The Sun.
London, England, 1844-03-02 00:00:00

THE CHARITY CALLED THE CITY KITCHEN.

Mr. BOWER brought up the Report of the Coal, Corn,
and Finance Committee, to which it was referred to
take into consideration the petition from the Associa-
tion for the Relief of the Poor of the City of London
and the parts adjacent, for pecuniary assistance in aid of
the funds. It stated, amongst many other facts, that
during the season ending 27th of March, 1843, the
Association delivered to poor applicants 30,290 bushels
of &gas, and 424.0601b5. of potatoes; and during the
present season, to the 15th of February, 12,237 bushels of
coals, and 171,3181b5. of potatoes; and, in consequence of
liberal donations of the Court, and of several *benevolent
parties, the price charged to the poor for 84Ibs. of the
best coals and 141bs. of the best potatoes, was reduced
last year from ninepence to the low charge of sixpence,
and the coals and potatoes were delivered to the poor
recipients who lived within the City free of all expense,
at their own habitations, which arrangement had proved
very beneficial, but caused great additional expense to the
Institution. That the receipts of the Association last
year amounted to 2,557/. 10s. 7d., and the expenditure
to 2,401/ 16s. Bd., and that there were at the bankers,
when the petition was presented, 1,0101., comprising
nearly all the subscriptions of the current year, of which
4551 had been since paid for coals and potatoes, and
much larger purchases of these articles must be made to
provide for the tickets issued for the poor, and for more
coming in. That the Association hoped to issue.the
same number of tickets as last year, which would require
a further outlay of 700/. for coals, and 3901. for potatoes.
That the free delivery already cost 2181., and would in-
volve a further outlay of 230/., besides the expense of
printing and other expenses, in return for which several
sums, amounting together to 1,1004, the Association ex-
pected by the sale of tickets to realise only about 4501
The Report concluded with recommending the grant of
the sum of 2001
A discussion took place which, on account of the con-
versational noise in the Court, it was impossible to hear
distinctly.
Mr. ANDERTON objected to the management of the
charity, by which the poor were deprived of a great deal
of the advantages intended and expected by the benevo-
lent contributors. He condemned the machinery by
which, he said, the poor were obliged to pay out of the
aliowance a much larger per tentage than was received
by tradesmen for their goods ; and he advised a re-
modelling of the plan, for the purpose of extending the
charity, instead of permitting it to be swallowed up by
an injudicious expenditure.
Mr. Lorr said that no public charity could, it was
well known, be carried on without expense, and the City
kitchen was certainly regulated by a most active and
discriminating zeal for the benefit of the poor objects.
One of the leading features of the new arrangements
was the free delivery of the articles to the poor, and the
recipients were most grateful for a change which pro-
tected them from the plunder to which they had been
subjected from persons who deprived them of their money
and their tickets.

Mr. R. TAYLOR said the question was,
_ whether good
was done by the charity tantamount to the expense in-
curred. Now he was given to understand that by the
delay the poor experienced in waiting for nine penny-
worth. of coals they were losers of sixpence.
Mr. Lori' declared that such a statement was part of
a system of calumny to which the charity had been ex-
posed for some time.
Mr: PEWTRESS thought that much good might be in-
troduced by a more ingenious syStem of management,
calculated to reduce the expenditure. The cost might,
he was of opinion, be reduced five per cent.
Deputy CORNET said the present cost was less than
five per cent. He strongly commended the whole plan
upon which the charity was conducted, and argued that
any change Would be a change for the worse.
The Report was then agreed to.
It was, after some discussion, referred to a Committee
to consider and report whether any, and what addition
should be made to the salary of Edward Bullock, Esq.,
in respect of his services in the Central Criminal Court.
After the transaction of some business of no public
interest, the Court adjourned.

R. O'CONNELL.—EFFECTS OF THE TRIAL.---The
following address (says the Brighton Guardian) has been
handed round for signature in Chichester, a cathedral city,
be it remembered, in a part of England celebrated for its at-
tachment to Protestantism. It tends to show how much the
prosecution of Mr. O'Connell has exalted him in the estima-
tion of the people of England :—" To Daniel O'Connell, Esq.
Sir—Permit us, undersigned inhabitants of the city of Chi-
chester, to express our admiration at the manly way in which
you have asserted the rights of your native country, and at
the rare union of patriotic zeal and Christian moderation dis-
played by you in the influence you have exercised over the
large masses of your fellow-subjects who have confided their
interests to your care. Without intending in the most distant
way to hint how far we may agree with or differ from you in
your political or religious opinions, we feel ourselves deeply
Interested in the verdict just obtained against you, as we can-
not but think that if the interpretation put by your accusers
en what you have justly styled the ' cabalistic' word conspi-
racy should be confirmed, the liberties of Englishmen will be
as much endangered as they would have been had the doc-
trine of constructive treason, attempted to be established in
the year 1794 against Messrs. Hardy, Tooke, and others, by
the then Attorney-General, Sir John Scott, not been repu-
diated by an English jury : and we cannot but regret that an
Irish jury, having had such a bright example of real
patriotism and exalted philanthropy before them, had not
possessed discernment sufficient to follow it. Under what-
ever further difficulties in which your noble conduct may in-
volve you, you will have, we are fully aware, the best
support in the testimony of conscience ; but in addition?
we wish to assure you of our cordial sympathy and esteem."
Other tome in England will probably imitate this example.