Widnes Examiner. — 1890-02-08 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

THINGS HEARD AND SEEN. BY AN -OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT. A glance at the Police records of Widnes for the past few weeks would appear to show that the chemical metropolis is lapsing into that condition of savagery and brutality, which gained it such unenviable notoriety a few years ago. Violent assaults on constables, attacks upon women with criminal design, the half murdering of wives, unlawful wounding of comrades—this is the weekly programme of the Court; and the business of Quarter Sessions is always largely augmented by committals from Widnes. In nearly every instance, the offences are committed in fits of drunken passion and the local temperance organisations have much scope in their missionary work of teaching men, and women too, to curb their carnal appetites, but they do not touch more than the fringe of the great evil. A few Sundays ago temperance sernions were delivered from toe pulpits of nearly the whole of the churches of the diocese of Liverpool, but these appeals would not reach the people most ia want of conversion. If they wish todo the work thoroughly the clergy must carry their mission into the streets and alleys of the towns. As there is no highway connecting Runcorn and Widnes, the maintenance of the ferry across the Mersey is of the utmost importance to the inhabitants of those towns, and it is gratifying to learn that Widnes Local Board have made satisfactory arrangements for the ferry traffic to be carried on when the Ship Canal is completed. While the Widnes Authority has been upholding the rights of the ratepayers, Runcorn Board of Commissioners have stood idly looking on and the reason why, they do not deign to tell, but their attitude of passive non-interference has not been creditable. From the vigorous manner in which Mr. Howitt conducted his election campaign for a seat on Runcorn School Board, it was expected that he would not be a silent member, and at the first meeting of the Board on Tuesday he set the ball rolling by giving notice of his intention to move a resolution in favour of Free Education, somewhat in the terms of that passed by the London School Board. He also gave notice of several questions he required answering effecting the welfare of the Board Schools, and a lively and interesting discussion will no doubt be the result at the next meeting. At the meeting referred to the Clerk presented an interesting report on the Technical Education Act, passed last year, and although speaking in favour of the principle of that Act, Mr. Moss advised the Board not to adopt it, on the ground that the work was outside their statutory duties, and , that a committee of five gentlemen, organised to carry on science and art classes could adopt the Act and call upon the Commissioners to give aid from the rates. It may be doubted whether the Act bears out the conclusions drawn by Mr. Moss, but even if it does, it may be pointed out that there is no science and art class in the town, and that there is no institution set apart for such a purpose. On the other hand the Board have well appointed schools, and a staff of teachers at their command, and are altogether in a favourable position for adopting and carrying out the Act. The existence of Runcorn depends to a great extent upon scientific industries, which the Act was meant to improve by giving better instruction to the youths of our towns in subjects relating to such industries and it is to be hoped that the Committee, who have the matter in hand, will recommend the Board to immediately take advantage of the opportunity afforded by the Act of improving the educational status of the town. .  That the meeting of the members of the Northwich Division Conservative Association at Northwich last week would seem to show that Conservativism in the Division is not in a flourishing condition at the present time. That the secretary's report was fiat stale and unprofitable, but the fact that h 3 had to deal with a balance of about £l5O on the wrong side was not calculated to make him cheerful. That Mr. William Hent7Verdin has a good notion )f a " silent protest " "Cad the loss of his annual subscription of .£5O for two years has evidently had a serious effect on the exchequer. That one is curious to know wl.o is the champion of the Unionist cause who is to do battle with Mr. Brunner when this Government see fit to dissolve Parliament, and whether he will be willing to bear all the financial burdens of the Association, like "poor William Henry " did when he sustained ect, severe a reverse at the 1885 election.