The Bee-Hive. — 1871-07-08 (London, England)

BIRMINGHAM. VIII 'MACES COUNCIL.  The annual meeting of the members was held in Cherry-street School-rooms, on Saturday evening, Mr. Thomas Plaskett, the vice-president, in the' chair.  Mr. Fraeth cilled attention to what he considered an net of groat injustice towards himself on the part of Moms. Chance and Co., of Smethwick. He had worked at Messrs. Chance's since  1840, indeed he bad never worked at any other place; but since the Sheet Glassmakers' Association had been started, he and two others, who had taken a prominent part in the formation of the association, had been picked, and received notice to leave, in consequence of having joined the Trades Union. 'rho notice given to the other men would not expire till August, but his notice had. already expired. On receiving the notice he went to Mr. John Chance, and asked the reason he had received notice, as he had worked there fliirty-one years, during which tune he had only been fined once, and that was for going to Stafibrd tsee a man hung for the Ash Flatts murder. 110 asked Mr. Chance to Withdraw the notice, but he refused to do so, saying that it was necessary to make an example as a caution to others. lfe then asked Mr. Chance for a character, as ho know he could. not get a situation elsewhere without a character, and the reply of Mr. Chance was, when you get a situation tell your new employers to write to me for a character.  The Chairman said he was sorry to hear th  such a firm should discharge a man because he joined the Trades Union. Several members expressed their regret at the course taken by Messrs. Chance, and promised to fully consider the question when it WAS formally brought before the Council.  The Secretary said it Was usual to present the annual report at that meeting, but owing to busi. ness engagements be had not been able to piepare it in time, and he asked the meeting to postpone the consideration of tho report and shtement of accounts for one week. The rqtt Wtl t„ceded to.  The meeting then proceeded with the election of officers for the, ensuing year. Mr. Giles was elected president, Mr. T. Plaskett was re-elected vice-president, Mr. Gilliver secretary, and Mr. Mole treasurer.  Mr. W. 11. Lee, delegate from the Nine Hours' Labour League at Newcastle, attended to ask the sympathy and support of the Council on behalf of the engineers locked-out at Newcastle, in consequence of their asking that the hours of labour should be restricted to nine hours a day. lie said there were six thousand men on strike who were not members of a trades union. They were mostly of the labouring class, and there were not above five hundred of the number who were receiving more than 165. per week, and most of them were married, with five or six children.  Mr. Giles asked if the members of the Nine Hours' League were connected with the Amalgamated Engineers.  Mr. Lee said he believed there were not more  than five hundred connected with the Amalgamated Engineers, and of that number 250 gave their first week's pay from the Amalgamated Society to those members who were not connected with tho Amalgamated Engineers' Society. The Secretary explained that the Council had no funds that they could grant; they could merely give credentials or a recommendation to the different trade societies in the town and district, recommending them to support the Nine Hours' League. Mr. Lee said that was all he required. A similar course was pursued at Nottingham, and two of the Framework Knitters' Societies gave the League a donation of £lO, with a promise of farther support.