PETERSFIELD.
SOUP KITCHEN—A subscription has been set on foot, since the present inclement weather has set in, for the purpose of providing soup for the poor. It is gratifying to be able to state that this charitable undertaking has met with the most cordial support; and the poor are now being supplied, twice a-week (at a nominal charge of one halfpenny per quart) with about 70 gallons of excellent pea soup, for which, it is needless to say, they are most thankful—as, in the existing high prices of all kinds of provisions, so many find it a hard task to provide even bread for their families. The appeal has been so liberally responded to, that it is intended to continue the distributions for about eight weeks. The following are the ingredients of the soup :—Beef, 66 lbs.; peas, eight gallons; rice, 12 lbs.; turnips, two galls.; onions, two gallons; carrots, two gallons; potatoes, two galls.; pepper, six ounces; salt, 3 lbs. Coats are also being supplied to the poor, at half price; and within the Iast month a large amount of warm and useful clothing has been distributed, through the medium of a Penny Clothing Club. In addition to the above, the town is under the supervision of an efficient staff of district visitors; and there exists a most valuable ‟Maternal Society,” by means of which about 30 poor women, in the course of the year, have the loan of a box of baby-linen, together with ingredients for gruel, &c., during their confinement; and, on their returning the box, with its contents, have ten new articles of infants’ clothing given them. Taking all these things into consideration we think it would be difficult to find a town in the whole county where the poor are better cared for, or their wants more kindly administered to.