The Trades Unions have refused to accept the proposal of
the master builders for payment by the hour, and a half-holiday on Satur- days; but it is reported that the men have generally accepted it, and four-fifths of the number required at work at Messrs. Kelk and Lucas's. The Times, on Wednesday, stated that "the men now at work under payment by the hour system-which, of course, if they do not choose to take the half-holiday, enables them to earn more- now assert that they would strike against any return to the old system of weekly wages. So numerous, indeed, are the applications from the country, that Messrs. Lucas and Kelk could at once take up their full complement of workmen-enough even to go on with the works of the Exhibition. They are averse, however, when the building trade is so depressed, to depress it still further by the introduction of additional workmen into the metropolis, as they feel convinced that before a week is out all their old hands who are worth employing will have returned to their labour. Since this chang,e has taken place in the opinions of the men, the number of pickets stationed round Messrs. Lucas's works and Messrs. Kelk's, but more especially tbe former, have increased tenfold. During part of yes- terday and to-day there were at one time between two and three hundred, who, as the men issued from the yard to their dinner, saluted them with yells and hootings, following them a considerable distance down the streets. Upon this the men remonstrated with Messrs. Lucas's foreman, and said they ought to be protected from such outrageous insult and annoyance. This request Messrs. Lucas at once approved, and procured the assistance of the police to pro- tect the men while going to and from the works, and in every case where an attempt at intimidation or annoyance can be proved, they have determined upon prosecuting the offenders to the utmost." It is further stated that, hundreds of letters have been received from bodies of working men, all imploring Messrs. Lucas to stand fast to
the scheme of hourly payment, and expressing their willingness under such an arrangement, to work any time they choose. Fortunately, these offers are so numerous that there is no longer any necessity for resorting to the plan of getting workmen from abroad. Twenty thousand might be got in England in a week without difficulty. A case of considerable importance has been under investigation before the magistrates at Barnsley during the last week, ending in the committal of seven persons, members of time Miners' Association of the Barnsley district, for trial at the next York assizes, on a charge of riot and conspiracy. During the hearing Richard Mitchell, the secretary of the union, who had been summoned to produce the books, was examined, and objected to produce them. Mr. Roberts, of Manchester, the "miners' attorney-,general," argued in support of the objection that the production of the books would, in a charge for conspiracy, incriminate every officer of, and every subscriber to, the union. The magistrates ruled that the books must be produced. Mitchell left the court for that purpose, but returned saying that while in court his wife had removed his furniture to another house, and had told him a person had fetched the books away. It is under- stood that many of the shopkeepers and tradesmen in the district have been compelled to subscribe to the union, not knowing the responsibility which attached to them. It is anticipated that they will now withdraw their support from it.
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