gbe larobintes.
Commissioners Skirrow and Phillips opened the District Court of Bankruptcy at Liverpool on Monday ; Messrs. Balguy sucl Daniell
opened the Court at Birmingham on Tuesday ; Sergeant Stephen and his coadjutor at Bristol, on Wednesday.
We last week stated that the amount of relief to the poor administered at the Leeds Workhouse in the months of September and October of the three years, 1840, 1841, and 1842, showed an alarming increase. The amounts were as follow. In September and October of 1840, 2,6081. ; in September and October 1841, 2,994/. ; in September and Octoberof 1842, 3,659/. It follows as a necessary consequence, that the poor's-rate must augment ; and this very week the Overseers have laid a half-yearly rate of two shillings in the pound, where there has not for many years been a rate exceeding one shilling and fonrpence. The increase is fifty per cent upon the former rates. M no time have the inhabitants been less able to bear any increase of the rates than at present ; but it is ab- solutely necessary, and must be borne by all who can bear it.—Leeds Mercury.
A most outrageous case came before the Under Sheriff of Bucking- hamshire, at Aylesbury, on Wednesday, in the shape of an action for damages, brought by Mr. Smith, a gentleman of property, living at Beech Lodge, Chesham, against the Reverend Mr. Day, the Rector of Hawridge, who lived at the Vicarage, about a mile and a half from Beech Lodge. Mr. Smith's counsel stated the circumstances— On the evening of the 7th July last, a little child, in company with a ser- vant of the plaintiff's, was proceeding along the road near to the plaintiff's house, when, in consequence of some observation made by the child, the reve- rend defendant was observed to get off his horse and follow the child on to the lawn of the plaintiff, for the purpose of beating it. One of the servants of the plaintiff upon seeing this interefered to prevent the defendant hurt- ing the child ; upon which the defendant with an oath struck him very severely. Mrs. Smith, the wife of the plaintiff, who was sitting in a room from which this could be seen, came out upon the lawn, and inquired of the defendant the reason for his conduct ; upon which the defendant, as deposed by the witnesses, struck Mrs. Smith several blows with the butt-end of his riding-whip upon her neck and shoulder, and continued to do this until prevented by another servant of the plaintiff. Mr. Smith, the plaintiff, then came out of his house and remonstrated with the defendant upon his conduct. The defendant said to him, "Damn your eyes, you are only an old pauper ! " and rode off ; but re- turned shortly afterwards, and, during the absence of the plaintiff, who had gone to procure the attendance of a constable, proceeded to break down the gates of the plaintiff and injure his property. Witnesses deposed that Mrs. Smith had suffered very severely from the injuries which she had received. Her husband had offered to accept an apology from Mr. Day, on the condition of his paying 20/. to some charity ; but the offer was treated with contempt. The ease for the prosecution having closed, the Under Sheriff asked Mr. Day whether he wished to say any thing in defence? He replied in the negative. The Jury awarded the plaintiff 2001. damages. Mr. James stated, that they would be appropriated to the charities of the county ; and he added, that Mr. Smith had never exchanged one word with Mr. Day, and was totally at a loss to account for his conduct.
Fires in the country multiply, and are assumed, with more or less probability, to be the work of incendiaries. One broke out last week on the farm of Mr. Gray, at Bushmead, near Eaton Socon, in Bedford- shire ; and nine or ten stacks of beans, barley, and other grain, were burnt down. About the same time, a bay-rick belonging to Mr. Old of Henley, near Buckland Newton, and a furze-rick at Piddletown, containing 1,500 fagots, were destroyed. On the 10th, a barley and straw-rick were burnt, at Wickwar in Gloucestershire. On Saturday, a barn belonging to the landlady of the Swan Hotel at Leighton Buzzard was found to be on fire : from the isolated position of the building it is thought that the fire could not have been accidental. A gorse-stack in Mr. Summers's field at Billesdon, in Northamptonshire, was converted into a bonfire ; and a haulm-wall and stack, the property of Mr. Collett at Faversham, were burnt. On Sunday, an immense pile of fagots and timber on the grounds of the Earl of Leicester at Chatteris were found blazing. It was long before the fire could be subdued ; and had not a thick hedge checked the progress of the flames, it is said they would probably have extended to the adjoining mansion. Out of twelve corn-stacks on the farm of Mr. Pearson at Great Melton, five were suddenly discovered to be in flames, and all five were con- sumed: they stood in the centre of the set. The loss is estimated at 1,0001., but it is covered 137 insurance. The large corn-mills of Messrs. Pornton at Lawton, in Cheshire, were totally destroyed : the stock is valued at 1,5001., the bulling at 2,000/. A rick of wheat and a barn were nearly destroyed at Helmdon, in Northamptonshire, on Tuesday. On the same day, one of two mills belonging to Messrs. Hasledon and Co. at Bolton was burnt down : the fire broke out among some cotton, but the cause is unknown.
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