The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-03-30 00:00:00

THE WARWICKSHIRE AGRICUL-
TURAL LABOURERS. ..,

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At a meeting of agricultural labourers, held at
Btoneleigh on Monday night, the Hos.. and Rev. James
Wentworth Leigh presiding, a letter was read frill'
Canon Girdleatoue. the well-known friend of the agri-
cultural classes. He advised the adoption of any steps
to ensure a continuation of that cordial understanding
between master and man which it was desirable to in-
crease rather than diminish, and said, if he understood
rightly, all labourers hi the district were in receipt of
15s. a week, with good cottages, the prospect of
leaving work at four on Saturdays, clothing clubs,
garden allotments, &c. Under these circumstances
he advised them to leave well alone, and do nothing to
stir up ill-will between themselves and their roasters,
who appetred to have treated them generously and in a
truly Christian spirit. The bulk of the labourers in
North Devon, he remarked, hind only eight shillings a
week, none more than nine, with had cottages at high
rents, and only two quarts of bad cider. He aaked the
labourers of Warwickshire, who are getting their
fifteen shillings a week, to thiuk of the condition of
their brethren in Devonshire, and send them something
every week to assist them.
Another letter was read from Mr. Bromley Daven-
port, M. I'., who cautioned the agricultural labourers
against professional agitators, and asked them to in-
quire into the character of these men, in order that
they may sec who they were and the value to be at-
tached to their statements. The rev, chairman cows
plained of the union as having fostered strife and pro-
duced a bail feeling before any proper application had
been made for an increase of wages. He deprecated
strikes, and quoted an extract from Professor
Faweett's work, showing them to be unlawful and un-
reasonable.

A meeting of the London Trades' Council was heir
at the l; eorge Inn lilackfriars, on Saturday, when the
chair was token by Mr. Wheatley. Mr. White, the
secretary, reported that, out of the whole number of
engineers anil men who turned out on strike in London
for the nine hours, only 68 men and 79 children were
left on the books AA unemployed. The subscriptions
that week amounted to k;:i8 2s. (al. The amount of
aid given frost the society hail, dining the pii.t few
weeks, averaged from list to Die, per week, and Is. per
week for each child. Tills was given to Union men
and non-Uniea ales alike; but, in addition to this,
the Union men had reoeived 15s. each from their trade
society, and Ss. per week from the contingent fund,
making the allowance to the Society men about 344.
per week. It was expected that the whole of the
men on the books would soon tind employment.
Mr. Canharn said he now wished to call the atten-
tion of the meting to the strike of the agricultural
labourers in Warwickshire, and the probable tur.ve-
;smut that would occur for a general rise of wages
among the agricultural labourers throughout the coun-
try. Their wages had been systematically kept down
to starvation point, so that they are, dountless, the
poorest and most helpless class. He had seen it stated
that, owing to 200 men striking in Warwickshire, the
employers this week had a meeting. Snit proposed to
discharge the whole ot the labourers of the district,
with the view of making the distress BO great that
one portion of the district could not help the
other, aml they would thus crush the movement.
Ile, therefore, considered it would be the duty
of the working classes tllron4hout the country to at
once come ti the rescue and assist the agricultural
labourers. There was no class so downtrodden. and
he believed that the artisan class, in helping the agricul-
tural labourer, would be helping themselves. The
agriculturists were frequently so poor that they flocked
to the towns, and not only glutted, but generally under-
worked the town labourers. If the artisans, however,
could help the labourers to get higher wages, the
labourers would have more to spend in purchasing
manufactured articles, and the general community
would become better off. He therefore gave notice
that he should move "that a special meeting be called
to consider how the London Trades' Council can best
aid the agricultural labourers to better their condition,
and gain an advance of wages, and also that this
society shall call on the working classes in all the large
towns to s .sist the agricultural labourers in their en-

&avows."
Mr. Mackenzie seconded the resolution that the
society should w nsider the matter.
The Chairman sd he quite approved the resolution,
and he hoped that the working classes generally would
assist. After several other speakers had add nA,Aed the
meeting, it 1./.1-1 re,olv 4 that the sulject should be con-
sidered at the next meting.