The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-10-13 00:00:00

MEETING OF COAL-WHIPPERS

A very large meeting of the coal-whippers of the port of
London was held on Wednesday evening, in the St. Mary's
schoolroom, Johnson's street, Shadwell, for the purpose of
taking into consideration the best means of alleviating the
great distress which prevailed amongst the body of coal whippers,
and the adoption of some more decided and energetic mea-
sures for its immediate relief. The proceedings having been
opened by Mr. Barthorpe, the chairman, John Foley, a coal-
whipper, moved the following resolution.—" That in the year
1843 an act of parliament was passed to release the coal-whippers
of the port of London from the public house cgeney system.
That the term for which the act was last renewed expired
during the last session of parliament, and was not again re-
newed in consequence of a pledge being given to the Board
of Trade by 350 of the coal owners, factors, and masters
of vessels. to carry out its previsions under private arrange-
ment. That notwithstanding the pledge given by and in
the name of the coal owners, factors, and wasters of the
port of London, the old system of public-house truck
has been again revived, and now about one third of the whole
number are employed by publicans and other tradesmen, and
the remaining two-thirds through the office established by the
owners and factors ; that this meeting sees in this stale of
things the commencement of that system from which the coal
whipper suffered so much in time past, and feels morally
certain that if the practice is allowed to progress unrestrained
by law, the numbers employed by agents will go on increasing
until nearly the whole of the coal. whipping trade is again per-
formed through a system of agency from which the late act of
Parliament was passed to protect the coal-whippers. That this
meeting, composed almost entirely of coal-whippers, sees
with the utmost alarm that they are being gradually taken
back to work under the old system of public-house truck
agency. That a large number already are, and nearly
all bid fair to be again compelled to accept the greater
part of their earnings in intoxicating drinks, and that drunken-
ness is, and will be, the only medium through which they can
insure employment. That the abomination of this system
imperatively demands the interference of the public, and the
united exertions of the coal-whippers and this meeting hereby
determines to use every exertion to represent the facts of the
case to the governtnent and the legislature, and pot to rest
satisfied until they again obtain the power of the law to put
down those evil practices which reduce the coal-whipper to a
stag of vice and misery." John Cronin seconded the resolution,
which was itnaniwouely agreed to, as were other resolutions
for the adoption ea memorial to the Board of Trade, and for
petitions to both Houses ;,,f Parliament.

THE BRITISH BANK

The following letter from Mr. (Harding, the interim
manager of the Royal British Bank has been published,
explaining the exact nature of the suggestions which had
been made to the committee of depositors, and which have
been incorrectly reported :-
4, Lothbury, October 11, 1856.
Efir,-1 have torequest that you will allow me, through
the medium of your columns, to correct publicly an
erroneous statement which appeared in some of the pub-
lished reports of the proceedings at the meeting of deposi-
tors held last Monday, which 1 did not intend to notice,
but now find it necessary to do so.
Mr. Wyld is there represented to have said " that I
stated that, if the depositors would accept a composition
of 15s in the pound, I would pay a dividend of 5s in the
pound in the month of December, 1856, and issue pro-
missory notes, under the authorty of the Court of Chan-
cery, for the payment of 5s in the pound at the end of six
months, and 5s in the pound at the end of twelve months." I
called upon him after the appearance of the reports, and
reminded him that I had distinctly stated at our inter-
view that it was not within my province, as interim
manager, to make any proposal of compromise, but that
there could be no objection to my receiving, through him,
the vies s of the depositors as to some arrangement, and
that, in reply to his enquiries, I expressed an opinion that
5s in the pound could probably be paid this year ; and
that, if the creditors required so much as 15s in the pound
(that amount having been suggested by himself), it. could
Rot be paid within twelve months. lat the same time
called his attention to the Bth section of the Winding-up
Amended Act, which provides "that, for better getting
in the estate of any company in respect of which
an order absolute has been or shall be made
under the said act, and discharging the debts
thereof, and winding up the affairs thereof, it shall
be lawful for the official manager of such company under
the direction of the master for the time being acting in the
winding-up thereof, and op behalf of the company, to
draw, accept, make, and endorse any bill of exchange or
promissory note, and also to raise upon the security of
the assets of the compauy,rfrom time to time such sum or
sums of money, and in such manner as the master shall
from time to time direct." Mr. Wyld thereupon admitted
at once that the facts were as I had stated them, and not
as given in the reports, and observed that the error was
not his, but that of some of the reporters ; and several
persons who were present at the meeting afterwards
informed me that the accounts of our interview which he
Wyld) gave in his address to the meeting, as they
upnadp.ferrsstoiosdniiti:i.7:inegd with mine, and not with the reports.
Irenquaesthyowouevtero tita creditors,
and I must therefore
ntsheartt versionus anre tgiiova,e.n in some of the news-
-1 understand that Mr. Wyld is not at present in town,
or I should apply to him to give publicity to his admission,
instead of myself asking the favour of your inserting this
letter.—l am, sir, your most obedient servant,
HARPINO.