Star.
London, England, 1831-05-26 00:00:00

A CASE OF GREAT HARDSHIP.

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A poor man, named John Finch, is now confined in the gaol of
Horsemorger-lane, for a debt of Ifs. being an arrear cf poorrates duc
to the parish of IVindlesham, in the county of Surrey. The circum-
stances under which the unfortunate man has been thus incarcerated,
furnish another instance of the mal-administration of the poor laws, and
of the mode in which country justice is. we fear, too often dispensed.
Previous to the seizure made by the parish officers, Finch, it appears,
was distrained upon for rem, and all his little moveables were sold, to
satisfy the demand of his landlord. A friend stepped forward on his
behalf, and purchased for him a few stools and tables, and thus stocked
he opened a school. lie had been, however, but a very short time in
this line of business, when he was summoned to attend the bench of
tragistrates at Guildford (a distance of thirteen miles from where he
lived), to show cause why he had neglected to pay an arrear of poor.
rates, amounting to five shillings, due by him to the parish of Win-
tilesham, in which he resided. The poor man had abundant means of
moving his inability to pay the sum demanded; but, fearful that
if be locked up his school to attend the summons of the magistrates,
he should lose his scholars ; and being, moreover, in want of shoes
to perform a journey of twenty-six miles, he neglected to obey
the mandate, conceiving that the parish authorities were aware of his
distressed situation, and would not urge him beyond his means. Ir
this, however, he was mistaken ; for, after the lapse of a fortnight. or
three weeks, a constable arrived with a warrant for his apprehension,
signed by the lion. and Ittv. Mr. Onslow, of Guildford, and his reps.
tire, Mr. Serjeant Onslow, both Magistrates of the Guildford Bench.
The unfortunate man, sooner than he sent to prison, offered to give up
the only property he possessed in the world, namely, a few tables and
forms in his school-room, to satisfy the demand of the parish ; but the
constable told him that these arJcles would not be sufficient—that the
debt, including the cost of the summons, warrant, services, &c.
and amounted to between 10. and 17s and that his orders were
P convey him forthwith to the gaol of Horsemonger-lane.—
(solar Finch, finding that he had no other elernative, submit-
ted to his hard fate, and the constable, having provided a
horse and chaise, conveyed him as far as Hounslow, where a
fresh horse was obtained, and he was finally conveyed to the
prison, of which he is row an inmate, being a distance of thirty
miles from his home. Now the cost of the journey, including tolls
and other incidental expenses, cannot amount to much less than 3L
and this sum, together with the costs of the proceeding, arc added to
the original debt of ss. and the whole amount must be paid, or the un-
fortunate man is doomed to remain in custody, " without bail or main.
prize," during whatever period the palish officers and the aforesaid
bench of magistrates may think proper to detain him ; for the enormous
expenses attending the proceeding have swelled the debt considerably
beyond the sum for which, under ordinary circumstances, he might ob-
tain relief by remaining in prison for a limited number of days, and the
benefit of the law as applicable to insolvent debtors is also denied him,
inasmuch as a debt due for poor-rates cannot be liquidated by any
given period of imptisonment, the debtor being entirely at the mercy
of those at whose suit he is confined. The law, no doubt, has wisely
provided that debts of this description should not be classed wit
those contracted under different circumstances; hue it appears perfectly
monstrous, that fur a demand of only ss. in the first instance, the ex-
penses attending the recovery of that sum should all at once &mouth to',
more than ten times the original debt : and that, as in this instance,
an unfortunate man should lie dragged from his home, a distance of
30 nines, and confined, perhaps, for years, for the non-payment of a
nominal debt of a few shillings, while the amount of costs for the
reeosery of which precludes him from the possibility of making any
arrangement to effect his liberation, and places him at the mercy of
those upon whose sympathies he has but little reason to rely.—Morninif

EN N IS, MAY 20, Id3o.—This day no less than six gen-
tlemen left Ennis for the county of Galway, for the purpose of at.
ringing the late qua:rel in what is technically called an honourable way.
The following is the present arrangement, but how many more duels
will eventuate from the present set, from the excitement and exaspera-
tion among the Mends of the parties, it is hard to say. Ist. O'Gorman
Mahon and Francis Mamma's, Esq ; 2d. Wan. R. Mahou and
Maurice O'Connell, Esqrs ; 3d. Charles O'Connell and George Corn.
m ns Esqs.
One half of the boat in which Sir Joseph Yorke was sail-
ing, in company with Captains Bradby and Young, has been found -
and from this circumstance it is conjectured that she was severed
by same electric mattes, instead of being seized in a sudden squall, as
was first supposed.
It is rumoured in the higher circles, that in addition to
the Marquis of Cleveland, and others, who are about to be elevated in
the Peerage, are the following :—.The Marquis of Bath, as Duke of
Bath an. Earl of Warminster; the Earl of Dudley to the ancient
Dukedom or Dudley ; and the Earl of Winchilsea as Marquis of
Nottingham.
The celebrated Chinese scholar, Professor Neutnan,sailed
fur England in the Hon. Company's ship Sir David Scott, ou the 17th
of January. The professor has made a large collection of original
Chinese books, and much exceeded the sum put at his disposal by the
Royal academy at Berlin. Some of these are of a magnitude that none
but a Chinese could write, or a German venture to read.
There is a strange story extant of a certain illustrious
personage, celebrated for the silvery hue of his mustaches, and his
determined dislike of reformation, having lately become a very diligent
tract-distributer, among the lieges between Hyde Park Corner and
Brentford Butts, and the demesnes that there adjacent lie. Whether
the tracts so distributed are religious or political we know not; but
those persons who are best acquainted with the distinguished distri-
butor, affirm that they are much more likely to he political than reli-
gious.—Herald.
The articles of sepal ation between Captain Polhill and
Mr. A. Lee, have been executed, and the former gentleman has now
the sole management of Drury-lane Theatre. There has been a great
deal of gossip as to the causes which led to this separation, but we are
assured, that a simple matter of buainces was the immediate occasion
of it. The Treasurer of the Theatre, in the usual way, Indieseed the
two lessees, that a large sum of money (about eight hundred pounds,
we believe), would be required by him to pay the salaries., ke. so Sa-
turday last. Captain Polhill said he was prepared to furnish his pro.
portion, which was one-half the sum, but positively refused to ohms
a single shilling more than he was bound to do under his
with Mr. Lee. In consequence of Captain Polhill's nu
determination, the Treasury was closed on Saturday. Oa BMtatisp
evening, however, Mr. Lee formally withdrew from the
by signing articles of separation, and Captain Polhill has doesl
Treasurer with the necessary fund.

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