The Express.
London, England, 1848-06-20 00:00:00

SCWILAND.

A " right of way " case has been decided by the
sheriffs of File 'n favour of the public, A road twenty
feet in breadth had from time immemorial been used
as a pathway to the parish church. The tenant of
the landlord of the ground with which the road was
parallel, levelled the boundary ditch and wall, and
narrowed the road to three feet, sowing oats on the
appropriated territory. Afterwards the landlord
widened the road to six feet, but a blacksmith and his
son persisted in traversing it according to its original
breadth, and hence the action, which terminated as
mentioned, in favour of the village Hampden.

PROVINCIAL.
LANCASHIRE.
FINANCIAL REFORM ASSOCIATION.—At the meet-
ing of the council on Thonday the followin r was resolved
upon as the subject for the first section of the proceedings
towards effecting public economy and just taxation. The
Financial Reform Association of Liverocril, in pursuance of
their calling, proceed to t.ring before the especial and imme-
diate notice of her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen, the go-
vernment, and the two houses of parliament, the necessity,
founded on the broad hai.is of ri.eht, (or a e.g .-irons attempt to
convert the present a, Reis 'icy in the national revenue into an
annual surplus. For the attainment of this vital otijeet eco-
nomy end retrenchment, as th, means to the end, forcibly
present themselves. Ihe Financial Reform Association are
convinced that, to be thoroughly effectual, and the example
Ito be very generally followed, curtailment of ooin-adlture
should originate in bigh quarters; and, accordingly,
they now submit the limit within which the coat
of royalty should, inn their opinion, bo confined.
The painful requirements that suggest the peo-
priety of this measure re, we are happy to say,
in some degree mitigated by the open assurance of her
Majesty's prime minister, Lord John Russell, who has un-
hesitatingly declared that so large a sum as is now expended
annually is not necessary for the comfort and happiness of
the Queers, whilst beyond seeming these two impor-
tant objects to her Majesty, it is felt and contended that no
further obligation can virtually rest on the people. See. 1.
Present allow•ince to the sovereign, 385,0001 , proposed to
be reduced to 200,000/. ; thereafter, to her Majesty's some,-
soy, 160,0001. The Financial Reform Association, finding
no details in the parliamentary
i estimate of the objects com-
prehended in the above large item, have felt some difficulty
in coming to a correct opinion as to what sum may be fairly
er reasonably required ; but as this part of the civil list is
generallyn
y unadera.rodpenwi
tsiinocfluhdeerlitmtle.
Majesty
yonthd
etrehe householdsiems
and no
reason to doubt that the sum proposed will be ample for all
such purposes, and her Majesty's personal comfort be much
increased by the ri doction. Sec. 2. The further allowances
to different branches sit the royal family will be stated on
future day.
YORKESIIRE.
A LEAGUE FOR DIFFUSING USEFUL KNOWLEDGE.
—The annual meeting of the Yorkshire Union of Mechanics*
Institutes, held last week at Ripen, and including an excur-
sion to Studley and Brimham Rocks, was most gratifying.
It appears that there are associated in this union no less than
81 institutes, containing from 15,000 to 16,000 members.
Several of these institutes have been newly formed within
the last year, whilst others have been revived from a state of
suspended animation. The morning conference was devoted,
to the reading of a report on the state of the institutes, and.
to conversation on the befit means of promoting their ea.
eiency and success. The Dean of Ripen (•cfn of Lord Chan-
cellor Erskine)presided.—The Leeds Mercury, which reports
the meeting, says; " The annual meeting was terminated.
with adebwit.ful excursion to Studley, Fountain's Abbey, and
Brimham Rocks on the following day ; and, uoexoectedly
and rather to the amusement tai those who had gone to the
latter place for no station oa.y, an assemblage Js sine hun-
dreds tool place lIMUII4 the wain and UMW...4lVeilk rocks, of
from the eumunding valleys who had neard that a
rectre was to be delivered on MeLhanics' Institutes, and
who came to hear it. In order to prevent disappointment,