The Express.
London, England, 1863-06-15 00:00:00

TRADES UNIONS AND WORKING MIN S CLUBS.

At the close of their usual weekly sitting on Tues-
day evening, the council of the Working Men's Club and
Institute Union received a deputation appointed by the
Loads. Tithes' Council, to aseertain the precise relations of
working was dubs to trades' societies. The waned of the
mike were represented by Thomas Hughes, Fel., 8.A., Rus-
sell Scott. Req., Mr. John Bainbridge, Miss ha Craig, Mall
B. A. Davies, Alfred Alan* Watts, Req., and the Rev.
Henry, Sally (secretary) ; and the members of the trades'
council, present were Mr. Odgers, Mr. Pansy, Mr. T. Q.
Dunniag, Mr. William Allan, ilr.lCremer, Mr. Appleprth,
Mr. CoaLsoo, Mr. Ackrill, and Mr. Hartwell Mr. Scott
opened the conference by stating that the council of the
union, having become coovinced that &certain passage in one
of their publications gave an imprenuou not con-
diktat with a strict neutrality on the ques-
tion of trades unions, had resolved at their last
inietiog to expunge it. A loos end earnest
discussion then took place, in which Mears. Face'', Wpm,
Donning, Allan, Cromer, Applagarth, Aoknll, and Meth,
on the part of the trades' council, and Mr. Scott, Mr.
Hughes, Mr. Bainbridge, Mr. Watts, and the Rev. H. Roily,
on the pert of the thins, took part ; and the following
points were unanirooody agreed to :—The maim could take
no part either for or against trades societies, whose objects
nod throe of working meal club. were dearly diverse.
Nor could the council of the union say whether • trades'-
society would be allowed to hold its meetings in any parti-
cular club. The settlement of all mach tines:ions rested
with the local committees ; but certainly no club where •
trade society should meet would, on that account, be severed
from the union ; on the contrary, it was considered advisa-
ble to encourage all working men's societies engaged in the
pursuit of objects neither illegal nor immoral, to conduct
their business at clubs, instead of, as at present, at
public-houses. Members of trades societies would join
working men's clubs as private citizens, and not as
Ueda.' unionists, but • trade, friendly, building, or
cooperative society could apply to the committee of a
dub for permission to conduct its business on the club
premises, on pa meat of a small rent. The letting of
premises by the local club committee to the society would
not identify the former with the latter ; and in oath of •
strike, for instance, the council of the union would not
thick of interfering unless the trader; unionise' excluded or
expelled from the club dose who were non-unionists. In an
case, the councils wonld ooly expunge the me of a club
from the list of associations in union. These views having
bees very distinctly stated, in reply to the questions pro-
pawl to the council, the members of the deputation declared
themselves perfectly satisßed, and tendered their hearty
thanks for the manner in which they bad been received, as
wall as for the explanations given. It is understood that
the deputation will prethut • report to their constituents,
recommending the members of trades' societies throughout
Great Britain to assist in carrying out the objects and
plans of the Club and Institute Union,

[TWOPENCE

THE BALLA*-HE A VRRS AND THE PRINCE

CONSORT.

The ballast-Leaven of the port of London have
volunteered a testimonial to the goodems of the We Primo
Coosort. In a letter to the Queen they state—" Before be
came to oar aid we could only get work a body of
river-aide publican. and middlemen, what= us drink
before they would give us a job, made us drink while at it,
sad kept us waiting for our wages, and drinking after we
had done our work, so that we could take oely half oar
wages home to our families, and that half too often reached
them through a drunkard's hands." They could get so help
till they appealed to the Prince Omeort. He pot • clause
hearted in the Merchant Shipping Act which pea them
under the control of the oarporation of the Thirdly BOO"
passed rules for their employment, got their wages paid in
ember. pave them a house to wait in for their week, sup-
plied it with papers and hocks, and enoodraged them M
form • sick and benefit society. They have, therefore,
raked the Queen for se e ring of thole benefactor to
bang is their room. The fnallrwlig
_reply has hem notemed
to their letter: " Windsor Castle, June 12. 11402.
"My dear Sir—l have had the honour to lay before her
Majesty the Queen the address from the ballast heaven of
the Port of Leedom, which you have forwarded to use ter
premetation. Her M sleety has beta deeply touched by
this spontaneous testimony to the active besevolenos of her
beloved husband, and amongst all the askew of sympathy
is her grief, which she has gratefully received from all
dames of her people, no one has been more ratifying to the
="4sad no one more in hammy tries her fears*,
the simple and =preload* tribute from these
heart, hard-workiag men. L am esesmeadsi w rare*
Abet yea wW ream the balleet-heinem that the &ewes* la
their welfare so woefully displayed by him whose life was
employed is eedeavounag to basset the people of this
country, is fully shared by her Majesty, sad that her Ma-
jesty Mita* to hear of the happy ohmage is their moral
and soma condition. The Queen has Unveiled plenum
I. ocisapl3riag with the request contained I. the address, and
ham ordered two prints of the Priam Comert, one I. uni-
form, sad me in ordinary dress, to be framed sad presented
to be hung is the room in which the ballast-heaven wait ;
to them her Majesty hes added our of hence, as the Queen
would wish, is the remembrance of these grateful men, to
be associated with the memory of her peat and geed has-
heed, whose virtues they have so bkOly sad justly apprie-
ciatod.—Selisve me sincerely your!, "C. Feirra.
.• fredk. J. Furoivall, req."