of the inhabitants of this Borough, for the purpose of
taking further steps towards perfecting the arrangements for
celebrating the marriage of the Princess Royal, was held in
the Old Town Hall, on Tuesday evening, in accordance with a
resolution passed at the first meeting on Monday. Owing to a
misunderstanding, two or three people met at the hotel where
the meeting was first held, and others at the Town Hall, where
it was known by many that the next gathering would take place.
The second meeting, like the first, was very thinly attended,
and the loyalty of the inhabitants seemed to be at a very low
ebb. The Mayor, JOHN BEDDARD, ESQ., intimated on the previous
evening that other engagements would prevent him being present
to-night; in his absence, therefore, the High Bailiff, ELLIOTT
HOLLIER, ESQ., was called to the chair. The number of people in
attendance was 23, the majority consisting of gentlemen who had
attended on the first night. Amongst the fresh people were the
Rev. John Davies, Dr. Davison, Mr. Z. P. Smith, and the Rev.
Thomas Mills.
The meeting was to have commenced at seven o'clock, business,
however, did not begin until about a quarter to eight.
The HIGH BAILIFF, in opening the proceedings, said he was
extremely sorry to see so few of his fellow townsmen present
on an occasion like this. He read over the Mayor's notice
convening the first meeting, and then in order read over the
minutes of the same. As one of the committee appointed to wait
upon some of the school authorities, Mr. Hollier stated the
result of the same to the meeting, and finished by calling upon
other of his two brother committee-men to report their success.
Several gentlemen then laid before the meeting, at considerable
length, the result of their interviews with parties connected
with the different schools in the place, upon the subject of
giving a treat to the scholars next Monday, and the best mode
of paying for it. In some instances the scholars had recently
been treated or were going to be, and whilst some societies
could afford to treat, others feared they could do but little,
and would have to be indebted to the fund very much. A
desultory discussion ensued upon the subject, in the course of
which it was stated that the total number of the scholars to be
treated in all probability would be 4,000--(double the number
supposed at the meeting last night)--and the cost of treating
that number to tea, reckoning at sixpence per head, would
require a fund amounting to £100. Doubts were expressed as to
the realisation of this sum, and it was suggested that each
school should see to giving a treat of its own.
Mr. C. F. G. CLARK remarked upon this that it would just be
giving no treat at all. He understood that the object of the
meetings upon this subject was to take into consideration the
best means to be adopted for making a public demonstration on
Monday next, in honour of the Princess Royal's wedding. Now
if each school, or each religious denomination in the town,
was left to do as it liked in the matter--to give a treat or
not--where was the _public_ demonstration in the matter? There
would be none at all. The demonstration, or what they might
call it, would be, as he said before, quite of a sectarian
character. He would suggest that a public subscription should
be raised, and that whatever amount might be realised, should
be equally distributed amongst the schools. (Hear, hear).
He (Mr. Clark) should be very glad to co-operate with his
respected pastor (Mr. Davies) in collecting subscriptions for
a treat for St. Edmund's school. He knew they would have a
treat, and a good one too, let the other places have one or
not. He was also still of opinion that something ought to be
done for the able poor of the parish out of the Workhouse.
(Hear, hear). He did not like the idea of giving a treat to
the children and then requiring the congregations of the
places of worship to pay for it. There must be a public
subscription, and the treats should be paid for out of it. It
would be very unfair if he (Mr. Clark) for instance, was to go
round and solicit subscriptions in St. Edmund's district to
pay deficiencies which might arise in other places after the
people of that neighbourhood had paid for a treat for their
own school children. He (Mr. Clark) did want to see a liberal
demonstration, he did not like to see a contracted one. He
thought Dudley could give a liberal demonstration. It was a
queer thing if it could not. Look at the neighbouring towns
and let them notice what they were doing in Wolverhampton and
Birmingham, and even Lichfield, small a place as it was. And
here was Dudley which was considered the centre of the iron
district, and what was it going to do? People always said that
there was plenty of money in Dudley--that it was a wealthy
place; and, if so, it ought, he thought, on this occasion, to
show its loyalty.
Mr. WIGGINTON enquired if anything was to be done for the
Blue-coat School and other Charities. Were they to have any
demonstration at all?
Mr. CLARK replied, according to the present proposal none at
all.
The Rev. J. DAVIES: Would that follow?
Mr. WIGGINTON: It must follow.
The Rev. J. DAVIES: I quite agree with Mr. Clark's
observations. If each denomination takes the management of its
own school there can be no public demonstration. I suppose that
there are some schools who could not afford to give a treat?
Mr. RENAUD: There are.
Rev. J. DAVIES: How can we best arrange the matter then?
Mr. CLARK: By a public subscription to be divided amongst them.
After a desultory discussion,
Mr. CLARK proceeded to move "That a general subscription be
entered into by the inhabitants of Dudley to raise a fund for
the purpose of affording an entertainment for the children of
the schools connected with the several churches and chapels
in this town next Monday, in honour of the marriage of the
Princess Royal."
The Rev. J. DAVIES seconded the proposition with pleasure.
It was also agreed that any surplus should be devoted towards
providing something in the shape of a treat for the necessitous
poor in the town.
It was finally resolved that the meeting should be further
adjourned until Friday evening, when the canvassers to the fund
should attend and report progress.
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