Darlington & Richmond Herald. — 1874-05-09 (Darlington, Durham, England)

MASS MEETING AT CONSRTT.  The coke burners of the north-western part of the county held an open-air meeting near Consett on Tuesday afternoon. There were men piesent from Consett, Harley Hill, Byer Moor, Linty, Pontop, High Stables, Bank Foot, East Tanfield, The Winning, White-le-Head, Oxhill, Bantling, Delight Pit, The Hobson' Stanley. The Brooms, Lily Pit, Moor Pit, &c.. The chair was occupied by Mr Robinson. The CHAIRMAN said they were assembled to consider the proposal of the masters, who wished to make a redaction in their earnings at the rate of 10 per cent. They (the coke burners) had hitherto paid their contributions to the Durham Miners' e.sseciation, which body of men had agreed to work on the 10 per cent. redaction. The coke burners, ho weier, whose wages, as everybody knew, were not advanced in the same ratio as those of the miners, had agreed to stand out against the reduction; and, as a consequence, they had been told that they need not expect assistance from the Miners' Association. The coke burners, as a large class of men' had had no voice in the Council meetings of the Association, and thus thay were left at the mercy of the latter body. Udder these circumstances, what was to be done? (Voice "Let's have an association of oar own.") He did not wish to sever the connection between the coke burners and the Miners' Association, but at the same time he considered that the former should have had a voice at the late Council meetings. (Applause.) Mr P. WELDON, of Consett. rose to propose the first resolution, "That we stand no reduction." He considered that the wage of the coke burner had not been sufficiently advanced daring the past two years to warrant so large a reduction as 10 per cent. (Cheers.) Mr JOHN MOOR, of Consett, sewn led the proposition. He quite agreed with the concluding remarks of the last speaker. The profits of the masters had been increased 200 per cent , while the coke burners had received an advance of 25 per cent. only. The motion was then put to the meeting, aud carried unanimously. MR MOOR proposed that a Coke Burners' Association be formedo,mnaniWndeertsdhaamt otnheasatnsisgtihhsttea,nce of the men in other parts of the country be invited. Mr JoLtri MEGAN briefly seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. The meeting was subsequently addressed by coke burners from Marley Hill and other places, intimated baetfeoarethtahet mbeeettwineegnse6pont,nedd, t7hooe -Corrhnsort. married meu had agreed tnoaenasldaloaewyokthe.e burnersmarriedws phee ankmwteeharnsse masters ienrgs theirw a dagisecsassed. There aptlhi.eelaocchk-aotutth. e expiration of the first fortnight of eeavnifeentually resolved to accept a heAldrnate'COinllgSOottf attitude of th per cent. on thewassBobta inevitable.ine d wlohilst the coke burners agreed to psrTt iheei ndlaaeoutr eeoamdtt reductioninBtnor4e orbsf; e a reduction of 5 per cent, on the 25 obtained during the same period.  At the opening of the Alexandra Palace in Jane an ode, written by the Laureate, and set to music by Sir Nlichael Costa, will, we hear, be performed. Arrangements are it progress for a performance, at one of the principal thratres, for the benefit of the widow and children of the late Mr Shirley Brooks.  Lord Napier and Ettrick has agreed to preside over the Department of Economy and Trade at the approaching meeting of the Social Science Congress. Principal Caird will, it is understood, preach before the Congress. The murderer of a miner, named Galley, near Newcastle-under-Lyne, a labourer, named Edward Davis, has been arrested. The victim was beaten to death by his murderer with a hammer.  At Liverpool, on Wednesday, a married woman named Mary Williams' was committed for trial for the wilful murder of Nicholas Manning, by shooting him with a pistol.  _ k return of the lives lost in the Astley Deep Pit, Dakinfield, and Dunkirk, between 1862 and 1872, moved for by Mr Macdonald, shows a total of seventy-one—ore at Astley,forty-ive at Dukiafield, and twenty .five at Dunkirk. At Bradford on Wednesday,Lister Greenough and John Forster, both in the wool trade, and both having recently failed, were remande& on several charges of forgery.