he had thought that if the general
Switzerland ; MM. Paschal Grouseet and Pain will I lines of the bill were such as were likely to be approved, the
remain in London. I details might be discussed privately, as on the preient oc-
I esion, without haying too much discussion of details in
"Such in brief was the escape of the six political : %,.,,,,,,,ent. the main question was whether the Govern-
prisoners, which took plade barely three months after , ment should attempt ti pass the bill this session They
the French Minister of Marine had declared an escape I saw the position of sstairs in Parliament, and as they
from the Ducos peninsula to be impossible. From ! were getting cm towards the end of the session, it was
riot
811,,etilibil,e.
very
pass a
ftip
the
this tifrtb.iii4a I hurl
whatever point of view we may regard it, it is difficult
not to sympathise with the refugees. Without sharing '`'`'
we're it to pass it in s'a'rclTUde or undigested form.' But he
the political principles of these men, we must admit would see what the feeling of the House of Commons was
that each one is the guardian of his own Conscience; in discussing the second reading. The Government
that they fright and suffered for a cause, and that one would go into the subject only with a full desire to get
is bound to honour devotion wherever we niay find it. the thing well done, and in the next place to get it
They were plunged into the deepest misfortune and they done as quickly sia possible. He went on to. indicate a
general acquiescence in the views of the deputation, convey.
did not des.pair. By theiraudacity and perseverance they
mi,
have regained the liberty which they lost. It is difli- likely a readiness to meet all their objections in a manner
ely te be satisfactory. Having insisted on the necessity
cult, moreover, to deny that this maim will have of some cheek upon the insurance of infants, he admitted
an influence, it may be a decisive influence, upon there were strong reasons against absolute prohibition, mid
the actual politics of France. Hitherto the Governs the amount of insurance might be limited to the real
'vent of 'Alai:filial McMahon has not met a very expenses of burial.
serious opposition, and there can be no doubt that , The deputation considered the interview satisfactory.
it will receive such opposition from the prisoners who
have escaped from his power. We know how much a
mingle pen may influence a fickle country like France;
and it may be taken for granted that the escape
iif the former editors of the La acme and the
Maraeillaise will in a great measure counterbalance
the detention of all the remaining prieoners in
New Caledonia. If the government of the Marshal
were wise, it would seize this opportunity of extend-
ng an amnesty to its adversaries, and so avoid their
attacks. But experience of the past does not warrant
us in expecting that it will exercise so much foresight
and thus it will once more be given us to see a sight
which the present century has so often afforded—that
of a French government carrying out a policy of
resistance until at last it explodes like a boiler under
too high pressure." ,