The Sun.
London, England, 1836-09-21 00:00:00

WOOLWICH PETTY SESSIONS.

AN ADVOCATE FOR THE NEW POOR LAW
George Drury, a diminutive but fierce-looking dogmatical
Philadelphia-lawyer-like looking little fellow, with a profu-
sion of powder over his hair, and who was stated to be in
the service of Lady Johnson, strutted into the Justice-room,
and pulling out of his pocket a quantity of papers, he ad-
dressed the bench. He said, as how he attended there to
show cos vy no sich an order as that of bastardy should
be made upon him under no sarcumstances whatsumever.
Mr. Smith, the Magistrate's Clerk, explained that the
defendant had been summoned by Mr. Gilbert, the Assistant
Overseer of Erith, for 21. 12s. arrears, due from defendant,
for the support of an illegitimate child.
Mr. Drury (with great emphasis)--I says as how it's both
hillegal and hunjust.
MAGI3TRATE—How so ? Defendant—Vy, yer Vor-
ships, first and foremost, they calls upon me to pay 21.125.,
vich they says is due up to the 29th of September. Now
you see, Gintelmen, as that ere day is not yet arrived, I
calls that a werry hunjust thing. Then, for the second
pint, vich I contends is hillegal, and I'll prove it to hocklar
aerostation. Here the defendant looked fiercely in the
Overseer's face, and holding up the fore-finger of his right
hand while the left arm was placed akimbo, be questioned
the Overseer as to what had become of that ere child for
the last six months. '

Mr. Gilbert believed it was with the grandfather, but
the parish had paid 2s. per week for its support since De-
cember last.

Defendant—And pray how is it as you dont put it into
Dile of those Union-houses under the New Poor Law Act ?
Mr. Gilbert—The Poor Law has nothing to do with our
parish. •
Col. FORMAN—WeII, Mr. Drury, we shall wake the
order, and when will you pay the money ? Defendant—l
won't make any promise, as I must take furder advice on
the subject. He was then about to argue that the new
Act exonerated him from: any claim, but he was stopped
by the Bench.

Sir JOHN WEBa-I think you are taking rather a bad
position in complaining of being charged a few days in ad-
vance, when it appears you are six months in arrear.

A letter from the defendant to the overseers was here
,handed to the Magistrates. It was to the following effect:—
To Mr. Gilbert and Mr. Jeffreys,
" Gintlemen,—ln konsequence of your repeeied happlyka-
shun relativ to the surport of the child of H. Day, i must hin-
form you i hay had perfessional as well has 114ajesterial had-
vice on the new hact, and my hinstruckshions is, not to pay
one shillin of your demand, it being alltogether hillegal, thar-
fore I wood hadwise you Both not to meddell with matters
you is not kompitent to hunderstand—your trubel is useles,
and usin fraudilint ;nmeens to hobtain your hobgect will never
succeed with me—
" I remain, Gintelmens, with a bekoming respect,
" Not yet your dupe,
" To Messrs. Gilbert and Jeffrys. ' " G. DRURY.
Some rather sharp observations were made by the MA-
GISTRATES to the defendant, and he ultimately promised to
pay the money that is at present due to-morrow morning.
Mr. Drury then made a profound bow to the Bench and
retired.

On Monday last at IL meeting of the Feversham
Town Council, a letter was read from Lord John Russell, an-
nouncing that his Majesty had granted quarter sessions to that
town on condition of their paying 401. a year to a Recorder;
this was accepted.

Y•
••., ••••.• - •
INCREASE OF TRADE AT SWANSEA.—One
thousand and thirty-nine vessels were elezr:d out at the Custom
House in the months of :July and August last; many of the
vessels were of a large class, and laden with steam-engine coal
for the Mediterranean and the West Indies.—Cambrian.
We regret to hear that the scarlet fever prevails
much at Dudley. In many families it.has proved fatal to more
than one inmate.—Kidderminster Messenger.
There is at the present moment, at Brussels, a horse
fond of flesh, and particularly of raw mutton. A short time
ago it got out of its stable, and devoured two breasts of mutton
hanging up at a butcher's shop.—Frenclz Paper.
LAW EXPENSES.—An execution was last week
levied on the premises of a mason, in the parish of Advent, for
191. 16s. The original debt was only 12s. 6d., and the _
pro-
ceeds of the sale amounted to no more than IL 12s. ; out
iof
which the auctioneer claimed 11. Is. !—Devonport Telegrlap ta.
We have had a week of fine harvest weather, and
great quantity of corn has been cut in this
T he crops
beloware generally a light,ge acnadrilniiindlts:eal.imiedwns
ecjaerehnaoxsoNi:eseicit expected ill fall con-
siderablyLUinß
Dover-sheet
hotel
house arc completed. The Athenxum
Ct
haer taoeict
occupy
slciscaausrpyytatkh taken tis repairs Wt:
jirnai grnlet
theirtss
Gossip.—The
Hotel, for a similar purpose. repairs of the Jmcleauabltrnueebi
the Duke
Service arc nearly finished.
are in treaty for Mr. Blick.e'sT.sillieheienctAdos
place. Brooke's is undergoing considerable
The Wyndham will remove
of Athol's), before Christmas. The Windsor is discontinued.

—Court Journal.
We are sorry
.to find that much unpleasantness and
serious litigation is likely to arise in consequence of the
restrictions attempted to be placed on flyfishing in the river
Conway. It is considered that the manner in which the fence
days arc fixed is anything but fair towards the bumbler mem-
bers of the piscatory fraternity. Lord Willoughby has every
prospect of being made as unpopular by these atthmpts to, re-
strict the innocent amusement of angling, as his agents by
some such conduct bad rendered him some twenty years back.
It is to be sincerely hoped that some influential friend will in-
cline his Lordship to reconsider the steps he is nosy pursuing.
His own kindliness of disposition will do the rest.—Carnarven
Herald.

meeting held
At a •at Newcastle, Staffordshire, on
Thursday, to levy a church-rate, an amendment was proposed
to put off the consideration of the rate for five months, when
the original motion for the rate was carried by a majority of
101: the numbers being, for the rate, 174 ; against it, 73.
The inhabitants of Tiverton have refused a church-
rate of Id. in the pound ; and the Dissenters, who greatly pre-
dominate in that town, have unanimously signed a declaration
to resist any attempt to enforce a rate for the use of the church.