The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-11-15 00:00:00

ME STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER,

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deeply rooted in the popular affections ? (Chinni I
oak you, was there ever a time when the chimes that
make up a mot and civilized community were more
firmly united together in the bonds of good under-
standing ? (Cheery.) lam almost ashamed to descend
from these considerations and to ask you again if there
ever was a time when the trade of the country—when
the revenue of the country had exhibited a more ex-
traordinary buoyancy and elasticity than during the
recent years during which we have lived? (Cheers.)
I will venture to say as the result of the observation
for which at boat I have had abundant opportunities,
that not only have we witnessed a development in
which our Industry and commerce have experienced
an extraordinary extension, but that extenaion has ,
been attended with this peculiar feature, that
along with it there ham been a constant confirms
tion of -
sp basis on which it stands. While it has
become . 'become more and larger, it has eljeo 'beco more brit
I and tuo lid. (Cheers.) In years which many ,if
us can ember, the listufban4Cof some greet counft
the love of some particular market, the cav,isi occur-
rence of s bad harvest, was enough at once to throw
us into distress, at once to derange the balance of public
income and expenditure, and at once to disturb the
balance of our trade. But now, on the contrary, so
largely have we established our 'ialations, net with this
country or with that—not with this motet or with
that—but with the whole human race, and with the
wants of the whole human raise, that the particular
failure is lost In the comprehenstvenesiteof the relations
JR which we stead to. all the world; and, upon
the whole, with a remarkable uniformity of progress,
we advance sontinudly in that industry and enter-
prise, which not only produces what, in my opinion, is
a secondary, ani in some respects even questionable ad-
vantage, of Increasing the Lumber of the rich • but in
this respect, too, I admit effects have been produced
which will be ever memorable in the history of the
country by enlarging the resources of the poor
man, by enabling the Labourer of this coun-
try, to whatever class he belongs, to find a
more abundant anbeistence for his wife and children,
and in relieving the conditions necessary too often in
the sphere of human existence to attach him more firtrly
than he otherwise would have been attached to the laws
and institutions under which he lives. My Lord
Mayor, I may be prejudiced, no doubt, but I think I was
justified In meeting as I have met the mournful and
lugubrious accounts that are sometimes palmed of on
the public as what Is supposed to be the miserable con-
dition of the people. (Cinery.) The controversy, I
have no doubt, will be brought up in another arena.
(A laugh.) We are here met for social and not for
controvenial purposes. (Cheery.)

The PROTECTION of WOMEN !and CHM-

DREN EMPLOYED in FACTORIES.
In the case of " Wimpenny v. Brooke," tried before
Baron Pollock at the last Leeds Assizes, resulting in a
verdict for the defendant, Mr. Field, Q.C., moved in
the Court of Exchequer (the Lord Chief Baron and
Barons Bramwell and Pollock) for a rule nut for • new

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The action wan brought by an employ in a factory,
aged thirty, to recover damages for injuries sustained
I n the performance of her duty by reason of her dress
having been caught in the machinery. There was con.
siderable discussion between the learned counsel and
the beach as to the real scope of the Factory Act, Mr.
Field arguing that, except in the case of wilful negli-
genoe on the part of the women and children einployed,
no amount of mere cereleasness would disentitle them
to recover in caw of an swami arising out of the pre-
sence of dangerous machinery.
• •

Baron Bramwell suggested that the intention of the
Legislature was simply to protect such persons as from
age or sex had not complete control of their own ac-
tions, but only in cares where they can show that they
have not by their own carelessness "contributed" to
an accident. In this case the plaintiff was not asked
at the trial, nor was there any evidence as to whether
she knew that, in stooping to pick up something she had
dropped, she was exposing herself to unusual peril from
proximity to certain machinery. Upon that ground
the court granted a rule, but refused it on the ground
that the verdict was against the weight of evidence,
although Baron Pollock admitted that he was of
opinion the verdict was wrong.

Whams : Oh, yea ; be ha• keen one of the beet
fathers until he went oat of his mint
Impeder Bevy here asked for • remind.
The Magistrate saki there was enflicient evidence at
present, and remanded the prisoner.