The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-10-09 00:00:00

MR. BAKER'S REPORT.

THE Report of the Inspector of Factories has
Fist been published, and reveals such a state of
vice and immorality in our immediate neighbour-
hood as should make even the most callous
minded misanthrope amongst us blush for very
whame.
When we have heard of the now stereotyped
collier working all morning and drinking all the
afternoon—starving his family and stuffing his
" Bull-pup "with beefsteaks, we have considered
affairs in a sufficiently deplorable state; but in
comparison with what we gather from Mr.
Baker's report, the collier of this typo seems
a praiseworthy character.
Ho tells us that most of the chain and nail
making—works of a most heavy description, and
totally unsuited to feminine powers—is carried
on by women who toil and slave from morning
till night that their lords and masters may gct
drunk and their " bull-pnps" get their luxuries;
she, the bread-winner and her miserable children
starving on stale bread. It is a fact, and with
pain and shaine we say it, but it is a well-known
fact that youths about to marry !cook around for
the wives most ealenlatetl by their physique for
hard and constant work, so that they may in-
dulge their brutal tastes with more freedom.
While the woman is thus kept at constant toil, of
course, the /rife and mother can have no opportu-
nity for exrcising, those qualities peculiarly her
own, consequently the children grovel about the
gutters, filthy, rugged, and shoeless, learning the
lessons of gin, and preparing for themselves
IlVeit: of misery and wretchedness. No money
can. he spared to pay for their education, and,
besides, as soon as they can stand on their legs
and grasp the handle they are set to work to blow
the bellows, and there they are often for ten or
twelve hours together, at work totally unfit for
their ago and capabilities. A peculiarly painful
ease was prominently brought forward, through
the energy of Mr. Brewer, at the Stourbridge
police Court, some few weeks ago. A little boy,
some ulue or tea years old, was produced, bio

father being charged with neglecting to send
him to school. This boy was employed at blow-
hi g and kept standing for ten or twelve hours at
a stretch. And worse, his legs were so covered
wir,h ulcers, that every motion of them must
have been excruciatingly painful. Instead of
orking even for two or three hours a day the
child should have been in a hospital Mitre,
thanks to the generosity of the Citairinat: of the
Bench, he now lies.

The father's reply—defence it cannot be called
—was characteristic. He did not know anything
was the matter with the boy, and most probably
he did not; for it does not seem necessary in
this civilized country to take any interest in the
children.

It has been said that the history of the nine-
teenth century is written with a rainbow on a
cloud. Assuredly the bright ray of education is
spreading its healthful light on the country, but
there yet remain many, many clouds of vice,
ignorance, and immorality to be swept away.
Let us hope that the active and intelligent
efforts of the Inspectors may cause in the neces-
sary quarters some attention to be paid to this
most vile blot on our civilization.

THE IRON TRADE.
WOLVERHAMPTON, Wednesday.
Inasmuch as the quarterly meetings for this
district will be held next week, there was a dis-
position on 'Change this afternoon to, as far as
possible, postpone business until that date. No
uncertainty will then overhang the market as to
the prices likely to rule throughout the ensuing
quarter. At the same time this tendency was
none the less, because there was a general con-
N iction that prices next week show no change
either in pig or finished iron. The fact, however,
that prices have then to be fixed was incertitude
enough to make cautiousmen careful in what they
did. Not a little of this carefulness was based
upon a fear that the price of coal cannot yet be
said to have assumed a settled aspect. Whilst,
therefore, the news from South Wales and from
certain other districts would seem to point in the
direction of lower quotations in some parts of the
kingdom, still it cannot be reported that this
market shows a tendency to immediate decline in
current rates.

The rise in the Earl of Dudley's slack coal of is
and 6d respectively ought not to induce the infer-
ence that furnace coal, which regulates the rate
of wages, will be proportionately advanced. It
will be remembered:that his lordship's slack coal
has been dropped to a greater extent than large
coal; and the increase now declared only brings
the different portions of the scale somewhat nearer
together. There is no expectation that the men
will depart from the terms of the agreement under
which they are now working; but if they should,
then the masters will be at liberty to give them
notice for longer hours, which the coalmasters so
anxiously desire. The conditions of the existing
arrangement make it imperative that before any
alteration shall take place further than that which
would be brought about by a change in an upward
direction in the quotations of furnace coal, six
months' notice must be given on either side. Al-
though coalowncrs affirmed this afternoon that the
trade is suffering very severely by the short hours
which the colliers are working, still there was no
intimation that any notice is likely to be given by
the masters to terminate the existing arrange-
ments ; and it is not understood that the men
purpose giving any such notice on their part.
The pig market was quiet this afternoon, but
firm. Sales which agents have made in the past
few weeks have been ipfficient, added to those be-
fore in hand, to supply makers with orders enough
to meet the pressing requirements of their fur-
naces, although the aggregate of their needs en-
able them to anticipate only a short run. The
furnaces now blowing are so few in nearly all the
districts outside South Yorkshire and Derbyshire
that the number which could be put to work would
very quickly meet a much brisker demand than is
now expressed, or is likely to be expressed for some
few months to come. Prices range for pigs on the
basis of £4 lOs fur all-mine, and for finished iron
upon £lO for marked and £8 for common bars.
There was a meeting thisafternoon of the Mines
Drainage Commissioners, and Mines Drainage rates
were ordered in accordance with the awards which
have been confirmed for the Bilston, the Tipton,
and the Old Hill districts, subject to the modifica-
tions allowed on appeals. To reduce as much as
practicable the current expenses of the commis-
sioners, it has been resolved to suspend through-
out the winter all operations not absolutetly
required during that period.

THE NAIL TRADE.
MEETING OF BROMSGROVE.

On Monday morning a very large meeting of
milers of this district was held in the Cattle Mar-
ket, Bromsgrove, to consider the offer of the
masters decided upon at their meeting on the
previous Friday night, that, instead of the men
having an advance of 10 per cent. upon all nails,
a new list should be made, to come into force on
the first week in November, giving a rise at vary-
ing rates from about 71 to 15 per cent., according
to the necessities of the trade, as it is considered
some sorts of nails are not so well paid for in pro-
portion as others are, under the present rule.
About 500 nailers attended the meeting, of which
Mr. H. Ince was appointed chairman. He gave
the particulars of the masters' offer, and said it
was for that meetinc, to decide whether or not they
would accept it. It was proposed by one of the
masters at the meeting to more a new list equal
to, the advanced price to be given by the masters
in the Dudley district, where the prices are now
10 per cent below those given in Bromsgrove; but
this offer the committee of the men firmly rejected
as they could not allow that Dudley should rule
the Bromsgrove district with respect to prices ;
and upon this being mentioned to the committee
a. hearty concurrence in the action of the commit-
tee was expressed, and a strong determination not
to accept less than 10 per cent, advance upon any
sorts; and if not given to abide by the notice
given to leave off work next Saturday.
Mr. T. Crawford addressed the meeting, and ad-
vised that conciliatory steps should be taken, and
if possible, the offer should be accepted, so that
the agitation which has been going on for the
past four years should be peaceably concluded, by
the rise of wages, through the several advances
which have been given and that which is now the
subject of agitation, up to 50 per cent in the
whole upon the old list of 1869. Ho thought the
rates should be increased, so as to keep the trade
as much as possible at Bromsgrove; and that if
men were moderate and conciliatory there would
be no necessity for a strike or any harsh measures
as the masters had met them in a good spirit, and
with an evident desire to avoid difficulties.
_

Mr. J. Nokes addressed the meeting in ti similar
strain, and addresses were also delivered by Messrs
T. Bennett and F. Beadbetter. At first there was
a strong disinclination in the meeting to wait for
an advance till the first week in November, and a
desire to insist upon it on Saturday next, but the
committee pointed out the difficulties of making a
new list, and it was at length resolved that notice
should be at once given to the masters that no new
list would be accepted unless there was a rise of at
least 10 per cent. upon all classes of nails, making
50 per cent advance upon the 1869 list, with extras
upon other sorts which required it that the mas-
ters give assent to this rise before Saturday next,
otherwise the original notice of a rise of 10 per
cent, to take place on that day to be in force, and
that if3the:masters accept the terms offered the
men agree to wait for the advance till the first
week in November.

This resolution was carried by a large show of
hands in its favour, and the meeting then ended.