VICTORIA BOARD  SCHOOLS,
WORKINGTON
To the Editor of The West  Cumberland Times.

Sir, - Will you allow me a small space in your valuable paper to  make a few
remarks  relative to the above schools, now in course of  erection. Whilst
staying in Working ton a few days ago, my attention was drawn  through the medium
of your paper to the proceedings of the Workington School  Board. Having been
over thirty years in the building trade, naturally I had a  wish under the
circumstances to pay a visit to the works, which I did, and made  a most minute
inspection, paying regard particularly to the points raised by  certain
members of the Board.

 I found the workmanship and the materials in every respect of the  very best
quality. The mortar I have no hesitation in saying was equal in  quality to
any I have ever seen, and with respect to the remaining complaints  comment is
needless, for anyone having the slightest knowledge of first-class  materials
and workmanship cannot be but highly pleased with a visit to these  schools,
which are in every respect a credit to the builders. Having found this  to be
the case I was at a loss to understand the reason of the Board’s  complaints. I
am aware that in many cases members of public bodies have little  jealousies
and interested friends. Now, the question I wish to ask you, Mr.  Editor, is,
is Mr. McALEER a builder? Or has he some friend in the building  trade who was
unsuccessful in obtaining this contract?

 I am a stranger to Workington and all concerned in this business; but  I
cannot refrain from expressing my astonishment that public attention should  have
been drawn in a condemnatory manner to the work of the builders by  gentlemen
who are evidently not much acquainted with the building trade, but who  are
endeavoring to raise a storm in a cup of tea. - I am etc.,

A MEMBER OF THE BUILDING TRADE
FOR OVER 30 YEARS.

_________________

THE CAUSE OF POVERTY.
To the Editor of  The West Cumberland Times.
______

Sir, - Will you kindly allow me a little of your space for the  purpose of
making a few remarks on the above subject, which has recently been  under d
iscussion in your columns. I do not propose to take up the population  question,
with your correspondent “Malthusian” nor yet to contend with  “Patience” as to
whether the Government ought to compel our colonists to  purchase their
requirements at the high price in England, when they can get the  same articles
considerably cheaper on the Continent, but to refer to our own  West Cumberland
iron trade.

 It seems to mean accepted fact that blast furnaces must be kept full  swing
week day and Sunday, otherwise the consequences would be disastrous to the  
iron master. Now, will your readers cast their memories back to the beginning of
 the present year, when the unfortunate strike of iron workers against a  
reduction of ten per cent took place. There were furnaces at that time “off  blast
” for days, weeks, and even months together, and yet nothing was heard of  
any great difficulty or loss in re-starting when matters were arranged.

 Now, what I want to point out is this, that if furnaces can “stand”  during
strikes and at other times, when flues and gas mains are being cleaned,  and
when accidents, such as recently took place at the Solway works, occur, they  
can also stand during Sunday. If this were carried out, 14 per cent more  
furnaces then are at present in blast might be lit of the many now standing idle  
in the district, and 14 per cent or one seventh more men might be engaged
during  six days without throwing any more pig iron into the market than is at
present  produced in seven days. From a commercial point of view the iron master
would be  very little if any, the loser by carrying out a policy of “Sunday
Closing.” He  might have to provide an attendant or two to keep watch on the
works and use a  little small coal in keeping his boilers from cooling down. The
improved hot air  stoves now in use would enable him to start with
comparatively cold blast, thus  depreciating the quality of his produce. Of course, he
might also have a less  yield from a certain amount of plant in twelve months.
But I contend, Sir, that  if it is possible and practicable to stop on Sundays
it ought to be done. The  public conscience would be shocked if our shipyards,
brickworks or paper mills  were to commence work on Sundays. Why does it
remain unmoved when hundreds of  our fellowmen are working every Sunday at blast
furnaces.

 I hope this matter will be taken up by our ministers, and those who  
interest themselves in establishing soup kitchens and other means of relieving  the
needy. If they will use their energies in endeavoring to put a stop to the  
enormous amount of Sunday labouring, they will at the same time remove a great  
demoralizing agent from our midst, and to enable many men to earn an honest  
livelihood instead of being pauperized by relief societies. - Yours  &c.,

MELIORA

_________________

Sir, - I have read with interest the letters of “Malthusian” and  “Patience”
 in reply to “Inquirer.” The former’s idea of everybody being ignorant  
unless they believe in Malthus seems to me to be the most ridiculous thing to  
imagine. At any rate, in my opinion, it is no answer to the question, “Why is  
trade so bad?” The reply of “Patience” is much more like a solution of the  
difficulty, and I firmly believe that the question of Free Trade will open  
itself out with vigor before long.

 I think myself that one great cause of trade being so bad is that we  are
nationally so wicked, and cannot deserve anything better than we are  getting.
Can an individual hope to prosper in wrong doing? No, never. No more  can a
nation. Witness the wreckless spending of money on drink, tobacco, the  heavy
debts incurred when a relative is married or interred, or at an infant;s  
baptism; and how many men out of each hundred rise with energy to try and attain  the
true standard of a man, a man to be believed, trusted and always ready to  
help his fellow man, and make a little sacrifice when required?

 Look around thee, “Maltusian;” see the way our young men go to drink,  to
cards, to betting in its many guises, and many vain frivolous haunts - a dog  
to kill rabbits, a gun for the poor harmless doves. Exchange these for good  
lectures and debates on common things around us, singing classes, music in any  
form, drawing &c., and let a man keep the company of his wife and his family  
instead of spending his time and money in public houses. Then, I believe, you  
will have removed one or two of the causes of poverty.

T. W. B.

____________

CONVERSION.
To the Editor of the  West Cumberland Times.
______

Sir, - The conversion which overtakes many people, I am afraid,  is a change
from what is charitable, honest and, God fearing to what may be  described as
a state  of rancorous bigotry and intolerance, and the more  conversion is
boasted of the more likely it is that such has been the  change.

 Whether the clergy are at all times what they ought to be is  extremely
doubtful, and so far as they are not, is a matter of deep regret. They  are but
human agents, chosen and ordained, after careful examination, by the  Bishops
and the pastors of the church of the land. Which church has always been  the
main bulwark, on the one hand, against intolerance and bigotry, and, on the  
other hand against tyranny and oppression. The great cries of our history bring  
that trait out in a remarkable manner. Indeed, it would be difficult to  
conceive  how civilisation and liberty, let alone Christian truth, could  have been
maintained effectually, if at all, by any other agency.

 I do not, however, wish to defend the church from the charges brought  
against her, for that that is better left for the testimony of the impartial  
historian. I would only say that I would rejoice that she has so far influenced  
her children by the teaching that they are, as a rule, slow to return “railing  
for railing.” “Charity suffered long and kind,” xiii, 1 Cor. 4. “Charity
shall  cover the multitude of sins,” 1 Peter, iv, 8, - Yours &c.,

JOHN TRUEMAN>

_______________

SEWERING OF BRIGHAM.
To the Editor  of the West Cumberland Times.
______

Sir, - From the report of the meeting of the Cockermouth Union Rural  
Sanitary Authority, which appeared in your last Saturday’s issue. Mr. PAISLEY,  the
chairman, imputes a charge against me, which I beg to flatly contradict. I  
never wrote any such letter to the Local Government Board as the Chairman named.  
By request I forwarded a petition against the sewering of the village to the  
Local Government Board; but know nothing whatever as to the author of it;  
possibly it might contain the remarks referred to. By inserting this in your  
next issue, you will oblige yours truly.

JON. TODHUNTER.

Brigham, Carlisle, Oct. 15th, 1884.

__________________