The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-09-14 00:00:00

SONG OF A LONDON SCOT.

BAKER, Baker, strike awe :
Yell as gar me greet, mon.
Ken that I defy ye• a' ;
Though bread grow dear as meat, man.
Alt:: are falth bread an' meat to me,
W ha dinna keep my earriego.
ferbye the burley-brte,
Can live richt weal on parritch —Pune&

MEETING OF BUILDERS' LABOURERS
IN LONDON.

A large meeting of the builderes' labourers of London
and district was held on Siseurday evening in Trafalgar-
square. The pedestal of the Nelson C down served as
a rostrum for the speakers and the principal members
of the new lodges founded by Mr. Kenny, the secretary
of the Labourers' Union. There were prote.bly about
1,000 union and nonunion men present, with the addi-
tion of about 300 outsides s. Tuere was little or no
attempt at political display, the object being purely
labour and wages dernunstrati di. Two email banners
were upheld by members of the lodge on either s.de of
the chairman, on which were lettered the following
trade mottoes ; " The Labourer is Wori hy of his
Hire," "United to noted, but not Combined to
Injure."
Shortly before six o'clock the proceedings commenced
by Mr. Widiamson being moved to act as chArman.
lie sa'd they had met for the purpose of receiving a
report from the deputation who had waited upon the
sub-committee of the Master Builders' Association,
also to consider what future action was necessary in
view of obtaining their original demands. They al
knew quite as well as he could tell them the history of
their pot and recent struggles, and they could estimate
the justice of their claim to be fully considered in any
arrangements made in the future with other branches
1 skilled labour. (Cheers.) . .

Mr P. Kenney, .the organiser and secretary to the
executive committee, next stood forward amid is.
peated calls and mutili cheering. Ile gave a history of
the first and second interviews with the masters and
the failures attendant, and said he had a hard struggle
to get the l. increase. One of the members of the
Masters' Association, Mr. Macey, had cross-examined
him at great length, and said they could only yield the
Id.; but he had so pushed them by giving c gent
reasons why the labourers sought an advance, that all
the employers put their heads together, and, after a
conference, agreed to give the id. I convinced them, re.
peated the speaker, that a pound was no longer in value
what it formerly representei, and that it would not pue.
chase the same amount of food, clothing, or other neces-
saries, not to speak of rent, fuel and schooling for our
children. A builder's labourer required as much animal
food as a mason, briclrdayer, or joiner, for he worked
as hard, very often harder, as he had to be the first in
the building in the morning and the last to leave at
night. He adjured his fellow labourers to drink less
and think more. Twelve years ago he could neither read
nor write, but made a vow to stop buying beer and
begin hu)ing books, and the consequence was, he had
acquired knowledge, became he-.lthy and strong, and
he believed he should yet become a humble instrument
through Providence in saving his brethren from want,
shame, chronic illness, and the workhowie. He

dr ~ ~.j,


was blamed by the masters, at least by a few of
them, for disturbing the minds of his fellows; but
he denied that be WU a disturber of the peace,
or designed to upset law or order. He was no
political agitator; true, he had advised agitation for
a rise of wages and a shortening of their long and
laborious hours of toil. He had aake 1 for 6d, per hour;
be was offered 51 5}.1., and ultimately sid. was con-
ceded. Agitation, therefore, obtained for them scans
advantage. If this eonoession WU not eves Termed_
he would not have advised his f.:llow_labourers to
. . _

strike, for be was convinced that Mr. flannels, the
chairau aof the Masters' Association, was ageutleman I •
who womd not contravene any arrangement Many con-
tract reduced to writing, and signed by him on behalf
of the Master Builders' Association. The speaker son- .
chided, after some further remarks, by stating that a
balance-sh,t was drawn up of their late strm els from
which it appeared the total reeelyeet was MT lie. Skt.
After iefrayusg expenses. there was left 10s. llid.
At the eo,clussiou of his psuitak" Mr. lit:wily was
repeately cheered.
Mr. Halloran commenced by proposing the first
resolution •
" That, in the opinion of this oteettne.4tht satatt
di the care, of builders' labourers is not eldlioie,t to sup-
port tin twelves and families; and this sasedlug of labeurere
pledges itsslf to use its it tluence, and calls upon all e ncerned
to assist to esteml through London and district the Builder
Labourers' Union, to that we may be able to command
our 6d. per hour."
The mover spoke at length strongly in favour of the
resolution, and ent, red into a long statement of the
condition, housing, and wants of the builder.' labotwere,
and the make.shitts that have often to be reeorted to
by their wives to keep a home over their heads awl
food in the cupboard fox their children. Them wives
were helpmates, however, as well as help-eats, and by
mutu ii assistance body and soul were often kept
together, mad their children dragged up—for unfor-
tunately for long years the majority of the children of
labourers of every description were b sth dragged up •
and dragged down by a combination of adverse cir.
cunatances. He bedieved, however, the batildefs' '
labourers of London and England in general were
entering on a new career, and it remained with them,
selves to improve their position by being united
(cheers). .•
Mr. Leicester (glass blower), seconded the resolution,
and spoke at length in its support. He dwelt on the
importance of every branch of trade combining within
Melt, and contended that trade unioiaiern having a ten-
leery to drive industry from the country was utterly
at variance with well-known facts. In proof of this
he cited his own tr., le, thM of a glass blower.
Twenty years ago, before there was any union, there
was not $OO of the trade in work, now there was four
times that number. While men were then receiving
10s, per we k, they now were earning front £2 to O.
Nor was this an i•olated case, it was an illustration of
the general state of the trade throughout the country.
The speaker then entered into the laud question and
other cogent matters, and concludes! by paying a high
eulogy to the practical forethought and intelligspice .
shown on the organisation and conduct of the lalsousiers'
union by Mr. Kenny, an eulogy that was vociferously
applauaed by the great body of the builders' labourers
present.
Mr. Driscoll proposed the second resolution, which
was to the following effect:
• • •

•• That the best thanks of this meeting be accorded to
Mr. Keiloy, the labourers' secretary, for the ability with
al fell he advocated the labourers claims before the sub-
committee of the Master Builders Association, on Wednes•
day. August 27, 1872 "
After a few words from the mover, the resolution
was seconded in a shoit simech by Z,fr. Berry, a
builders' labourer. Both mover and seconder con-
curred in the rmarks of the previous speakers, and
supplemented them by personal experience, coinbina-
ti in being all impor.tatt, in their opinion, for the
success of their cause. . . .

Mr. Kenney briefly returned thanks to the unani-
mously-voted resolution, and, amid heal applause,
darkness having fallen upon the multitude, the meet-
ing quietly broke up, and the morn'oms of the union
went home seemingly well satisfied with their labour
demonstration.

On Monday evening a meeting was convened, under
the auspimis of the United Committee of various De-
mocratic Societies' in Trafalgar-square, Lopdon, to
discuss the present high prices of meat. The gather-
ing, which was of an entlumiistio char*eter, viksiold 11
resolution to the effect that ibe hLh pri,e of food was
owing to the existence of the Canie Laws. These were
described by one of the speakers as a disgioce to the
Administration.

At a numerously attoideil meeting of labourers ern-
ployeA in the Control lieportment of Wooly/felt
Arsenal, it has been resolved to petition the 'War-office
for an increase of pay.

MEETING OF THE LONDON CHAIR-
MAKERS AND CARVERS.
On Monday night a crowded meetinget ninth-makers
and carvers in the east of London was held, at the
Colombia Temperance Hall, Ilackney-rosi, for the
ports oe of taking steps to obtain an ath ante in their '
rate of wages.
hitt Hay, a carver, having hoen voled to the chair,
stated that they had not instituted t,ho moverneht
out of any hostility to the matiLre, whom-they
wished to treat with every to poet and fairness.
They repudiated strikes, and, looked upon. them as
great evils, but they considered that, seeing the high
hriees•which prevailed, they were perfeetly justi-
fied in endeavouring to get an increase of wales, so as s
toenable them to meet n tope wide the evigenoies
and circumstances of the times He believed many of
the masters--ho fact. all the higher clays once—would
1 at mete ackhowledge the :justice of their &inmate,
although no doubt the entailer masters, • by under-
selling them in the market, wat a great amoeba k in
the way. By, however, adapting a calm aad consider-
ate and reasonable cour,e, and showing tintt they
wished to accommodate their employers as much as
pessible, he felt ts,. rain they weuld in the end succeed
in their object.
Mr. Eustall then moved a resolution to the effect
that the meeting was of °phi al, looking at the exorbi-
tant price of every, description of
hi
and the
grail rite which harl taken place hotise tent, that
they were entitled to :m increase in their wages to the
extent of at least 10 per cent. He stated that the firm
for which he worked had shown every disp; sition to
meet their men in a fair and hononrsble Manner, and
no doubt others would do the same.. .

Mr. Wilshire seconded the resolution, which was

adopted nnauimously.
It WAS then resolved to appoint delegates from each
shop to ascertain the views of the masters and take
steps to carry out the resolution just adopted.