The Express.
London, England, 1863-02-26 00:00:00

THE DISTRESS IN LANCASHIRE.

DEPUTATION TO TEM POO&-LLW BOARD.

Yesterday a numerous and highly influential
deputation from Warrington Union, Mamdesfield Union,
Liverpool pariah, Wert Derby Union, Toxteth.park, Burton.
upon-IrvreU, Northwich Unica. City of Chester, Lincoln
Union, and Burton•upon-Trsnt Union, waited upon the Right
Hoe. C. P. Villiers, the President of the Poor-law Board,
for the purpose of making (sirloin suggestions in respect to
the bill now before parliament for continuing " to extend
fora further period the provision of the Union Act of last
session," with a view to the improvement of that measure.
The deputation was accompanied by a number of members
of parliament.

Several member of the deputation having addressed the
eight hon. gentleman,

Hr. Viiirras, in reply, said that the proposition before
him we, that • national rate should be raised to meet the
diskem which existed in the cotton districts in the oorth.
Thoogh this was a subject that might be rightly enough
brought under the oonsideration of the Poor-kw Board, it
was yet one with which it could not deal. It wes purely •
question for the legislature. It was a very large questioo,
and involved many coosideentions ; but Hr. Coppook would
advocate the principle of such a system of rating, whether
distress exist, or sot, in a particular part of the country.
That, however, u he before observed, was a matter for the le-
gislature rather than for him to dispcee of. The practical rpm-
tioe before him was the operation of the sixth clause of the
Union Belief Act. He could not say what was the Woo-
llen pf the House of Commons in • passing that act, but
the manila( of those who drew up was, that
where the union extended into two or moss comities the
contribution in aid should come from that oounty In which
the greater part of the union was situated. clause
had, it appeared, been submitted to counsel, sad the weeds
Auralpart," bad been construed to_ vply to territory,
: effect of that construction hid berm to place
Aaliton-under-Lynein thelcortoty odrhator. Items however
Wended to alter that clause in sceentitise, en as to make it
cony out the original intention of the framers of the sot.
As to the observations made with newt to bor-
rowing mosey from the Commisicesis of Public Works,
that would be • emotion for the consideration
of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He might,
however, observe that the fonds in the heads of
the ootassimicons could hardly be considered se applicable
to meet cuss of parochial distress. Bat it bed not been
shown that the unions could not raise the necessary fends
from beakers or others to inset the distress which aimed
within. In fact, in Prestos, bankers there offered to
advance mosey to the anion at ij per cent., when flve per
cent, could be got in the market. Thin also applied to
Blackburn sad other unions. However, the question of
raising the mosey through the media:not the Oommimioners
of Public Works was one which cams entirely within the
province of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He (Mr.
Villiers) did sot say that it was impolitic or otherwise so to
rake the money in the way stated, but he thought • very
ikon ease must be ma& eat for the oeiraUest of
the noellor of the Exchequer to iodate him to set upon
the suggestion. As to a rate in aid, so doubt It war open to
observations and comment. It might he mid to be capri-
cious ; bat that might be said with teepee& to aseny thing
connected with the Poor-law. He would, however, convey to
the umbers of the government what had been staled to
him that day, and it would be for them to decide upon all
the points brot under his (Yr. Villiers') consideration.
After • few obesrvaticas from Yr. Bees, ILP., upon the
herdahip of the mat* tales se regards counties la which
dintreesed weavers existed, sad which had already urnticed by previous speakers, a vote of amok. was the
motion of Cubed Wilson Patten, pseud to the President of
the Poor-kw domed, far his courtesy in receiving the dery
tatice at a vary short not
The deputation then retired.