Nelson Chronicle, Colne Observer, and Clitheroe Division News. — 1892-04-01 (Nelson, Lancashire, England)

STRIKE. ITS COST AND LESSONS.  Mr. T. Lord, ex-president of the Nelson Weavers' Association, presided over an entertainment given on Saturday night in the Albert Hall in aid of the Nelson strilw fund. There was a good attendance. The Chairman said the recent strike had been one of great moment. There had not been one in Nelson or in the immediate neighbourhood based upon such strong motives as that one had been. Taken from the moral aspect it had been  A WONDERFUL AFFAIR,  receiving the sympathy of a great many people who had never before assisted anybody in a strike. They had made the beads of families feel safe that their relatives would not be improperly approached. He thought it was the duty of every employer of labour to see that the employment was carried on in a moral and respectable way. The strike had COST ALTOGETHER £1,465 10s. 100. Of that 471. ss. sd. had been paid in scale pay to the members of the association, and ,t,999 ss. lA.d. as loom pay. The association had done a great deal towards abolishing the slate and the board. Almost two-thirds of the firms in Nelson didn't use the slate or the board at the present time. All ' practical weavers knew what that meant, especially 1 to the weavers who were not able to keep up to those who were more efficient at their work, and some of whom had actually been goaded into coramitting suicide through being tyrannised over in an unmerciful manner. He found that the association had INCREASED BY GOO OR 700 MEMBERS since the commencement of the strike. During the last quarter the association had paid 60 ss. 11d, in consequence of fires. There had also been stoppages to pay for, and, although land in Northstreet upon which the association's offices stood had been purchased for 81. 3s. 6d., and £27 Os. had been paid to the Northern Counties'. Association, there would still be a surplus on the quarter. It had been said during the recent struggle that application had been made by the Nelson Association to the Northern Counties' Association for assistance, and that it had been refused. No such thing had occurred. The Nelson committee had full confidence in their ability to carry the strike through to a successful end. But had the suggestion of  _ THAT PARTICULAR EMPLOYER OF LABOIUR who on more than one occasion had advocated a general lock-out being adopted, then no doubt application for aid would have been made to, and given by, the Northern Counties' Association. There were two questions of vital importance before the operatives of England at the present time. One was the bi-metallic question, and the other the Pensions Bill. Mr. Lord believed that our trade with India would be largely increased were the silv'er currency put on a more staple basis, and, so far as  THE PENSIONS BILL was concerned, he thought the clause which gave employers permission to insure operatives out of their Nv ages would put the work people more than ever under the control of the employers. Taking into consideration the Registrar General's returns giving the average age of life in Lancashire, he (Mr. Lord) did not think that many people who paid to the pension scheme forty years after making the first contribution when 25 years old would receive pensions, and then only for a short period. —An enjoyable entertainment was then given, the performances of the entertainers being much appreciated. Songs were rendered by Mrs. Hartley and the young Misses Hartley (sopranos), Miss Fanny Ronson (contralto), Mr. Long (tenor), Mr. D. Widdup and Mr. William Swarbrick (baritones), and Mr. Tom Oliver and Mr. T. Butson (humorists). The programme was as follows •_Pianoforte solo, , Master H. Robinson; song, 'Killarney,' Madam Hartley; song, Alice, where are thou ? ' Mr. J. W. Parkinson; song, The lost chord,' Miss F. Ronson; song, The longshore man,' Mr. D. Widdup ; song, 'English .as she is spoken,' Mr. Oliver; song, The dying child,' Miss Hartley (aged eight years) ; recitation, Mr. G. Howard; song, Won't you buy my pretty flowers,' Miss E.: A. Hartley (aged six years) ; song, 'Sally ran away and left me,' Mr. T. Butson : song, Across the bridge,' Mr.. W. Swarbriek. Stump oration and laughable farce on'Phrenology,' characters— 'Professor Dazzlemn, Phrenologist,' M. L. Fell; 'Servant Toby,' R. H. Heap; Simple Billy,' S. Veevers ; Lord Headstrong,' S. Heap; 'Lady Headlight,' F. Carter; Mr. Woodeepoodle ' (old bachelor), J. Elliott; 'Miss Spokendyke ' (old maid), J. Roberts. Song, Yes, let me like a soldier fall,' Mr. J. W. Wilkinson: song, Distant faces,' Miss F. Ronson; song, Down by the sea,' Mr. T. Butsou ; recitation, Mr. G. Howard; song, Dashing white sergeant,' Madam Hartley; song • Such injustice should not be,' Mr. W. Swarbrick; song, You can't think of everything,' Mr. T. Oliver. Miss Aynscough and Master N. Robinson were the accompanists.