The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-07-27 00:00:00

WORKING MEN'S CLUBS.

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On Saturday, the subjects connected 'Tithe the stab-
lishment and operations of Working Men's Clubs were
discussed in a conference of delegates from different
London and country clubs at the South Kensington
Museum, London, Sir Harcourt Johnstone, MP.,
presiding. There were present Mr. Hodgson Pratt,
Mr. Alsager H. Hill, the Rev. H. Solly, and, in addi-
tion to the representatives of London clubs, delegates
from Northampton, Chelmsford, Bartley in Yorkshire,
Leighton Buzzard, Bedford, Croydon, Stratford, and
other places.
A series of ten questions was set before the meeting
for discussion, but so much time was spent over two or
three that, while many could only be touched upon, I
others had to go without any consideration whatever.
The conference was called by the Working Men's
Club and Institute Union, a central body, which has
materially waisted the formation of the chief clubs
throughout the kingdom, and the chairman, in opening
the proceedings, dwelt upon the excellent purposes of
that Union in assisting working men to establish and
maintain clubs, which would be to them clubs and
institute., where they could meet for recreation, re-
freshment, social intercourse, and self-improvement.
The eetablishment of clubs Waa important s• lessening the
dependence of the working classes upon the publichouse
for refreshment, recreation, and social intercourse, and
for accommodation for friendly societies' meetings. The
Union had an important work before it, for it undertook
to afford aid and advice to all who desired to carry n a
club; it supplied the clubs, from the Union"' library,

with ths beat worlca in the English language; it"
lent the materials for amusing and instructive lectures;
it assisted in obtaining teachers, lecturers and
readers; it published papers suggestive of undertlkingt
which might be carried on an the clubs for the *dues
tional and social ad iancement of the working classes
and, by forming a centre of communication betweet
different classes, it brought together men of Mere,"
social positions, and thus tended to promote briar:
tion and conciliation in dial utes. lie ap.ike of ti
large amounts of money squandered by 1 I
in publlehouses as enormous in the aggregate, and I.
urged that an rueociation like the "'Working Med..
Club and Institute Union," whose purposes, if carried
out, would effect a, great reform in this direction, de-
served the support of all classes.
The discussi..n on the questions then arose, the first
being in regard to the best means of interchanging club
membership between the various clubs affiliated to the
parent institution, and the second the subject of
establishing a building fund for the erection of work-
men's clubs. These two questions occupied a long
time, and at length they were referred to the Council
of the "Union."
A long discussion arose as to the means which should
be adopted to wake clubs self-supporting, and several
delegates candidly admitted that when clubs were
established with a programme of tea and coffee, ginger
beer, and such like refreshments, and newspapers and
books for the only recreation, the clubs soon "fell
through ;" but where beer was sold, and amusements,
such as bagatelle and billiard boards, provided with
rooms, not only were the expenses ineuxred in
...chasing the boards soon paid for, but a proht was
made. Some temperance delegates stated that they
knew of clubs which were self-supporting without
the sale of beer, and it was retorted that in these
cases there were lists of honorary members, persons
who paid larger subscriptions than the club into
One wolking man said that the for-
mation of the clubs would materially lessen the
difficulties connected with the " licensing " and
"sale of liquor" questions. for they would take the
working man from the publichouse, and, by placing
him in a circle where over-drinking was altogether re-
probated, would do vastly more good to the canoe of
temperance in a month than all the teetotal agitaticn
and Acts of the Legislature would do in a year. As a
body the teetotallers did not come into the clubs, and
they placed an obstacle between themselves 'and the
working classes by declaring that the men who were
moderate drinkers were worse than drunkards. It was
desirable that those clubs which had been made self-
supporting should lay before the COUIICiI statements of
their mode of working.

Another question then discussed was as to the mea-
sures which should be taken to induce friendly and
trade societies to hold their meetings (now held in
publichouses) in the clubs. It was declared that these
societies could not meet in the club., because no drink
or intoxicatimr liquors could be sold to uorbmembers,
and the working men members of these societies were
represented as unable to bear the fatigues of
meeting over " friendly " or trade matters with-
out having such an amount of intoxicating liquor
as would pay the publican for lending his room.
One delegate pointed out that it was mere profit-
able for these societies to meet at clubs, and for the
niemlwrs of them to become club members, than to go
to publichouses, as in the clubs the best unadulterated
beer was sold at a third less than the price paid at the
publichouee, and even on one glass of beer a day the
member of the club saved all the cost of his subscrip-
tion (M. a month) and more besides.
The subject of the relation of the Excise officers to-
wards the clubs then arose, and Mr. Hfalgeon Pratt
stated that the " Union" had seen with satisfaction
the prosecution of a sham club, and he described how.
proeecution against a bead fide club at Vauxhall had
failed. He read a letter from the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, stating that clube desiring to be left un-
mole-ted by the Excise must deposit their rules with
the Board of Inland Revenue (and Mr. Pratt explained
their bye-laws as well), and must maintain th fee rules.
It war shown that the Board of Inland Revenue had
not recognized this mode of dealing, but, it was said,
that there was little doubt of the fact that those clubs
which sold liquors for the benefit of the club itself, and
not for the benefit of an individual, would not be
molested.

In the afternoon the delegates visitea the Exhi-
bition, and in the evening had tea together in Spiees
and Pond's psvihon.

In the evening the annual meeting of the parent
ci,•ty was held in the Albert Hall. Mr. Mundella,
M P., presided. and there were present Lord Lyttel-
ton, the Hon. W. Cowper-Temple, M. P., and Mr. A.
Johnston, M.P. Letters in excuse if absence were
read from the Mar9uis of Lorne, Mr. .T. Morley,
ALP., Sir Stafford IS urthcote, ALP., and others.

The annual report presented stated that the club
movement warn extending itself not only throughout the
kingdom, but to America, France, Belgium, and other
pasts of the Continent. During the year 66 new clubs
had started, and 33 had affiliated themselves to the
Union. On the motion of Mr. T. Hughes, M.P., the
report was adopted, and Lord Lytteltou was re-elected
pre.ident. The meeting closed with the usual votes-of
thanks.