The Express.
London, England, 1855-09-28 00:00:00

THE BALLAST HEAVB ts.

A ousting of ballast spats and ballast heavers
was holds* the Loaded' Tavern, on Wednesday evening, to
wisp% entheares for resisting the monopoly of the Trinity
Henn Omporatian in reference to the ballast heaven. Mr.
ROW MIN wee stated to ban been a ballast agent for 46
years, was called to the chair.
Mr. Ttu.sr moved the first resolution :—" That this
meeting is of opinion that the interference of the corpora-
tion of the Trinity House with labour is injurious to the
ass, subjects private enterprise to unfair competition, and
threatens to be productive of a monopoly detriments'
to the public interest, end that the statements upon
whisk that interference ham been fonaded ere untrue.
He said die shipowners were the only body in this city who
wen sable's to monopoly. For mon then 300 years the
Trinity-house had had • monopoly of the supply of ballast,
end, not content with that, they now wanted to obtain also
• misepoly of the supply of labour is the heaving of bal-
lot. The Trinity-house had tailed in their eadeaveun to
obtain ensue in an act of parliament to give them this
additional sionopny, sad they had therefore undertaken to
knee ballast for 31d. and 44. • ton, though they paid the
men 2d. sad 4d. • ton more than they charged the ship-
eosin, sad they charged the dofference on trait funds in
their hands. This was wojust to the ballast spats, as it
was impossible for them to compote against such • eyrent,
and la the end it would be injurious to the shipowner,
became, .se soon se they had driven the ballast
agent, out of the laid, they would raise the
charge beyond that row made by the ballast spots.
It would be inurisee to the working men too,
as when the oarporatioa ,heeaste the sole employer they
would Is the wages at each rate as they chose. This was
all done under the pretence of doing away with the truth
system, but he denied that that system existed. He also
*barged the corporation with requiring the men to sign re-
twists for more than they actually paid them, so that • man
who only got 10a. was obliged to sign • receipt for Ids.
They else wished to have the asolsopoly:of taking the ballast
out of the shin, He had known notation where he had
paid 801. to 1001. to • shipower for hie ballast, wham, if
the shipowner went to tha Triaitrbouse, be would lose all
that, sad have to pay 601. or 601. besides for taking it away.
Charges bed been made spinet ballast agents that they op-
pressed the men they employed. He believed they bad
always paid their mos in cash, and that they
them to partake of anything that wee injurious to theta or
their families.
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Mr. Roes wended the motion, which was supported by
Mr. Holum red carried unanimously.
WILLIAM TMOMPION, who stated that he bad been a
ballast h for 36 years, moved the adontioa of a memo-
rial to the Board of Tess, setting forth the grievances of
the ballast agents and heavers, and that a committee of six
spots end sir workicg men be formed for the purpose of
obtaining signatures thereto.
Mr. Sunsavaxn seconded.
A Delimit heaver named Leabey stated that he bad been
a b for 17 years, and bad worked for agents who were
groan and publicans, but hie wages had
tailed. Be bad also worked for the corporation, and he was
required to sign a receipt for thirty-two shillings and some
odd penes, and he was only to receive 18s. He refused, and
wee summoned before the committee, who said be was to
obey Mr. Flinn's order; bat he told them he would not
sign a receipt for • sum of money larger in amount than t e
was to receive, and thereupon he was told that he mast lose
his employment.
D. Darecoxs, another ballast h , stated that he was
ordered by Mr. Flinn to sweep the street in front of the
corporadon's once, and then to scrub the once, which he
refined to do, sad be was dismissed.

MASON, ballast spat. sat. be eballeaged any c
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