The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-04-11 00:00:00

THE AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS'
LOCK-OUT.

I-nder date Cambridge, Sunday, The Times' Correspondent
writes :--

"We regret to have to state that the area of the
lock-out of agricultural labourers is extending on the
Suffolk side of Newmarket, and that iluring the last
week over 150 more labourers have been locked out
because they are members of the Union. The farmers
in the neighbourhood belonging to the association mani-
fest no disposition to respond to the appeal of Mr.
Ball, the Leamington delegate, to pen communica-
tion with the Union executive m order to the read-
justment of the relations between the masters and
men. It seems extremely doubtful whether the lock-
out has reached anything like the full dimensions it will
assume. It is thought that the April showers, which
have during
.the last few days been plentiful in the
neighbourhood, will be more likely to put a limit to
the duration of this lock-out than any appeals on the
part of the men or their representatives. Since the
commencement of the lock-out in the Newmarket
district no fewer than 150 of the locked-out labourers
have migrated or emigrated, and a great many
are preparing to leave for Queensland or America
in the niiddle of this month. This exodus has
been considerably promoted by the action of the
landlords' who have given notice to cottagers belong-
ing to the Union to look out for fresh dwell-
ings. The total number left on the Union books,
after deducting those who have migrated and those who
have arranged to migrate or emigrate, is LIDO. All
these have received another week's pay from the Union,
amounting in the aggregate to £7OO or £BOO. Nine
shillings per head is the nominal sum paid to the men
, by the Union, but the liberal subscriptions which are
forthcoming in the neighbourhood from sympathizers
with themovereent are used to augment the weekly
I allowance to the men with large families. Meanwhile,
I the conduct of the men locked out is regarded as satis-
factory. Nothing in the shape of intimidation or
coercion of the non-Union men at work has hitherto
been resorted to---at least, none to call for magisterial
interference, and the only instance in which there
has been anything like a collision between the masters
and the men so as to threaten a breach of the peace
I was the little disturbance at Bury St. Edmunds on
I Wednesday evening last, when the initiative was taken
I by a few excited farmers present. The farmers, how-
ever, allege that the locked-out men persecute the non.
Union men and use inflammatory and abusive language
towards themselves. On Thursday last several hun-
dreds of the locked-out labourers visited Ely, marched
I through the city, and assembling on the market-
square during market indulged in enthusiastic
cheering for the success of the Union. Cambridge
I was also visited yesterday on the occasion of its
market I lay lya detachment of the locked-out
labourers weanng the blue riband of the Union.
At present the lock-out does not extend to within less
than seven or eight miles of the town. It is not un-
likely that the Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely Cham-
ber ,d Agriculture will be asked to discuss the wisdom
awl propriety id the present lock-out by some of the
sympathisers of the men. Several of the local clergy,
: notably the Rev. Dr. Burgess, of Whittlesea, have
followed the example of the Bishop of Manchester, and
publicly advocated the cause of the labourers. The
suggested meeting of the landlords andsfarmers which
was fixed for the 14th inst. has for some reason or
another been abandoned for the present."

The Tipeo, has also puldished the following i--
Camiutirsaa, Tuesday.

Tne lock-out seems as far off from a termination as
ever in the eastern division of the county of Suffolk.
The labourers of four other villages were locked out on
Saturday night—viz., at Keshall, Theberton, Knodes-
ham, and Sudbourne, increasing the number on the
bruks .4 the Union by 200 men. Between fifty and
sixty of the lal sewers start for t'anada on Wednesday,
the Ilth inst., and a large number gave their names m
to-day to go to New Zealand. The town of Newmarket
has been thronged to-day. Great excitement prevailed,
and both shies evince a dogged determination, which
affords no hope of an early close of the conflict. The
farmers allege that at Dullinghani the Union men
have threatened non-unionists, who have been afraid
to is-rforin their work, except under proteethin afforded
by their employers. Other farmers admit that the
condliet if the men has been most exemplary. The
farmer.. affect to be able to do without the labour of the
men, but the fact that at Chipleadtatri half a dozen I
girls had been prevailed upon to perform the ordinary I
work of farm labourer..., such as hoeing in the field., by I
the premeitati, n of dresses, &c., indicates that the en.- '
ployers are re...IL-sufferin ginconvenience. That the men
sre el 111: :L111.0:46011 to give up the struggle is al-
lege.] ;1,11;. the on ly proof of this that we have beenable to
glean is O.:a live .4 the locked-out unionists went to their
ntas.ter, ...01 t, ndered their cards of membership of the
mon, lit dm masters refused to take them back.
Last week and this week Mr. Ball, the delegate of the
[Mon, publicly offered to receive propoitals from the
I masters to terminate the dispute, hut explained that
suet: ;.repte.als um,t be based on the right of the la-
bour. to I% tain their connexion with the Union. The
' farmers, on the other hand, :eject all suggestions of
the hind, and stand to their original condition that the
men 'mist en membership of the Union, and
apply indit ideally to he t0.a.:11 ^r again. A placard has
been posted at Newmarket. to-day, statnig toot a hull-
aro I thousand labourers are ready to return to t ngland
from Ana.. les ..n having their passage paid. Mr.
Slator, the Fn.._ Newmarket Farmers' As-
sociatien, supplied our eorrespowtear. ths names
of eight ~f his late men, whose wages throughout last
year have ranged between 17s. and 225. Mr. Slater
fugther alleges that he paid for labour on his farm,
s ii, 1it.01•11.1.,.% 701 acres, last Year £1,763, or 445. 7.1.
an acre. Mr. Ilaaslit. Long ailegee that one of his
labourers, in the harvest of 072, made £lB 10a. in three
weeks and two days; and last harvest, BP ss. in a

month and fire days. To-day the locked-out men did
not seem quite so numerous as un the two previous
market-days, probably owing to many having left the
district.

The Secretary to the National Agricultural La-
bourers' Union (Mr. Henry Taylor) has succeeded in
inducing a number of Manchester firms, together with
the executive officers of the several Trades Unions in
Manchester and Salford, to assist the farm labourers
in the Eastern Counties. It has been decided to
form a Manchester branch auxiliary to the Union,
the object of which, according to the prospectus, is
stated to be "to improve the condition of farm la-
bourers by means (1) of raising wages, (2) by migration,
(3) by emigration, (1) by protection from injustice, (5)
by defence at law, and (6)17 protection in case of locks.
out.' It has also been decided to promote the forma-
tion of branch and district committees throughout the
country. A circular, signed J. B. Gaskell, hon. sec-
retary, states that a number of gentlemen have deter-
mined to form a central committee for Lancashire,
Yorkshire, and Cheshire, to assist the National Agri-
cultural Labourers' Union to sustain the agricultural
labourers at present locked out, and further to con-
tribute, by means of meetings, subscriptions, &c.., an
expression of their practical sympathy with the
movement for improving their condition. The officers
of the different executive councils of Trades Unions
in Manchester have given in their names, and will acs
upon the Manchester Committee.

The Bishop of Manchester, in acknowledging a
vote of thanks for his recent letter in The T inel, de-
clines to identify himself with the movement in its
Trades-Union aspect, but assures the committee of
his unabated sympathy on the broad ground of hu-
manity. With reference to hisletter in The Time: and
to the various criticisms upon it, his Lordship contents
himself with the expression--" What I have written I
have written."