The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-03-15 00:00:00

IMPORTANT MEETING OF COLLIERS AT

DUDLEY.

AN ADVANCE OF Is PER DAY DEMANDED.
On Monday night, a large meeting of colliers' delegates
from the Dudley, Old Hill, Brierley Hill districts was
held at the Shakespeare Inn, New Mill Street, Dudley.
The subjects fur discussion were—the wages question,
and the consideration of the new special rules. After the
delegates had produced their vouchers and a chairman
elected, it was unanimously resolved that on the next
pay-day the thick and thin Coal colliers should give •
fortnight's notice for an advance of Is per day.
The meeting then proceeded to discuss the special and
local rules recently posted up at the collier.. The clauses
to which the colliers object are numerous, and come
under the head of the "interpretation clauses," special
rules, and local rules. In clause 3of the interpretations -
the only reference is to the chartermaster (or contractor),
and the men desire that the whole clause shall be struck
out. They follow up this objection, as will be sees here-
after, in every clause in which the word " chartermaster"
is used. The men also desire the withdrawal of clause
5 in the interpretations, and this relates to the overman
or overseer. Clause, 20 to 35 relate to the charter-
master or overman. In clause 20 the word "charter'
master" is objected to. Clause 21 says, "He (the
chartermaster or overman) shall comply with the inetruc-
tion of the owner, agent, or such other person as may be
appointed to act in his behalf, in all matters relating to
the opening and carrying on works." At this point the
men desire that the following words shall be inserted—
! " According to the Mines Regulation Act, 1872." Clause
28 relates to the duty of the overman making the roof
! and sides perfectly safe, and generally attending to the
' duty of the overman tusking the roof and sides perfectly
safe, and generally attending to the safety of the whole
mine. In addition to these matters, the colliers desire
• that the following addition be made:—" All water-
courses to be kept clear of rubbish or dirt, when such
water courses are in operation on the side of the travell-
ing roads; and such water-courses to be kept deep
enough to prevent an overflow in the travelling road.,
for the miner to have free access to the working faces."
In clause 31 the word " chartermaster again appears,
and the men want it struck out. The clause itself re-
lates to the power of the chartermaster to discharge any
man who, by Irs conduct, endangers his own life or the
lives of those in the pit. Uprn clause 35 the colliers
feel most strongly, and it is upon this that future diffi-
culties may arise. The clause says, "The overman
shall not employ, nor allow to be employed, any workman
unless he produces a discharge note from hie last em-
ployer, which he shall retain, and upon discharging any
workmen shall give him a discharge note." This is to
be struck out entirely. Clause 37 says that • collier
upon "applying for employment shall produce • dis-
charge note from his last employer.- The quoted words
the miners also demand ehall be struck out. Clauses 39.
40, 41, 42, and 43 all contain the words " chartermaster"
I and " deputy or deputies," which the men (as above.
stated) are anxious ts have kept out of the rules, and
therefore object to them. Clause 44 has for its object
the prevention of explosions by the taking of naked
lights, drc, into • mine, and towards the end says —"No:
collier shall, under any circumstances, smoke or ignite
any tobacco in any mine underground in which inflam-
mable gas has been found within the precsding three
months." The colliers desire that the latter part should
say that no tobacco should be lighted in any mine under-
ground in which gas "has been, ocean be. found in the
colliery." Clan. ea 47 and 50 contain the words'' deputy"
and "deputies,' and these are objected to. Relating to
the employment of boys, clause 53 says :—" No collier
shall employ any boy," Bre , and the men desire the sub-
etitution of the word " officer "instead of" collier," and
so removing the responsibility of engagement. There
are three objections to clause 55. In opening, it says,
" any collier shall be subject to immediate dismissal
without notice, if he shall wilfully disregard, or act con-
trary to, auy general or special rule.'' rk. The men
want the words "immediate dismissal struck out, and
"examination by two colliers and the agent " inserted.
In the middle of the clause the words •• chartermaster,
deputy or deputies" again occur, and they are marked
for objection. At the latter end of the clause it is pro-
posed to be enacted that if any collier should cause in-
jury to the mine or machinery by his wrong-doing, in-
capacity, or neglect, he shall, eke The men demand
that the word" incapacity" shall be struck out. Coming
new to the Local Rules, the first one meets with three
objections. The rule is Every, collier, workman, or
boy shall, before quitting or absenting himself from his
work, give or receive fourteen days' notice at the pay on
the usual pay-day, bat in cue of misconduct, or if from
any accident, want of trade, or other unavoidable cause
there is no work for him to do he may be discharged
without notice, and when under notice shall only be en-
titled to such employment as would have been assigned
to him if he had not been under notice." The men
demand to strike out the words, misconduct of or if
from" without substituting anything in their place.
They also wish to substitute 'shall not" for "may"
where it says " may be discharged without notice," and
further, the men want the clause to end with the word
" notice." Clause 2 relates to the collier's responsis
biiity for tools supplied him by the owner, and the
amounts to be paid for their loss, The men wish to add
.• except by lose over which he (the collier) has no per.
sonal control." The men urge in favour of this addition
, that it frequent/y happens that rushing into places to
; save the tools subjects the collier to dangerous risks.
Clause 4 relates to the necessity of the collier obtaining
; the best coal possible for the owner, and says that in
getting and loading he shall "separate very carefully
the large from the small. The men desire that the
• specific word " loader " shall he inserted, so that that
I person shall have to '• separate very carefully" the coal.
The men also object to the latter part of this clause,
which alludes to the confiscation of tubs and skips or
tabs. In the Special Rules prepared for this district
the allowance coal has been overlooked. The men,
therefore, insist on the insertion of the following clause
in the rules :—" Any collier receiving full pikeman's
wages shall be entitled to his f.re cost in the following
scale :—A married man, or widower, working 24 full
turns, Mull be entitled to one ton of fire coals (lumps) ;
and should the man lose time on the employer's account,
it shall be counted as full time as regards the claims of
the man for his fire coal. Any man leaving his work
shall get all c ,a 1 due up to the time of leaving, otherwise
it shall be considered due. Any young man, receiving
full pikeman's wages, working 36 full turns, shall be en-
titled to one ton of fire coal (lumpy); and any bey, with-
out father in the mines, shall be entitled, if not receiving
full wages, to one ton of fire coal (lumps), by working 49
full turns."

The meeting fully endorsed the objections.
THI MINERS AND THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR.

The meeting. after • discussion, passed the following
resolution :—" That in the opinion of this meeting Mr.
Baker, the mines inspector, ought to live in the centre
of the district over which he has control; that the miners
ought to have better opportunities afforded them of cons
suiting him on any matter affecting their interests; and,
further, that the meeting is justified in coming to the
conclusion that Mr. Baker should seek to remove from
the minds of Vie men the impression that he is acting in
favour of the masters, and unless his future conduct is
alter..d in this pirtacular it is desirable that Parliament
should be petitioned to remove him from this district."
The following resolution was also passed—That
this meeting desires publicly to state that the assertion
made at the Old Hill Police court on Monday by Mr.
Collis, that we are fighting against the Mines Regulati in
Act, is mit true; we merely disapprove of tne special
rules posted up by Mr. Collis and other coalmasters of
tte district."

A vote of thanks was theo given to Mr. Smith-Shen-
stone f r his condact in the matter of the Hartlsy Balance
Fund, and that gentleman was &Ate I to retain office.