The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-09-19 00:00:00

THE TRADES UNION CONGRESS.

This Congress concluded its sittings at Cambridge
Hall, Southport, on Saturday, Mr. T. R. Threlfall
presiding. Mr. R. Jug;lns, (Darlaston) moved:
"That it be an instruction to the Parliamentary Com-
mittee to use their best exertion to reintroduce the
Factory and Workshops Amendment Bill of 1883
that applies to the employment of female children
under 14 years of age at forging nails, chains, bolts,
rivets, or any such articles that are made from iron
or steel." The motion was seconded by Mr. Holmes
(Burnley), and after some discussion Mr. Drummond,
of Glasgow, moved, and Mr. Talbot (Nottingham)
seconded the previous question, and this was carried.
Mr. T. Anderton moved "That in the opinion of
this Congress it is advisable that the number of sani-
tary inspctors be largely increased, but that no man
be appointed without previously plssing a thoroughly
practical examination." He pointed out thatplumbers
by the very nature of their trade were the men who
knew most about the sanitary arrangement of dwell-
ings.—Mr. Forbes (Glasgow) seconded the motion.
Mr. Malkin, of Liverpool, pointed out that in his
town there were 10,000 houses in an insanitary condi-
tion, and Mr. Park (Preston) spoke of the insanitary
condition of many mills where workpeople were em-
ployed, and contended that men should not be ap-
pointed as sanitary inspectors simply because they
were sons of their fathers. The motion was carried.

Mr. 11. W. Rowland (London) moved "That while
thanking the Government for the appointment of
workmen as J.P.'s, this Congress urges that the prin-
ciple be adopted of workmen asessors to assist in all
stipendiary magisterial courts when workmen's ques-
tions are before them, much in the satne way as the
const it ution of the Wreck Commissioner's Court and
the Probate Division of the High Court of Justice."
—The motion was seconded by Mr. Wilson, of Bolton,
and carried.

Mr. W. Inskip (Leicester) moved "That in view of
the conflicting opinions expressed by the magistracy
in reference to wl.at is known as 'the saving clause'
of the Conspiraw and Protection of Property Act,
1875, it be an instruction to the Parliamentary Com-
mittee, should any case arise in which the spirit of
the said clause has been set aside, to take such steps
as may by them be deemed necessary, in order to
obtain a legal definition of the said clause, by this
means affording rCiable information to the various
trades affected.—Mr. Robbins (Leicester) seconded
the motion, and it was carried nnanimo,isly.
It was moved by Mr. B. Prickard (Wigan) "That
it be an instruction to the Parliamentary Committee
that every effort be made to secure the appointment
of practical miners—meaning thereby manual labour
in the mines—as sub-inspectors of mines on similar
conditions as thosd appointed as sub-factory in-
spectors. Seeing that their position is to examine
and report to the chief inspector, this Congress is of
opinion working miners may be found in the various
mining communities fully qualified for the position of
said sub-inspectors." Mr. Toy ne (Cleveland) seconded,
and the motion was carried.

Mr. E. Hasford (London) moved "That in view of
the appalling loss of life and the large number of
non-fatal injuries occurring annually to railway
servants engaged in shunting operations, owing to
the system of coupling railway vehicles at present
in use, this Congress urges the Legislature to confer
power upon the Board of Trade to order the adoption
of some system of improved coupling which will
obviate the necessity and remove the danger of
having to pass between vehicles for the purpose of
coupling or uncoupling them." Mr. Drummond
(Glasgow) seconded, and the motion was carried
unanimously.
On the motion of Mr. W. Austin (London),
seconded by Mr. Hunter (Glasgow), it was resolved
"That the Parliamentary Committee be instructed to
use their influence with the next Parliament to obtain
a just administration of the law prohibiting the Sunday
baking of bread." It was also resolved that it be an
instruction to the Parliamentary Committee to use
their best exertions to reintroduce the Factory and
Workshops Amendment Bill of 1883 in the new
Parliement; to drop clause 16 in the original bill in
an Amendment Act that applies to the occupation as
a bakehouse any cellar, room, or place which is less
than one-half its height above the level of the street,
footway, or ground adjoining the same.
Mr. J. C. Laird (Newcastle) moved "That the
delegates here assembled desire to express their
sympathy with the workmen of Messrs. Armstrong,
Mitchell, and Co., now on strike at Elewick, in their
endeavours to resist the tyranny and oppression of
two of their managers." Ile pointed out that there
wore 20,000 persons immediately affected by this
strike, and said thew deserved every sympathy. The
motion was seconded by Mr. Mosses (Glasgow), and
carried.

Mr. J. R. Smith (London) moved "That, seeing
the increased amount of unemployed labour in this
country, the Parliamentary Committee be instructed
to induce the Government to bring in a bill to regu-
late the hours of labour to all workers in the employ
of the State and other public bodies, and that eight
hours be the maximum working day in all their
departments and workshops." Mr. W. Malkin
(Liverpool) seconded, and the motion was carried.
The following resolutions were also carried without
discussion: "That in the opinion of this Congress,
any one holding the office of agent to the Employers'
Liability Assurance Corporation is not a fit and proper
person to hold the office of coroner or his deputy, and
it be an instruction to the Parliamentary Committee
to take steps as early as possible to bring about an
alteration of the law with regard to the election of
coroner, or the appointment of his deputy, or take
such steps as the committee may consider necessary
for carrying out this resolution." "Believing that the
present system of inquiry into the causes of death,
by courts presided over by district coroners, is in many
instances unsatisfactory, to ask the Barliamentary
Committee to make a full inquiry into the subject,
with a view of having the composition of the courts
altered. "That the Parliamentary Committee be in-
structed to take the necessary steps, by deputation to
the Lords of the Treasury, in conjunction with the
Registrar-General, or by other means, to secure the
same charges for certificates of death to members
of Trades Unions as are charged to members
of Friendly Societies." That in the opinion
of this Congress the adoption of the eight hours'
system would largely benefit the working classes by
giving work to many of those presently unemployed, and
thereby relieving the existing depression in trade."
"Seeing that military drill was introduced into Board
schools professedly for its physical advantages, and
that it is now being followed up by the formation of
cadet corps, the boys comprising which are to be
dressed as soldiers, and supplied with rifles by the
War Office, the Congress enters its emphatic protest
against the cunningly devised scheme by which the
military authorities and a number of School Boards
have been step by step preparing the way for the
pernicious Continental system of conscription, and
entreats the working-class ratepayers to use every
effort to frustrate the designs of the promoters, and
confine School Boards to the task for which they were
designed, viz., to develop the intellectual and moral
faculties of children committed to their care." "That
in the opinion of this congress, the time has arrived
for the Government to establish a thorough system
of national education, and that in order to accomplish
this object the public elementary schools must neces-
sarily be made free." Votes of thanks were then
passed to the president, vice-president, to the Mayor
and Corporation for the use of the hall, to the secre-
tary and others, and the proceedings terminated.