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their premises. The streets (proper) were under the control of the turnpike trustees, who repaired the surface, while the foot-pavements were vested in the surveyors of the highways. An offer was made on behalf of the trustees to allow £100 annually,out of the trust funds if the parish would raise another £100, and so to expend £200 per annum yearly until the whole town was thoroughly repaired. This was accepted, and in 1865 Friar Street was commenced. But, alas ! very few things in this world run smoothly. When the St. Andrew's surveyor presented his accounts before the magistrates an objection was raised by a ratepayer to the legality of the payment made under the above arrangement, and the item was disallowed. Then it was feared the streets must for ever continue in their chronic state of mud, filth, and pebbles—a deep gratification, no doubt, to the beclouded ratepayer aforesaid, if to nobody else. But the difficulty was got over cleverly: the Corporation gave the Mayor a salary of £100, and his Worship in the most generous manner presented it to the work of street repair, so that now the gratifying improvement is in full swing. What a pill for " the ratepayer !"

One unpleasant feature of Droitwich at present is the sinking of the soil in parts of the town and neighbourhood. Probably as the land-springs get down to the rock-salt (which also, as well as the river of brine, is found here), and are pumped up as brine, the soil cracks and sinks, and buildings are giving way in all directions, especially in the centre of the town, which is a sad and in some instances a heart-rending loss to small owners of property. There is no remedy for this, or, if there were, the salt manufacturers could not afford to pay. Kemarkable cracks have opened in the neighbourhood, one of which, on the way from Stoke to Droitwich, opens at times. Mr. Amphlett's house, at Wychbold, is unfortunately built upon it, and there is another by St. Peter's, up to Yew Tree Hill. Some time ago this crevice opened to such an extent that two lambs fell in it, and a boy was