The Cannock Chase Examiner. — 1876-11-10 (Cannock, Staffordshire, England)

THE HALIFAX VICAR'S RTE.  The report to the Home Secretary of Mr. R. J. Smith, Crown receiver, on the inquiry ime held reeently at Halifax into the revenues of the vicarage on the lllt was received in Halifax last week. The Crown Receiver discusses the question of the vicar's rate at considerable length, and says that had the rate continued to be levied on the premises that undertook the charge in 1830 without heirs extended to new houses there would have been no room for the present irritation. He shows that the 'wee' ice of charging all houses with the rate, and no house with less than lid, bag resulted in 81;21 occupiers in Halifax township being troubled for a rate of .E2OO a year. and other townships are affected in a like manner. He thinks no part of the vicarage grounds should be sold ; and says it is not for the permanent interest of the parish that the reversions of the Ovenden estate and of the premises in Halifax should be anticipa,ed in relief of the payment of a liability regarded at the time we a settlement very favourable to thi• proprietors. In conclusion, he says: "I think that the alternative of repealing the present Act and reviving the claim to tithe, suggested by the Commons' Committee in the 21st paragraph of their report, should only be adopted in the last resort, and that the right arrangement would be :he extinction of time charge upon houses of 1:8057. 10s. lid., in consideration of the payment of a moderate sum, say £lO,OOO or £12,000. The odium of tie collection attaches to the vicarage, although not effect, d by the vicar or hie agents or under his instructions, and most materially interf,re with the usefulness of the viear's ministrations, but the agreement of 1820 was confessedly an arrangement favourable to the proprietors and confirmed by Act of Parliament, and therefore cannot be set aside without e+me material compensation for the loss of the revenue.'  The Coroner's jury reoently returned it verdict of wilful moulder against James O'Donnell for the murder of his wife in Rawlinson street, Chelsea. It was stated that the accused Man had recovered from the effects of drink, and was perfectly sane. - •  - - • CULPAInn CA RelnliSNESe.—A serious explosion of gunpowder took place at South Shields, hue week. It appears that • pitman named Thomas Inskip, living at Dock street, Tyne Docks, kept a small barrel of gunpowder in • coal house attached to his dwelling, ru d in obtaining powder from the cask unknowirgly spilt some on the floor. Shortly afterwards a woman named Guthrie had occasion to go into the coal honor, carrying with her a lighted candle, which accidentally fell on the ground. T!.- light igniting the spilt powder communicated to the barrel, which oontained a quantity of powder. A violent explosion instantly foll•med. The coil house was destroyed, part of a house damaged, and Mrs. Guthrie severely burned about the body, she narrowly escaping being killed. Seniors Ond HOE OF Fi •101811. T.—A young man of respectable appearance, named Thomas Blythe, wee brought up in custody before the Nottingham borough magistrates. on Nov. 2nd, charged with forgery. The prisoner had for some time been In the en ploy of Mr. Vickers. a builder In the town, as clerk. He got one of Mr. Vhdrers' apprentices to take a small sum of money to the local bank at which his employer had an account, for the purpose of opening an account in his (prisoner's) name By this MOSas he wet enabled to get a thecfbe. book, and he then began • series of forgeries, filling up cheques for various amounts, and signing them with the names, of Mr. Vickers and other tradern.en who had accounts at the some bank, and then getting them cashed. In this way be succeeded in obtaining a large sum of money. Three eases, in which the forged cheques were for £6O, Eat, and £26 respectively, ss,re proved against trim, sod the magiatratee committed him for trial at the next assizes, which are to be held in Lincoln.  Erf-TINU AND EiII,