The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-10-19 00:00:00

DUDLEY.

COLLIERS AND THEIR Homo AND WAGES.—A meeting
of coalmasters was held on Monday afternoon last at
the Dudley Arms Hotel, Dudley, to consider the ques-
tion of colliers' hours and wages. Mr. E. Fisher Smith
presided, and there was a very influential attendance
of the trade. All discussion on the points alluded to
was reserved, and the secretary was instructed to call as
early as possible a meeting of the colliers' delegates and
the masters.

COUNTY COURT.—Be Luke Standing, late of Sam's
Lane, West Bromwich, ironfouuder, but now of 51,
Dudley :Port, Tipton. in this mattor at the Dudley
County Court, on Monday last, upon the application of
Messrs. Maher and Poncia 41, Temple Street, Birming-
ham, solicitors for the debtor' the Registrar appointed
Mr. James Garland, Colmore Row, accountant, receiver
of the estate.

CHARGE OF EMBEZZLIMENT.-At the Public Office.
on Monday last, a machine clerk, named Joseph
Edward Stevens (18), of Amblecote, was charged with
embezzling money belonging to his emp'oycrs, Messrs.
M. and W. Grazebrook, ironmasters, Netherton.—Pri-
soner pleaded guilty to having received sums of money
without accounting for them, and was sent to gaol for a
month.

THE MAYOR'S BA/NIEL—On Wednesday night last
the Mayor of Dudley (Mr. Wiliam North) entertained
the Town Council, the Magistrates, and his friends at a
banquet held at the Dudley Arms Hotel, Dudley. Nearly
the whole of the Council were present, most of the
Magistrates, and some forty mining engineers, coal-
masters, ironmasters, and other personal friends of the
Mayor. His Worship proposed the usual loyal toasts,
and the ex• Mayor (Mr. Thompson) " The Bishop and
Clergy and Ministers of all Denominations," to which
the Rev. Dr. Cosens and the Rev. Caleb Foster re-
sponded. Mr. Wainwright proposed" The Army, Navy,
and Auxiliary Forces," and Lieutenant Smith and
Captain Renaud responded. Alderman Bagott proposed
I• The County and Borough Men.bers." The ex-Mayor
then proposed the toast of the evening, " The Mayor."
He said his Worship had attended to the business in a
most conscientious way, for his attendance at general
and committee meetings exceded that of any Mayor ever
elected. Hear, hear.) His Worship, too, had always
given the benefit of his engineering skill to the borough,
and by doing so the town and its institutions bad been
saved many hundreds of pounds. (Hear, hear," and
applause.) The toast was then drunk with "three times
three," and loud applause followed. The Mayor, in re-
sponding. thanked the meeting for the warm and
enthusiastic reception awarded to tbe toast. He had
only been in Dudley eleven years, and only seven years a
member of the Council, and he took it most kindly that
he should have succeeded to the honourable post of
Mayor of Dudley in so short a time. (Applause.) His
thanks were due to the Council and the otticers of the
Corporation, particularly the Town Clerk (Mr. Warming.
ton). His Worship then reviewed generally the progress
of the town during the past seven years, and particu-
larly the last year. He said that a far larger number of
plans for houses to be erected had been deposited than
previous years. The ex-Mayer deserved eredit for the
new Post Office if he (the Mayor) had passed the Free
Libraries Act. . (Applause.) 'The other public business
cf the year he had indulged in he should leave alone for
another occasion, but he thanked them for their warm
reception. Mr. Wilscn Lloyd proposed the Mist of
" The Lord Lieutenant and County and Borough Magis-
trates." Mr. Cochrane and Mr. Terry responded. Mr.
Stoker proposed the health of the ex-Mayor, whom they
thoroughly respe2ted and esteemed ; a gentleman who
filled nearly every office in the borough, and who had in
every instance filled them well. (applause ) Mr.
Thompson respuded. After some further toasts Mr.
Reuben
_Farley proposed "The To en and Trade of
Dudley, and the Iron and Coal Trades." He had a
gloomy foreboding of the coming winter, which was
likely to be one of bad trade. (No, no.) He said yes,
yes, althouh he was sorry for it. Whilst in Paris he had
heard much of steel, and the wants of the world for
steel. If they wanted it they would have it, and it was
for South Staffordshire, with its rich ores, to consider
whether the rich hematite ores of other countries could
„not be brought by a ship canal to the old coal and
mineral field in which they sat. (" Hear, hear," and
applause.) Mr. Terry, Mr. Job Garratt, and Mr, George
Jones responded. Other toasts were proposed and re-
spnied to. Mr. F. W. North, a son of the Mayor, and
a Government inspector of the coalfields of South Africa
wag present during the evening. Letters of apology
were read from the Earl of Dudley (who sent two
haunches of venison), from Messrs. Walker and Allsopp
and from Mr. H, B. Sheridan, the county and borongh
nHimb ere,