The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-06-08 00:00:00

CHAMBERS OF AGRICULTURE.

Mr. John Ford, of Pontland LaWlll, Leamington,
presided at a special meeting of the Warwickshire
bomber of Agriculture on Saturday at the Shire-hall,
Warwick, and Lord Dormer and Sir Robert Hamilton
were present The chairman, referring to the private
conference on the previous Saturday between three
repre,entatives of the Labourers' Union and himself,
Mr. Muntz, and Mr. Burbery, on behalf of the Chamber
of Agriculture, said Mr. Arch, the chairman of the
had agreed to retiact a statement he had made '
that ate Chamber proposed to appoint six members to
swamp the three from the Union, and added that a long
confeience ensued, which had the effect of removing
several misimpressions ; but as the Unionists stipu-
lated the conference should be private they could not
make any detailed report. They stated that the exist-
ing rules of the Union were so unsatisfactory that they
did not wish them even to be looked at, but promised
to furnish a copy FO soon As revised rules have been
prepared.
Mr. Muntz endorsed what the chairman had said;
and Mr. Umbers, of Wepton, said the whole of his
labourers, with the exception of two who did not belong
to the Union. had given him a week's in dice in the
event of his refusing them 18e. a week. He had met
the demand by offering 16.., an advance of 25., and
double wages during the harvest month.
Mr. Smith rose to speak on the subject, but the
chairman pointed out that, until the Chamber had the
vised rules if the Union before it and knew the
demands of the men, it would Le inexpedient to fuither
discuss the matter.
-••••• • • •

-- --
Mr. G. F. Muntz, of Umberslade•ball, then brought
forward the subject of the better education of farmers'
sons. Ile urged the necet,ity of high farming in the
present day, sari said that in order to do 80 successfully
it was necessary fSr a farmer to possess some know-
ledge of science. He compliined of the want of good
middle-class schools, accessible to the sous of farmers
of limited means, slid advocated their establishment
within certain areas, and that the special sciences
necessary for agrLulturists should form a portion of
the instruction. .

Mr. C. M. Cablecott, of Holbrook-grange. Sir
Raert Hamilton, and several tenant-farmers, admitted
the nova tance of the subject, and the following resolu-
tion was unanimously adopted :
" That, observing the present position of the education of
this country, aud the increased means which are being pro-
vided for elementary instructions. the means for affording a
suitable education for farmers' eons demands the immediate
considentiou of Chambers c.f Agrictulture."

•.
The re gt of the business wag of merely local interest.

The members of the Glocestshire Chamber of Agri.
culture discussed for two hours, on Saturday afternoon,
two subjects very closely affecting the labourer and the
fanner. The first related to • t4i1.1 for regulating the
employment of children in agriculture in England
and Wales, and which Mr. Ackers, a county magis-
trate, sail he knew had been introduced by a gentle.
man of wide experience and high chat aster, yet
which, he contended, did not meet the needs of the case.
He and Mr. Barwick Baker, aud others of influence,
took part in the discussion, and their general opinion
seemed to be that the limit of age below which a
child should not work in agriculture should be struck
out, and that, with respect to such children, there
should be adopted a system of alternate days, or half-
weeks, with certain intervals as to seasons ; anti that,
further, the use of night schools should be recognized.
One or two parishes were named wherein something
like this ay stela had been already adopted. He inci-
dentally compared the la, gely self.acquired education
of the Scotch peasantry with the agricultural ignorance
in England. He had often stood on one of the moors
in 9cotland quoting Latin verses with • shepherd's
and corn poring with him the merits af the dits !ant
ut fieraCel dad yet the bay was Min the

1-jomode,l,, ,

slightest a coxcomb or made the worse for his work by
his learning.
Ultimately, the Chamber passed a resolution asking
for a system of education which should alike give the
child elementary instruction and that timely training of
body and muscles which the exigencies of agricultural
life required, the latter object being attained by a
practical alliance of the school-house, the farm, aud
the rectory. The bill discussed failed to meet the needs
of the case. As to anexhausted improvements, a reso-
luti, n was passed that legislative interference was need-
lrss, but that there should be a mutually equitable
arrangement devised for compensation, and cases of
dispute shauld be settled by a loual Board of Arbi-
tration.