The South Staffordshire Examiner. — 1874-09-26 (Wednesbury, West Midlands, England)

THE 'EXAMINER  SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26. 1814.  NEWS OF THE WEEK.  The elections for the vacant seats in the French National Assembly have been fixed for the 18th of October, but it is not yet known whether there may not be some exceptions inade with regard to the date.  Sir Charles Mike, M.P., has had the misfortune to lose his wife, aho died in etaildbed on Monday morning, after having given birth to a son on Saturday evening. Lady Mike was only twentysix years of age, and was married to Sir Charles in 1872.  A considerable number of working men were present in the West Theatre of the International Exhibition on Saturday, at a lecture given by Dr. Christopher Dresser on the works of the late Owen Junes, illnsir-1 lye of the principles of ornament anl  A Sw. lunatic, who is under the delusion that. the Dowager Queen of Sweden owes him a large sum of money for having discovered a silver mine, was brought before the Bow-street magistrate on Saturday, and sent to the workhouse, lending his removal to his own country.  In consequence of the circulation of revolutionary proclamations. many peasants in several Russian provinces have beeu arrested. It is also proposed to suppress workmen's associations on account of their socialist tendencies. In St. Petersburg the police have paid domiciliary visits to the houses of suspected persons.  The Midland Counties .s.lectoral Union for the repeal of the Contagious Diseases Acts have issued a circular drawing attention to the fact that Sir Harcourt Johnstone. M.P. for Scarborough, has given notice that he will introduce a Bill for unconditional repeal of the Contagious Diseases Act at the earliest possible opportunity next session, and urging constituents to take action on the matter during the ensuing four months.  The Session of the Legislative Chambers of the Netherlands was opened on Saturday by the King. In the speech from the throne his Majesty referred to his friendly relations with other powers, and spoke of the satisfactory financial condition of the country. Very slight reference was made to the Acheenese difficulty, but his Majesty expressed a hope that prudence and perseverance will triumph over the resistance of the enemy.  Another batch of agricultural labourers, numbering, with their wives and children, 300, collected chiefly from Warwickshire and Oxfordshire, went on Tuesday by special train to Plymouth, where they will embark tor New Zealand. The emigrants were accompanied by Mr. Allingtoia, one of the unionist leaders, who is charged with their comfortable bestowal in the colony. A scheme of co-operative farming is now occupying the attention of the Warwickshire branch of the union.  The Liverpool magistrates, who have hitherto acted upon the principle of granting only one license to oae individual, took into consideration on Friday, the fact that their rule is evaded on a scale of wholesale magnitude. Mr. George Melly, 111. P., who presided, and whose speech is reported in another column, stated that 654) licensed houses in the borough were really in the hands of 25 pro. prietors, who put forward servants liable to dis missal at any time as the ostensible tenants. It is felt desirable that the magistrates should be able to deal directly with the traders whom they license, and the Bench have taken time to consider the difficulty.  New York papers landed at Queenstown publish the third statement of Mr. Moulton, which is a reply to the Plymouth Church Committee exonerating Mr. Beecher from Mr. Tilton's accusations. In this document he makes a number of statements which he says were kept back previously out of regard for public decency, and certainly ought not to have been published. He asserts also that in the fear of exposure Beecher had threatened to commit suicide, stating "that he had within reach in his own study a poison which he would take if the story of his crime with Elizabeth shmld ever come to the public."  Important effects of the present Chancellor of the Exchequer's recent budget are now becoming realised in the metropolitan parishes in a manner which will no doubt be highly acceptable to the ratepayers. The metropolitan police contributions fram the Treasury had been raised from 214. t, • ~. the pound, which would have the effect of reducing the precept for police rate, now c.itimated for in the current rate at £16,n12, to .£11,205, being a remission of £i-,,604. There wa-s also to be refunded on the former rate paid up to June £2,"125, making a total reduction of £8,332. In addition to this the payment by the Government f 44. Mtge pound to the guardians on the cost of lunatics, and by increasing the allowance • '  in respeet ot loc."' rate; on tioveraulent property, would I,ee nearly another £4,000 at the disposal of the authorities, making a total of something like £12.000 as the share of St. Ruieras in the  Government's surplus.  Mr. G. 0. ievelyan. on the subject of the County Franchise Bill, remarks :—“Mr. Gladstone and Mr. Forst, were heartily in favour of the wasure, other loaders of the party had, under the discouragement of our recent defeat at the pAls, forgotten that a Liberal party which is .• fraid of Liberal principles has no standing round whatever. Under these circumstances, ,it division must be regarded as a spontaneous _  signi.eanr de •laration on the part of the bulk the party that they, on their part, intended ta ind by their ereed. You need not be afraid about the future of this question. Men are beinning to see that the fortunes of the LP- eraL are identified a•i• lt, and when that conviction Iris ti!: 1 , . iIIeCCSS of the cause will only :aure. As far as lam personally y, rely that I shall never drop • • tis in stronger and more re