The Cotton Factory Times. — 1905-10-27 (Manchester, Greater Manchester, England)

VOICES FROM THE SPINDLE AND THE LOOM.  OLDHAM.  Ginning Plant.—Mr. C. lie. areley, who was formerly carder at the Empire Spinning Co., leaves for Northern Nigeria to-morrow (Saturday) by the Qungeru, to erect a ginning plant for the British Cotton Growing Association. This will be the second trip undertaker n behalf of the association. He is in charge of the plant from Messrs. Asa Lees and Co.  Mems.—Cairo Mill Coy. has taken up shares in the British Cotton Growing Association equal to 50s. per 1,000 spindles.—A local gentleman connected with a machine works is associated with a new mill scheme at Castleton.—The new warehouse, etc., for Messrs. B. Lees and Co., Ashley Mill, is now completed, and machinery is being erected.—All the ironwork in the second spinning room at the Gresham Mill Company's extension is now fixed, and preparation is being made for putting on the roof.—At the Cotton Buying Company's meeting on Saturday Mr. Joseph Domakin (Dowry Spinning Coy.) and Mr. Joseph Wild (Smallbrook Spinning Co.) were re-elected directom.  Cotton Waste Spinning.—On Saturday evening the members of the Cotton Mill Manage& Association, together with their friends, assembled in large numbers in the Freemasons' Hall, Unionstreet, to hear a lantern lecture on "Cotton Waste Spinning on the Condenser System," by Mr. J. L. Tatham (of the firm of Messrs. Platt Bros. and Co.), assisted by Mr. Reed and Mr. Fletcher, who were also of the firm. Two of the firm's three. tore and many officials were also present, and took part in the discussion which afterwards ensued. There were on view cotton blankets, table cloths, quiltings, and other fabrics, which had been woven from material on the above system. At the close votes of thanks, proposed by Messrs. Joseph Hilton, J.P., and J. Clough, of Rochdale, were given to the lecturers and the firm, and a similar vote of thanks to the chairman, Mr. Groonie, for his conduct in the Chair, having also been given, a very instructive and enjoyable evening was brought to a close. Before the meeting broke up the representatives of Messrs. Platt Bros. and Co. gave the members a hearty invitation to visit their works some Saturday afternoon, when they would have an opportunity of seeing the thole progress of waste spinning in operation. Suicide of a Minder.—The Borough Coroner (Dr. George Thomson) held an inquest at the Oldham Town Hall on Wednesday afternoon week concerning the death of Albert Edward Barker, aged 40 years, a minder, of 66, Raper-street, who was found drowned in the water lodge of the Greenacres Spinning Company on the previous Tuesday afternoon.—Harriet Barker, widow of the deceased, gave evidence of identification, and said that he was a minder at the Majestic Spinning Company, Millbottom. He had complained on Monday night of having a pain in his head. He worked all day on Monday. The pain went worse and deceased did not seem to know what he was doing, and rambled about his work. At twenty minutes past one on Tuesday afternoon she said that she would send for a doctor, and deceased said, "Yes, we will go for a doctor," and then ran out of the house, and she did not see him alive again.--Ben Wild, 166, Littlemoor-lane, engineer at the Greenacres Spinning Company, said that at a quarter-past two on Tuesday afternoon some of the workmen at the mill informed him that they thought there was a dog in the lodge. Witness got a raft and went to where the supposed dog was, and discovered it to be the body of the deceased, who was fully dressed with the exception of his clogs and his cap. The cap had since been found in one corner of the lodge. The lodge was well fenced round, and anyone wanting to get to it from outside would have to climb over the fence. —A verdict of Suicide whilst of unsound mind" was returned.  Corporation Distress Committee.—At the meeting of the Finance Committee of the Corporation on Thursday evening week the question of establishing a distress committee in the borough was under consideration.--The Town Clerk said he had written to some societies in the town, as directed, with a view to getting them to submit the names of persons qualified to administer relief in times of distress. The societies written to were the Cardroom Operatives, Operative Cotton Spinners, Amalgamated Society of Engineers, Weavers and Winders" Society, and the District Trades and Labour Council. From Mr. J. R. Clynes, secretary of the District Trades and Labour Association, he received a reply submitting the names of Mr. S. Brewster, of 61, .. arwick-street, machinist; and Mr. Louis J. Caffery, painter, Phcenix-street, Oldham, Engineers; Mr. A. El. Smethurst, Oldham Operative Cotton Spinners; Mr. E. Mellor, J.P. The others, the card and blowing-room operatives and the weavers and winders, had not replied.—The Chairman (Councillor W. Lees) : It is very unsatisfactory that the other societies have not replied. We are doing our best to have a committee which would be able to cope with the matter, and it is an extraordinary thing that members who take an interest in a matter which concerns themselves as much as anybody else, or perhaps more, had not replied.—The Town Clerk: They may not have had a meeting.—The Chairman said the secretary should have acknowledged it.—Eventually the following names were selected :—Mrs. Higgs. Mrs. Warrington, Mr. Samuel Roberts, Mr. E. Mellor, J.P., Adjutant Pain (Salvation Army), and Mr. S. Brewster.