The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-09-13 00:00:00

ADVANCE OF WAGES MOVEMENT
AMONGST THE ENGINEERS.

On Friday • general meeting of engineers of all
classes of the London district was held at their coin.
mittee room', Southwark, for the purpose of inaugur-
ating a general movement for a rise of wages among
all departments of the engineering trade.
The chair was taken by Mr. Canham, who said that
no doubt some would be surprised, and especially the
employers, that there should be such • movement
following go close upon the late concession granted in
the nine hours system. They considered, however, in
inaugurating this movement that the nine hours
system had found its level, and by distributing employ-
men over a greater number was working welL All of
them, however, were experiencing the difficulties,
arising from the high prices of provisions, and to meet
these the present movement was started.
Mr. NV. H. Chatterton, the secretary, then read a
copy of a circular bunted to the shops of all. depart-
ments, including the steam engine makers, in which it
was resolved to ask the employers that the minimum
of wages shall be 38s. per week. He further urged
that the engineer' had hitherto stood as a well-paid
class, but if they did not keep pace with other trades,
they would, if they remained stationary, be the lowest
paid cisme.
The Chairman said that in all the shops when the
sitject had been mentioned, it had met with great
approbation. A delegate said that in his shop the
mem were also of opinion that the extra cost of pro-
visions nesassitated them to make this demand. The
wages the engineers were now receiving were the same
as they were receiving ten years ago, and no one could
deny the extra cost of living. No class had done more
than the engineers in the development of machinery to
reduce the cost of much that is required for domestic
use. Mr. Shea said the men of Sheffield were fart
obtaining the rise to Ms. per week, and he urged that
the cost of living in London warranted an extra pay.
ment of 4s. per week. Mr. Porter said that as many em-
ployers were giving an extra rise of 10 per cent., it was
only fair that they should try to get • general rate from
all. He hoped that the movement would be conducted
in a good spirit. Mr. Richards said that many of the
employers had already given the rise, but there was no
doubt .hey would have opposition on the part of some
masters, and also on the part of those men who
shrunk from the contests and *elf -denials for • time
neteettery in these movements,
A resolution was carried,

"That, In order to advance the object of this ormferenoe,
and to bring the question of the advance of wanes to an
early and ”ttsfactory blue, trite Commtttre deem it
vivant@ theta general meeting should be called as early as
posldble."

w A delegate from Greenwich gated that some cf the
large firms in Greenwich had given a rise t•J 384. Isr
W.' K.

The Secretary etated that he had received the names
of several other large firms who had given a rise.

ECONOMICAL USE OF COAL FOR
DOMESTIC PURPOSES.

A snm of £5OO having been placed at the disposal of
the Council of the 9 iciety of Arta through Sir William
Bodkin, by a gentleman who does not wish his name
to appear, for promoting, by means of prizes or other-
wise. economy in the use of coal for domestic purposes,
the Council have decided to offer the ollowing prizes :-
1. For a new and improved svatem of grate, suitable
to existing chimneys as generally constructed, which
shall, with the leant amount of coal, answer hest for
warming awl ventilating a room—the Society's Gold
Medal and .£5O. _ . _

- _
2. For • new and improved syntem of grate, suitable
to existing chimneys as generally constructed, which
shall, with the least amount of c al, best answer tor
cooking food, combined with warming and ventilating
the room—the Society's gold medal and £5O.
3. For the beet new and improved system of appa-
ratus which shall, by means of gas. most efficiently
awl economically warm and ventilate • romn—the
Society'e gold medal and £5O.
4. For the best new and improved system of appa-
ratus which shall, by means of gas, be beet adapted for
cooking, combined with warming and ventilating the
room--the Society's-gold medal and £5O.
5. For any new and improved system or arrange-
ments not included in the foregoing, which shall effi-
ciently and economically meet domestic requirements
—the Society's gold medal and £5O.
The c mood reserve to themselves the right of with-
holding all or any of the above prize*, as the judges
appointed by them may determine.
Testing rooms will be provided, in which the various
competing articles may he tested in succession, each
competitor having allotted to him in turn a room and
chimney, form limited period, where he may tie his
apparatus for the purpose of its being tested by the
judges appoicted by the Society of Arts, the same to
be removed when directed by the judges; such fixing
and removal to he at the cost of the comoetitor. The
competing articles must be delivered at the London
International Exhibition Beading, South Keosigton,
on the let December, 1873, with a view to their being
tested, and subsequently shown in the Exhibition of
1874.