The Express.
London, England, 1862-01-14 00:00:00

JUL MONT, ALP., O
RESSN THE PANE:AMINO
DIST.

A meeting, called b circular, was held yesterday,
in the Council-room, Booldrle, to censider what should be
done in the present state of dilree• Amooptthose present
were the Mayor, Mr. Bright, M.P., Dr. Molesworth (view),
Rev. J. WW. Parker, Rey. W. N. Yolesivorth, Mr. W. Fenton,
Mr. Joseph ?eaten, Mr. Jonathan Meld, jun., Mr. H. Kel-
m% Mr. T. Ashworth, Mr. J. H. Moore, Rey. R. C. Lewis,
Rev. R. C. Pike, Rev. John Kasha', do. The Maxon
occupied the chair. At his worship's request, Mr
}foliate, clerk to the guardians, read the winter stealth's
of relief for 1847, 1856, 1857, and 1861. The mumbles for
the Christmas week of each year were, 1847, ,4 467-231/.. ;
1856, 2,R33-128/. 9a. 5& ; 1857 2,816-1501. 13s. 7d. ;
1861, 2,150-148!. 15e. 2d. A dime** ensued, in the
course of which some gentlemen expressed themselves fa-
vourable to • subscription for the relief of local distress,
while others urged that it would suffice for present require-
invite that the stricter orders of the Poor-law Board should
be relaxed, or suspended, so long as the distress continued.
K. Baron?, IL-P., said that Rochdale was better circum-
dented than some other towns, in that it had =other trade
besides cotton to rely upon. Then again,
of the the 00-operative
societies' had taught a large proportion people provi-
dence, and in this respect, at least, had date good, whatever
objections some people might have to them on other grounds.
He considered it would be • great misfortune to give people
to understand that they might spend whatever they liked in
us times, and that in a time of diatribes a fund
=robe subscribed for their relief. Looking at the
agoras which had be read, he could not avoid ooming to
the conclusion that the calling of the meeting was
pre-
mature. It was obvious that for systematic relief of
distress, the most eflitheot machinery was the poor law,
but there was one great difficulty in the feeling—
arising from a commendable source--of humiliation in
the receipt of poor law relief. The self-respect and
independence of mind which this feeling betokened
were commendable, and he considered that it might
be held in respect without any new mode of relief being
organised. The Poor-law Board mightbe asked, without any
what he might call mealy-mouthineem. to grant the guar-
dians powers, in certain cases, to relieve, on the under-
standing that in prosperous times the amount advanced
should be repaid. It was possible that some of the mill-
owners would& so with those who might be called their
fixed hands. He forgot whether any public subscription
was opened is 1847, but he knew that in that year his firm
made such dehisces es he had referred to, and that there
was scarcely • farthing lost. (Hear.) Some of the bor-
rowers, indeed, who had removed to other towns, actually
came back when the firm got to work lin order to pay off
their loans. That, he considered. told much for the chit-
meter of the people. (Hear, hear.) The Poor-law Board
would not, he- thought, require much pressing at this
moment. The commissioners, like other members of the
government, wished to keep things quiet if they could ;
and they would not be found so difficult to deal with as
they might have been in prosperous times. He must con-
fess that he was not disposed to take so sombre • view
of the crisis as many did. Judging from what was taking
place, the government of the United States was showing
greater power, and greater command of resources, while
these opposed to them were showing no increased vitality.
Indeed, if nobody would interfere with them,
he should look for • settlement of the difficulty in sir
months ; and the mod direst and easy way to obtain that
settlement waste allow the Americana to manage their own
affairs in their own way. In conclusion, the bon. member
expressed his reediest@ to co-operate with the meeting
either by way of subscription or in the manner he had
summated use.
The MAYOR remarimd thatlintsre. Asbworthe had already
commenced making advances to their workpeople.
The Vicar and Mr. William Fenton were appointed a
deputation to wait upon the Poor-law Board, with any depu-
tation the guardians might appoint.
A. large sod influential committee was also appointed to
tender their assistance to the guardiaus ; and the to
suggested that oothations shenkt be made in the
and chapels every Sunday for the poor.