The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-02-22 00:00:00

CHIMNEY SWEEPING

We have received a pamphlet compiled and published for
gratuitous circulation, by Robert Steven, Esq„ of the Hand-
in-hand Insurance Office, London, with. the benevolent
object of calling public attention to the cruelties practised
upon climbing boys, and the practicability of sweeping
chimnies much more effectually by means of machines than
by the mode followed by " the old race of chimney-sweepers,
the men who have been living upon the labour of little chil-
dren." "It now," says Mr. Steven, " becomes the impe-
rative duty of every one to see whether his chimneys require
adapting to the use of the machine, and whether there are
persons in the neighbourhood into whose hands the machine
may be safely put, as it will be too late when the act comes
into operation, and the informers are catching at the pe-
nalties all over the country, to make those arrangements
which ought to have been settled in the two years allowed by
the legislature for that purpose." The act of parliament
(3 and 4 Vic., c. 85) comes into operation on the first day
of July next. We do not know how we can more effectually
aid in forwarding the benevolent intention of the author than
by giving publicity to the following sections of the act :-
2. And be it enacted that from and after the first day of
July, in the year one thousand, eight hundred and forty-two,
any person who shall compel, or knowingly allow any child
or young person under the aye of twenty-one years to as-
cend or descend a chimney, or enter a flue for the purpose
of sweeping, cleaning, or coring the same, or for extinguishing
fire therein, shall be liable to a penalty not more than len
pounds or less than five pounds.
3. And be it enacted, that from and after the passing of
this act, it shall not be laWful to apprentice to any person
using the trade or business of a chimney sweeper, any child
under the age of sixteen years, and that every indenture of
such apprenticeship which may be entered into after such
date shall be null and void.
5. And be it enacted, that from and after the first day of
July, one thousand, eight hundred, and forty-two, all ex-
isting indentures of apprenticeship to. the trade or business
of a chimney-sweeper of any child who shall then be under
the age of sixteen years shall be null and void.

6. And whereas It is expedient, for the better security from
accident by fire or otherstiie, the improved construction of
chimneys and flues provided by the said Act to be continued ;
be it enacted, that all withs and partitions between any chim-
ney or flue which at any time after the passing of this Act
shall be built or rebuilt shall be of brick or stone, and at
least equal to half a brick in thickness ; and every breast-
back and with or partition of any chimney or flue hereafter
to be built or rebuilt shall be built of sound materials, and
the joints of the work well filled in with good mortar or
cement, and rendered or stuccoed within ; and also that every
chimney or flue hereafter to be built or rebuilt in any wall,
or of greater length than four feet out of the wall, not being
a circular chimney or flue twelve inches in diameter, shall be
in every section of the same not less than fourteen incises
by nine incises; and no chimney or flue shall be constructed
with any angle therein which shall be less obtuse than an
angle of one hundred and twenty degrees, except as is here-
inafter excepted ; and every salient or projecting angle in
any chimney or flue shall be rounded off finer inches at the
least, upon pain of forfeiture by every master builder or
other master workman who shall make or cause to be made
such chimney or flue, of any sum not less than ten pounds
nor exceeding fifty pounds: provided nevertheless, that not-
withstanding this Act chimneys or flues may be built at an-
gles with each other of ninety degrees and more, such chim-
neys or flues having therein proper doors or openings not
less than six inches square.

DISSOLUTION OF THE HALIFAX UNION

(From the Halifax Guardian.)
On Wednesday next, at the Board of Guardians, Mr.
.Pitehforth, guardian for Rastrick, is to move for the dissolu-
tion of the Halifax Union, and a return to the old system.
Uncompromising opponents as we have ever been to the
New Poor Law system, we cannot permit our present num-
ber to go forth without brief mention of this motion, and of
our wishes for its success. When the New Poor Law was
introduced into this Union—when the bastile was erected—
and again, when it was attempted to put on the screw of
" prohibition" to out-door relief in reference to bastardy—
we opposed the system to the best of our ability. In the
latter the board thought with us ; but in the former the san-
guine anticipations of the Poor Law advocates triumphed.
Have those predictions of good and benefit been realized?
Have they not miserably failed
Our reasons for advocating a return to the old system may
be briefly stated. We leave out of the question the consti-
tutional principles involved in the law. But confining our-
selves to the mere working of the new law, we have abun-
dant argument for its dissolution. The distance which the
poor have to come—the sacrifices the guardians have to make
in order to do imperfectly at Halifax what could be done
tWice as well, with half the trouble, in their own townships--
the expense of the cumbersome machinery of the union—and
the hasty manner in which, of necessity, the greater part of
the business is done by the officers, call loudly for the resto-
ration of the old system.
The proposal to abridge the labours of the guardians by
handing the poor over wholesale to:the relieving officers, is
one against which we must set our face. It is giving to those
officers an unchecked power greater than any paid servants
ought to have ; at the same time that we fully confess there
is no other way of carrying on the union. It has been sug-
gested as the least of two evils, but in our opinion it would
be the greatest of all evils to the poor. The relieving officers,
we doubt not, have rarely betrayed the confidence reposed in
them, because there has always been an efficient check upon
their actions ! But it is neither good policy, nor sound wis-
dom, to abandon the wheel at the same time that you crowd
all sail.

We presume not to thrust our advjce on the guardians.
Thitz.beidtue vt-t-pparraet Wlioffe antleftrntiotre.-tnlYe been 'An
wolully reversed, come forward with' more suggestions to
get the union out of the scrape they got it into, we have a
right to recall to the guardians the fact that we predicted all
these difficulties, and therefore have a superior claim to ,con-
sideration. The union system, is too unwieldy to work, and
it would be easier to make another system than to mend it.
But the old township plan,bas already approved itself to the
poor and to the ratepayers, as, it' not the best system that
could be devised, at least infinitely better than the reformed
one substituted in its stead.

No Wesleyan minister is, or has been, a member of the
Anti-Corn Law Conference.

From an official paper, just published by order of the
House of Commons, in reference to the expenditure attend-
ant upon the operation of the Poor Laws' Bill in Ireland, it
appears that in addition to a sum of a million sterling, already
appropriated by Parliament towards the purchasing of sites,
and the erection of buildings under the provisions of the
act, no less than one hundred and fifty thousand pounds are
still necessary for accomplishing these purposes. An outlay
of £150,000, no lei's, before the law can be fully carried out ;
and this " required early in February, or as soon as possible
after the meeting of Parliament !"—Dublin Evening Packet.

FURTHER CHANGES IN THE IMPORT DUTIES. —We are
sorry to perceive, from the answers that have been elicited
from Sir R. Peel on the subject in parliament, that it is his
intention to make some other important changes in the laws
affecting the importation of the necessaries of life, besides
those which he has proposed with respect to corn in its raw
state. For instance, it appears that he intends to remove the
prohibition against the importation of flour into Ireland, and
to lower the import duty on foreign beef, pork, butter, and
live cattle. These are changes that will tell very seriously on
Irish interests, and no time shall be lost in endeavouring to
dissuade the pi etnier from such measures. In the article of
oats. the Irish farmer will be a heavy loser, if so large a re-
duction as is contemplated take place—our exports of oats
and oatmeal to Great Britain being nearly five times as that
of wheat, and it has gone on increasing in quantity almost
every year. And if the other modifications that we have
hinted at are carried into effect, they will bring ruin on the
landholders of this country. The rumour of *lire changes
has already produced a depression in the provision markets
of the South of Ireland, as we learn from the Limerick
Chronicle of Wednesday last, which further inform us that
while the wheat market was but little affected by the proposed
reduction of duties, there was a " marked decline" in the
price of oats, that which sold a month ago for Bd. or 10d.
now selling at 6id. to Bd. per stone. These are matters that
should be at once taken into consideration by all who have
the welfare of the country at heart, hut particularly mer-
chants and landed proprietors.—Londonderry Sentinel.