The Express.
London, England, 1863-09-15 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 15, 1863.

TRH DISTRESS IN THE MANUFACTURING
DISTRICTS.

CENTRAL RELIEF FUND.

The usual weekly meeting of the Central
Executive Committee for the administration of this fund
was held yesterday in the Manchester Town Hall, there
being present the Earl of Doan thechair), Lord Egerton
of Tattoo, Lord E. Howard, M.P., Major Egerton Leigh,
Mr. A. H. Heywood, Mr. J. Platt, Mr. R. M'Cistre, Mr.
Josh. Fenton, Mr. G. L. Ashworth, Mr. S. J. Stens, Mr.
J. Goodall., Mr. AL Ross, Mr. H. B. Fsnrall. Mr. J. W.
M'Clure, Mr. E. Ashworth, Mr. T. Ashlar, Mr. Hugh
Mane, the Mayor of Manchester, Mr. Janne Worrell, Br.
J. B. KAT, sad Mr. R. H. Hutchinson.
Mr. MACLOBA the honorary secretary, retorted that
1491. 3s. 3d. had been received during the wee , and that
the Warm is the hank was 299,8331. lie. sd. Three pack-
ages of clothing bed been received during the week, and two
had been sent off.

Mr. Commissioner FARNALL read the following report :
"I beg to inform you that on the sth instant the,. was a
decrease in the number of persons receiving parochial re-
lief, in twenty-seven unions in the cotton manufacturing
districts, as compared with the number so relieved in the
previous week of 1,669. This decresee of 1,669 is explained
as follows :—There is a decrease at Ashton-under•Lvne, of
592 ; at Barton.upoe-Irwall, of 26 ; at Blackburn, of 48 ;
at Burnley, of 48; at Bury, of 119 ,• at Cheeky, of 24 ;
at Chorltoo, of 354 ; at the Friths, of 26; at Gustave of
46 ; at Hastiness, of 11 ; at Leigh, of 23 ; at Manchester,
of 328 ; at Preston, of 300 ; at Saddleworth, of 141; at Sal-
ford, of 167 ; at Stockport, of 82 ; and at Wigan, of 59 ;
making a total decrease of 2,396. But there is an M-
enem at Bolton of 3 ; at Glossop, of 23; at
Lancaster, of 3 ; at bkocliefield, of 8 ; at 01d-
ham, of 405 ; at Prestwich, of 10; at Rochdale, of
196 ; at Todmortoe, of 30 ; and at Warringteo, of 49 ;
making • total intense of 727, so that there is • net de.
crease of 1.669, and, since the tome of December last, a total
decrease of 129,203 has taken tilers. There were, ea the
sth Net, 142,780 pereom receiving parochial relief in the
27 unions adverted to ; in the oorrespondmg week of 1861,
46,7 M poisons were so relieved ; there is, therefore, an in-
crease of 96,055 parsons in the receipt of parochial relief,
or 205.6 per coot. In the corresponding week of 1862,
144,007 persons received parochial rehef. It will be a source
of eatiefeetion to your committee to °barn this the mu-
mmers of this week is Res by 1,227 is Dumber than that of
the corresponding week in 1862. The total weekly cost of
ous-door relief on the sth but. wee 8.7491. 4a. ; in the car-
responding week of 1861, it was 2,236 i. 9a. ; there is them
fore as Mcrae.' of 6,5124 14e. 2d., ar 293.7 per cent. In
the corresponding week of 1862, it was 8,1931. N. 101. The
average per mintage of pauperism m the population of
these onions on the sth instant wee 7.21 in the cocre-
sooding week of 1861 it was 2.4, and in the correepsioding
week of 1862 it was 7.3. The amount of money in the
bands of the treamirere of the above unions, on the sth
instant, was 98,5761. 94." Mr. Parnell remarked npou the
fact that whilst at this time last year the numbers relieved
by guardians was increasing at the rate of 5,000 per week, it
was now decreasing at the rate of something like 1,500
weekly. He then, in conformity with notice given last
week, introduced the question whether it was expedient at
desirable for district relief committees to undertake con-
tracts for the execution of public works by the men on their
relief list., intimatiog that for hie own part be was pupated to
answer it distinctly in the negative. Committees, by sateeing
into such contracts and employing the operatives on them
simply as a labour test, would came unfair maspetitioa with
corporations and other °retracting bodies who, ender the
Public Works Aet, would be able to occupy the wee upon
work for a fair rate of wager, and thereby tend to the de-
mo/ablation of the operatives by maintaiiiing theta as
paupers instead of allowing them to become independent
labourers, in accordance with the intention of parliament in
gearing the act referred to.
Mr. R. H. ROTCHINSON them proposed :—"That, with a
view to *stead the operations of the Public Works Act as
much and as quickly as possible, it be recommended that the
various relief committees, during the winter mostha,
amid in procuring contracts so as to provide for the
able-bodied unemployed operatives, Salm; can to
mean them being placed on this employment my ex-
teesively on measured work, and conducting the opera.
times so that those employed may be trained to continue
contracts for 'hennaing, under the respective boucle or
public bodies carrying out the act after the termination of
this wiater." One of the main names which induced him
to make this proposal was that, in the event of local com-
mittees taking any other course than that he had indicated,
there would be no possibility of discriminating se to the
kind al labour which should be edtployed on these works,
that was to my, whirs there was not milkiest work for all,
the employment would fall into the bands of the single men
and those with smell families, whereas the aceputtai of
which he was a member felt that the married nee with
large families ought to have the preference, till all could be
employed. He was of opinion that oorporatiose aloft would
sot be 'stabled to undertake many desueble maltreats which,
its the arrangeineot be proposed, amid be carried out,
for, according to the opinion of assegai whisk had hem
°beaked, corporations could not recover knees which might
arms under them from the fetes. At lead that would be
the case at Blackburn. The municipal rata, as it was
was probably the only ore upon which such a charge
be made, and that would not sulks. Ia the mares a
some months the committee would be able to reign the
trust of altering into contracts entirely into the bands of
corporations and other properly constituted bodies. What
he desired wee that during the winter season the committee
should have power to afford temporary relief to those
ma
sted on these pablio works, but who from isolement
would comiesally be unable to mrn a annialeat
maintenance. He wand this committee would by their
adoption of hie motion allow keel reamitiese the oppor-
tunity of using the labour at their command upon public i
works as a. 61 and proper test of eligibility for the relief to
be afforded.

Kr. C OODAIR secooded thematic,, urging various grounds
cm which he °moldered that the Public Works Act would
prove insufficient to provide employmeet for the whole
at the disktemed operatives without the aid of the district
ccounittees. He thought there was no choice am between
the carrying eat of Mr. Brachium's's sod allow.
inchts operatives idly to walk about s. street
noble CEIALUILS said this would probably be the fit-
ting time to read a =haute ea this whirl from Mr J. Bay
Shatneworth, who was unable to akar, and whirl minute
went very closely into the question at Was, and the main
principle' which it involved.. His lordship this read the
nriniestion, which was me follows :
_ _

"Want* in to Oontrwils by Relief Cemmitteeu and Em.
ployment of Indigent Cotton Workmen in snob Contract..
"The relief el 'eclipses in dieted*, districts bee hitherto
proceeded mainly from two sources, viz., the legal charge
oznabtirozr/Lead the catmint" contribetions of charity to
*c These two emcee el relief are subject to •
wof economy. Wheat the poor rates aged the rebel funds
have provided to the indigeet the means of sustaining health
they have discharged their feedlot'.
"1. The laws or the relief of the poor never were in-
tended to woe ids employment with wager. Such an obliga-
tion would oonvert the poor lams into aa organised "stem of
'thou, conducted by the slate, which would destroy the
relations between capital and labour—employee sad em-
ployed—and establish • form of socialism destructive to pri-
vate capital and 31/00fSblibig labour. Every step, therefore,
from that legitimate use of the poor rake or of public
charitable funds which restricts them to the maintenance of
health, to another which premeds to assume obligations to
provide wages from such 11011/01118, is full of danger.
' 2. Wages are given to die able-bodied without respect
to the wants of their families. A single able-bodied man
receives as much at piece work as a man with a wife and
four shad's,. To find employment with wages, therefore,
if general, necessarily creates • heavier charge than the
simple maintenance of health.
3. A relief committee has no corporate power to enter
into any contract to secure employment for those whom it
relieves. Such a contract could only be legally entered into
by lorlivideral members of the relief committee in their
private capacity. LI such private pr enter into such
a contrast. they Gan receive no legal security for its I ttldl-
meet from the committee.

4.Supporiag these technical difieulties to be am-
ass and that the majority and most iaduentiel members
of such a committee ago such a contract—if they deterrents
to peewee from their relief funds ordinary wages, either
for piece work or day work, they have no walrus to expect
say aid from the central executive committee to carry out a
magma inconsistent with the economy of funds inteaded
simply to support health.
5. It is possible to adjust a abets of labour to •
seals of relief adapted simply to sustain health, by paying
for work done by the hour at if:miasma rate, and Dot re-
quiring more hours' work than will enable the workman to
make his labour and that of his famil equal at that rate
per hour to the scale of relief rots to sustain health.
Any other plan involves a very grave departure from the
true principles of relief administration.
"6. Contests for public or private works can only be
safely entered into by boards or committees charged with
the execution of such works, apart from the question of
relief of indigence. Such bards or committees of public
works reduce the sum of iodises* in the suss way as nay
priAte capitalist may do by such works es they undertake.
Bat they assume no obligations to Sad employment, and
they strengthen the relations between capital sad labour
by moresaiug the employment of capital and the demand
for labour. Than functions, though they indirectly s-
tave indigence, are ant to be in nay degree cootousded
with the fustian' of boards or committees, whose primary
duty Is to relieve indigence sou to sustain health.
" Adopted and prised by order of the Central Izeenties
Committee, "DHYy Chairman.
JOHN WIL MACLI7II, Hos. See."
Mr. Ptarr thought the quietist was scarcely ripe for die-
onanis. There was meek to he said on both Wee of it, and
they would probably lave does well is wait* to see bow
far corporate bodies were disposed to absorb the labour of
oottou operatives before coming to any definite coeishisios.
The CHAIM/dr remarked that there were tee &Mad
question before the committee ; one that relief committees
should be enabled to undertake contracte and employ time
people upon the relief feats, at fell wags, in pursuance of
the provisions of the Pub& Works Act. The other, that
the committees eliould be prohibited from arming mea
public works at all, and be thereby deprived of the only
farm of labour tart epee to them. The two qmsetios
should, be mixested, be cemeidered and decided open
separately.

Mr. O. L. Anwar= (Etriaaaortar that soy adios is
Mr part Si *is rorrokleir. ptl4h s 1 Melds' sosuittos•
frau Undo.' labour for Ofaillidi.4ll/ lu tb• .y suggested,
weald be bp&ly dbortroom la it. onsesquases.

Mr. T. AMITE'S said the funds of this committee would
' speedily be exhausted if local committees were authorised
by them to employ men on public works at fall wages.
Therviwas so doubt that serious loss would accrue oh con-
tracts undertaken by such committees in competition with
• other oonksotore ; yet if they were to be allowed to enter
upon contracts at all, it mold only properly be on the basis
of giving wages for labour.
Mr. Worittatt (Safford) strongly objected to relief com-
mitter taking contracts.
Lord EGERTON wee clearly of opinion that they could not
sanction the undertaking of contracts by district committees
without seriously isterfering with the operations of the
Public Wake Act. He agreed with Sir J. K. Shuttle-
worth that the committees had no other legitimate function
• than that of giving such an amotmt of relief as would sustain
the people under their charge in unimpaired health. They
could only obtain cootracta by accepting them at a lower rate
than would be offered by independent contractors, and the
actual results would be that they would be appropriating to
the advantage of those for whom the work was done
fends contributed by the public for a charitable purpose.
Lord E. HOWARD thought the great inducement for the
adoption of the Public Works Act was the advantage it
would afford to the districts availing themselves of its
provisious, as the unemployed operative population would
thus be made independent of relief, and the small shop-
: keepers sod others correspondingly benefited. He
' generally agreed with the two last speakers, and referred to
the facilities which the last report of the committee stated
might be safely given to those who understood out-door
employment.
Mr. M. ROM suggested the adoption of the minute which
had been read, as an aomodment to the original motion.
He considered It was a clear exposition of the principles
involved, and which the committee must alter with great
I mak". _

—Ultimately the original motion (Mr. Hutchinson s) was
pat and negatived, and the minute wan adopted and or-
dered to be printed and circulated among the local com-
mittees.

wan read by the Hon. Secretary from the Com-
mittee of Conference. in the Ashton•under-Lyrae Union,
which 111111 ordered to be printed foe circulation at the next
meeting.
Grants were made from the Geneva' Relief and Clothing
Fond, including the following : Ashton, 4504; filtelybridp,
4504; Dakinaeld, 3004 ; Tinteistle, 1001.; Heywood, 301.0.;
Farrington 1001.; Blackburn, 4001.; Bump, 2001.; Oldham,
8C01.; 'Whitworth and Facto, 1804; Boyles, ; Broad-
bottom sad Charleeworth, 1001.; Hyde, 8804; Crompton,
1001.; Stockport, 1,2501.

SCUMS THROVOIi DlSTRlBB.—Yesterday Mr.
Humphreys held an inquiry at the London Hospital re-
ties the death of James Hartley, aged 66 years. The
deceased was • ooschmen, and had been some years in the
employ of a gentleman in the Backfriare-road, but in cow-
games et bin greet sge he had found it ire Me to est
another shanks. Oa Friday last he kasgedhimself in his
bedroom. He had borrowed St., whin be could not pay,
sad he was amble to meet his nat. The jury returned a
verdict of temporary insanity.
DZITAII/NED SUICIDI 1.11•1 NOTTINGH•IIL—On
Saturday mamba; the body of a man, whom name has not
yet bees eacertamed, was fend beagle( in Clifrowgrove.
The deceased was laying with Ita Inseam the ground, a rope,
which was tied round ha neck, being fastened to a breech
ef • tree above. It is supposed he is • stranger to this
neighbourhood, sad the feet that be kid down upon his
knees to tighten the rope, shows that he was fully deter-
I mined to commit euicide.—Nottinghara Guardian.
Tam SITIPPOSED MOILDIZ BY • RORY POLICZY•N.
—The accused, Lake Charles, war yesteeday brought up be-
fore the Bury magistrates and remanded tall mart Mondry.
Aa order for the exhumation of the deceased woman has
been obtained from the Secretary of State for the Home
Department.
A Itsacausars Dimat.—On Saturday morning
a man, about thirty years of age, named Benjamin Collins,
was found drowned in a small dam belonging to the White
Hall Pit at Wyk's. When foetid he waskneeling iv the
water with hie head down, being only up to the shoulders in
water. He had been drinking for serval days and became
restless. Hs got up about two o'clock in the morning,
partly dammed himself, and said he could not sleep. Soon
afterwards he went out, sod about four o'clock hie uncle,
Yr. Mark Collins, of Lower Car Clem Farm, went in search
of hint is the barn and stable, but lot finding hire there re-
turned to the house. Mrs. Collins thee desired her husband
to go to the place whore the body wee found. ugh' had
just dreamt her nephew was drowned there. Mr. Collins
eased as his wife requested, and to his ammenseet and honor
saw the litmal fulfilment of her dream.—York Herald.
Surzsarrrios to Bois/mammas —A sad instance
of o=o depravity, sad a proof that the coos popular belief
in witchesan Ma not entirely died oat in our country vil-
lages, mate before the magistrates of the Bridgwater Divi-
sional PsNy Sesame last week. The facts came out is a
alarms ot remelt preferred by two women—a mother and
daustiter—at Hantspill. spinet mother woman of the
cams sad from the evidence it appeared that the
deferetts, (Ana Hogg) had ter n long time considered
herself "beg ridden"—that is, she bad experienced queer
seeestima, son-arthodoa maladies, be. She bad for some
time before had carman to " fall oat" with the corn-
pharaoh" (Charlotte and Wallas Hill), end in con-
sequence her ipso/mos had led her to put down these
teams and illnesses to the credit of a power pos.
esesed by the complainants. With this ides uppermost
in her naiad she had recourse to the specific counter-charm
of " drawing blood" from her bewitch'ss which operation
was desaribed by the elder of the cosLplaimults thus :
" Between eight sad nine o'clock on the memoir of the 28th
ult. I net the defendant oo the Huntspillrowl, and she
came behinds), sad ran something is my shoulder. It was
something sharp. Neither of us spoke. When I took off
my dress there was blood. When she pricked me she
amused as et being a witch." It appears that this "in-
faltiWi
remedy for come "failed," bat the failure did not
in the least affect her belief that she wee bewitched, for she
on the neat day stabbed the daughter on the arm with r.
needle, and drew blood frees hrMee.— Milers Daily
Prem.

-IMPZOTIMIZI/T IN THI STOWAOZ AND SHIPMENT
OP PHTZOLZOM. —The paint tsoked ship Jaw, Oaptain Daw-
ns, arrived is the Money on Saturday from Philadelphia,
with a cargo at crude petroleum oil In bulk, belonging to the
Liverpool sad Emery Oil Rodaing sad Montreal Works
Company (Limited). Thk is tha first iron tanked venal
with patella= that has arrived in Liverpool. The Jane
was modally omatruoted for oarrviag oil from Awaits to
the company% works at Ramsey where it is discharged into
hantritioilly sealed floating tanks which are moored in the
river, thus prey witieg M. small end waste from leakage so
much eompisisda in Liv The vesen, which made
the pramage in 24 days, we diurnal and built by Mears.
Games,
Man Ml:Mead, and Co., iroa shipbuilders, Ramsey, isle
of .

liazaooirnio AND rrs Pan& —On Saturday
alibi a pla was given le the Piet" Hail, Halifax, and •
grand baos sweat was announced, in the car of which it
was said would be seated Mr. Toys( sad a lady. A little
before seven o'clock Mr. Young took his seat, but not the
lady, and the halloos commenced its meet. On leaving
the hall it came spinet some telegraph wires which pew
over the hall. This had the effect of rendering the balance
somewhat unsteady. After it hed risen oat of the building a
slight breeze from the west carried it against the top of
MMUS. Firth sad Son's mill chimney, and there it was
held, Miter by the lightning conductor, er by
thegetting fast to the condos. The crowds
of spectators were horrified, expecting every minute
that the aeronaut would be precipitated from
the top of the chimney, which is about 35 yards high.
He however retained his presence of mind and mom than
once waved kis hat, of which the people took note and
cheered. A rope was let down out of the oar, sad eventually
to it was attached a pulley and soothe/A.4op*, which were
drawn into the cm. The pulley wee fastened to the car,
and the aeronaut was fortunate enough to reach the ground
without being hurt. The balloou remained all night on the
shimmy, and the seat day some men roadie an attempt to
recover it. Goa of them, a man named Chutes Rawson,had reached the top, when' the rope, seappiag in two, he
fell to the ground and was taken up dead.- His body was
shockingly mangled. Rawson wee 37 years of age, sad has
left • farci/y.—Afaischester
TILDONAPII TO INDIA COMPANY (LINITZD). —The
following is • copy of the report to be submitted to the
proprietors at an extraordinary general meeting on the
lOth inst. :—Tbs directors having received the first half•
yearly payment of 1,2504 from Messrs. Glaris, Elliot, sad
Co., under the iirmagenient for working the Alexandria and
Bum line, which was approved by the shareholders in
February last, have summoned a special general meeting for
the purpose of declaring • dividend. The directors have
the eatidaction of stating that all outstanding engagements
have now been liquidated, and they are still engaged in
• negotiating for tie disposel of the remaining property and
mete of the company. The directors recommend that •
dividend at the rate of eve per cent, per annum,
free of iooome tax, be paid to the shareholders for
the half•year ending June 30th, which will absorb
1.1354 out of the amount received from Messrs.
platy, Elliot, sad Co., laving a balaace of 1154
An maddest occurred on the Malta and Alexandria line,
whisk interrupted the traffic for • few weeks, but the cable
has been thoroughly repaired and continues to work most
natlefeeterily. There is no reason to fear • recurrence of
thin failure, sad the directors have every residence that the
shareholders will continue to receive laterals en the capital
for the remainder of the lease, by which time the result of
! the working of the Peewits Gulf line will have been fully
developed. The directors have received the concession for
the oreatnicLion of the El Arish line referred to in the last
I and • sew company m bees under the
t= Is
the S rim Telegraph Company, which it can be
embed out w it is considered advisable to do so."
PAU:NT 1300TH K INSTNOTON. —Num-
bog of visitors for the week ending 12th September, 2.386.
Total number ism the opining of the Mama fres dolly
(12th May, 1808). 752,03 A
liarsorouras Fan Hamra; DKTONSIIIII-
- Crry.—The aggregate archer of palisade relieved
dories the week siding Sept. 12 was—medisal, 990; ear-
• Gas ; total, 1,595; of which 537 were saw wow.
Omar GLAMIOIII —T. Haws and Sow's Clwass
mu news Ise esfebsety keg awarded so than by Sao Witta
Sit: they power, with a
Ism sertarlis d= vi mod oi to lass. . sod am make eratter Opus ahem se es to se-
amier, mit searolenal eyes. A verity et lhe arrest fens
sad Madre kir this BONCO. Modsrols_ prises Thos. Bards
sadmiZrsisAs.ns...4==s WNW Musson (Mos. Looldos•
1

THE POLICE COURTS.

patch had been inserted. It wee the practice whoa con-
demned blankets and sheets were sold, to tear each blanket
er aheet into four pieces. They were not sold whole. Grey
blankets were distributed for the me of soldiers on active
service • whim done with they ought to be returned to the
public stores.
Other evidence was given, from which it appeased that
while the female prisoner was in the Tower in her first
husband's lifetime, shuts, blankets, and other thins were
missing.
Mr. fitoddart said the female prisoner's first husband bad
been in the army 17 years, and gave his wife the various
articles mow produomd. As to military blanket., people had
possessing of them in all directions. A hundredth-part of
the blankets intended for the army in the Crimes never
reached their destinetion, and thousands:of them were sold
whole after the Crimean war.
The people from the Tower said the blankets, sheet, and
bedoovere now produced had been made since the Crimean
war, and that no blankets had been sold whole since 1860.
The witnesses valued the things produced at 13a.
The female prisoner, an Irishwoman, addressed the ma-
gistrate at considerable length, and said this was a spiteful
Peeneetim and that information was given by the woman
Honied, because the parsote of the witness were distrained
upon for rent doe to Mr. Pugh, who was quite innocent.
The *imps her children used as skipping ropes.
Mr. Woolrych said the law prohimted anyone being in
possession of government stores, mod be could not help
thinking the female primmer knew the property now in
snarl had been illegally some by. He discharged the male
primmer, hot ronvieted hi wife, and Reed her 41. and 395.,
being treble the value of the articles.
The penalty was paid.