311rtrapalto.

The Police Magistrates have this week been engaged in winding up their labours as volunteer relieving officers. Vast sums have been sent to them, and continue to be sent. They have displayed unwearied zeal and carefulness, and they have been cheerfully backed by the police, who have been publicly thanked, through their inspectors, for their admirable conduct. The necessity for occupying the time of the magis- trates has raised, in full force, the whole question of Poor-law adminis- tration. On Wednesday, the Guardians and Directors of the Poor of the Metropolis held a conference at the London Coffeehouse, Alderman Sidney in the chair. He commented on the unequal incidence of the poor-rate in different places, and said that if we have a poor-law at all, we should have one that would adequately meet a time of pressure. The meeting, after some discussion, adopted a resolution, declaring " the laws of settlement and chargeability of the poor are oppressive ; that they obstruct the building of proper dwellings for the poor, and lead to that overcrowding so complained of; that there should be an approximate equalized rate for the poor over an extended area ; and that the laws of settlement and removal should be abolished." It was also resolved to present a memorial to the Home Secretary.

Chelsea and Kensington are never weary of knocking at the door of the constitution. Once or twice, tie:7 have nearly obtained the repre- sentation they seek, and their claim stands first on the list. On Monday, a public meeting was held in Chelsea to keep the claim before the public eye, and to sustain the spirit of the would-be borough. They ask that the seats forfeited by corrupt St. Albans should be given to them, and they propose that a bill should be brought into Parliament to fulfil their demand.

Mr. Edwin James met his constituents in Hall's Riding School, Albany Street, on Monday, and discoursed to them upon the topics of the last session Apropos to the session about to commence. He is ready to accept instalments of Reform ; but, if it is proposed to settle the question for a quarter of a century, the measure must be a comprehensive one. The rate-book ought to be the electoral register of England. Mr. James thinks the Government should stake its existence on a Reform Bill. As to the address to Lord Palmerston, recommending a reduction of expen- diture, he had not signed it, and did not intend to sign it. He recom- mended Members to imitate the constancy and fidelity of—Mr. Williams, when Estimates come under discussion, and then their object would be achieved. Mr. Wyld, Mr. Williams, and Sir James Duke, also made

speeches.

At a general meeting of the Church Institution, on Monday, Mr. Beresford Hope and Mr. Roundell Palmer spoke very strongly against the adoption of Mr. Disraeli's cry of "No Surrender," in the matter of Church-rates. Mr. Hope said the Church and Dissent are now on " an equal political platform." If Churchmen take up the cry of " No Surren- der !" the whole force of dissent will form a formidable political phalanx. He is for it bill of exemptions. Mr. Roundell Palmer said that it would be unfortunate if the Church adopted the principle of no surrender " in connexion with a political manifesto coming from a high quarter not long ago. If that political support were given for political purposes, it would not be long before it would be withdrawn for political purposes, also."

A Mr. Organ obtained the insertion of his name on the register of the Medical Council, by representations which afterwards proved to be false. The Council, discovering this, ordered his name to be erased, declaring that the entry was " fraudulently made," and that Organ had been guilty of " infamous conduct in a professional respect." Organ then applied to the Court of Queen's Bench, and obtained a rule for a mandamus, directing the restoration of his name. The Registrar of the Council showed cause why the rule should not be made absolute. The Court ordered the rule to be discharged, Organ_ had ample opportunities of answering the charges

brought against him before the Medical Council, and on which that body acted, but he had not done so. The Act gave them power to erase any entry " fraudulently or incorrectly made." Rule discharged, with costs.

A Mr. Doubleday was called upon by the Northumberland Magistrates to produce certain books relating to property in mines, in order that the in- formation therein contained might guide them in fixing a standard for a county rate. Mr. Doubleday, alleging that he held the books in his private capacity, refused to produce them. For this he was summoned ; but the Justices held that he could not, by the statute, be compelled to produce books of a private nature. A case was then submitted to the Court of Queen's Bench, and they have decided that the Justices came to a wrong conclusion, and that the plea of Mr. Doubleday would not hold good. The case was, therefore, remitted to the Justices; but without costs.

During the strike of last year, William Walsby was convicted by a police magistrate of the offence of unlawfully endeavouring by threats to compel a builder " to limit the description of his workmen ; " in other words, to discharge the men who had signed the " declaration," that they did not be- long to any society which interfered between masters and men. Walsby appealed against the conviction. The Court of Queen's Bench held that it is a " threat " within the meaning of the statute for men to combine, and attempt by combination, to coerce an employer; and confirmed the convic- tion. It seems that one man may rightfully give an employer the alterna- tive of discharging an obnoxious servant, or of losing his services ; but not several men acting together, " with the object of preventing the master from exercising his discretion, and to coerce him."

A case of much interest has been heard and decided in the Divorce Court. Mrs. Lavinia Jannetta Horton Ryves, of Clarence Road, Kentish Town,

petitioned under the Legitimacy Declaration Act for a declaration that her

father, John Thomas Serres, and Olive, his wife, were lawfully married, and that she was their lawful child and a natural born subject of her

Majesty. The mother of Mrs. Ryves was a lady proclaimed to be the lawful daughter of Henry Frederick, Duke of Cumberland, the brother of George III., by Olive, the daughter of the Reverend Dr. Wilmot. The marriage between the Duke of Cumberland and Olive Wilmot was said to have been legally solemnized on the 4th of March, 1767. Mrs. Ryves appeared in person, and supported her petition. Her father was mamed to her mother at Warwick in 1791 ; she born at Liverpool in 1797, and she was married in 1822 to Anthony Thomas Ryves, from whom she was divorced a mew& et there in 1841. She stated in evidence that her father and mother separated by mutual consent, and that her mother "lived in various parts of the West-End of London and moved in the first circles." The original register, containing an entry of her baptism, was put in ; but it was almost illegible from the effect of damp, and an attempt was made to restore it by writing over it. Yr. Godwin, formerly private secretary to the late Queen Adelaide, identified Mrs. Ryves as the daughter of Olive, wife of John Thomas Serres. The Judge Ordinary said—" We think the petitioner has established that for which she contends. That John Thomas Serres and Olive Wilmot were lawfully married on the 1st of September, 1791, is sufficiently established, for we have the certificate of that marriage. It is also clear to us that the petitioner has proved the other allegations— that she is the lawful daughter of that marriage, and that she is a subject of the Crown. We, therefore, affirm these three propositions. We make our decree that the petitioner's parents were lawfully married, that she is their lawful child, and a subject of this realm." Mrs. Ryves—" My lords, I am most grateful to you for the trouble you have taken." The Judge Ordinary—" Nobody owes the Court any thanks for doing justice." Mrs. Ryves then retired, having received the congratulations of several friends.

Mr. John Henry Gurney, one of the Members for King's Lynn, has pe- titioned the Court of Divorce for a dissolution of his marriage with Mary Jane Gurney, on the ground of adultery. Mr. Gurney and his wife lived happily together until 1859. In his service was one William Taylor, a footman, the von of respectable parents in Norfolk, who had giveli him a fair education. La November, 1859, Taylor was dismissed, for some cause not explained. Mr. and Mrs. Gurney returned to London from Norfolk early in December, and on the 12th, Mrs. Gurney left her home, and took up her abode with William Taylor. She sent her "poor husband " a letter, saying, " I have, indeed, left you and our poor children, but you know my heart has long been another's ; and, therefore, I could not be happy with you any more." And she ended with a request that "Dick," her pet dog, some books, and her " work" might be sent to 216, Marylebone Road, where she was living with William Taylor. Evidence was brought to show that they travelled and lived together as man and wife, in England and France; and so far the petitioner's case was proved, but the decree of disso- lution was suspended, in order to give an opportunity for a future applica- tion as to the disposal of Mrs. Gurney's property, part of which, we believe, is claimed by Mr. Gurney on behalf of his children.

The Honourable Dudley Ryder and his wife having separated and filed Ktitions and cross petitions against each other in the Divorce Court, the

Judge Ordinary was called upon to make an order touching. the custody of

the children. He did so, and confined it to those under sixteen years of age. Mrs. Ryder appealed, contending that the Court ought to make an order respecting the children over sixteen years of age, but a full Court has decided that the statute does not empower the Court to make any such order ; that, in fact, the Court has no jurisdiction over children who are sixteen years of age.

A very singular case came before the Court on Thursday. Margaret Lea Boavan petitioned for a declaration that her marriage with James M'Mahon, respondent in the cause, was null and void. Miss Beavan, or Mrs. M'Mahon, as it may be, is the daughter of a surgeon at Liverpool. Meeting with a " disappointment," and being at the same time introduced by " the cook" to M‘Mahon, conductor of an omnibus, without rhyme or reason she consented to marry him, on condition that he would not claim her for two years. It was arranged that her name " Lea" should be omitted in the licence, to prevent suspicions on the part of the Surrogate ; that it should be declared that she had resided a fortnight where she had not resided and M'Mabon, to make matters sure, falsely described himself and his abode. These conditions were carried out ; they were married, and they parted on the spot. The truth soon came to light, and Mr. Beavan com- menced the snit, but dying, it has been continued by his daughter.

The case of Streatfeild has again come before the Bankruptcy Court this week. Mr. Kerslake, for the assignees, drew a vivid picture of the reckless course pursued by the firm, and put in a tabular statement, showing the amount of genuine trade carried on with the eleven failed houses, and the amount of ' accommodation " granted to each between the 1st of January, 1857, and the 2d of July, 1860. It amounts to no less than 5,942,66W. Mr. Watkins, for the Discount Houses, and Mr. Linklater, for Leyland and Bullins, bankers at Liverpool, denounced the conduct of the bankrupts in the strongest terms, Mr. Watkins declaring that the bankrupts had been guilty of fraud and misrepresentation. Mr. John Evan Griffiths, an Essex farmer, has committed suicide under very painful circumstances. He resided in London, and in driving home a few days ago, accidentally knocked down a drunken man, who died from the injuries he received. Mr. Griffiths never recovered from the shock ; and, falling into a state of melancholy, hung himself.

A collision took place on the London and North-Western Railway on the 18th, and three or four persons were severely injured. It happened in this wise. An "auxiliary mail train" started at a quarter past train, and a "short mail train" started at twenty minutes past nine. The rails were greasy and the train in front, which had not gone half a mile, could not be forced up the incline. Yet, although the train stood there, no one seemed aware of it, and as a matter of course the 'second train ran into the first. Cause of the accident : starting one train on the same rails only five minutes behind another.