At a meeting of the South Staffordshire Iron Trade Conciliation
Board, on Monday, Mr. Chamberlain, the chairman, made some very grave statements. Although the reductions in wages since January, 1874, amount to 52 per cent., without diminution of hours, the masters ask a still further reduction ; and it is evident, from the chairman's speech, that they will be conceded. He said that although reductions for the last two years had been con- stant, and although the operatives were now receiving wages which barely provided for their families, the state of the trade rendered any other course quite hopeless. If there were no Board, and the masters and men were left face to face, there might be strikes, but the men could do nothing, not even if the masters reduced wages to 7s. a week. That means, of course, that the masters are earning nothing, and would as soon close as not ; and that seems to be the general position of the iron trade, and several others. There is no sign anywhere of a revival, the Government will not hear of abandoning a "spirited policy," which is again bringing us to the verge of war, and there will, we fear, yet be a very bad quarter of an hour in the North of Eng- land. All the rumours afloat this week point to coming disasters there.
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