The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-09-06 00:00:00

Tfll STOT7RPRIPCF OPSFRVER.

coal, 14s 64, all per ton of 21 cwt, at pit month,
some miles hence. Merchants appear convinced
that prices will further advance.

A rather amusing incident occurred during the
progress of the Tichborne trial, a few days back.
Whilst a witness n4med Jones was describing his
having seen Castro at Castlemain in the latter
end of 1851. Castro being at the time in company
with Arthur Orton, and engaged in the occupa-
tion of bushranging, the Claimant said in a tone
quite loud enough to reach the witness—" What
—lies the man is telling." This was certainly
not complimentary to his own witness, but it
must be remembered that the Claimant has in his
own evidence sworn that in Jutly, 155.1, he landed
at Melbourne in the Osprey, and then went direct
to Oippesland in the service of Mr. Foster, with
whom he remained for three years, and that Jones's
evidence is directly contradictory of this. It ap
pears that this is not the only occasion on which
the Claimant has made remarks of a similar nature
in the course of the trial. These are usually
spoken in what the Claimant appears to think a
low tone of voice, but are generally loud enough
to be audible all across the table. The only marvel
is that the reporters do not, as a rule, publish
them.

Our readers will recollect that a short time ago
we drew attention to a pamphlet entitled the
"Handbook for Australia" which described some
of the advantages which that country had to offer
to intending emigrants. Most of those remarks
are now endorsed by the Melbourne Argus the lead-
in, newspaper of Victoria, which snys :—" The
necessity of fresh immigration becomes every day
more apparent. The farmers especially feel the
scarcity of labour, and their position is very
accurately described in a petition recently pre-
sented to the Legislative Assembly from the
Hampden Shire Council in favour of the resump-
tion of assisted immigration. The petitioners
stated 'that there are so many public works being
carried on at present, and so many outlets which
drain the labour market, that the farmer cannot
secure his harvest, nor, indeed, can he obtain any
class of labour except at ruinous rates. From this
cause many farmers have been compelled to give
up cultivating their lands and farms altogether, a
circumstance which must inevitably lead to disas-
trous results, affecting, as it will seriously, the
whole population of the colony.'"

How our volunteers would conduct themselves
in actual warfare it is hard to Bv, but if the be-
haviour of those who were a short time back
engaged in the sham fight at Cannock Chase is to
be any criterion we are afraid that they would not
show to mach advantage. From the remarks
which appeared in a contemporary it would appear
that they refused to do skirmishing duty, because
they were not accustomd to if, and that they
complained loudly of the discomforts and hard-
ships of camp life. They also availed themselves
of the excuse uttered by invitations to go home,
cud eventually nearly the whole of them left the
camp. There has also been great fault found with
them for keeping up a noisy conversation whilst
in the ranks. If these remarks are true, and we
have reason to believe that they are, it is evident
that our " citizen soldiers" have much to learn
before the, can become efficient defenders of the
" hearths and homes" they are supposed to be
preparing themselves to protect.

Shortly after Mr. Lowe first entered upon office
as Chancellor of the Exchequer, he made aremark
in apostpromlid speech, at the Fishmongers' Hall,
London, to the effect that when he retired from
that office, he would do so with a "grateful coun-
try showering blessings upon his head." We
.hink that even he will admitthat in this instance,
at least, the " flattering tale" told by hope has ,
scarcely been realised; in fact, if he had substi-
tuted " execrations " for "blessings," he would
gave been nearer the truth. And the same per-
eei sity of ill-luck, or lack of public appreciation,
seems to have followed him in his new sphere of
action. A few weeks back, the secretary of the
Loudon Trades Council wrote to Mr. Bruce, then
me Home Secretary, calling his attention to the
severity of the sentence passed by .Paron Pigott,
it the Central Criminal Court, upon three young
wen for an assault upon a fellow-workman, and
asking him to receive a deputation and hear such
, statements as would, in their opinion, induce him
,to mitigate the sentence. Shortly after this Mr.
tiruce went out of office, and the official reply from
air. Lowe is to the effect that there isnot sufficient
ground to justify him in complying with the ap-
,,iication. This answer was read at the monthly
.neeting of delegates of the 'Trades Council on
Wednesday last, and after some strong remarks on
cue way in whim tile working classes had been
..reated by the present tiovernment, the following
resolution was unanimously adopted :—" That in
he opinion of this Counc.l, representing the
traded societies of the metropolis, the answer of
the Home Secretary, Mr. Lowe, to the application
irom the Council, regarding the cruel and unjust
,eutence passed by Baron Pigott on Messrs.
Walker, Tomblin, and Pyle, is in harmony with
uis general conduct on all questions affecting the
iberties, rights, and claims of labour; and the
Council views with deep regret his appointment to
the Home Secretaryship as calculated to carry out
s haughty, heartless, and vindictive policy towards
the working classes which their conduct does mot
-uerit, and can add no dignity to his office."

it is evident that there are yet more ge in
earth than are dreamt of in the philosophy of
even weather prophets and meteorologists.

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