The Express.
London, England, 1862-12-13 00:00:00

THE CENTRAL RELIEF FUND.

The total daily receipts in aid of distress fund
committee amounted on Thursday to 6,3981.
After the despatch of our report of the meeting of the
collecting committee on Thursday, when some conversation
took place respecting alleged instances of disinclination on
the part of recipients of relief to accept work when it ass
offered them, the subject was continued by
Mr. F. TAYLOR, who urged that the best coarse that
eoukl he adopted was for relief committees to supplement
wages (so that by accepting work the people would not
man), and thus to give a premium upon employment as
spines total reliance on relief. (Hear, Lear.)
Several members of the committee expressed the opinion
that cases of unwillingness to take work for wages instead
of charity must be very rare and exceptional. After the
transaction of some routine business the meeting ter-
minated. In connexion with the question that had mainly
occupied its deliberations, it is worthy of notice that the
Manchester Board of Guardians, at their last meeting, had
under consideration one or two cases in which the public
charity was stated to have been abased. These cases were
not regarded as altogether beyond the possibility of satim
!emery explanation, but the guardians, without committing
themselves prematurely to any opinion, resolved to instruct
the relieving officers to make special inquiries and report the
results. Some members of the board felt confident that a
thorough sifting of the matter would vindicate the OMB of
the operatives from any shade of suspicion.

SALFORD.—At the weekly meeting of the execu-
tive committee on Thursday the secretary submitted the
following estimate of the amount required for the relief of
the prevailing distress from December 6 to January 31,
1863, sad the available balance at present in hand :—Num-
ber of persons at present in receipt of relief, 4,303 families,
averaging 31 individuals each, giving a tots] of 13,514
individuals ; estimated mean increase in eight weelm
4,200. making a total of 17,714 persona to be relieved
weekly. Average weekly cost of relief, at Is. lid. each,
1,014!. 6a. • and for eight weeks, 8.1141. 8.. ; and 1,200
tees of We, at Ba. 4d.-5001. • making a grand total of
8,6141. Bs. State of the tunas: Subscriptions received,
4,140/. 9a. 4d. ; outstanding, 595/. 18e. 6d. ; monthly sub-
scriptions—two months, at 476/. per month, 0524 ;
grants through distribution committee. 1,3004 - grants
per Maesion-bmue committee. 2,250/. ; probable additional
subscriptions. 1,000/. ; total, 10.478/. 7.. 102. ' • less 4,000/.
expended, leaves 6,4781. 7s. 10d. available for the two
mouths ending January 31, 1863. Estimate of clothing for
mime period. 6,5001., Imo 2,250/. from Mansion-house com-
mittee, 7401. by grant from Manchester and Salford com-
mittee, and 501. donation from Mr. G. Wood, leaving an
estimated sum of 3,4601. required for clothing. The fol-
lowing ia the return of atteodance at the sewing school.
for the week ending December 5 :-594 above 16 years, 158
under that age, total 752. and the amount of wages paid
113/. 10c 3d. This concladed the business.

- ------- ------
CHORLXY.—During the present week there has
been a larger increue in the number of application' to the
relief committee than in any previous week since the dim.
tree, began. The new applications include ltkil families, or
nearly 400 persons. The number of poor people relieved by
the board of guardians was as follows :—Chorley district,
1,782 ; Brindle, 91; Leyland. 1,912; Craton. 626; total
eat. 296 f. 19e. Id. At a meeting of the relief committee,
held on Wednesday, it was agreed that the girls at the
sewing school should in future bo employed Aye days per
week, and be paid Bd. per head per day, half in money and
half in food. They likewise armored that mixed schools
for 7oung persons between the age of 13 and 21, who are re-
ceiving relief from the committee, be established in central
positions in the town.

k,HTOIS•UNDER-LYNE.—The weekly return of
Mr. Dalglesh, the chief covetable, of the state of trade in
Ashton. is as follows :—Total works, 50; working full
time, with all hands, 5 ; full time, with part bands. 7 ;
short time, 17 ; stopped, 23. Number of bands, 12,136
working su days, 1,612 ; four and a half days, 710 ; loon
daji, 31; three and a half days, 471 : three days, 1.322 ;
two sad a half day', 455; two days, 800 ; out of employ
meat, 6,735; being a decree'e of the number out of employ-
ment as compared with lut week of 27. Increase oa the
boas of the guardians this week. 497.
STALZYBILIDOL—The following is the return of
the relief committee for the week ending the 11th fast. ;
Member of bunnies relieved, 4,059, comprising 14,682
genus, at is oast of 691/. 9a. Bd. ; number of girls ie
Itr2l. cut 1. 3s. 6d. ; cast of edseetles."V
. ; 7,40,
other itemsB9l bring up the week's upeeditions Is
VOX 9a. bd. The return et the stabs of nude fer the

week, se prepared by Yr. Chadvriek, the chief conatable,
shows that out of 11,521 hands, 1,726 are working six
days, 63 five days, 742 four days, 1,599 three and a half
days, 1,807 three days, 41 two and a half days. 212 two
days, 57 under two days, 5,274 out of work. This gives •
decrease of 48 persona out of work as compared with last
week.
(AMU/D.—The increase of the poor-rates at Oldham
shows bow bitterly the famine is felt there. In October, a 2e.
rate was granted ; on Thursday, • 4s. rate in addition wee
asked for. The ant rate should have rained 16,0004, but
considerably ►bove a third of that amount could not be col-
lected, and no doubt the percentage of deficiency will be
heavier in the new rate.

---61;111TAici.iCINS---HIBUTIONII TO THE LANCASHIRE
RELIEF FUND.—Tbe following is a list of the amounts' con-
tributed by same of the municipalities in British North
America to the Operative Relief Fund :—Peterboro', 1,075
dole. • Hamilton, 4,738 ; Stratford. 309 ; London, 3,000;
Asphodel, 200. Otonsbee, 400 ; Guelph, 434 ; Ayr, 86 ;
Moatreal, 29,000 • Quebec, 11,701 ; Peterboru', 1,138 ;
Ottawa, 1,030; Ralf= (N. 8.), 10,265 ; Prince Edward 00.,
1,000. Sherbrooke, 309 ; Clinton, 354 ; Toronto, 12,500 ;
contributions from various municipalities sent to Toronto,
afterwards to be specified, about 1,600 • total, 79,089 dole.
In addition to this, Mr. Ignatius Cockahutt, of Brantford,
has given 100 barrels of flour to the general fund, and 500
besides, as we see by the Dumfries Reformer, for the relief
of his native town in Lancashire. The flour is worth 4 dolts
per barrel, or 2,400 dots. for the whole. This is, if we mis-
take not, the most magnificent contribution yet made in
Canada. We must thus make our total, so far, 81,489 doll.
There are many more places yet to hear from.—Toronto
Globe.