The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-12 00:00:00

Ironmasters' Quart°rly Meeting.

WOLVERHAMPTON, Wednesday Evening.
The quarterly assemblies of the ironmasters of
this district commenced in this town to-day, under
auspices anything but favourable ; the attendance
was small, with a still less proportion of buyers, and
there was a general indisposition to do business.
The result was that as few transactions were re-
ported as ever took place on a similar occasion here,
and, although some members of the trade seemed to
anticipate that more animation will be experienced
at the Birmingham meeting, it is tolerably certain
that this will be a quiet quarter-day. Various
causes are operating to contribute to such a result.
There is scarcely any demand for finished iron on
account of America ; the Welsh makers are suc-
cessfully competing with those of South Stafford-
shire ; consumers have doubts whether the present
list prices can be maintained, and are withholding
their orders in consequence, added to which there
is the prospect of a difficulty with the puddlers and
millmen about the notices given on the 31st of
last month to reduce their wages scale. All these
influences are operating more or less prejudicially,
and the effect was the kind of stagnation ex-
perienced at this day's meeting. The orders in
hand are small for all descriptions of finished
iron, and there can be no doubt but that some
makers are glad to accept them 10s. per ton below
the list price.

The market for pig-iron is extremely slack, the
price of hot-blast, all mine, Staffordshire, is quoted
lower than it was three months ago.
In reference to the proposed reduction in the pud-
dlers and millmen's wages there have been deputa-
tions of the men employed at some of the principal
works to their employers, asking that the reductions
may be modified to 6d. per day, and 5 per cent.,
instead of Is., and 10 per cent., as proposed ; but
the masters find it impossible to assent, as the rate
of wages after the proposed reduction is in operation
will be higher in proportion than the price of iron,
as the scale has been for a quarter of a century.
The probability is that the men will make a stand
for a few days and then yield. They never had less
pretence for a strike than at this moment.
It was mentioned in conversation to-day that the
will of the late Mr. Philip Williams, chairman of
the Ironmasters' Association (who died this day
three months), has been proved, and the personalty
sworn under 200,0001., the value of the real estate
is said to be about 90,0001.

--
EXTRAORDINARY 111.ANIF—ES—An incom-
prehensible freak on the part of a young girl, named
Sibrey, was disclosed at the Rotherham Court House, on
Monday. The girl lately became servant in the house of a
workman at Parkgate, named Rushton, and had not been
there , long before the windows began to be broken in a
unaccountable manner. The girl pretended to be in great
yexalnina-a
set of malicious
fear, and Rushton being unable, after repeated
tions, to account for the damage, came to the sill
an officer was sent
conclu-
sion
fairies. that
Hh
ei s
appealed
ds
towere
thehaunted
police,
abnya
crowdbein a t length
to his aid, but was as puzzled as himself to account for the
collected round the
l'ionluasen,ifaenstad tZonrse2PanAes gbroken,
that they were broken by a spectator remarked
from inside the house. rrstones and pieces of coal thrown
that the "fairy hands
This led to the tardy discovery
were those of thegirlunseen"which had done all the mis-
chiefgiven in charge. She could •
Sibrey, who was consequently
conduct, butgive no reason for her strange
on the
dis-
charged on-payin for th intercession of her mother was g
e damage and the costs.—Sliejfield
Independent.