The Sun.
London, England, 1870-01-05 00:00:00

ARBITRATION IN THE NORTH 01? ENGLAND

IRON TRADE.

A meeting of the Board of Conciliation and Arbitration
of the north of England manufactured iron trade was held
on Monday at Darlington. The board was formed in the
spring of last year, to arrange wages and other disputes
arising between masters and men. Mr. Rupert Kettle was
fhen called in as arbitrator on a wages question, and he
arranged it by awarding the men 5 per cent. in addition
to their wages. The men now ask an additional 10 per cent.
The masters have offered 5 per cent., which the men refuse
to accept. Several meetings of the Standing Committee of
the board have been held, but as it has been unable to adjust
the difference, a meeting of the full board, consisting of
one master and one man from each works, has been called.
The meeting was held at Darlington on Monday, when the
whole matter Was discussed for some hours by both
masters and men. The masters agreed to give five per
cent., and to refer to arbitration the question whether
the men are entitled to more. If the men bind themselves
throughout the present year, masters offer an advance for
t!le whole year of i per cent. The board advised the men
tJ go to work on Tuesday morning in the ordinary way,
and to consider the offer before the next meeting of the
board on Thursday.

REFUGES FOR DESTITUTE cna;:nm.
The refuges for homeless and destitute children form
one of the most interesting, and not the least important,
of metropolitan benevolent institutions. The organi-
sation, which has for its object the rescuing of boys and
girls from misery and ruin, in order to save them
from becoming absorbed in the criminal and dangerous
classes, and to prepare them for useful service, commenced
its operations in 1852, and between that date and the end
of the year 1868 the several committees who undertake
the practical management, under the patronage of the
Earl of Shaftesbury, succeeded in providing for no fewer
than 1,808 boys and 816 girls. To this number
must now be added the 360 boys and 53 girls who, during
the last year were gathered from the streets and placed
in the refuges: At present there are two of these refuges
for girls one in Broad-street, Bloomsbury, the other at
Ealing, each of them affording accommodation for sixty
girls; and there is a refs. .;e for boys in Great
Queen-street, whose inmates number 130. The children,
who are brought from all parts of London and the pro-
vinces—while a considerable proportion come from
abroadare educated, fed, lodged, clothed and trained for
domestic service and other useful occupations. Shoemaking,
tailoring, carpentering, and wood-chopping are the trades
especially chosen by the committees as being those most
likely to be of most advantage to the boys in after life,
especially to those who may emigrate to the colonies ;
and at the same time it is found that
these are the occupations which produce the
best pecuniary result. Besides their industrial work, the
boys keep the premises clean, make their own beds, mend
and make their own clothes and boots. They also cook
and prepare their meals, under the direction
and superintendence of the matron. A Boys' Counting-
house and Refuge Farm School, in connection with
which there are 100 acres of land, has recently been
opened at Bisley, in Hampshire, where 110 lads are being
prepared for agricultural pursuits. Very general atten-
tion has from time to time been attracted to
the work which is being carried out, as a
part of this movement en board the training-
fillip Chichester; and it is gratifying to learn that
nearly 200 boys are new being prepared for the Mercantile
Marine and the royal navy. Since the establishment of
the first refuges, 1,447 boys have been sent into
tilese services and the army, and to situations abroad
and in the colonies, and 650 girls have also been supplied
with situations. A circumstance which reflects very great
credit on those who have the management of this under-
taking and proves their earnestness in the cause, as
is disclosed by the arrangements which are made
by the committees for careful examination into the claims
of applicants for admission, end the generous liberality
with which the affairs is administered are shewn by
the statement that no really destitute child
is ever rejected. Upwards of WO boys are
at this time under the care of the institution,
It is in contemplation to open two new homes for an
additional hunched girls, but for this purpose, and
fur the support of the emigration scheme, and the entire
operations of the committees, funds are urgently needed.
When the value of this work, both to the children them-
selves and to the nation at large, is considered, it is not
easy to believe that there will be any difficulty in readily
procuring the assistance required.
On Tuesday the annual New Year's dinner to the
whole of the children in the refuges and the training ship
took place at the Great Queen-street establishment. The
Right Hon. the Lord Mayor had promised to preside, but was
unable to attend in consequence of the press of business
at the Mansion House, and some disappointment was also
experienced from the absence of Lord Shaftesbury. A
very substantial repast was served to the children, who
looked healthy and hapi y, as only those carefully' tended
can look. 'The sailor Leys from the Chichester, in their
pretty nautical uniform, were much admired by the ladies
and gentlemen who assembled on the occasion. Mr. John
M'Cregor (so well known as "Rob Roy," of the exploring
canoe) was called to the chair after dinner, and distributed
a number of prizes to the elder boys and girls who had
held situations over twelve months.
Mr. Wm. Wieerems, the Secretary, made a statement
of the position of the institution. He traced its great
success from the date of the supper given to the homeless
boys of London some years ago. Speaking of the dispro-
portion between the number of boys and the girls (440 to
120),he remarked that it was somewhat singular that all the
ladies' subscriptions were given to the boys—(laughter)—
but he hoped some one would be touched by the, if possible,
still more pitiable position of the girls. During this year
they had added 350 members to their family. They had
sent from the Chichester 140 boys to the merchant service
and Royal Navy; and but for the depression of trade this
number would have reached 200. From the farm, 40 boys
had been sent to Canada and the United States ; and the
warmth of their reception and their success shewed how
wide a field of emigration was open to them. Altogether
200 boys and 38 girls had during the year been placed
in a position to support themselves. The Secretary
read a clearly written letter from one of the boys lately
sent to Kansas, and its persual, while it greatly delighted
the scholars, created much amusement amongst the
visitors. In conclusion Mr. Williams stated that the chief
hope of the committee was that they might be able during
this spring to send out 100 boys to the colonies and the
United States at a cost of about £lO each, and they
appealed to the public for this amount.

The proceedings, which were of a very interesting
character, soon afterwards terminated.

The exclusion of the Mormons and all polygamists
from the privileges of citizenship in the United States
or Territories is proposed in a bill which has just been in-
troduced into the House of Representativesby Mr. Cullom.

THE TURF WINNERS or 1800.—The past year
has been a prosperous one, in one sense at least—for sport.
The various leading owners have netted good sums. Sir
Joseph Hawley stands first, with a total of £16,607, to
which sum Pero Gomez alone contributed no
less than £9,720, Blue Gown being credited with
£1,667. Mr. Johnstone throws in for £14,722, Pre-
tender winning him upwards of £ll,OOO of that sum.
Thanks to Sunshine, Mr. Merry picks up £9210,
making it patent that the possession of one good animal
is a fortune to any man. Kingcraft won Lord Falmouth
no less than £3,765, but his lordship's winnings amount
to £7,820. With Brigantine Sir Frederick Johnstone netted
£6,060, but the actual gains of the Scottish baronet were
£7,307. Lord Calthorpe is the next highest winner, being
credited with £7,180. Mr. Pryor, Mr. Graham, and Mr.
Brayley each throw in for upwards of £6,000, while Sir
Charles Legard, Mr. Lyndon, and Mr. Savile each take
over £5,000. Baron Rothschild, Lord Westmoreland, Mr.
Payne, and Mr. J. Dawson are credited with more than
£4,000 each ; and though the Duke of Beaufort only
kept Scottish Queen in training, he secures in stakes
alone £3,750.

POLITICS IN THE PULPIT.—The Rev. Henry
Oliver, an enthusiastic Welsh Liberal, the minister having
the spiritual oversight of Victoria-road Congregational
Chapel, Newport, made a powerfUl appeal to his congre-
gation on Sunday last, prior to the commencement of
his discourse, for subscriptions towards the fund now
being raised throughout the Principality for the relief of
what he was pleased to designate " the evicted farmers of
Wales." In the evening the rev. gentleman said as follows:
—" This morning I took the liberty of bringing before
you a case worthy cf our sympathy, as it seems to me.
Througliyut the Principality this day collections arc being
made in behalf of the sufferers from the late evictions.
Now, I dou't bring this matter before you on political
grounds at all, but simply as a case of sore distress. There
are some scores of families who a few months ado were in
comfort and respectabi;ity, who have since been ejected
from house and home. Tho loss they have sustained is
something peat, and their case, as you arc aware, has
evoked univerial sympathy throughout the Principality,
and the object of those subscriptions will be to recoup them,
as far as can be, for any loss. Of course the incessant
anxiety and the torture of mind suffered by them is more
than we can imagine. TLe sufferings which many poor
farmers have passed through during the past two months
have been greatly beyond description. I not only make
a collection, but from all cf you who feel for those poor
sufferers (those who have suffered fcr conscience sake) and
who are anxious to render assistance, I shall be happy to
receive contributions during the coming week, and will take
care they shall be forwarded to the proper quarter."