The Express.
London, England, 1848-03-28 00:00:00

in a destitute condition ; and others to leave the house in
the morning and return in the evening, they during the in-
terval having been wandering about the town and neigh-
bourhood begging ; whilst
_others PCCIII to have a regular
I
vi..itiug the house six or eight times during the year.
- I know- that the aecomnrodation they receive in the vagrant
lodge has been complained of to different persons in the
.town, but I am well persuaded that only by those parties
(I mean the habitual vagrants) who mike it their fre-
quent lodging-house is complaint made: the casual pauper
would not do so, it being his object to leave the town
and neighbourhood, and as soon as pomible get to the
termination of his journey. I could suggest to the com-
mittee a more comfortable mode of accommodation, but it
would be a greater inducement to idle paupers to come more
frequently, and they are the introducers of disease, befog
generally in a filthyu condition : most Cana it Is this class of
cons introduce small-pox and fevers of different kinds
NORTRUMBERLAND.
IMPORTANT TO CREDITORS IN BANKRUPTCY.—
At the county court, North Shields, recently, Mrs. Farmer,
administratrix of the late J. Farmer, musenger of the Court
of Bankruptcy, Neweastle-upon•Tyne district, brought an
action avainst Mr. E. Taylor. Mr. Hark, for the plaintiffthe
,
stated that the action was brought to recover ilk Se.,
amount of the taxed bill of the messenger of the Court of
Bankruptcy, for services rendered to the defendant,
Wm. Mr.
Taylor, as petitioning creditor, under a fiat against
Henderson, pipe-maker, North Shields. It was usual for
the funds in court to meet the expenses of working a fiat
in bankruptcy. In this case, however, the fUnds had been
exhausted by the solicitor's bill and some other charges.
There
was no doubt, in point of law, that the petitioning
creditor was liable. Mr. Haile, having referred to " Burw
e. ood
Felwn" and one or two other authorities, added that
Mr. Commissioner Fane had decided, a few weeks ago,
that the messenger's bill must be paid although there
were no assets in the hands of the official usignee. Wit-
ness having been called, the judge asked Mr. Wheldon,
who appeared for the defendant, how he could meet his case.
Mr. Wheldon said that the case wu exceedingly hard upon
hi. limit. There was no estate, and his client had already
lost a considerable sum.—His Honour: That may be true,
but why was the fiat issued? The messenger had per-
formed certain services, and the defendant put the machinery
of the Court of Bankruptcy in motion. The jury then re-
turned a verdict for 111. Ss. ?dr. Mule then stated that
there was another action in which Mrs. Farmer was plain-
tiff, and Meson. Walker and Turner, assignees of Hen-
derson, were the defendants. The sum sought was 201.,
the amount of the messenger's bill, ter services rendered
after the choice of the assignees. The defendants had ac-
cepted the oilier of assignees, and must, in point of law.
discharge the bill. Mr. Wheldon said this case was harder
than the other. His Honour said the law was clear, and a
verdict was accordingly returned for 201.

IMPORTANT INFORMATIONS UNDER THE FACTORY
Acr.—Meters. W. Barret and W. White, hosiery manufac-
turer., of Loughborough (says the GrimierAire Mereuey)
were charged by James Bury, sub-inspector of factories for
this district, with neglecting to place in the factory a notice
of the hours for beginning and leaving off work.—Mr.
White appeared and admitted the offence. and was fined
21. and costs, the lowest penalty the magistrates could inflict.
—The game parties were then charged with employing Han
nah Smith in their factory more than eleven hours in one
day, to wit, 13; hours.—Mr. White said that Hannah Smith
in point of fact had worked only 61 hours, but that accord-
ing to the construction put upon the act of parliament by
the inevectnrs, a construction which he considered involved
great absurdity, he must admit the charge.—Mr.
Bury, in reply to Mr. Acworth, said the 26th clause
of the act provided that the time any female or young person
worked in ore day should be reckoned from the hour at
which the first young person commenced working in the
morning.—Mr. Acworth thought that a very unrighteous
decision.—Mr. White said that Hannah Smith commenced
wt rking at a quarter past one o'clock in the day, and worked
six hours and three quarters; but other parsons having
worked for a similar length of time before she commenced,
she was deemed to have commenced when they did, and con-
sequently was deemed to have worked thirteen hours and •
half. He (Mr. White) considered this a great hardship to
the persons employed, for he was thus forced to turn off
half his hands; and the sufferers were not only them who
were employed upbn the machinery, but a far greater
number who were employed elsewhere in finishing the work
made thereby. lie always understood that the act was
made for the purpose of preventing cruelty, but in this case
its operation was din ctly the reverse, the effect being to
throw out of work so many people who could not by any
argument of common sense be paid to have been overworked;
and this at a time when employment alsow scarce that
many were seeking it in vain. Mr. White stated that
the act operated with great hardship upon the =thaw,
turer, as the only way in which he could Increase his pro-
duction would be by making more machinery ; while the
capital expended upon that already constructed was lying
idle and unproductive. He had been told by an eminent
cotton-spinner, a man in the habit of making close calcu-
lations, that it he might be allowed to employ two sets of
hands, each working eight hours a day, he could afford to
give for these eight hours' work as much as he could for
ten hours' work of one set only, for this reason—that in the
former case the capital employed in the construction of the
machinery would bear interest sixteen hours in the day,
and in the :atter only ten hours.—Mr. Acworth said he
never heard of a more irrational act passed by any legisla-
ture, and wished the whole House of Commons were present
to hear Mr. White's remarks.—Mr. White added that the
principal inspector, Mr. Saunders, said that if the magic.
mates inflicted a lenient penalty, he (Mr. 8.) would increase
the number of cases, which would increase the costs ; it
would, therefore, be acting kindly towards him (Mr. W.)
to inflict the highest penalty, namely 31., and be would
then admit nine more cases. If the
inns inflicted a
lower penalty, Mr. Saunders would ist upon twenty-
nine more informations but if the highest penalty was
inflicted, he would be satisfied with nine more.—Mr. Ac-
worth said he never saw a more irrational or absurd
law. He never knew • harder case, and if he had known
its bearing nobody should have induced him to have
attended tUe bench. He thought the inspector's conduct
was not only harsh towards the defendants, but that he was
dictating to the bench. He hoped there was an appeal
spinet their decision.—Mr. White said there was no appeal
except to the Secretary of State for a remission of the penal-
ties. Might he ask the bench to assist him in procuring
that?—Mr. Acworth replied that he never inflicted a penalty
with greater reluctance since he had acted as a magistrate,
and if Mr. White would draw up a memorial, he (Mr. A.)
would, if he approved of it, sign it, and do all he could
to assist him in the recovery of the penalties. He asked
Mr. Bury what was the object of this absurd act ?
Mr. Bury replied it was to secure uniformity of working in
factories, without which it would be impossible to ascertain
whether persons were worked proper hours or not. Mt.
Acworth said that was absurd, as the men in the dockyards
of this country were employed by relays, and it was easy to
ascertain what hours they worked. Mr. Bury admitted
that none of the hands employed in Messrs. Paget and
White's factory worked more than six hours and forty five
minutes en the day named in the informatioa. A penalty
of 31. and meta was inflicted in each of ten cases; after
which Mr. Acworth again exorered his opinion of the in-
justice of such a law, and said that if Mr. White had not
admitted the offence he (Mr. Acworth) would not have con-
victed him without being compelled by a mandamus to
do so.

1•1:11,Ilei,M MAW
CATFIEDRAL REFORM REFCBED.—A letter published
in Lincoln states that at the last audit of the Dean and
Chapter the dean expressed his anxiety that the cathedral
should be thrown open to the public, without charge, from
nine till four in the winter, and from nine till six in the
summer, except during the performance of divine service.
" It is stated" (says the Stortifiwd Mercury), " that the pre-
centor and the chancellor (the two Pretymans), who had
got over Dr. Bonney to their aide, out-voted the proposal.—
The same authority states that the dean unsuccessfully pro-
posed that, in lieu of the fees of the persons who exhibit the
cathedral, an allowance should Ise made by the chapter; and
that his further proposal to obey the law, by having a second
sermon in the cathedral each Sunday, was negativt d on eco-
nomical grounds ; as also was a proposal to increase the
effectiveness of the choir. Would that the dean could
cleanse the temple of moneychangers! It is melancholy
to find that a modern appointment has added to the number
sr them."
DISCOVERY OP OLD COINB.—A few days ago the
workmen employed at the railway cutting at Oreetwell-hill
bad the i,ood fortune to discover a quantity of ancient silver
coins. Upwards of 200 pieces were picked up, as slo a
couple of antique silver rings. The coins comprise a few
of William the Conqueror, a large number of Menu 11.,
and a still larger number of those of Stephen. All are
small, and very imperfectly die-struck, so that it is not with-
out difficulty that the dillirent reigns can be distinguished.
At the time Doomsday Book was prepared, Oreetwell,
which 113• F comprises two or three farm-houses, was a popu-
lous hamlet, and it seems not improbable that this treasure
was bidden during the struggle for supremacy between
Matilda and Stephen. An old historian relates that " the
Empress (Matilda), finding her measures broken by the
crafty bishop of Winchester, hastened to Lincoln ; but the
King followed close, and besieged that city and took it, yet
she made her escape." The spot of the deposit of the coins
was marked by its being covered with a lot of shells.
LINCOLN PARTISANS.—It was rumoured in Lincoln
on Wednesday that the tories purpose making more work
for the lawyers, by disputing the qualification of Mr. Hob-
house. The Lincoln Mercury of Thursday says: " During
the night before the recent election, and on the day of the
poll, the most abominable intimidation was resorted to for
the purpose of compelling persons to vote for Mr. Humfrey.
Every instance is being investigated ; and when the evidence
is matured, the whole of the facts connected with this tory
system, which, bad as cot ruption is, is infinitely worse, will,
we are assured, be laid before the House of Commons, in •
petition to demonstrate the necessity of the ballot. Poor
men were threatened with deprivation of labour, if they
dared to act independently, as the law requires them ; some
have been turned off because they suffered conscience and
inclination to prevail; tenants of houses were threatened
with ejectment unless they gave the vote as the landlord di.
rioted ; end it is understood to admit of proof that landlords
declared they would have none but tory-voting tenants;
tradesmen were threatened with deprivation of patronage;
and to tome since the election it has been intimated, by
former patrons, that the accounts must close because of the
votes."

PETERBOROUGH FARMERS' CLUB.—At the lag
monthly meeting, the question being, " How the moral and
social condition of the agricultural labourer can be best im-
proved t" it was resolved, 1. That reviler and remunerative
employment is essential to the welfare of persons deriving
their subsistence from labour. 2. That labour is chiefly pro-
vided by Carmen in this part of the country ; and to furnish
work to the inswing population involves gm additional