The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-04-18 00:00:00

THE BETTING LAWS.

Mr. Anderson moved the second reading of the Betting
Bill, and stated that it was now 10 years since the general
principle uf the measure had bet:en approved by Parliament
by the passage of a bill through the House to apply
to England. Since that time he had sought repeatedly
to extend the principle to Scotland, but it had never
I een defeated on its own merits. He proposed by this
bill, first, to aniend the English law, which was deficient
and permitted advertisements and circulars ; next to ex-
tend the amended law to Scotland. At present advertise-
ments to be illegol nnist invite persons to betting houses
In England. He did not object to betting, but only wished
to interfere when the immorality came in.
Sir U. Selw Ibbetson thought there was one broad
principle on which they should act, and that was, that there
should be one general law for tile United Kingdom. Since
the passing of the Act of 18S3 Scotland had been made the
nest of betting. Tlie bill id the hon. member could not be
called class legislation as it did not propose to interfere with
the poor and more than with the rick He heartily approved
the bill, and the Government would support the second read-
ing of the bill, reserving their right to propose alterations in
conunittee. (Rear, hear.)
THE BENGAL FAMINE. After a few words from Mr. Mitchell Henry and Mr. IlLaren,
I a
The Duke of Argyll : I wish to give notice that on the 24th ' the bill was read second time.
teat I propose to call the attention of the House to the MARRIED WOMEN'S PROPERTY ACT (1.570) AMENDMENT
papers which have been presented on the subject of the Ben- BILL.
gal famine, and to make a statement to the House upon that Mr. S. Morley, in moving the second reading of this bill,
subject. briefly explained its provisions. Its object was to remedy a
THE ASHANTF.E EXPEDITION. defett in the existing law by making the husbands of women
who had acquired property responsible for the debts of their
The:Lord Chansellor informed their lordships that he hail wives, but only to the extent of the property acquired with
received from Major-General Sir Garnet Wolseley a letter , tun,.
acknowledging the receipt of his lordship's letter of the 31st
After at few w ords
ds from Mr. Lopes, who said lie used to
ult. conveyingthanking to
him (Sir Wlse t
him the resolution of the House of
oppose the measure, but lie did not now intend to take that
Lor, Garnet oley) and he
other officers engaged in the Ashantee Expedition, for
their services on the Gold Coast The letter added that Mr. Alfred Martin moved the rejection of the bill, con-
it was, perhaps, needless that he (Sir Garnet Wolseley) tending that tithe measure were passed it would introduce a
should inform his lordship how highly that great honour was i novel mode of procedure by making a husband liable after
appreciated; but he hail requested H.R. H. the Field Marshal any length of time to ageuunt for tile property he had re-
Commantling-imChief and the Lords of the Admiralty to ceived with his wife on his marriage.
signify to the officers and men who had been engaged in the Sir F. Golcismid supported the bill, and Mr. Staveley Hill
expedition the terms of the resolutions, opposed it.
The Attorney-General supported the loill, observing that it
hardly went far enough, but might have its provisions ex-
tended in committee.
The debate was continued by the Atffirney-General for Ire-
land, Mr. Meldon, and Mr. Gregory, and the second reading
was agreed to without a division.

The Howe of Lards reamenibled on l'uesilay evening, after
the Easter recess.

THE ATTORNEYS AND SOLICITORS BILL
waskead a third time and passed, and their lordships ad-
jouived.
In the House of Commons, several new members took el
oath and their seats.

NOTICES OF MOTION. THE GAME BIRDS (IRELAND) BILL.
Mr. Taylor—On Tuesday, the 12th, he will bring forward a Lord Crichton moved the second reading of this bill, the
resolution with regard to the opening of museums on Sun- object of which was to assimilate the close time for grouse
days. and partridge in Ireland to the English close time.
Mr Serenelson—That on an early day he will ask the First After some debate, in which the bill was supported by Sir
Commissioner of Works to whom the piece of land between
M. H. Beach, on behalf of the Government, the second read-
Hungerford Bridge and Northumberland House belonged to,
ing of the bill was agreed to on a division by 141 votes to GO.
and how long it was to be allowed t o lay waste.
Mr. Macdonald iOn the 25th of May, to ask the Home PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS (RETURNING OFFICERS)
Secretary whether it is his intention to introduce a bill for BILL.
the better suppression of the truck system. On the same On the motion of Sir H. James, a bill to control the charges
day to ask the Home Secretary whether he proposes to in- . of returning iitticers at Parliamentary elections was brought
tro,luce a bill to amend the law relating to compensation in in and read a first time, and the House adjourned.
eases of injury to persons through the negligence of their

- - .
einp/oyers.
Mr. O. Morgan 011 the Sth of May, to call the attention of
the House to the appointment of judges in Wales who du BREACH OF PROMISE OF MARRIAGE.
not understand the Welsh language.

Bereslorl Hoye On the 12th 3layl to call attention to

the ;election of Oxford as a military ceiltre.

At the Liverpool assizes the cause of " Mathieson u.
Eccles" has been tried, and *as an action for breach of
promise of marriage.
••

THE NATIONAL GALLERY.

Mr. Cowper-Temple asked the First Commissioner of
Works when the building whieh is being added to the
National Gallery will be completed ; and whether it will
suffice for the exhibition of all the pictures belonging to the
National Gallery?
Lord IL Lennox stated that the buildings would, he hoped,
be finished in a year from this time. They would, he be-
lieved, afford sufficient accommodation for the national col-
leetion of pictures, including those at South Kensington.

Mr. Russell. Q.('., and Mr. T. IT. James were for the plain.
tiff ; Mr. Aspinall, Q.C., and Mr. Myburgh for the defend.
ant :--

-
The plaintiff, a young lady of 21 years of age, is the
daughter of a Mr. John Anderson Mathieson, a mer-
chant, in Glasgow, and the defendant a cotton broker,
is business in Liverpool.
The plaintiff and defendant first met about the 9th
or 10th f June last, in the house of a mutual friend,
at Moffat, in Scotland, a.ii seems to have fallen in
love almost at first sight, for by the 25th of June the
defendant made a proposal of marriage to the young
lady and was accepted, with the sanction of her family.
On the lot of Jukv, the defendant having returned to
Liverp,ol, a correspondence of an affectionate character
v-as carried on between the plaintiff and defendant.
The marriage was arranged to be solemnized in Oc-
tober, and the defendant wrote several letters con-
sulting the plaintiff's wishes about the furnishing of
the house, and among others one on Sunday, the 15th
d July, stating that he was greviously disappointed at
not basing received a letter that day and hoped to
have a double quantity the next day. He added :

--- -
" I shall launch into the furnishing this week, and get a
start made in that direction. Moffat will he a place of the
past with you schen this note reaches its destination, but may
its loved associations livelong in our minds, and indeed I don't
think they are ever likely to be eradicated. I like Sunday.
as I always have more tine: on that day to think of you. It
will be the pleasantest in the week to us, as I hope we shall
be together In all its duties and pleasures when we are mar-
ricd. . . . I picked up a very good book at my brother's
to-day. laid I.r.ught it with tile to read in the train. It is
called Oliee, Icy the author if John Halifax. I don't know
Whether you have read it ; but, if not. I will bring it when I
come. It shows very strikingly how little matters sometimes
spoil the peace of married life, and as far as I have got there
ore some beautiful ideas in it. The following lines are also
quoted from Tennyson's May Queen :
• Look through mine eyes with thine, dear wife,
ROUII4 me, true heart, time arms entwine,
' My other clearer life in life,
' Look through my very soul with thine.'
And so it ought to be—the one looking Ito the innermost
depth of the other's heart with perfect mfldence—perfect
love. You and I are not children, and it should be our study
so best to utilize our two lives as to make us worthy of the
better life hereafter. A wife can make a great deal of her
husband, and ciao rem. lam afraid you will think lam
lecturing you, but before and. since our engagement I have
thought very much how solemn a contract marriage is, and
not to be entered upon lightly or frivolously. It must either
make or mar two lives. You, dear Mary, are not. I kno*,
one of those fancy dolls many people fall in love with, aid I
felt sure, before I asked you to be my other self, you would
make a good, true, and earnest helper." _ .

The defendant, 'after this, accompanied by his sister
Ruth, visited the plaintiff's amily at Glasgow and ,
stayed there from the 31st cf July till the 9th of .
August. The plaintiff and defendant posted on the
most affectionate terms. From the day of his return
to Livervoil, up till the 29th of August, almost daily
letters passed between the plaintiff and defendant, in
which, up to the very last letter, there was nothing to
show that the defendant's feelings had altered towards
the young lady. On the 31st of August the defendant
wr, to to the plaintiff 's father, Mr. Mathieson, the
following letter:- -
-since our engagement my feelings towards Mary have
hot been what I either hoped or expected them to be, and as
time wears on I am pained to say that my atketion for her
has grown weaker instead of stronger. I hare struggled
against my own feelings, and striven hard to bring myself to-
think other as I ought, but it is no use. l'nder these cirmung
stances, I throw myself on your consideration, and, knowing
you to be a wise and good nian, ask your advice. uan I con-
s..ientionsly swear to love Mary when I do not feel that love
in roy heart ; and if it is not there, is it possible for me to
make her happy? If you think so, and that there is any
chance of our future being at all height. I will willingly frill
niy engagement. Mary is a true, good girl, and It nearly
br,aks my heart to write as I am writing, knowing what pain
and :rouble I have entailed upon her ; but for her own sake
I .:,dolot feel justified in entering into the most solemn and
nea,it relationship of life without thus consulting)ou, her
ant,nal guarlian."
In consequence of this letter Mr. Mathieson tele-
gra) t, the defendant to meet him at the Station
i-1t.4 a., Carlisle on the 3rd of September. The meet-
ing was held, and Mr. Mathison stated (the plaintiff
not having been called) that while he was on his way
from :lasgow to Carlisle he drew up on the back of a
rally: ay guide (which was produced in court) the follow-
ing interrogatories, which he at the interview ad-
ministered to the defendant, and also stated the de-
fendant's answers to them.—" Have you ever said
anything to Mary of a change in your feelings towards
herr Answer, "No." " Has there been anything in,
her letters to indicate a change of feeling on her part?'
" No." " Has anything been said or done by Mary to
warrant any change inyour feelings towards her. 'No."
" Has any rumour, report, or letter been received
by any of your friends, or anything been said or done
by Mary calculated to offend you or yours?" "No."
! "Has any gossiping story reached you affecting Mart?
"Nothing of the kind." " Have you made any other
engagement or got into any entanglement '!"—" No."
" What is there to prevent you fulfilling your engage-
ment Answer, "There is one thin,' and that is I
hare dii,e,,vored that she does not tae a sufficiently
Ile, ly interest in cricket."
- -

Mr. Mathieson then told the defendant that there
were more important duties for a woman than the
cricket-field, and asked him to return to Glasgow with
him, but the defendant refused to do so, retuarknlJ
that if he did he should re-engage himself.
_ - . .

For the defence no witneesee vrere called, but it was
urged that the engagement had been a hanty one, that
it -had been entered into by the defendant without

proper consideration, that his feelings had changed,
and that if plaintiff's family had acted with ordinary
prudence, the engagement having being made after they
had known each other for only ten days, they would have
insisted, before they consented to the marriage, on a
certain time of probation, at least longer than their
engagement, which was only for a period of two
months.

The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff, £2,000

stood. That nothing might be left undone to carry
out the understanding with Mr. Arch, the Govern-
ment had decided upon sending a number of canvassers
throughout the country to take orders from the far-
mers for the labourers they require, so that upon the
arrival of the labourers every arrangement may be
made for their getting into work immediately. The
union, in the meantime, may send by the first ship
sailing to Quebec 100 married farm labourers with
their families, and 100 single farm labourers. This
number can be sent every week, Colonel Denison says,
until further notice; and the Government have no
doubt that many times this number can be readily
absorbed into the population, but are anxious to
be within the mark, so that all who come from the
union may have certainty of satisfactory employment.
After the canvassers have been out they may write for
much larger numbers. It was found that the Govern-
ment could not act, as was contemplated, respecting
' cottages and clearances in free grant townships; but
an act bad now received the assent of his Excellency,
and a small number will be prepared as agreed, though
I the difficulty named had delayed matters so much that
they could not be ready so early as was anticipated.
As Mr. Arch understood when in Canada, a very
limited number only can be prepared. Colonel Denison
adds that the 6s. bonus given by the Ontario Govern.
ment can be advanced in reduction of the passage
money on application to the London agent.