As a result of the arrangements for holding mass meetings in the county, two were held: on the 25th of February at Bishop Auckland, and on the 26th at Sunderland. These were addressed by Messrs Burt and Macdonald. Both meetings were very well attended; the object was to discuss the proposed new Mines Bill. Strong speeches were made against it. "It was too narrow in its application. It would permit a boy to be employed for 14 hours in the mine, and he would have to work a length of time equal to 62 days in the year, more than the child in the factory. There was a deficiency with regard to weighing. That they demanded should be remedied, because the system of measuring and gauging simply meant robbery and double robbery. In some districts the arithmetical tables had been altered to make a ton equal to 25 and even 28 cwt. Then there was a great need for more inspectors and for properly trained managers, for the absence of competent men had been a fruitful source of colliery accidents. Deputies and overlookers were not chosen, as they all knew, because of their excellence and skill, or their high moral qualities, but more because they were sycophants and tyrants in the hands of those who owned the mines." There came a powerful appeal from Mr Burt on behalf of the Union. "Every great movement in the world was carried on by combined efforts. Single individuals had never been able to accomplish much. In all parts of the world one heard the declaration made that workmen were doing too much work, and receiving too little remuneration, and it needed but the organisation of this great army to gain for themselves justice. If they joined that army they would have education, temperance, prudence, and virtue rising up in the place of moral degradation; happiness in the place of misery; and comfort in every home where wretchedness now only prevailed."