The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-30 00:00:00

IMPROVEMENT OF THE CONDI-
TION OF THE LABOURERS OF DORSET.
DORCHESTER, TUESDAY.—A highly influential meeting,
was held in the Assize Hall here yesterday afternoon,
under the auspices of the High Sheriff of the county
the Lord Bishop of the diocese, and a host of county
magistrates and clergymen, for the purpose of " esta-
blishing a Labourers' Friend Society for the district,
with the view of bettering the condition, morally and
physically, of the rural labourers and working mechanics
and artisans, by carrying out the field-garden allotment
system, under judicious regulations." At thetim
Bishop the
High Sheriff took the chair, we noticed around him—
The Right Rev. Dr. Denison, Lord of
Salisbury;
John Floyer, Esq., M.P.; Richard Brinsley Sheridan,
Esq., M.P.; the Hon. and Rev. W. H. Scott ; A. H. D.
Acland, ohn Cree, F. B. Martin, Robert Williams,
John Mansell, Esqs. ; Captain Foster, the Rev. J. A.
Templar and John Venables, county magistrates ; the
Venerable the Archdeacon of Dorset, the Revs. C. W.
Bingham, .J. Lane, E. Ludlow, G. Wood, R. Smith, G.
Fisher, N. Handley, Sanderson Robins, J. Philips, T.
Thompson, J. Frenow, 0. Fisher, &e. Among the
ladies—Mrs. Sheridan, Mrs. John Floyer, Mrs. C. W.
Bingham, Mrs. Martin, &c. &c.
The HIGH SHERIFF, after briefly touching upon the
general objects of such societies as they had met to
form, said that it had been generally understood from
what took place at a large preliminary meeting of the
committee, that the society would not confine itself to
the objects specified in the printed advertisements, and
he confessed that he hoped to see a considerable exten•
aim of those objects. He hoped to see such an amount
of funds as would enable them to give premiums for such
things as domestic economy—for length of service—for
those who had kept their children at school the longest
time, and with the best results—for the best cultivated
garden—for the best garden produce, &c. He felt a
peculiar pleasure in presiding on that occasion, because
he had occasionally to attend in that Court on much less
pleasant business ; and if, as the organ of the quarter
sessions, he had had to administer punishment for
offences against the laws, it was now a very pleasing
duty to preside at a meeting for the formation of a
society which was to reward the honest and industri-
ous.—(Cheers.) The High Sheriff concluded by read-
ing letters from H. Ker Seymour, Esq., M.P., and the
Rev. H. F. Yeatman, apologising for absence, and then
called on
The Lord Bishop of SALISBURY, who proposed the
first resolution. His Lordship said he had listened with
great pleasure to the observations with which the High
Sheriff had introduced the business of the meeting, and
in which he had in some measure anticipated some re-
marks which he might otherwise have been disposed to
make. He would proceed at once to read a resolution
which was entrusted to him, and which was to this
effect;—" That it is obvious that the present state and
condition of the labouring classes are such as to give oc-
casion for the immediate efforts of an energetic and well-
directed benevolence to produce a permanent and effectual
improvement in their condition." Ile felt that this reso-
lution might more properly, in some respects, have been
committed to the charge of those around him, who, from
their own personal acquaintance with the condition of
the labourers, and more especially with the condition of
the labourers of this county, would be enabled to sup-
port the resolution by statements of facts which it would
not be in his power to bring before them, and by argu-
ments which he had not the means to adduce. The calls
of duty which laid upon him brought him little into
immediate connexion with the labouring poor—with
those whose interests it was the more especial object of
the association which it was now proposed to establish
to advance. But if on that account it might have been
more fitting that such a resolution should have been en-
trusted to some other hands, he might be permitted to
say that there was surely no man who was bound under
deeper or more sacred responsibilities than himself, to
have a deep and earnest sympathy with the condition of
the poor—not only in this or that locality throughout
the county, but in every individual parish and every lo-
cality, with each and all of which he was connected by
a tie the most sacred and the most important. And,
perhaps, in one respect it might be as well that he who
had to move the resolution should not be connected with
any particular parish or locality in that county, more es-
pecially than with the neighbouring county; inasmuch
as it could not by possibility be supposed that in advert.
ing to the condition of the labouring class in general, it
was intended to imply that that condition differed from
the state of the labouring class in any part of the United
Kingdom, placed under similar circumstances; or that
he had any intention to allude to those discussions that
had been raised, and which had excited an angry feeling
in the community. He was sure that it was not the in-
tention of this association to mix itself up with questions
of that kind, and he believed such to be far from the wish
of the committee who framed those resolutions. It was far
from his own wish to assert that there was any difference
in the condition of the labouring classes in that county,
and in the condition of those in the other part of his
diocese in Wilts, or in any part of the United Kingdom
under similar circumstances. But by this resolution was
implied, that the condition of the labouring classes was
worthy to be a subject of more satisfactory contemplation
than they allowed it to be; and he would put it to any
man who understood the responsibilities under which
they laid, whether it was not for their interest to better
that condition by any means which experience could
suggest or reason advise ? As with the social condition
of the individual man, so was it with the condition of
the social community. In both conditions it was found
imprudent to stand still, for the nation and individuals
were either advancing to improvement or tending to de-
gradation and decay. It might be that in the body po-
litic different actions might at the same time be going
on in different portions, and that one member of the body
might dwindle and waste away whilst other parts were
subjected to an unnatural and unhealthy growth. No
one that looked around him would fail to see that there
was going on in this country a progress, and growth, and
Increase entirely unexampled. Science was every day
bringing to light new discoveries, which in their applica-
tion to the mechanical arts were giving occasion for the
increase of capital and the growth of the na-
tional wealth. Knowledge was more widely distri-
buted. Agriculture, trade, commerce, each had in
an astonishing degree increased. But it might be
a subject of inquiry, whilst there was this growth
of wealth, this accumulation of capital, whether the
great mass of the community had their due and proper
share in the improvement of the general state. If it
were the case that there was in this country at the pre-
sent time a tendency of wealth, whilst it had increased,
to accumulate itself in fewer bands—if there were such
a tendency, that whilst the rich grew richer the poor
grew poorer—that whilst the few had a large share of
the luxuries of life, the labourers and the men who sup-
plied those luxuries, had a smaller portion of even that
which their necessities required—this was a state which,
while it could not but make the philanthropist grieve,
must give uneasiness to the statesman and the politician,
and it gave them the more readiness to avail themselves
of any occasion on which such a tendency might be cor-
rected, honest industry be improved, and the labouring
man be encouraged with hope in the exercise of his
honest calling. And this he conceived to be the inten-
tion of the association which it was proposed to-day to
found—not founded as if that or any association could
take the place of the responsibilities of the individual
man, or could do that which, after all, depended mainly
upon the exertions of all those who wore conscious of
those responsibilities in his own private sphere to carry
out himself. He conceived that this society could not
perhaps do very much in its own corporate capaci!y, but
be conceived that every individual who united himself
with that society pledged himself thereby, in his own
particular sphere, to do that which. God placed within
his reach for the improvement of those beneath him—to
encourage their industry, promote their education, and
raise as far as possible their social state. And, indeed,
he might be permitted to state that they were already
all members of an association which promised these
things. They were already, by virtue of their incorpo-
ration into the church of Christ, under the law, that
when one member suffers, all the members suffer with
it ; and that when one member rejoices, all the mem-
bers rejoice with it—they were members of an associa-
tion, the rule of whose conduct was, "to bear one
another's burden, and so fulfil the law of Christ."—
(Applause.) The association which they proposed to
found was but a practical means of carrying out the
higher law. He conceived that they were in the path of
duty when endeavouring by all means in their power to
lighten the burden of poverty, and to stimulate indus-
try. to encourage honest exertion, to cheer depression,
and by raising the physical state of the labouring classes,
to give a better opportunity for the cultivation of their
spiritual being.—(tluch applause.)
Mr. FLOYER, one of the members for the county,
seconded this resolution, and said he did so the more
readily because he believed it required very few obser-
vations. It would be highly improper in him to make
any particular mention of his interest in the labouring
classes, which if he exhibited in that sphere in which
Providence had placed him, might well be spared, and if
he showed a neglect of that interest in his private
sphere, such observations would be idle and fruitless.
How the labouring classes might be brought to a parti-
cipation of those luxuries and comforts enjoyed by all
other classes, was a subject which had rtceived much
consideration ; but he thought if they wished to do real,
permanent, and vital good, it must be through the means
of the labouring classes and the mechanics themselves.
It was known that the system generally adopted in the
neighbourhood was for the cottage to have a garden at-
tached to it, and where that garden was accompanied by
an allotment of potato ground in the field, ho believed
this was one of the best means of meeting the wants of
the labouring classes. He thought there were many
reasons for coming to this conclusion, one of which was
that (before this visitation) a lug of potato ground gene-
rally produced two bushels ; 20 lug would therefore
produce 40 bushels, or a larger amount of food than
he thought could be furnished by any system for the
improvement of the labouring classes. He was not
prepared to say that where this was carried out the
allotment system was an improvement, but there was
abundant room for the operations of this society
if they left out of account all the places where
this system was followed. It was well known that
adjoining that town there was a large parish in which
there were dwellings without any gardens at all, and the
incumbent of which had endeavoured in vain for a length
of time to obtain land. He be
believed there were many
places to a certain extent in the same condition, and he
thought that for the first few years
ato do.
they would have
quite as much as they would be enabled
Mr. A. H. DYKE ACLAND proposed
the next reso-
lution to this effect :—" That it is evident fro
re-
port of the Select Committee of the House
orflj' the
on the utility of allotments of land to the poor, a7raras
various other authentic documents, that land allotment,
or the field-garden system, under judicious regulations,
tend to add to the resources, to increase the comforts,
and improve the moral habits of the labouring classes."
The speaker enforced by argument drawn from the re-
port alluded to the various principles enunciated in the
reeolation ; and he did believe, he said, that if there
were any two principles contained in these two texts of

Scripture, " The earth is the Lcrd's and the fulness
thereof," and " The poor shall eat and be satisfied "
(Loud cheers.)—he held that he had sinned equily against
God and his fellow-creatures who wasted ono single
farthing on luxuries or needless things, or wasted a
single acre of that land whose produce e as called for by
starving brethren, and who had a right to ask that the
land should be cultivated to the utmost possible extent.
Now it was distinctly proved in that report that the la-
bourer could, with perfect faithfulness to his master,
cultivate in his leisure hours his land to such an extent
as to produce sufficient to support him, if he were quite
without wages for thirteen weeks in the year. People
were in the habit of coming to him—anrl God knew he
felt for them when they did—end complaining that they
were turned off in the winter. What was the farmer's
story? lam obliged to provide my capital, and to have
it ready to apply at the very moment when it is neces-
sary, and if I am bound to provide for all these men at
all seasons, how am I to bring my capital to bear at the
moment when it is required? He was not going to dis-
cuss that, for this was not the proper time for dis•
cussing it, but here was an answer—that in a certain
part of the year when a labourer could not be profitably
employed by the farmer, here was a system by which
provision could be made beforehand for the hour of
necessity. There was one fact which cameunder his own
notice bearing upo❑ the question. There was con-
nected with the gaol of that county a fund called the
" charity fund," from which certain sums were given
to persons who had been in the gaol, and on their libera-
tion worked continuously for the same master for three,
six, or twelve mouths. At the end of the period they
received rewards and clothes in proportion to the length
of their servitude, it being provided that it should be
shown that during that period they attended Divine
service. That fund had been established 20 years.
During the first 10 years there were only 10 applicants,
but duriag the last 10 years 103 had received gifts from
the fund, and of those 103 three only had been re-com-
mitted to gaol. It might be asked, what had that to do
with the subject before them ? He thought it had much
to do with it. It showed that get such a man into
honest employment, and there was some security, under
God's blessing, of his not reverting again to the path of
crime, but ground for reasonable hope of his becoming
au honest, trustworthy member of society.
The Hon. and Rev. W. SCOTT, Rector of Maiden
Newton, seconded the resolution, and regretted that the
person through whom ho had had access to documents
bearing upon the case was not present. He regretted
it, because he was quite sure that the community had
mistaken his views, and that the objections which they
had taken to his views were most unworthy. He was
sure that such restraints kept them closer to their duties
than if their faults were passed over in silence. [Mr.
Scott was supposed to allude to Mr. Osborne.] He
thought they must admit that they were not on an equal
footing with many parts of the country, for in the sister
country there were no labourers receiving under 155.,
and during harvest they often received 205., and in
Northumberland he was invariably hired by the year ;
that he had his cottage rent free; that he had his thousand
yards of potato ground provided by the farmer, and in
addition to that he had the whole of his pay in goods,
which in times of scarcity was a most valuable accom-
modation. The Northumberland "hind," as he was
called, had invariably a cow kept for him, his four and
a half quarters of oats, his three quarters of barley, his
quarter and a half of peas, and his three bushels of
wheat. In the parish of Nocton, in Lincolnshire, the
wages were the same as those he had mentioned. That
was not the case there; but let him tell them what would
be the case, if they did not follow the example. The
labourers were already leaving this country for the wilds
of Australia and the great plains of America, and when
they learned these things, as they must soon from the
ready communication that took place between one part
and another, he thought they would not remain there
when they learned that they could obtain a better remu-
neration elsewhere.—(Cheers.) He was not desirous of
laying the whole blame of this upon the farmer, for if
he raised a body of labourers only one shilling a week,
his outlay might be increased 30/. a year, and that was
more than they expected others to give in charity, for
charity it was, though it was a charity that would re-
dound to their own welfare. He knew it was said with
a certain degree of fairness that the landlord must bear ,

his part in that increase of wages ; but he told them it
must begin with the farmers, te landlord had it not in
his power to raise the rate of wages ; but he did not
mean to say whether the land of that country was not
held at too high a rent—if so, let the tenant not offer
too high.—(Laughter.) A heavy and deep responsi-
bility certainly rested upon the landowner with regard
to the condition of the dwellings, but that would be the
subject of another resolution. When he entered on the
living of Maiden Newton he was ironically congratu-
lated on his having got the worst parish in the county
to deal with, and he himself was no less than six times
in that very court as a prosecutor. In the last three
years, during which allotments had been in operation in
his parish, he did not think he had been seen there.—
(Applause.) In the first year of the allotments two con-
victions took place, and there were consequently two
forfeitures ; but from that time not one out of 80 hol-
ders had committed any offence to call them up before a
magistrate, There was one result which, as a clergy-
man, he took especial pleasure in contemplating, viz.,
that when cultivating the soil the labourer might be in-
duced to think of the cultivation of his soul ; and that
when he found that by due attendance to his garden he
was reaping a reward, he might be led to consider that
by attending to the cultivation of his soul he might reap
the rewards thereof in the heavenly kingdom.
The Rev. 11. URQUHART proposed the next resolution,
which expressed the desirableness of obtaining the co-
operation of owners and occupiers of landed property, to
promote an improvement in ventilation, draining, and
internal accommodation.

Mr. JOHN CUAMEN, farmer, of Charminster, seconded
the proposition.
The Rev. SANDERSON RomNs, without preliminary
observation, moved the formation of the society, which
Mr. J. F. HODGES seconded.

The Rev. C. W. BINGHAM, in proposing that the Earl
of Orford, the Lord Bishop of the diocese, and Lord
Rivers, be patrons of the society, and that a committee
be formed, said, in what was his parish (Syding) he en
deavoured to establish the system, but for the first six
years he tried in vain. He found that the landowner
would not assist him; that the farmers were always
against him; and it was only about two years ago that
he was enabled to purchase land and carry out his inten-
tions. With respect to what had been said about the
state of the dwellings of the poor, he would only re-
mark that he had been carried to Fordington, where he
saw what he was sure would surprise those who knew
Dorchester best. He saw there places where the people
were crowded together i❑ a manner that he had thought
was confined to the manufacturinc, district..
Mr. JOHN lIAYNE seconded the resolution; and after
a vote of thanks had been given to the Lord Bishop
and the High Sheriff, and acknowledged, the meeting
separated.

ROYAL SEA-BATHING INFIRMARY. The fifty-
first anniversary dinner of this charity was held at the
London Coffee-house, Ludgate-hill, yesterday evening.
The Right Hon. the Lord Mayor presided, being sup-
ported by Mr. Alderman Challis and Mr. R. NV. Ken.
nard, Sheriffs of London and Middlesex, and other
active friends of the institution. The entertainment
itself was highly creditable to the Messrs. Lovegrove.
After the cloth had been drawn, and the usual loyal and
national toasts had received due honour, the Lord .Mayor
proposed the leading toast of the evening, viz., " Pros-
perity to the Royal Sea-bathing Infirmary;" and, in
order to show the increased prosperity and usefulness
of the institution, stated that the number of patients
admitted, which was, in the first year (1796), only
16. had increased in each succeeding year, until,
during the past season, 716 persons had been received
either as in-door or as out-door patients; a statement
which elicited loud applause. It was further remarked,
that although the bulk of the subscriptions had
hitherto come from the metropolis, there was the
greatest desire, on the part of the managing body, to
derive support from the provinces, as well as to extend
the beneEs of the institution to persons living in distant
parts of the country. Amongst the toasts was that of
"Mr. B. B. Calibell aad the Vice-Presidents of the
Institution." In acknowledging the compliment, Mr.
Cabbell observed, that one great impediment to the
beneficial operation of the institution was the charge
now thrown upon the patients of defraying the expenses
of their board. Mr. Alderman Gibbs, the treasurer,
expressed his desire to see this burden removed from
the recipients of the benefits of the charity, remarking,
at the same time, that, in order to effect this object, it
would be necessary that about 30,0001. should be invested
in the Three per Cents. The toasts of the evening in-
cluded " The Chairman," " Mr. Coulson and the Medical
Board," " Mr. Alderman Gibbs, the treasurer," "The
Sheriffs," &c. Mr. J. Paul, the secretary, announced
several subscriptions, the aggregate amount of which was
5951. 16s.

SALARIES OF THE JUDGES 01' THE COURTS OF
EQUITY AND LAw.—The Learned Judges of the several
courts of equity and law will resume their labours on
Monday next, on the commencement of Michaelmas
term. There are twenty-two judges of the superior
Courts in England, whose salaries amount to 123,577/.
a year. The five judges of the Court of Chancery are
paid 33,000/. The Lord Chancellor has 10,000/.
Master of the Rolls, 7,000/.; Vice-Chancellor of Eng-
land, 6,0001. ; and the two Vice-Chancellors, Knight
Bruce and Wigram, 5,0001. The six judges of the Court
of Queen's Bench are paid 32,0001 The Lord Chief
Justice has 8,000/.; and the Puisne Judges 5.000/. each.
The six judges of the Court of Common Pleas have
similar sums, as also the six judges of the Court of Ex- 1
chequer, with the exception of the Chief Baron, who has
a salary of 7,000/. The judge of the Court of Admi-
ralty has 4,000/., and the average emoluments of the
judge of the Prerogative Court amount to 3,077/., mak-
ing the number 22, and the united salaries 123,77/.

EFFECTS OF Hula FARES.—The branch of the
South-Eastern Railway from Margate to Ramsgate was
not opened, as expected, last week. " Under other cir-
cumstances," says the Kentish Obserrer, " this would
have caused much disappointment and inquiry as to the
cause; but so unpopular has this railway company be-
come, that few cared to ask if it were open or not, or as
to the cause of its not being opened. There is no ques-
tion that the three towns of Margate, Ramsgate, and
Broadstairs would have done rauch better at the latter
part of the season had the fares not been raised ; and
also that the Sou:h-Eastern Company, from their false
step, have been sufferers in a pecuniary point of view.
Few will travel from the Isle of Thanet by rail this win-
ter, unless the prices be lowered, the second-class car-
riages made more comfortable, and the third-class
covered in. The voyage to London by steam-vessel is
cheaper, performed in about the same time as running
rtoourrieli by
Ashford, and is preferable, in many respects,
riding in the present second and third-class carriages.
Passengers meet with civility and liberality from the
captains and crews of the steam-boats." The same can-
not be said of the railway,