The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-03-09 00:00:00

BBIERLEY HILL.

TRANBFER3. —At the Police Court, on Monday, before
Messrs. H. Smith and L. Fref,r, the tillowing transfers
took place :—The Old CrowL, King,winford, from
Elizabeth Holt to William Henry 'Cotterill ; the Bridge
Kingswinford, from Ann Puillips to Edward
Harley ; the Than tihaut, Wordsley, from Benjamin
Mtueti, deceased to Sarah Minett, the widow; the Coin•
wercial Inn, Fenton Street, Brierley Hill, from John
Scriven to Thomas Meese; the Black Horse, Wordsley,
from John Thomvson to William Mason ; the Little
Pig Inn, Coalhourubrook, from John Lee Hems to
Esther Wooldridge; the Albion, Kingswinford, from
Monday, deceased. to Elizabeth Muuday, the widow.—
Beerhouses : The Royal Oak, Brierlay Hill, from James
Bond to James Whitney; the Old Mansion, Brockmoor,
from Levi Smith to Thomas Tidball.
GAME TEEBPABs.—Thomas Humphries was charged
with trespassing in search of game on land in the
occupation of Mary Witmore, on the Bth ult, at Iverley
Cover.—A. gamekeeper said he saw defendant and seven
others with three lureber dogs beating in the cover.—
Delendant pleaded guilty and was fined 20s and costs;
in default one months' hard labour.

DRUNKENNESS —Enoch Cooper, chainmaker, Quarry
Bank, was charged with being drunk and disorderly, at
Quarry Bank, on the 22nd nit —A witness named
Dance proved the case and defendant Wad fined 103 and
costs.

ASSAULTING Tag PoLim—Edward Male, a glass
blower and well known in betting circles, and Edwin
Smith were charged with assaulting Police•conetable
'l.'ythersleigh, at Coalbottrnbrook, on the night of the
16th ult.—Smith' did not appear and Male pleaded not
guilty._-Tythersleigh said he was on duty at Coalbonr-
brook on the night of the 16th tilt, about eleven o'clock
when he saw defendant Smith drunk on the highway.
As defendant !you'd not go quietly witness seized hold of
him to lock him up. A crowd assembled and amongst
them was the defendant Male who got between the
offic,r and Smith and pushed the officer away. He also
cursed and swore at the witness. Male and others
followed witness and brickbats were thrown at him by
some of the crowd but he could not say who it was.
Male called two witnesses who said they saw him there
but did not see him push the officer. He spoke to the
officer about the way he was pulling Smith about.—Mr.
Smith, the magistrate, said they should fine Male lOs
and costs, and sentence Smith to one months' hard
labour. They were determined to protect the police in
the discharge of their duty and this particular officer
had been assaulted before but unfortunately they had
not been able to bring it home to the offender.

AN ATTEMPT TO SHOOT A POLIOEMAN.—Joseph Jones
(30), ohainmaker, Quarry Bank, was charged with
attempting to shoot Police-constable Mackie.—The de-
fendant quarrelled on Monnay morning with his brother
and his wife. A policeman was sent for, and as Mackie
approache 3, Jones shouted "11l let you have it," and
then pulled the trigger of a gun. The cap snapped,
and the officer then closed with the defendant, and
succeeded in getting possession of the gun. In it there
were two bullets and four inches of charp.—Remanded
for a wevk.

MEETING 07 Itioarworurseg.—k numerously-attended
meeting of ironworkers took place on Monday at the
Alma Tcri, Brierley Hill Mr. Townshend presided, and
explained that they had met to consider the dispute at
the Hyde Works.—Mr. :;appe,, in addreisin4 the meet-
ing, referred in the first place to the letters and reports
which had recently been published, observing that it
was just possible. that the deputation misunderstood Mr,
Firmstone as to the use of a word, but he was quite
sure the deputation bed no wish to misrepresent 51r.
Firrnstone. It appeared. however, that that gentleman
had friends who wished him to undersell others, for the
Vicar of Kinver had come to his aid and prop that
the men should rna'se finished i? on at such prices as
would enah'e him to command the may ket, and so
ensure full work ; that the men should puddle every
kind of iron for 8s per ton wiliwen and rollers to have
a reduct;on of more than 7i per cent.; auderhands re-
duced 6d per day; clerks, forge managers, and others
to have a proportionate reduction He also proposed
that either side could break the arrangement by giving
two months' notice: These proposals were laughed at
by Mr. Firmstone, and of course rejected by the men.
The Vicar wanted them to work for Bs, when some men
were having 10s and more, and the reduction for mill-
men and forgemen was very indefinite, and might mean
anything, The rev, gentleman's interference was
inopportune and improper, because the question of
wawa had been settled by the Arbitration Board, and
because the vicar had no authority to interfere between
the:men and the employers of the Board. Mr. Capper
thase read the following correspondence :—" South
Staffordshire Iron Trade Wages Board, Bloxwich,
February 27, 1878.—T0 Joseph Chamberlain, Esq ,
M.P., Prcsident.—Dear Sir,—Doubtless you are aware
that there is not, and never was, a uniform rate of
wag a paid to any given class of ironworkers, and that
because there is not, and never was, any such thing as
uniformity in the condition of their labour. In the
past we have always contended, and the justice of our
contention has bean admitted, that - our employers have
no claim to assimilate the rate of wages until they are
propared to assimilate the am-aunt of labour, and also
the mode of performing it, which it will be admitted by
all who are conversant with the trade is practically im-
pos4ble. I may here obscrve that the principle of
uniformity, which many ironmasters appear to be de-
sirous of patting into practice is anything but a liberal
one, and it is notorious that to bring uniformity by
pulling down the highest to the level of those who are
paid at the lowest rate would be most unfair and unjust
to many, and would benefit none, excepting of course
the employers themselves. But what I respectfully wish
to ask you is this : Whatever may have been the
standard rate of wages that prevailed up to the 14th ult,
from which date the last reduction takes effect, have
the employers the right to reduces wages below or take
from the wages of the workmen more than the amount
svcified in your award ? Awaiting an answer, yours,
Sec , James Capper, operatives' sec."—The following is
Kr. Chamberlain's answer :—" 30, Wilson Place, S.W.,
February '23, 1878. Dear Sir—ln reply to the inquiry
contained in your letter of the 28th, I beg to say that I
have always understood that in addition to the general
prices paid for puddling and millmen's work there were
in the iron trade many special prices not enumerated in
any awards, but which it was understood would rise or
fall proportionately with any alteration iu the standard
wages. Without pronouncing any opinion, as I am
ignorant of the facts as to whether an assimilation of
prices is just and expedient, I may say that I do not
think any alteration in existing prices can properly be
made except uuder Rule 2 of the Board, which states
that in ease of any differences arising at any works, it
is intended that it shall be settled by the works' repro.

sentatives, but in case of them falling it is open to them
to refer it to the chairman, eioe-chairman, and the two
secretaries, who may call the Board together to decide,
if teey see fit. I do not know whether the alterations
to which you refer have been made by agreement be-
tween the works representatives, but in this CIIS3 the
change would of coarse be legal."—Mr. Capper said the
correspondence showed that the employers had no
right to take more than 71 off, which was the arbitration
award. Some employers, however„lssid they were
justified, for they had paid more than their neighbours.
The sooner, he urged, that they had a common agree.
meut as to the meaning of words the better. lithe
employers could by words show that they had a right to
tat..-.e off 15 per cent., there could be.no difficulty when
trade revived for the men to want 16 per cent. when the
arbitrator gave an award of 7/ per cent. It appeared to
him (Hr. Capper) that there was an unfair attempt to
bring ab Jut a uniform rate by reducing all to the level
of the lowest.—The Chairman said if the men whose
employers had endeavoured to make larger redactions
would communicate with Mr. Capper the matter would
b.s taken up.—Addresses were given by some of the wen
lately employed as the Hyde Works. The purport of
their remarks was that if they had been paid higher
than other men they were willing to be paid at the
same rate for the same class of work.—lt was then
unanimously resolved " That the aria men are
deserving of sympathy, and are entitled to the
moral and practical support of their fellow workmen
in that and other districts."—Thanks were given to the
Chairman and Mr. Capper, and the proceedings
terminated.

SCR )0L BOARD PROSRCDTIONi.-At the Police Court,
on Thursday, before Mr, I. Spooner, stipendiary, a
number of persons were summoned by Mr. H. V.
Breton, for neglecting to send their children to school,
and were fined 21 6(1, in the majority of oases.
NON•PAYMENT,OF POOR RATES.—A number of persons
were summoned by Mr. Homer, poor rate collector, for
non-payment of poor rates, and the usual order was
made for payment in fourteen days; in default a dis-
boss.

CHArton OF Tfinzers.—John Smart, fishmonger, High
Street, Brierley Hill, was charged with threatening
Betsy Maughn.—Mr. Waldron defended.—Complainant
swore that defendant threatened her and she was afraid
of him.—Bound over in two sureties of £5 each to keep
the peace.
DBIJNIEENNEB9.—Joseph Partridge was charged with
being drunk and disorderly, at Brockmoor, on the Ist
inst.—Police constable Lafford proved the case and de-
fendant, who pleaded guilty, was fined 10a 6d ; bi default
7 days.—Herbert Higgs was charged with being drunk
and disorderly, at Brierlay Hill, on the 2Srd ult.—Police-
sergeant Chatham proved the case and defendant was
fined 10a 6d; in defAilt 14 days.—Thomas Worrell was
also fined lOs Gd for being drunk and disorderly in High
Street, Brierley Hill, on the 28th nll.—Police•sergeant
Chatham proved the offence.
Gamma ON TRH HIGHWAY.—Two lads named William
Enoch Edwards and Eli Westwood were charged with
gambling on the highway. at Brockmoor, on the 2nd
inst.—Pollee-constable Lafford proved the ease and de-
fendants were each fined 51 and costs.

NEIGHBOURS QUABRELS.—PhiIip Payne, of Raglan
Tarr ice, Broekmoor, was charged with assaulting a
neighbour named Thomas Wakelam, on the 23rd ult, and
Wakelam was charged with assaulting an old woman 60
years of age named Mary Davis, on the same date.—
Wbkelarn said he resided at Raglan Terrace, Brockmeor,
and defendant was a neighbour. On the night in ques-
tion, defendant, his wife, and Mary Davis went to his
house, pulled him on to the floor, and defendant tried to
strangle him but was prevented from doing so by Jabez
Edwards, C troline Giddings, and others. Witness was
also kicked twice by some one but he did not know who.
—Jabez Edwards, Caroline Giddings, and her husband
corroborated complainant.—Defendant said he never saw
complainant on the night in question and that he did not
strike him at all. He went to bed at halt-past ten
O'clock and on hearing a disturbanee down stairs ha put
on his trousers and went down but did not see complain-
Aut.—John Clul)w and other witnesses said they were
there and did not see defendant touch complainant,
and did not seen him dragged off him —Mary
Davis was called in •the alleged assaultin4
of her by Wakelam, and said she was going
into Payne's house between eleven and twelve o'clock on
the night of the 23rd when defendant Wakelam said he
had a spite against her and struck her on the face,
which was badly bruised and also struck her on the
breast and back. She did not throw any water at de-
Undant neither did she fall down and cateh her face
against a chair.—Mis. Payne carroborated complainant
—Defendant denied touching complainant at all but said
complainant threw a jug of water at hiss and ache went
towards h(r she fell down, broke the jug, and injured her
face by falling against a chair.—Caroline Gittinga and
her husband corroborated defendant.—Mr. Spooner said
he beliEved Wakelam had been assaulted by Payne and
he should bind Payne over in two sureties of .£5 each to
keep the peace, and the case of the 'assault by Wake.
lam on Mary Davis would be dismissed.
BREACH or THE PEACE.—Benjamin Tarvey was
eharged with committing a breach of the peace by fight-
ing in Leval Street, Brierley Hill.—Pulice•constable
Eden proved the case and defendant was ordered to find
two sureties of £5 each to keep the peace and pay costs.
—Agnes Shakespeare, a young woman, was charged with
committing a breach of the peace by fighting in Fenton
Street, Brierley Hill, on the 23rd ult.—Police-constable
Mumford proved the case and defendant was ordered
to find two sureties of £5 each to keep the peace.
&viten THROWING.—A lad named Richard Mullins was
charged with assaulting an old man named William
Brooks, at Moor Lane.—Complainant said he was on
the bridge at Moor Lane when he was struck on the
collar bone by a cinder and defendant ran away.
He did not see who threw the cinder. Case dis-
missed.