The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-10-10 00:00:00

MUNICIPAL LAW.

The " special question" was, " Is it desirable to amend
the present law which gives the personal property and earn-
ings of it wife to her husband?
lit the course of his paper Mr. Iloitliolibe showed that the
rich alino,t universally remit to marriage settlements to
secure some property to the wife, and thus act al the theory
that the rule of COllllll.ll law ti inexpedient. Sueilllktly, 110
showed that the Court of Chancery had gone a long way in
the same direction, and had thus practically reversed the
intent C.lllllOll law ill all cases falling under the coguizance
of that Court Ile then proceeded to ask which of these two
courses was right—that both could be was impossible. The
rich escaped from the COIIIIIIOII law by means of costly
marriage settlements of the Court of Chancery • the poor
could not afford such costly ovate% of escape, and remained
subject to the COMIIIOII law. Of the practice of the rich no
complaint was made, white on the eiliallloll law grave nil,
chiefs were affiliated. 111 his opinion there was a sufficient
cast: fir alkrogating the eOlll,llOll law, and making manied
wonmerrt(tiisrt of owning properly as alt=olutely as Angle
Wohrinht d... Mr. 'tollhouse dilated at length upon the ob-
jections which have Itent urged against any alteration of the
law. It had been ordeal that the husband ought to be the
sole master of the property of lath, because ttf his duties as
head of the house ; secondly, that the present law is founded
MI that consideration of the husband's position. As to Otis
latter. as a hiltorleal proposition, he c..nbidered it muclonore
probable that the rule of law Is a relic a the patriarchal
power which is common to all the Aryan stoeks, and has beot
got rad if IT each nation nearly la proportion to its advance
in civilization, which relic has been preserved in England Ity
causes foreign to its own merits. In this country we have
the experience of the richer classes, and it Is not proved, or
even alleged, that airy of the pretended evils prevail among
them. In ttiter countries we have bad the experience of all
clasm., when the odd law Ira. been changed in consequence
of the dissatisfaction it gave • evils prophesied here were
also prophesied there, but theihave been foreeli tlk no unsub-
stantial. Ile concluded by urging that the proposed change
was one of the safest ever uttered to a nation, for we could
predict ifs results by looking at certain classes among our-
selves and at whole communities elsewhere.
An Intimated discussion ensued, in which Mr Beale, Mr.
Rinson, Mr. Morley, Mr. W. Morgan, Dr. l'anklinrst, Mr.
; W. Hastings, Mr. Frederick Hill, Mr. Cale. Mr. Westlake,
ttc., took part.
Mr. Cade was opposed to giving a lallnieil woman power
lii ttkloHe of her property withott the consent of her hus-
band

tie tioU%*ili Was continued at considerable length, with
Rollie diversity of ‘lpinton, the prevailing sentiment being
that a change of some 'Clad in the law was called ho..
Mr llohhouse, in the course of his reply, said the lent
things to be done was to convince people that the law Is had,
and ought to be altered.
lids closed the discussion.

wages, to aldniemherfi-When—orica -iveik or in sickness,
to help in burying the dead and they nmst exercise great in-
fluence upon society for good or for evil. The question now
was—Where they a blesaing or a curse! lie thought that,
notwithstanding many faults, they had proved beneficial
both to the working classes and the nation. There could
not be the slighteA doubt that the condition of the mechanics
who 1.111.1 the staple of the members of the union wet in-
finitely better than that of agricultural labourers. It was
not to legislation, but to the good sense and good feeling of
employers and workmen, that they must look for an effectual
rennaly ft, strikes lie had no faith in any arbitration by
persons aho a ere unacquainted with, and led erterest,l in,
the trade in which the dispute arose. Arbitration, to 10
effectual, must be the result of a system of open and friendly
bargain between masters mid men, meeting together and
talking over their common affairs in an amicable manner.
Mr. Mundella gave an interesting sketch of the Board of
Arbitration and Conciliation of the hosiery and glove trade
at Nottingham, which consisted of an equal number of
manufacturers and operatives, and with its branches
governed 140,000 persons. Ile showed that the Board had
always been successful in settling disputes and preventing
strikes, and said that the result of his experience as
president for eight years was the conviction that nothing
could be more conducive to the benefit of any trade. or
to the growth of a kindly feeling between all engaged in it
than the existence of such a representative and legislative
body.
Mr. Gilliver on behalf of the Birmingham Trades Council,
composed entirely of working men, read a paper on the saute
subject. lie Bahl there was often a difficulty in getting
employers to discuss with the representatives of a union a
trade dispute in a friendly way, and he suggested the ap-
pointment of a Board or Council of Conciliation, composed
of an equal number of members of the Chamber of (om-
merce and the Trades Council in a town.
Mr. Kettle gave an account of the Court of Arbitration at
Wolverhampton, which had succeeded in putting a stop to
disputed and strikes in the building trades ill that town, anti
the principles if which had been adopted by the same
trades in Manchester and Salford. The difference between
the Nottingham Board and this Court was that the awards
of the latter could tie legally enforced, the workmen agree-
ing to work upon the terms adepted. It wae a matter for
discussion whether that plan was the best, or whether the
Court of Arbitration should rely solely upon the influence
of public feeling fir the carrying out of its judgments.
Mr. Samuel NI orley, as a manufacturer, gave his entire ad-
hesion to the Nottingham system, which, he said, bad been
a great success. anti presented a solution of tone of the most
important questions of the day. That system was entirely
a voluntary one, and he thought that if the lower force of
any kind were introduced it would collapse. Ile admitted
the perfect right of working men to continue for the purpose
of getting the highest price for their lab. tur, but he denied
their right to coerce their fellow-labourers, arid trusted the
Legislature would take most determined measures to punish
such tyranny.
Professor Rogers expressed the opinion that Mr. Illundella
WWI one of the greatest benefactors the working clauses
hr
this country ever had.
In reply to a question, Mr. Kettle said the meetings of the
Courts of Arbitration at Wolverhampton were open to the
Press and the public.
Mr. Alfred Ilill, chairman of the Birmingham Chamber of
Commerce, said that in the case of the Birmingham stone-
masons an attempt last summer at conciliation hail failed
The men objected to piece work, to the sub-letting of con-
tracts, to wrought stone being brought into the town they
wanted stone to be brought in a rough state from the
quarries), and to arbitration. A committee composed of
three members of the Chamber of Commerce, three members
of the Trades Council, three operative masons, and three
master builders, was appointed to settle the Minute, but
after meeting three or four times they separated without
coming to an agreement.
The Rev. If. Sully wished to know what was to be done in
the event of the court of arbitration or conciliation not being
able to anise at a good understanding.
The Earl of Cartiarvon observed that there was a general
agreement as to the 'advantages of boards of conciliation or
arbitration, where they could be brought into operation, and
every one admitted that they should consist equally of
mottos and workmen, who he thought must meet on
absolutely equal terms. The great object of these bodies
was not wily to compose differences, but to anticipate them,
and the transaction of their business should lie no secret or
mystery. There were three points for consideration. First,
should the Board be established on the voluntary principle.
or should there lie distant or latent eonpulsion Ile was in
favour tit there being no appeal to the law, entire reliance
being placed on an honourable understanding between the
different parties. Secondly, ought parties interested in the
dispute to lie upon the beards? Ile thought they should
Lastly, how should the boards be formed In his opinion
the best plan would be to have an equal number of em-
ployers and working men in the particular trade involved
in the dispute.
fin Pollard-Urquhart, M.P., said courts of conciliation had
been very successful in settling questions of wages and petty
disputes about factory regulations, but he thought they had
failed in bringing about agreement respecting such trade
questions as those which had arisen with regard to the
Birmiugham stonemasons. Ile suggested that these courts
should direct their attention to enlightening working men
in regard to such displace which might imperil some of our
trades and maeufactures.
Mr. E. Hall remarked that boards of conciliation, though
valuable under present circumstances, were only the stepping
stone to industrial partnerships. Ile approved the idea of
conciliation rather than of arbitration,
ND. Ashworth, of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce,
and other gentlemen, joined in the discussion.
THE sANITARY CoNDITION or corNTRV VI LLAI;Es,
fir Ilunt read a paper on the above subject, from which
we 'nuke the following extracts:—
The returns of mortality prove Very little respecting the
healthiness of the country districts, unless many other
circumstances be taken into consideration. A village
really very unhealthy may ShOW, according to its
population, a low rate of mortality, as the aged and infirm
are removed in Many instances to end their days in the
union workhouse, anti sick pommy often tajojii to hospitals
fir t other parishes, and the cases which terminate fatally are
added tothe death account of the place where the hospital is
situated. As populatioe increases the stsperflux, after being
enumerated in several censuses, are driven out to increase the
urban populations, or they eulte to other countries. The
rural inhabitants bone the benefit of fresh air, :mil the
wealthy portion id them have their residences free from
sanitary defects, but the cottages of the poor are commonly
in in miserable condition. They are often low and ill-venti-
lated, or over-ventilated for want of repair. The holes In
the roof. Or chinks in the walls admitting lett merely fresh
air but rain, hIIOW, 1/11d the moist exhalations of the atmo-
sphere. It ie a practice of pour villagers to stop the ingress
of fresh air, and as far as they can pi impede ventilation.
This is frequently a matter of necessity, for fresh air in win-
ter without suitable comforts to counteract the effects of
severe coldness must have an injorioes effect. Fuel and
nourishing diet would be required. Badly dieted people
shivering in their houses froin cold suffer more in their health
than they would do in illtventilated steins where, with the
fresh air, cold is likewise excluded. Disease in county
villages is attributable much to poverty, but the terns of
sickness might be reduced if laards of guardians would adopt
a more enlightened policy than usually prevails among theni.
They dispense relief to the sick poor grudgingly, and accord-
ingly the term of the disease is pr. tracted, whereas byliberal
relief a cure might quickly be effected, the cause of sickness
atuong the poor I wing too frequently a deficient supply et the
necessaries of life. The same parsimony that prevails in the
administration of relief is extended to the remuneration of
medical Minters. When services are ill-requited can we expect
otherwise than that there min occasionally be instiumes of
neglect.
The prize essay of Nir. It. Arthur Arnold, on a plan for the
temporary emphoyment of operatives and workmen in casual
iiititre.S, Wll3 read, his conclusions were as follows that
ni periods of temporary distress it is inadvisable to promote
emigration ; 2nd, that the production of saleable commotli-
ties cennot he undertaken ; aril, that in atm, employment of
poems accidentally reduced to indigence it is atimolutely
necessary to provide etich labour as that by which they call
cairn wages sufficient f• or their maintenance ; 4, that no more
than the proper value of their lala tur slit add be given in pay-
ment for the execution of such work; and this, that the
labour of indigent persons during iteriods of temporary
distress employed by the guardians w the poor or ally other
local anti corporate authority must lie coulnied to works
which will come under the deutimination of " public utility"
Cr " sanitary improvement." The plan which he proposed
was founded on his experience in tile administration of Mr.
Villiers' Public Works , Manufacturing Districts' Act, 1063,
and involved loans by the Governnient to local authorities
on the security of rates. Ile suggested that the works should
be entirely under local superintendeuce, the Government in-
spectors having no autliority to direct their progress. fir.
Arnold was late Government Inspector of Public Works under
'`te Act of 10t:k

AN ESCAPE FROM THE MORGUE.

La Morgue is the most popular lion of the city. The
sad refuge receives on an average one pensionnaire
daily. Of 365 admitted during a year about 240 are
men, 50 women, and 75 infants from one day to ten
sears old. suicide brings some 170, and accidents S2O
bodies. During the last sixty years only twounexpected
resurrections have occurred. One of the survivors is
cow in his ssventieth year, and thins relates his simple
nad tvrriLle story. At the age of twenty he was
4L filleted with a nervous disease, resulting often in
syncope. One day he wont to the Champ-de-Mars to
witness the celebration of some fete, and overcome by
the heat, the excitement of the fireworks, &c., he
fainted. Transported to a neighbouring apothecary's
shop, a passing physician felt his pulse, applied the
ear to his chest, shook his head, pronounced the opinion
" lie is dead," and signing the certificate to this effect,
directed the body to be conducted to the Movie. All
this the patient heard. He remembered nothing more
at the time, and sense returning, he opened his eyes,
and found the place where he was as dark as Erebus.
:ioon he felt the icy coldness of the " situatioc," and
with cause, for he wasextended naked on a sloping marble
slab, with a current of water trickling over it. Ile put
' out his hand; hisneighb.sir wasa corpse, the companion
on his other side was, as Mr. Mantalini would say, "a
dem'd moist unpleasant body." At once he recollected
the doctor's directions—he was aware he was in the
Morgue. Ile screamed; but echo was the only answer.
After a while a policeman was attracted to the spot,
and threw the light of his lantern through the grating.
For a month subsequently this " casual" was laid up
with brain fever, hanging between life and death, hut
on recovery found that his nervousness had been carried
off by the fever.