The Week.

ensued Mr . Hunt expressed the opinion that the Postmaster-General had no functions to discharge save those of patronage , and that the office itself might , without disadvantage to the public service , cease to be a burthen on the Exchequer . The bill was rejected . Earl Grosvenor tried to get a hearing for some communic . ition which he wished to make to the House , but was stopped on a point of order . Subsequently two Scotch Bills

were disposed of—one , the Valuation of Lands and Heritages Bill , was negatived by SO votes to 33 ; the other , the Cattle Sheds in Burghs Bill , passed through committee . A long discussion took place in reference to the Vaccination Bill , which was referred to a select committee . After some other business had been disposed of the House adjourned at a quarter to six

o ' clock . GENERAL HOME NEWS . —The north-easterly winds have not been without their effect upon the metropolitan death rate , as it appears from the returns of the Eegister General that the number of deaths in the last week exceed the ordinary average by 103 . The total deaths registered were 1 , 51-7 , of which 196

were attributable to phthisis , 176 to bronchitis , and 77 to pneumonia . The annual rate of mortality in the great towns is as follows : —Dublin , 21 ; Newcastle-on-Tyne , 21 ; Hull , 26 ; London , 27 ; Edinburgh , 28 ; Bristol and Birmingham , 32 ; Glasgow and Sheffield , 33 ; Manchester and Leeds , 35 ; Liverpool , 42 ; Salford , 44 . The number of births last week Avere

2 , 274 , or 391 above the average of the last ten weeks . Reform meetings are being held all over the country . At St . Martin ' s Hall on the 5 th inst-., there was a densely packed meeting ot working men , presided over by Mr . George Potter . The Government bill Avas of course subjected to a good deal of criticism as not going far enough in the way of reducing the franchise ; but the resolution which was carried expressed a

belief that it was honest in its intentions , and ought to have the earnest support of all Liberals . A \ hile this was going on in London Mr . Gladstone was addressing a brilliant gathering at Liverpool . His speech was manly in tone and convincing in argument . Tho right hon . gentleman had an enthusiastic reception . Sixty-one of Mr . Lowe's constituents have addressed to him an earnest protest against the course he has

pursued on the Reform question . They allege that he was returned to Parliament as a Liberal member , and that ho has now on a vital point deserted his party . In the next place they complain of the ungenerous and unjust satire which he has flung at the masses of the working men of this country . Mr . LoAve defends himself from the charge of inconsistency on the

ground that his opposition to the present bill is the natural sequence of the two speeches which he delivered in the House of Commons last year . He endeavoured to explain away what lie said in disparagement of the working classes . He only intended , as he avers , to apply his remarks to the lower class of electors in certain constituencies . The right honourable

gentleman's explanation comes rather late in the day . Must the name of Mr . E . P . Bouverie , the member for Kilmarnock , ho added to the Adullamites ? It would seem so from a correspondence which has passed between the hon . gentleman and his constituents . They wanted to know if he would support the bill . In reply he told them that it is incomplete and unsatisfactory .

He , howevor , will consider what he will do when he knows the nature of the proposals as to the redistribution of seats , & a . Perhaps , too , the meetings which are being held all over the country may have some influence on the mind of Mr . Bouverie . The Queen went down to Aldershot on the 5 th inst ., and presented new colours to the 80 th regiment . There was a grand military display on the occasion . It seems that the Brighton volunteer gathering did not pass 0 A er in quite so amicable a manner

as had been believed . There was a real fight between Lord Eanelagh and Captain Norton of the Dragoon Guards . The matter becomes public because Captain Norton has summoned Lord Eanelagh for an assault , and the case was heard in the Biighton Police-court , on the Sth inst . Great anxiety was expressed at the hearing that nothing but the facts of the assault should be brought out , and accordingly we only learn

that Lord Eanelagh met Captain Norton on the Esplanade and called him a series of bad names , at the same time shaking his fist iu the captain's face . Blows followed , but which got the Avorst we are not told . There seems to have been some talk of a subsequent hostile meeting , but Captain Norton's legal advisers very properly insisted on civil remedies only . In the

court Lord Ranchigh . was defiant , said he was not afraid of Capt . Norton , and hoped the captain would not be bound over-Altogether he seems to have demeaned himself with an amountof freedom which , had he been a peasant , would probably have led . to the curtailment of his personal liberty . He was ordered to find sureties to keep the peace for six months , did so at once ,,

and walked off amidst marks of approval from sympathising bystanders . An inquest was held on tho body of Mary Elmore , who died on the 1 st inst ., from the effect of kicks inflicted upon her by her husband , Daniel Elmore , near Kensal Green . The evidence was very much the same as that adduced at the police-court ; but the jury , believing that the conduct of

the woman had been very aggravating , returning a verdict of manslaughter against Daniel Elmore . The case of Mrs . Casse , charged with forging the will of the Countess Bellew , was heard before the Westminster police magistrate . The solicitor who appeared for Miss Bellew announced that that lad y had resolved on prosecuting the case , but he indicated that this was contrary to his advice . Mr . Arnold , the magistrate ,

thereupon discharged Mrs . Casse , expressing his opinion that the case against her had completely broken down . We again report numerous Reform meetings in different parts of the country . The demonstration at Liverpool on the 6 th inst . was remarkable . The great amphitheatre was densely crowded , and numbers were unable to procure admission . Mr . Gladstone delivered a splendid speech in support of the bill , and was cheered to the echo by the

vast assemblage . The Nottingham Election Committee were again engaged in hearing evidence in support of Sir 11 . Clifton ' s return . Some of it was of rather a dubious character . The cattle plague returns show that the disease is rapidly dying out . The number of animals attacked in the week ending March 31 st was 3 , 950 against 4 , 70-1 in the previous week . Three or

four weeks previously the number was over 12 , 000 . The woman who had deserted the child which it was alleged had been laid out while still living in St . Pancras Workhouse Avas tried for the desertion at the Middlesex Sessions on the 6 th inst . She pleaded guilty , and was sentenced to two months ' imprisonment . The two fellows , Essen and Allen , who have

victimised numerous country tradesmen by what is called the half cheque swindle , were tried and found guilty at the Middlesex sessions . They were each sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard labour . A couple of fellows were brought up at Bow-street charged with cheating . They aro part of a gang whose habit it is to take a stand near to some busy

thoroughfare and endeavour to sell rings , purses , and similar things , professing to give money with them . Thus they will pretend to wrap up a sixpence with a ring and sell both for fourponce . Of course the foolish buyer finds no sixpence . That has been skilfully slipped up the sleeve of the salesman . In the case of the two fellows brought up at Bow-street they had cheated some boys out of coppers . They were remanded . It is gratify ing to record that the bankers and merchants of the