The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-08-30 00:00:00

THE NINE HOURS' MOVEMENT.

On Monday, the Thid inst., the first payment of any
funds to the lock-outs was made at the different Louses
enumerated in the Times of that morning, and, although
the relief afforded vu small, it was generally accepted,
so far as we have been able to learn, with satisfaction.
The total payments, both from the Conference and the
funds of their several societies, averaged from ss. to &s.
per man, of which the Conference was unable to contri-
bute more than 2a.—the difference between the se. and
Bs. depending upon the state of the finances of the
various societies. This was • small sum for the support
of a strong man with • wife and family for • week, but
expectation had fortunately not been raised to a very
high pitch. It would not have been unnatural, under
the circumstances, had a little disappointment been ex-
pressed ; but if the men had any such feeling they
kept it to themselves. A personal visit was paid by the
writer to several of the houses where the money was
being distributed, and there everything was conducted
with the utmost propriety and decorum. Not a bitter
word escaped the lips of any man, although the Wages
of many of them betokened anythilm but a cheerful
state of mind. They were persuaded that the funds
were fairly divided, and as their sense of justice was
satisfied, they felt that it was melees to complaii..
The applicants on account of the strike at Messrs.
Trollope's on Monday numbered 214, being some 30
more than last week. As anticipated, they had to sub-
mit to a considerable reduction in the amount of their
allowance, their payment 011 Monday being only 1216
each to skilled artisans, and fle. each to labourers.
This is the fourth week of the strike, and the second
of the lock-out. The strike men have received Ist
week, Iris. skilled, and 124. unskilled; 2nd week, kl
skilled, and Ds. unskilled; 3rd week, 15s. skilled, and
12s. unskilled; and 4th week, as just stated, 12e.
skilled, and 84. unskilled. The lock-outs have been one
week without wages, and on Monday they received the
trifling sum that has been mentioned. The strike men
therefore are in a condition of comparative prosperity
when contrasted with the great bulk of the operatives.
The Conference disbursed on Monday about kl,OOO
1 among the following men :

Labourers . . 3,245 'Stone sarfers.. ... 64
Carp Woolwich and join- Men at (all
yrs ... 2,816 brancheld .. 551
Bricklayers ... 1,077 Messrs. Trullope's
Plasterers 062 men 214
Masons .. !Al --
Painters 362 Total ... 9,618

smiths, plumbers,

The delegats of the different houses endeavoured to
animate the spirits of the men by telling them that
they were sanguine of success, that the master% must
yield, and that the distribution on Monday (yesterday)
would be considerable in excess of that of last Monday.
They were told, too, that Mr. Edwin Janice had con-
demned the document as "arbitrary and unjust," and
that the masters would no doubt speedily withdraw it.
Although this possibly was not very cheering it
helped to supply the place of more substantial consola-
tion.

It is to be hoped that matters will not be pushed to
extremities in the present contest. The masters do not
wish to drive to men into a corner and to beat them
by sheer exhaustion. Is not this a case peculiarly
fitted for mediation if the right persons could only be
hit upon for the purpose? Individuals are, no doubt,
chary ,4 volunteering to interpose; but there are men
of such mark and status in the metropolis that their
effmts at &reconciliation would be gratefully accepted by
both sides.