The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-12-07 00:00:00

THE HIGH PRICE OF PROVISIONS.

A deputation of tradesmen and working men, the
members of which had been appointed at various public
meetings, waited by awkoiritucent on Friday afterneon
upon Mr. t rice, at the Home Office, irk reference to
the present high prices of food and other articles of
home consumption, and to suggest measures which
might remedy the evil. Mr. A. Dunn, iron merchant.
of Bermondsey, introduced the deputation.
Mr. G. Murphy raid the present hign price of pr.
visions were becoming a serious matter to the working
classes, who very naturally began to inquire into the
cawe of the ev-iL they found that several millinns if
acres of land were kept out of cultivation for the pri-
servation of game for the wealthy classes, and they
asked why this should be so. They found that the
land was yearly parsug into fewer hands, until at the
present time one-half of the land of the country was
owned by 150 persists, and the whole number of pro-
prietors of land did not exceed £30,000. They believed
that if the land now used for game preserves were
utilized for the production of food it would largely in-
crease the supply and tend to keep down the price.
He trusted the Government would do all in its power
to increase and free the food supply of the people,
Mr. S. Brighty called attention to the existing regu-
lations regarding the introduction of foreign cattle
into this country, and the monopoly creatk d by the
Deptford-market to the benefit of the large carcass
butchers, but to the injury of the retail butcher and
the consumer. He ccntended the stringent regulations
now existing as to foreign cattle were not warranted
by facts, and were kept up mainly for the protection
of the home erower. The exieting system favoured
met opals'. He thect referred to the qui stion of coals,
and said that a short time since the working men of
Leicester combined together and gent an agent to the
pits, who entered into an arrangement for a supply of
coal from the pit's moth at Ps. per ton. They then
applied to the railway company to ascertain the charge
for carrying it to Leicester, but they were informed the
r: ilway company would not carry it at any price, un-
less it was bought through one of the regular coal
agents. He thought such a case was one for G teem-
ment inteiference. He also complained of the farnaa
getting into the hands of large capitalists.
Mr. House said, as a working tanner, his practical
and doily experience told him that the cattle diseare
was nothing lice so general as hail been represented.
He could tell diseased cattle from the state of their
hides. in Dutch hides there Was no disease
found. The wholesale destruction of foreign cattle
now occurring, under the plea of their being diseased,
and the stringent regulations in force in reference to
their importation tendril to discourage the foreign
grower from importing in order that the home grower
might be able to keep up his prices. It was the old
ystem of protection.
Mr. M'Ara said the game laws interfered with the
food production of the country. If the land now used
for came preserving was brought under cultivation the
supply of food in this country would be increased at
least one-fourth. The game laws were for the pleasure
of the few to the great injury of the body of the
people.
Mr. Sinclair, as illustrating the evil of the present
system, referred to the fact that a wealthy nobleman
lately purchased a large trect of land in the north of
Scotland, but instead of reclaiming the waste portion
of that land, and making it food-producing land, he
took an exactly opposite Course. He ejected a large
number of tenant farmers, threw their land out of
cultivation, and turned it into a deer forest. These
and similar facts naturally exasperate I the working
glasses, and in tl e inter. eta if order he asked the
Government to turn its attention to the social require-
ments of the people.
Mr. Babes referred to the coal question, and quoted
some statistics to show that the enormous rise in the
price of that article did not arise from the increased
wages of the collier or his reduced hours, but from the
monopoly of the coalowners. The working men were
suffering great,y, although quietly, at the present time,
but it was possible they might not remain quiet much
longer, and therefore Government should lose no time
in bookie g into these things.
Mr. Bruce, in replying, said : I have listened with
much interest to the arguments so ably and temper.
ately urged by those who have addressed me, and I
have also mach pleasure in stating that I more or less
agree with all that has been said. No question can
me re worthily engage the attention of Government
than that having reference to the improving the social
condition of the people, and more especially that branch
of the question relating to the supply of food. I would
here express my admiration of the peaceable conduct
of the working clsesei in a time of great privation to a
large number of them. The present Government has
never shown a coldness to this subject, and they, as
well as the Liberal party generally, should receive the
giatitude or the people for what they have done in
freeing the food of the country from taxation. The
duty has been taken off the articles of general cow
gumption to a large extent, and the Gov...orient will
be Oast to go further in that direction whenever
practicable. You have wade various suggestiicns
to
me, some within and some without the range of Parlia-
ment. I do not thick there Las been any undue rest:M-
aki. nj on the importation of foreign cattle, and I am
certgiu it is not the wish or desire of the Government
—certainly not that of those ef my colleagues, Lord
Ripon grid Mr. Forster, who have that ilepartment
under their control—that any undue restriction should
exist or continue. But they have facts before them
with which the general public are ume.quainted, and
whatever they have done has been done in the interest
of the public generally. Some restriction was tabs°
lutely necessary, but I believe no m. g restriction will
be irapkaol thin is found to be imperatively required.
I elyall report, however, to my two colleagues the
opudous I have lagard teolay. Then with respect to
the land question, which to ono of great importance.
I Ike Gan! fliuceot hope soon to be aide to remove some
of this gvils relating to land, and I am of opinion that
there aimula exist perfect freedom in the transfer of
laud.
.It must he borne in mind, however, that
land in this country is very limited, and will
always command a high price. The diminution of small
farmers is owing in • great measure to the high prices
offered for them by men of large capital. I damn to

correct an error which has been made here to-day by
one of the speakers, and which it is very cornuaiaa out
of doors, owing doubtless to the way in whichlhe last
census was drawn up. It has been said that, in the last
few years, the landed proprietors have been reduced to
about 30,000. But this is not so. In the Denims
Returns professional men, manufacturers, merchants,
and others, who are large owners of land, have re-
turned themselves not as landowners, but in their own
particular calling. This will be remedied in the next
Census, when a more correct return will be made.
Then, as to the game laws, which is a question of
some gravity, I cannot deny the position taken up
by the deputation, that if the enclosed and pre-
served land was brought under cultivation more food
could be produced. Tnat would unquestionably
be the case. But no Government could interfere with
a man in the free use of his own laud. A man prefers
to keep and breed pheasants instead of keeping and
breeding poultry, and he naturally asks, "Why should
not my property be protected as much in one case as in
the other ? ' I may observe, however, that there is a
i groat improvement n the feeling of Parliament upon
this question, and I hope to see some measure passed
that would meet in some degree the admitted evil,
though I do not think many even of the Liberal mem-
bers are prepared to go so far as total repeal. It
would be a sheer waste of time for the Government to
go in advance of the opinion of Parliament. In
regard to the price of cool, I confess I cann
see my way to any Government interference. I
quite agree with you that the sudden rise in the
price of cod was not owing to any advance in the
wages of the colliers but I cannot shut my eyes to the
fact which exists, that the colliers in many instances do
not work as many days as when their wages were
lower. This was, perhaps, a natural feeling. I be-
lieve, however, that the evil arising from the high price
of coal will soon coned itself. I must again eay that
I feel greatly impressed with all that you have laid
before me. and I believe that the Government may du
much in the direction urged. I will lay allthat I have
heard to-day before my colleagues, and I believe they
will be desirous of doing all that they can do. (Hear.
Mr. Dunn here remarked that a large quantity of
grain was now used in the manufacture of intoxicating
drinks which might be better used for food.
Mr. Bruce regretted the prevalence of intemperance;
but believed the Licensing Bill would work some im-
provement by its restrictions. He thought the work-
ing men generally were in favour of further restriction;
but the Government had gone as far in their Bill as
Parliament were prepared to agree to.
The deputation then retired.