The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-28 00:00:00

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THE IRON TRADE.

WOLVERrrAmrrow, Wednesday.

Most of the finished ironworks of this district
have been brought to a temporary stand owing
to the general refusal of the men to return to
work until the questions of extras, now wider
discussion before the Conciliation lloard, h,s
been settled. This morning men who knew
that a resolution had been conic to on the previ-
ous day at the nwetin of the Conciliation
Board that aca sht.ll:4l rusunied pending the
set tlenten Loit.vtrtb, less refused at leading works
in different parts of the district to return to work.
it w:is asserted this afternoon by ironmasters
that in such cases the great majority were led
1 by a very small minority, who do not hesitate to
endanger the safety of the Conciliation method
of adjusting disputes in the iron trade, through
which hitherto so touch good has come to both
men and masters, and the whole district. Here
and there works are fully on, but such works are
fully on, but such works are not of first magni-
tude; and there are instances in which parts of
works are in operation. It is believed that a
good number of men will resume to-night, includ-
ing those employed at Chillington Company's
works, in Wolverhampton. If to-night should
pass over withoat a resumption, there were iron-
malters who this afternoon declared that they
should not trouble to begin this week at all. Tho
action of the men led to very strong adverse
criticism by the masters upon this conduct of
the operatives at a time when they publicly ex-
pressed their approval of conciliation. What
the men are doing tended to check business, and
to the diversion to other districts of certain
orders requiring immediate execution. But, on
the whole, there was not much falling off in the
amount of business done, as to either the fin-
or the pig-iron branches, and prices can-
not be said to have weakened. On the contrary,
they were slightly strong on some brands than
they were last week. Only little iron is, how-
ever, being made, either at the mills and forges
or at the ironworks, compared with the quantity
usually being turned out at this time of the year.
The competition kept up by Belgian makers led
to the explanation by Mr. Farnworth that his
name was not likely to be found on the books of
the Belgian works he visited, because be went
in company with others belonging, like himself,
to an English scientific institution, for whom
one person, as is nsutil, signed. At one of the
works named by his Belgian critics, he pointed
out to the people in charge why the tin-plates
they were making were not of the quality they
wished them to be.

The weekly meeting of the local Iron Trade
was held in Birmingham on Thursday. In the
face of the fact that, coupled with a limited de-
mand for iron at the present time, there is
scarcely any margin left for lowering prices, it
will be seen transactions must necessarily be
limited. In manufacturers' iron the deniand is
quiet, with a tendency to lower quotations, but
the leading houses, though far from brisk, have
little ground for complaint on the score of
slackness. There is no change to report in pigs
prices have fallen so low as to be simply unre-
munerative to local makers, who have now but
to quietly stand aside and watch for a revival of
trade. Meatfwhile, other districts are benefiting
at the cost of South Staffordshire, and a great
deal of cheap iron is now finding its way to this
among other districts. Best brands of bars are
firm, at £10.; common qualities vary between
and .tB. ; sheets at £ll. The unsettled
question of wages in this district does not help
matters, while the unwarrantable conduct of the
men in not resuming work pending the adjourn-
ment of the meeting of the Conciliation Board
is strongly commented upon. In sympathy with
the dulnes of the iron trade, the demand for coal
has fallen off greatly, and, despite the continu-
ance of strikes in one or more districts, and the
greatly diminished output generally, stocks con-
tinue to accumulate at the collieries.