The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-07-25 00:00:00

THE STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER.

there was any objection to the immediate admission of cattle
from the Duchy of Oldenburg on the same conditions as
cattle were now imported from Schelwig Holstein.
Lord Sandou said negociations had been carried on with •
view to remove the restrictions on the transit of cattle, but
the Privy Council did mot think it advisable to remove them
at present.

THE PATENT LAWS.
Mr. Cawley asked the Home secretary whether her
Majesty's Government were prepared to carry out such of
the recommendations of the Committee on the Patent Laws
contained in their report of 1872 as could be adopted without
further legislative powers and whether he would introduce
In the next session of Parliament a bill for further amending
the patent laws in accordance with the reconuuendations of
the committee.
Mr. Cross replied that it was the intention of the Govern-
ment to take proceedings as named in the first part of the
question, but the subject would engage their serious atten-
tion during the recess.
THE COURSE OP PUBLIC BUSINESS.
Mr. Disraeli, in answer to various questions, said that the
Public Worship Bill would not be resumed until the En-
dowed schools Bill had passed through Committee. It was
not possible for him at present to name the new Charity
Commissioners, but he agreed that it would be desirable
that the names should, if possible, be announced before the
bill passed. _

miners a proposition to be allowed to go to work on a reduc-
tion of 10 per cent, on their present gross wages with the 21
per tent (remainder of 121 percent.) referred to arbitration,
agrees to accept it "

The firm attitude taken by the masters has, conse-
quently, been successful, for there is no doubt, looking
at the state of trade, that the men will have to sub-
mit to the 12 per cent. reduction. On the news being
telegraphed to Barnsley great dissatisfaction was ex.
pressed by large bodies of the miners, who denounced
in strong terms the action taken by the Executive
without consulting the men.

The half-yearly meeting of the Iron Trade Arbitra-
tion Board for the North of England was held on
Monday at Darlington. The wages question having
been arranged with Staffordshire upon a sliding scale,
it was not entered upon, except with reference to dis-
putes at particular works. It was agreed that, as the
iron-workers at Carr House Iron Works had not com-
plied with the decision of the Standing Committee,
that they should be expelled from the Board. The
operative members supported this decision. Several
matters of dispute at various works were referred to
Mr. Kettle for settlement.

a gentleman who fixed his thoughts upon a watch-seal
worn by Mr. Leland, which was quickly pointed out
as the object selected. Mr. Brown volunteered to read
the thoughts of another without coining in direct con-
tact with him, but through the medium of a third per-
son. To do this he blindfolded himself as before, and
while taking the hand of a third party —the latter placing
his hand on his (Brown's) forehead —the man whose
thoughts were to be read took hold of the Nvrist of the
medium of communication, and so the three proceeded
around the room until the object was pointed out, or the
letters spelling the word thought of were spelled out
from the alphabet. The reporter of the Times de-
sirous of making this test, did so, together with Mr.
Leland. The metallic tag hanging to a key in the
door was the object selected for a concentration of
thought. After his usual preparation, Brown imme-
diately led the way to the door. When he reached it
lie felt around it for a few minutes, and the Times re-
porter believing that the scent was 10-‘t allowed his
thoughts to be directed to other objects. As those
objects presented themselves to his mind Brown
would immediately lead him and his companion to
them. At last a violent effort NILS made to concentrate
attention exclusively on the key-tag, and Brown at
once led the way to it. This test satisfied the reporter
that the workings of his mind had been implicitly
followed by Brown, and that every deviation from a
direct course was due to the thoughts of other objects
which would persistently obtrude themselves.
• - • •

•
"Mr. Brown isignorant of the cause of his wonder-
ful power. He believes that spiritualism has nothing
to do with it, and regards professional spiritualists as
humbugs. In the experiments yesterday he was
obliged to lead those making testa around the room by
the hand. If provided with a brass wire, the person
testing his power could take hold of one end of the
wire and remain in his chair. He is not infallible,
however, in the use of the wire, and prefers to hold
the hand. It does not appear that Mr. Brown's gift
can be made very useful, although he says that by
means of it lie has discovered the guilt of several
criminals in the West. He says also that he is able
to sometimes read the thoughts of others sitting near
him, but cannot remember them for any length of
time. He believes that in the course of time his
powers of thought reading will be so strongly de-
veloped that he will be able to express the thoughts of
others without the use of his alphabet."

chase money. The mention of ground rent shows, of
course, that while the company buy the freehold they
only part with a leasehold interest, and that they,
therefore, rely upon ground rents for a source of profit.
The price of the houses ranges from £l7O to £3lO, on a
lease of 99 years, subject to aumnd ground-rents of
1..2 125., 1:3 Is. and £4 45., according to the class of
house. If the occupier of Class 4is buying his house
and elects to spread his repayment of the purchase
money (f 170 over a period of 14 years, he will pay at
the rate of £2O S. yearly—a sum which includes prin-
cipal, interest, law charges, and surveyors' fees—and
at the end of 14 years his home will be his own. His
bare rental would be £l4 195., no that an extra pay-
ment of £5 9s. yearly for 14 years, plus rates and
taxes, represents the difference between limited pro-
prietorship and continued rental at the end of that
terns.

The proceedings of Saturday were very simple. The
south-west entrance of the estate, situated in the
Latchmere-road, was to be formally opened ; but it
was a pure form, and served only for an inspection
of the houses and some speech-making. The Duke of
Devonshire, the Earl of Derby, the Marquis of
Salisbury, the Earl Manvers— all shareholders in the
company—were expected, but were unable to attend.
The Dean of Westminster, who acts as president of
the company, was also absent. But unexpected in-
terest was created in the ceremony by the presence of
Mr. Disraeli and Earl Granville. The Prime Minister
came early, and was met by Lord Shaftesbury and the
directers of the company (among whom are Mr. Evelyn
Ashley, M.P., and Dr. Baxter Langley), with Mr.
Ssvindlehurst, the manager and secretary. Mr.
Disraeli walked over part of the estate, visited one or
two of the houses, and showed a lively interest in this
social experiment. Earl Granville arrived when the
speech-making had begun on hustings erected for the
occasion, Lord Brabazon, Mr. Thomas Hughes, Sir
Wilfrid Lawson, M.P., with a numerous party of
ladies, were also present.
Lord Shaftesbury spoke of the wonder achieved in
two years by turning what was then a howling wildemes
into a town. He predicted that the success of Shaftes-
bury Park would have a great moral effect far and wide,
at home and abroad, because it showed to what a high
level the working classes could attain chiefly by their
own exertions. By means rthis company, 8,000
people would hereafter be brought from the over-
crowded, pestilential centres of London and planted
in healthy homes in the pure air, amid pleasant sur-
roendinge, with every reasonable provision for happy
domestic hie and social enjoyment The inhabitants
were all of one mind upon one point —they would not
have a single public-house upon the estate. Loud
cheers from the people showed that, in this
modified form the Permissive Bill was popular
with them. "You won't have a gin-palace, or
any place for the sale of intoxicating liquor," con-
tinued Lord Shaftesbury. "No, nor a pawn-shop,"
exclaimed a bystander, whereupon Lord Shaftesbury
Improved the occasion by showing how drunkenness
paved the way to the pawnshop as it did to the work-
house and the gaol. Here were well constructed houses,
with fine broad streets, and a sober, industrious, happy
population of about 2,600, who by a self-imposed re-
striction banished the sale of intoxicating liquor from
their midst, and who, by their good conduct, had pro-
duced such an impression upon a lady who came to see
the Estate that she said, "I will take 1,000 shares the
very moment I get home." Lord Shaftesbury
enumerated the advantages which the inhabitants of
the Park would enjoy, including plenty of day schools
and Sunday schools, penny banks, and a Band of
Hope. For reviving throughout England, he said,
the true spirit of sobriety and good order there was
nothing like the Band of Hope, which laid hold of
the children and trained them up to be steady and
sober. The shareholders in the company came from
every class of society, and the tenants on the Estate com-
prised every description of labour. The value of the
houses already purchased amounts to 1:26,000, of
which 1:3,200 has been paid, the rest of the repay-
ments extending from five up to twenty-one years. The
ultimate cost of the Lavender-hill and the Harrow
estates, he was told, would not be less than a million
sterling. Was not this a proof of what might be done
by association among working men? See how such
dwellings tended to sobriety, order, and thrift ! All
the working man wanted was sympathy and a little
co-operation from the classes above them, who called
upon them for the same. Neither class could do
without the other, and what he aimed at was the
union of all classes. The Chairman then called on
the Prime Minister, who, he said, hod come there
to express his great sympathy with their work.
Mr. Disraeli, on presenting himself, was very loudly
cheered. He said:
"I as, most gratified at having the opportunity of ex-
pressing my sympathy with you for all that you have done
here. Ind I can assure you that at this moment a stronger
feeling than one of sympathy is my surprise at what you
have done. I have never in nip life been more astonished
than by what I have unexpectedly witness.' to.day—a city
suddenly rising in the desert. The exnetiment you have
made has succeeded, and therefore can hardly be called an
experiment, and in its success is involved the triumph of an
interesting effort for the moral elevation of the great body of
the people. I have always felt that the best securdy for
eit'ilintion is the dwelling, and that upon properly ap-
pointed and becoming dwellings depends more than
ant thing else the improvement of mankind. Such
dwellings are the real nursery of all domestic virtues,
and without a becoming home the exercise of those virtues
is impossible. I cannot doubt that this movement
will spread. I myself view it with great interest, because it
Is a subject which at this moment engages the attention of
Parliament. However, to a certain degree you may be said
to have solved a question which has perplexed Parliaments;
and from what I have seen here, from what I am told I
shall learn, from the information which has been promised
me, I think I see the possibility of obtaining results
which may guide the national councils in accomplishing
an enterprise which I believe is impending in thin country
the attempt upon a large scale to improve the dwellings
of the great body of the people. It must be to Lord
Shaftesbury a subject of great delight to witness this result
of his efforts. He has devoted his existence to the noblest
of all causes—the elevation of the great body of his fellow-
countrymen. Ile has tried to accomplish lids result by
many means. Sometitnes I have myself, but in a very
humble manner, attempted to support him. But lam sure
that throughout Ids life, memorable now for great exer-
tions which can never be forgotten by this nation, he has
accomplished nothing which hereafter will be to him a
source of purer and nobler gratification than the conviction
that by his energies and exertions in this matter he has esta-
blished in this country a movement which Call no longer be
repressed, and which will end, I am confident, in the great
improvement of the people and the general amelioration of
their condition.

There was much cheering throughout the speeches
of the Chairman and the Prime Minister, and the
inhabitants of Shaftesbury-park evidently appreciated
the compliment paid them by the presence of such visi-
tor. 'I he applause was renewed when
Earl Granville, who was next singled out by the
Chairman, made one of his pleasant, genial speeches.
As soon as Lord Shaftesbury came to figures, Earl
Granville said, he feared he was doomed to listen to
a statement of hopes disappointed, expectations no
fulfilled, and finances in ouch a state that it would
be necessary to send the hat round. In place of this
melancholy retrospect, it would be hard to find
within the city speculators who had greater rea-
son to be elated, and he congratulated the share-
holders on having set so bright an example, and
having given no strong a hint even to legis-
lators as to what might be done in providing work-
meMs dwellings. Tuttle Prime Minister they had just
listened to a triumphant conqueror, while he and others
were iniserabl, victims to political change • but they
would see that, notwithstanding political differences,
politicians could heartily join in forwarding objects of
national interest, and it would hardly be possible to
find an object of greater national moment than that to
which the company had devoted themselves so suc-
cessfully.
•

-
the Government to withdraw the measure, which i
would in the strongest way show that Tories were
in reality a revolutionary party. The measure in
fact, was one entering on a war of reprisals, for with
such a bill as this brought before Parliament on the
Tories entering into power, no one could Ray that the
Liberals, on their return to power would not be per-
fectly justified in " going to the root of the matter."
Ile urged that the bill should be wholly withdrawn or
passed as it was, and that the Liberal party should
give no hand in making the measure less objectionable
than it stood, for it would give the Liberals a reason
at some future time of addressing themselves to the
whole principle of endowments on the very plan which
the Conservatives had initiated. Mr. Bryce, as one of
the Commissioners whose inquiries preceded the legisla-
tion of 1869, said there was nothing which was found
to be so prejudicial to the foundations as the rules
which existed that the trusteeships and masterships
should be in the bands of members of the Church of
Enland. The Act abolished these distinctions, and
if they were recreated by the distinct will of Parlia-
ment not only would there be a direct loss from the
limitation of trustees and masters, but prejudice
formerly existing against the Church would revive
more strongly than ever, and the Government would
see that their work had created a powerful hostility
to the religious peace and religious harmony of the
country.