7E be Vrobincts.
The election of a representative of North Shropshire, in the room of Sir Rowland Hill, who succeeded the late Lord Hill in the Peerage, took place at Shrewsbury, on Monday. Lord Clive was the only candidate, and the election was not a contest, but a show. The tenantry of Earl Powis, the Countess of Bridgewater, and Lord Hill, mustered in great numbers. Lord Clive was proposed by the Honourable Thomas Ken- yon, and seconded by Mr. T. C. Eyton. Mr. Slaney presented himself, to offer, not opposition, but a few observations. He thanked "the great man now at the head of the Government " for the measures which itc- hed introduced. He dwelt on the want of employment in large towns, their destitution, their increased consumption of spirituous liquors, and increased crime ; and contended, that whereas the inability of the people to purchase was the real cause of the depression in the price of agricultural produce, so the improvement of those vast com- munities would give a stimulus to industry, and enable the population to purchase those articles of food and clothing which the agriculturists of the kingdom produce. He recommended to Lord Clive the example of Lord Ashley. Lord Clive was declared to be duly elected. He promised to follow the examples set him by his family, adopting their principles and practice ; and to support measures for the protection of the Crown and the maintenance of the Church. Lord Clive, as a Knight of the Shire, was girt with a sword presented to his distinguished an- cestor when Governor-General of India.
It has been reported by the Norwich Mercury, that one or two vacan- cies would occur in the representation of West Norfolk ; but the report has been contradicted.
The usual quarterly meetings of the ironmasters were held during the last week. The anticipation that a considerable demand would have arisen from the settlement of affairs in the East and the commercial treaty with China were not realized, having been checked by the delay in the completion of the arrangements with Spain and Portugal, which caused hesitation on the part of purchasers of iron, while the expecta- tion of their being speedily and favourably concluded induced the iron- masters and holders to be firm, and but few sales were effected, and no very large contracts made. A confident expectation exists, however, that as spring advances, and the arrangements alluded to are completed, there will be an increased demand, with a full maintenance of present prices, if not a considerable advance. The sales made by needy in- dividuals, under such Suspense, cannot be considered to form a criterion of the market-prices.—Birmingham Gazette.
The rate-payers of St. Mary in Nottingham have refused a church- rate of ls. 6d. in the pound, to repair the church, which is in danger of falling ; first on the show of hands, and afterwards at the poll, by 929 to 145.
The Reverend Jonathan Ackroyd, who formerly officiated as a minis- ter of the Church of England, at Christ Church, Skircoats, near Halifax, was last week indicted for misdemeanour, at the Salford Hundred Ses- sions, in having, on the 16th December last, at Bury, obtained a sove- reign from Mr. Joshua Knowles, by falsely pretending that he was then the incumbent of that church, and that he was collecting money to discharge a debt owing on mortgage of the said church. The Jury found the defendant guilty ; and he was sentenced to eighteen months' imprisonment and hard labour in Lancaster Castle.
At the Liverpool Police Court, on Friday, Joseph Sheppard, a newsvender, was prosecuted for Sabbath-breaking. On two former occasions he was summoned on a similar charge, and he paid the penalty of 5s. for each offence ; stating that the nature of his business required his shop to be kept open on Sunday ; but he objected to the enforcement of the law, on the ground that the poor only were singled out for persecution. In consequence of the continued charges against him, and in order that the subject might be brought before the public, Sheppard had summonses served upon the Mayor's coachman for driving his master to church on the Sunday, and also upon the masters of several news-rooms for keeping those places open. The Magistrate partly agreed to the justice of Mr. Sheppard's reasoning, but said he felt bound to enforce the law ; and the fine of 5s. was paid by Mr. Sheppard. The charge against the coachman was d1stnissed, on the ground that
that calling :did not come within the meaning of the act. One of the other cases was also dismissed, from a want of proof that the party summoned was the master of the reading-room ; and from inability to recognize the other persons summoned, Mr. Sheppard relinquished the remaining informations.
An inquest was held on Friday, on the body of Mr. Robert Harvey, who was killed by the collision of a luggage-train with the one in which he was travelling on the North Midland Railway. The evidence showed that the luggage-train was going too fast, and that the engine- driver, Edward Jenkins, neglected his duty, in not keeping a proper look-mot. The Jury returned a verdict of " Manslaughter " against Jenkins, and he was committed for trial. The Foreman censured the Railroad Company for employing too few and inefficient men. Mr. Hudson, one of the Directors, intimated that the Company would pay proper attention to the observations of the Jury.
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