The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1888-04-07 00:00:00

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

NON-PAYMENT OF Poon RATES.—At the Yorkshire
West Riding Police-court at Sheffield, 640 people, in-
habitants of Ecclesfield, a township near Sheffield, have
been summoned for the non-payment of poor rates. The
greater part of the people summoned did not appear.
In some cases, where the defendants were proved to be
in receipt of poor relief, the Bench dismissed the sum-
monses. In one case the defendant had been dis-
charged from the workhouse only on the previous day.
One woman summoned was 84 years of age, and had
been bedridden for years. In these circumstances the
Bench also declined to make orders. With regard to
the people not appearing, distress warrants were
issued.
TEACHING OF HISTORY.—A correspondent writes :
"I have always considered it essential that boys in our
board schools (who are our future electors) should be
well grounded in English history. I find on inquiry
that they are not examined on this subject, that its
teaching is entirely optional, and that if taught the se-
lection of the book rests entirely with the headmaster.
Surely it is time that an impartial history was selected
by the Board, its teaching enforced, and the scholars
examined on the subject."
DYNAMITE EXPLOSION.—An explosion of dynamite by
which four persons were killed and several injured has
occurred at a factory near Bilbao in Spain.
THE MERCHANDISE MARKS ACT.—The attention of
the Custom House authorities having been drawn by
the Merchandise Marks Acts Association to the fact
that recently 24 cases of Manila cigars, marked
"Nuevo Habana," were detained at the Custom House
and only released on the petition of the importer, the
Commissioners of Customs have replied that the word
" Habana " constitutes a trade description under the
Act, but that it was sufficiently qualified by other pord-
ings' including the words " Fabrica de Tabacos Manila,"
and the boxes were released.

A SEVERE FAMINE prevails in Montenegro just now,
and it has been aggravated by the return of a large '
number of emigrants. The authorities are offering
grain at half-price, but the people cannot afford to pay
for it, and declare that it was sent from Russia to be
distributed gratis.

CONFERENCE OF WOMEN.—An International Council
of Women is sitting in Washington, with the object of
discussing social problems and the various means for
advancing women's interests, including female suffrage.
Several foreign delegates aro present, and papers on
various subjects have been read.

THE NEW HEBRlDES.—lntelligence has been re-
ceived at Sydney announcing that the evacuation of
the New Hebrides by the French troops is now com-
pleted, the troops having been transferred to Noumea.
STRANGE DISCOVERY IN A SEWER.—The police
found in the mouth of a sewer in a street in the centre
of Madrid 500 letters which had been opened. They
had contained bills of exchange, notes, and other docu-
ments, sent from the North-west Provinces to well-
known persons in Madrid. The magistrates suppose the
authors of the robbery were Post-office officials.

A NEW PARLIAMENT.—It is understood that the
Canadian Government will shortly introduce a bill
creating a Legislative Assembly for the North-west
Territory to consist of 25 members, including three
judges of the Supreme Court of the Territory, who
will sit in the House but have no vote. The Canadian
North-west has generally escaped the severe weather
which has prevailed in Dakota and in other parts of the
United States. All along the Canadian Pacific Rail-
road from Victoria (British Columbia) to Lake Superior
the temperature ranges from 30 to 40 degrees above
freezing point.
HIS SUPPER WASN'T READY.—JaMeS CaVell'S supper
was not ready the other night when he reached his
home, at 15, Heath-street, St. George's. So he imme-
diately caught up the poker, and struck his wife a
violent blow with it on the nose, following this attack
up with a couple of blows with his fist. A fine of 205.,
and an order to be bound over to keep the peace for six
months, was the reward vouchsafed him by the Thames
Police magistrate.
CONCILIATING THE CROFTERS.—It is stated that the
Duke of Sutherland has caused much gratification
among Sutherlandshire crofters by offering to them
for holdings and pasture the large Strathalladale deer
forest and sheep run, which extends for some 20 miles,
and the lease of which has just expired. Stratlaalla-
dale formed part of the land where the Sutherla.ndshire
evictions occurred 70 years ago.
PROTESTANT BICENTENARY.—Tunbridge Wells had a
well-attended meeting in connection with the Bicen-
• tenary of the Protestant Settlement of 1688. The Rev.
• Thomas Greenland, who presided, maintained that the
Reformation was a great battle for the supremacy of
law over both clergy and laity, a relief from the
burdens laid on the people by the Pope of Rome, for
liberty. of conscience in opposition to subinioon to
human authority, and for the supremacy of Scripture
in matters of faith. Other addresses were deliverc.l.
BARRED FRO3I THE BAR.—The appeal of Mr. F.
Heritage, formerly a solicitor, from the decision of the
Benchers of the Inner Temple refusing to call him to
the Bar, has been concluded before Lord Chief Justice
Coleridge,. the Master of the Rolls (Lord Esher), and;
Justices Denman, Manisty, Mathew, Wills, and
Kekewid. After evidence had been taken on behalf
of the appellant, and counsel had been heard for the
benchers, the judges, after nearly an hour's considera-
tion, upheld the decision of the Benders, and • the
appeal was accordingly dismissed. •
"MEDICAL SPECIALISTS."—The five alleged medical
"quacks," already committed at Manchester for con-
spiracy to defraud, have been again before the magis-
trates, charged with circulating improper books. About
39 cwt. of books, papers, ar.! pamphlets were removed
from a cellar in their occupation, and these were alleged
to be of an improper nature. Three of the prisoners
were comm.. e l on the new charge, the case against
the other two being dismissed.
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