5.--A special meeting of the Norwich Court of Guardians, attended by Lord
Bury, M.P., and Mr. Schneider, M.P., was held to consider the subject of
a national poor-rate. It was stated that Norwich paid 20,000 pounds a
year more in poor relief than it would if the principle of a national
rate were adapted as the law of the land. Both members of Parliament
expressed themselves in favour of national rating.
8.--Mr. Thomas Barnes, R.G.S., was presented by the Corporation of King's
Lynn with an "honorary address," in lieu of the freedom of the borough,
"disallowed by the Municipal Reform Act." Mr. Baines, the son of a ship
captain of the town, was a self-taught artist, who achieved for himself a
very honourable position by his own enterprise and industry. He was
serving as a volunteer at the Cape when he was selected as artist to
accompany the North Australian Exploring Expedition, under Mr. Gregory.
At the time of the presentation he was about to join Livingstone, on his
expedition into the heart of Africa. Mr. Baines had already received
considerable honours from the Royal Geographical Society, of which he was
a member, and from other learned bodies.
12.--A public meeting was held at the Guildhall, Norwich, to consider a
Bill then before Parliament introduced for the purpose of amalgamating
the Norwich Gas Company with the British Gas Company. A resolution was
adopted affirming that the operation of the proposed Bill would be very
prejudicial to the interests of the ratepayers and inhabitants, by
placing the future management of the gas supply in the hands of a company
which had no local connection or sympathy with the interests of Norwich,
and over whom the rate-payers and inhabitants would have no control. The
meeting having heard the report of the Special Committee appointed by the
Corporation, cordially approved the course adopted by the Committee, and
pledged itself to use every effort to oppose the passing of the Bill. A
petition was addressed to the House of Commons against the Bill, and on
the 16th the Town Council adopted the same petition. The House of
Commons Committee on Private Bills sat on April 20th, for the purpose of
hearing objections to the measure. The proceedings closed on the 23rd,
when the Bill was ordered to be reported to the House.
27.*--"Sir Henry Stracey, of Rackheath Hall, has obtained provisional
protection for a cartridge which, by a very simple contrivance, gets rid
of the necessity of biting off the end, a proceeding which is always
objectionable."