THE ENGLISH LABOURER.—A HARD CASE.

Marlborough Express, Volume III, Issue 116, 9 May 1868, Page 5

THE ENGLISH LABOURER.—A HARD CASE.

The following case was recently brought before the bench at Alnwick petty sessions. Edward English, a hind, was employed in leading corn from the field for his master, Mr. Robert Hand, of Eield House. The carts had brought in their loads at ten minutes to twelve, aud the farm steward required the men to go back and bring in another load before dinner. English, who lived at Seaton, a mile and a half from Eield House, refused, unyoked his horses, and went to dinner, after which he returned, and had his horse in the shafts again at twenty minutes past one, doing on that day a day’s wbik of twelve and a half hours, besides walking six miles to and fro between his cottage and Mr. Band’s farm. "When asked why he did not bring his dinner with him* he replied that he had nothing to bring. He had a wife and nine children, and his family dinner consisted of potatoes and cabbagesj and could not therefore be swallowed cold. As English had no money* and his wife and nine children would have been thrown upon the parish had he been sent to prison* the magistrates ordered Mr. Hand to pay the expenses of the summons* 10s. 6d., and to deduct 20s. from English’s half-yearly wages when due. The case seems a hard one, twelve and ahalf hours’ hard work in the harvest field; added to a walk of six miles, sccnis" almost .'as:.‘much as ought to be required from'm biped fed upon potatoes and cabbages;. Ho quadruped; similarly fed* could do half os much,