The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-05-22 00:00:00

111111 STOI7II,IIPIPGr arsinwrit.

Mr. Rider seconded this, and it was carried
unanimously.
The meeting, then proceeded to the appointment
of the various officers for the ensuing year. Mr.
Foley Vernon and the Rev. J. 11. Elewere elected
Vice-Presidents.

The report of the Stewpony Association for the
Improvement of the Condition of the Labouring
ClaSses, was as follows :

"The Trustees have to report that last year the
land has been underlet to 623 Tenants, at a profit
of £B7 Ss. 5d., which with 15s. 7d. interest from
the Savings' bank, makes a total of .287 19s. 3d.
The Expenses have been £96 6s. 4d., shewing a
loss on the year of £8 is 4d. This sum deducted
from the surplus of £29 is. Hid., as reported in
1873, makes a surplus for 1874, if all arrears were
paid. of £2O 14s. Oid. to be deducted for voids and
bad debts, reducing the mount to £l2 Os. 71d.
Since the account was made up the sum of ...tl7
14s. 9d. has be received, reducing the actual arrears
to £37 19s. 51-d.

The Arrears in several of the districts arehigher
than in 1873. The Agent does not anticipate any
difficulty in obtaining the greater part of those
due : indeed, the sum of £l7 14s. 9d. has already
been received, leaving .237 19s. bid now due.
The Expediture last year has been £96 6s. 4d.,
exceeding the profit by £8 7s. 4d.
A very great increase will be observed in the
item "Repairs of Fences," which last year am-
ounted to £24 6s. 3d., against £ll 6s. 3d. in 1873.
This large increase-arose from the the necessity for
pew gates and fencing at Halesowen and Wordsley,
dinounting to £l2 15s. 2d. This is an extra ex-
penditure, and will not occur again for some years.
The quarter's rent (additional) paid for the
land at Areley Kings arises from the desire to bring
the payment to one period, instead of having it at
Midsummer and Michaelmas.

The Society has to lament the loss of Mr. Ben-
jamin Williams, an old member and friend, Auditor
of their accounts. Mr. William Ryder has been
appointed in his place.
The report cannot be considered a very satis-
factory one: and besides what appears on the face
of it, the Trustees have reason to believe that
among the working class in the district the desire
to have Allotments is less than it was. They pre-
sume this is to he attributed to the large 'earnings
of that class, compared with former times, causing
less readiness to avail themselves of such additions
to the said earnings as field gardens enable them
to obtain. Should this be so, the Trustees are
confident that the regre t whichlthey themselves
would feel, would be shared b all enlightened
friends of social progress.

It may soon becoiiie doubtful whether the opera-
tions of the Society can be continued, which would
be tantamount to a very great decline if not total
extinction of the Allotment system in this neigh-
bourhood.

The Trustees need not repeat the familiar argu-
ments in favour of that system—but with regard
to the prosperity which may, in the view of the
labouring class, diminish the immediate force of
those arguments, the Trustees must recall to mind
the obvious remark that that prosperity will
undoubtedly in the future, as heretofore, be sub-
ject to fluctuation, and that if the convenient
machinery furnished by the Society is lost, it may
be impossible to re-produce it on demand. And,
apart from the pecuniary advantages of Allotments,
the country would have much reason to regret the
abandonment, on the part of any of its hand-work-
ing population, of one of the most healthful,
innocent, and satisfactory of all employments, the
actual cultivation of the soil for their own advan-
tage; an employment beneficial both in its positive
effects, and in filling up time which might often be
much worse occupied.
The Trustees would add that whereas the
prosperity referred to ought at all events to have
produced one good result, that of great punctuality
in the payment of rent by the Tenants, it by no
means appears to have had any such result.
The Trustees desire to press these observations
on the minds of the Tenants, of the Employers of
labor, of the Clergy, and generally of those who
have influence with the working class."
The Chairman then distributed the prizes con-
sisting of bibles, testaments, spades, and forks to
those who had the best cultivated allotments.
The party then adjourned to a large marquee,
where an excellent dinner was provided. The Rev.
R. P. lurner again presided, and he was suppor-
ted by the Rev. J. Hodgson (Kinver), the Rev. J.
H. Eld (Belbroughton), and Messrs. J. H. Foley
and C. P. Noel.

After dinner the Chairman. proposed as the first
toast the " Highest person in this realm "—one
who always took an interest in everything conduc-
ing to the welfare of her subjects, and especially
so in whatever was calculated to ameliorate the
condition of the working classes. He gave the
Queen and the rest of the Royal Family—(great
cheering).
The Chairman said he should next give a toast
connected with the occasion on which they were
then met. He would propose to them to drink the
health of the church as represented by the bishops
and clergy of the two dioceses—Lichfield and
Worcester. All who had been at church that
morning had an opportunity of hearing a very
excellent plain sermon, containing someivery strik-
ing statements having reference to the increase
of wages, and its effect on the working classes.
One remark was to the effect that the increase of
money had not led to the adoption of provident
habits. As a proof of this he stated that in the
year 1873 the duty on the sale of wines was
£25,000 a month all through that year, thus show-
ing that there had been an enormous increase in
the consumption of that article. It was a very
good thing to see such an increase in the consump-
tion of wine, showing that the increase of wages
enabled working men to have their share of such
luxuries; but for a man to spend such a large pro-
portion of his income on one article, was not a
very rational way of proceeding. It appeared
very extraordinary tohim that the working classes
should have no,more piudence than to fritter away
the means for increased comfort which their aug-
mentation of wages gave them in an increased
consumption of stimulants. Their rents (those of
the members of the Allotment Society) would be
better paid if there was a better use made of their
money. The words of Mr. Eld were few and well
chosen, and calculated to do considerable good if
those who heard them would lay the lessons con-
veyed in them to heart. He wished, on behalf of
the club, to express their very best thanks to Mr.
Eld, for his sermon of that morning, and desired
to couple his name with the toast as their clergy-
man for that day—(applause).
The Rev. J. H. Eld, in responding, returned
thanks to the Chairman for the Tcry kind way in
which he had spoken of him and of his sermon of
that morning, and to all present for the manner
in which those remarks had been responded to by
them. He was also obliged to all of them because
he had that day been appointed a member of that
club. It was a source of considerable satisfac-
tion to him that he had come into a neighbour-
hood where there was such a good club as that.
There were other good clubs in the neighbourhood
where he had come from, but they were not on
such a sure footing as the Becher Club. as their
accounts were not certified by an actuary. Besides
this, the Ilecher Club had other good points. It
was thirty-three years old, so that it might be
considered to have attained its maturity; as most
of the clubs of this countay never reach more than
the third generation. They die a natural death
about the 90th year. lie hoped and believed that
would not be the case with that club, because it
was carried on in accordance with sound financial
principles, and would last for a long time. He
hoped it would live and prosper to aid those who
needed its assistance, and that it would last as long
as such an institution was required in that place
—(loud cheering).
The Rev. R. P. Turner next rose and said it was
quite contrary to his wish that he hadbeen placed
in the honourable position of chairman, but as
Mr. Foley had said he did not feel equal to it on
that occasion, on account of a severe hoarseness,
he (the speaker) had been prevailed upon to under-
take it.

Mr. Foley (who was scarcely audible) said he
was suffering from a bad cold, which made it al-
most impossible for him to make himself heard.
Referring to the absence of Lord Lyttelton, he
said his lordship, he was sure, regretted very
much his not being able to be there that day.
They were all aware of the domestic affliction
under which he had recently suffered, and, per-
haps that was one reason why he was not present
on that occasion. He (Mr. Foley) was, however,
sure that if his lordship could have come he would
hive been there that day—(hear, hear).
Mr. C. P. Noel said he had the permission of the
worthy Chairman to propose to them a toast which
he was quite certain they would all drink with
great enthusiasm. It was the health of their
chairman, Mr. Turner, who was so well known to
them all that he need not say anything about him.
He was quite sure they were all glad to see him
looking so well and so frisky as he did—(laughter).
He hoped he would long continue in good health,
and be enabled to continue to take the same ac-
tive interest in that club he had always hitherto
shown—(applause).
The Chairman returned thanks, and said it was
rather troublesome to him to have to rise so often,
but under the circumstances in which he was
placed it was unavoidable. He should like to say
a few words upon the society which had that day
met to celebrate its thirty-third anniversary, and
give a glance at what had been done. With re-
gard to the Becher Club, they had all heard the
reports read, and he thought they could not help
but feel, as members of a friendly society, glad to
belong to one which was in such a nourishing con-