The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-10-27 00:00:00

THE NORTHERN DAILY TIMES.

DISPUTE BETWEEN THE MASTER SHIP-
BUILDERS OF LIVERPOOL. AND THEIR
OPERATIVES.

MEETING YESTERDAY.

Yesterday morning, a meeting of the Liverpool Ship-
builders' Association was held in the Graving Dock Regu-
lation Office, Strand-street, to consider a letter received from
Messrs. Joseph M'Lean and Co., stating that not being able
to procure hands to complete the work required at the ship
" John Howell," in Sandon Dock, at 7s. per day, and the
captain having engaged a number of men at Bs. per day,
Messrs. M'Lean and Co. wish to know what course the
Association will recommend them to pursue. Also, to consi-
der a letter received from the shipwrights' association.
Mr. WILSON GREEN occupied the Chair.
The following members of the association were present :
Messrs. Paul, J. Evans, Irving, M'Lean, Potter, Boyd,
M'Keverigan, W. Wilson, Grayson, M'Elroy, W. B. Jones,
T. Clarke, Dawson, Clover, Royle, Smith, Ladmore, Cato,
W. Pope, J. Pope, Williams, Fitzpatrick, Legg, Garret,
Jackson, Richard Evans, Honorary Secretary, anll. Cros-
bie, Assistant Secretary.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings of the meet-
in.., said a note had been received announcing the death.of
Mr. Martin, of the firm of Brown and Martin, and request-
ing that the colours should be half masted. A letter had
also been received by Mr. Evans, the honorary secretary,
dated the 24th of October, 1853, from Messrs. M'Lean, and
Co. It was as follows :—" Dear Sir,—We beg to intimate
that in consequence of not being able to obtain carpenters at
7s. per day, to do the work required to the ship John
Howell, in the Sandon graving dock, and the captain hav-
ing engaged some hands at 3s. per day, we request-you to
call a meeting to-morrow morning, so that we—may know
what course to pursue. We are, Dear Sir, yours respect-
fully, 11PLEAN and Co.
That was in some degree the object of the meeting this
morning.
Mr. W. B. JONES : Is it true that M'Lean and Co. are
giving Bs. per day ?
-- - -

- The CILZIRMAN : There is the note which I have just
read explaining it. It seems it is not M'Lean who is giving
it, but the owners of the ship, or the captain rather.
Mr. JONES : Then it is the owners are doing it. I under-
bLLlll ML. C4W 1b albl, raying 613.
Mr. CATO said he would n)t give them Bs. a day, and they
went about their business.
Mr. JONES said he could not get men to do his work.
Mr. 3FELROY had a ship just astern of Mr. M'Lean, that
had not half enough of men.
Mr. ROYLE : Mr. Cato, are you carting men down to the
north end ?
?4r. CATO : No.
Mr. ROYLE : I beg to state you are. If such work as this
is carried on, I beg to withdraw from this association, be-
cause it is not the first, second, or third time I have been de-
ceived by you.
Mr. CATO : In what way ?
Mr. ROYLE : I will tell you in a few minutes how. It
was proposed here, and carried, that there should be no
carting or buss hire given to men going to the north end of
the town. That was the regulation.
Mr. CATO : Neither has it been done by me.
Mr. ROYLE : It has not ! You are the master shipwright,
repairing a ship called the Mendora ; and I do not care who
the man was that came to me and said, pay the cartage to
-my ship, I would not. You are doing the ship, and you
ought to carry out the resolution.
• The CHAIRMAN : Name the ship.
Mr. ROYLE : The Mendora. In consequence of Mr. Cato
giving cartage, his men had left the John Barrow, and had
gone to work with Mr. Cato.
Mr. CATO : I deny it.
Mr. BOYLE : I saw them yesterday. There is no use
denying it. I tell you distinctly you have got two men there
working on the Mendora, who left me on account of your

giving cartage
Mr. CA.TO : I do not believe it
Mr. ROYLE : There is a man of the name of Elsbv
saw him myself
Mr. DAWSON
charge those men ?
Mr. ROYLE : No; I had no right to do so.
Mr. CATO : You should come to me.
Mr. ROYLE : I come to you now.
Mr. DAWSON : It was understood that notice was to be
given in those cases to the foreman or master. You have
not taken the proper steps to make those men return.
Mr. ROYLE : I must be protected. I appeal to the meet-
ing, and I hope I shall be protected.
Mr. CATO : If you sent me a note to that effect, I would
have discharged them immediately.
Mr. ROYLE : You are perfectly aware why they knocked
off ? •

Did you ask Mr. Cato's foreman to dis-

Mr. CATO : I am not,
' Mr. ROYLE : It was through your carting them down.
Mr. CATO : I did not.
Mr. ROYLE : What is the use of my trying to cav,out
isaa,r,tathm, it uicy are to be broken
in such a style ?
Mr. CATO : I did no such thing.
Mr. DAWSON : According to the last meeting, the proper
course was to have given notice.
Mr. CATO : I do not believe there is a man of yours

where you say.
Mr. ROYLE : I did not take my foreman's word or your
foreman's word for it, but I went and saw them myself.
Mr. CATO : My foreman told me he has not one. I do
not believe it. You are only making a false statement from
beginning to end.
Mr. ROYLE again repeated his statements, that two of his
men were working at a ship of Mr. Cato's. Some more of
them were working, at Mr. Sudbury's. Twenty-four of
his men had knocked off altogether.
The CHAIRMAN : How have they gone to Mr. Sudbury;
he has no carting ?
Mr. ROYLE : They have gone there to work by light.
Did not Mr. Neil tell them distinctly, if carting was paid
by one individual, the men would leave the masters who
would not pay, and go to those who would pay ? (Hear,
hear.) Did he not also tell them, and had it not appeared
in the public papers, that the men had never asked for an
advance of wages but that it was always offered to them ?
(Hear, hear.) ° NV.as not that the fact ? They asked for no
advance, because it was offered to them ; and if they were
to carry out their regulations, why should they be broken
through by leading members of the association ? He (Mr.
Royle) knew the late chairman of the society was the first
man to create dissensions amongst the men, at the com-
mencement of the fall of last year.
Mr. CATO Speak out.
The CHAIRMAN : You had better confine yourself to the

present case.
Mr. ROYLE : If I am to maintain my position, I 'must
leave this association. lam not come here to be published
as a liar. I can not break through any regulations agreed
to by the association, so I shall withdraw from the associa-
tion, because I find the regulations cannot be carried out.
The CHAIRMAN: Let us attempt to do so.
Mr. ROYLE : We have attempted we have suffered ma-
terially; we have two ships which have been in two neap
tides when they ought to be in only one. With 24 men
leaving me in a day, what are we to do ? The best way was
to discharge the men, and send them back to the ship.
Mr. W. POPE remarked that where Mr.:Royle was wrong,
was in not giving notice to Mr. Cato and to Mr. Sudbury.
Mr. ROYLE : When you mention this, they say it is the
owner or captain has done it. But if such was the.case, let
the ship be given up.
Mr. M‘IiEvERIGAN understood this to be the spirit of the
last iesolutions.

Mr. ROYLE asked if leading members of the association
were ,breaking the rules, what was to be expected from
younger members of the association ?
Jr. 3: CATO : Your statement is incorrect.
BOYLE reasserted its accuracy, and would withdraw
from the association and do what he pleased.
Mr. W. B. JONES hoped Mr. Boyle would consider before
. burtig vrgamzeu, and with
the amount of business in the town such a course would
upset everything. The question brought before them scarcely
warranted Mr. Boyle being so severe in his remarks; because
if M. Cato and Mr. Sudbury had some of his men he should
have given notice, and then if they refused to discharge
them, and the association had not then acted, it would be
time enough to withdraw from the association. The with-
drawal of a respectable firm would enable the men to ride
rampant over the town.

Mr. CATO said with reference to the Mendora Mr. Royle
was wrong in his statement. If a note had been sent and
that the men had been. working for him, he, would have
immediately discharged them. He trusted that Mr. Royle
would withdraw what he said.

Mr. 110YLE : Never would. It was all well to. talk of
sending a note when the mischief was done. Mr. Jones
need not get up to vindicate the cause of Mr. Cato, for the
men distinctly told him Mr. Cato would give them carting
and asked him for it—he ref Used, and they left the ship.
The CHAIRMAN said the onus was taken, from Mr. Cato,
inasmuch as he received no notice.

Mr. ROYLE : What was the cause of the men's first
leaving ?

The CHAIRMAN : That is an enquiry I cannot go into
now.

Mr. ROYLE . It was because they were carted down to the
ship, _

The CHAIRMAN : Mr. Cato says they were not.
Mr. ROYLE : Were the men carted down ?
Mr. CATO : Not to my knowledge.
Mr. ROYLE knew they were, and had been told by one of
the owners that Mr. Cato's foreman had talked him into
carting them down. Even the Consignee told him he had
done wrong.

The CHXIRIVIAN remarked that this case could be grappled
with if the notice had been given. - At present it was a
statement and counter-statement, He then remarked that
the subject of Mr. M`Lean's communication was before the
meeting. What course was he to pursue ?
Mr. JONES : The same course we all do. There is one
motion which I think will put an end to all this discussion
about carting, I had a conversation with several shipown-
ers, and they are all of opinion that men living at the south
end of the town, should be carted down to the' north end.
I have three vessels there myself, and have suffered myself
at that end. They had to remain, there for the whole of the
neap§-,:andiro-r the irk part of them he had only. tlgee or
four men, and about twenty lads at work upon them. There

were two men on one side and one on the other. I know
those men are likely to go where they were working over
time, as for instance, to Mr. Cato, who was working by
light making a well in a ship—or to Mr. M'Elroy, where
they could make over time inside.
Mr. MTLitoy : Not one of your men left the vessel to
come to my ship.
Mr. JONES did not say so.
Mr. WELuox : You need not name me.
Mr. JONES : I will.
Mr. WELROY : If your men left to come to me, you
have a right to do so ; but if not, you have no right.
Mr. JONES did not say that his men left to go to Mr.
M'Elroy. But in consequence of Mr. M'Elroy giving the
men over time at night, which he had a perfect right to do,
they got two or three shillings additional. He did. not
blame the men for this. As regarded carting, the Annie
Rose was going to the north end, and the men came to him
and asked him would he pay for a cart ? He refused, and
they said you cannot blame us for leaving the ship. He
(Mr. Jones) said they ought to finish the ship. The men
said they lived at the south end, and it took them an hour,
and they were very much .exhausted when they got down Ito
the north end of the town; and that •it was very hard to
send them down when they could get plenty of work nearer
home. He told the men there was a meeting this morning,
and he would make a motion, that to men living at the
south end carting should be allowed, but that no money
should be paid. With regard to employing carts, lie thought
it only fair to do so, and he hoped this meeting would re-
consider the thing, because he thought it was very exhaust-
ing to walk so far to their work, and they would get down
in better time. He begged to move that cartage be allowed
to those men, but that no money be paid them.
Mr. MCELROY said the men probably would be got later
to work.
Mr. .ToNzs thought not.
Mr. MCELROY did not think about it, for he saw the
carts coming.
Mr. JONES thought it would put an end to a great many
disputes.
Mr. GRAYSON said there had been more complaints made
by shipowners generally, about this buss money, than about
any other charge, even the advance of wages. Not only had
it a bad effect on the men who received it, but the men at the
north end did not turn to work until the men arrived from
the south-end. There was, something like half-an-hour in the
morning lost by this system of carting. He admitted it was
hard on them to have to walk so far, but instead of paying
cartage, he would infinitely prefer, paying six-pence a day-to
men working in the Sandon Graving-dock. This buss
money would be a source of endless annoyance as long as' it
existed.
The CHAIRMAN remarked that Mr. Grayson's suggestion
would interfere with the uniform rate of wages.
Several members of the association were of the opinion
that if this were done, the increase of six-pence should
become general.
Mr. GRAYSON contended, that the only way of getting
over the present anomalous state of things, was to pay six-
pence-a- day extra, and let the men get there as they best
could: Let them get earlier to their work; the greatest injustice
was done by paying men for time which was lost.
Mr. DAWSON seconded Mr. Jones's motion. They would
provide carts, but on no account was money to be paid. ,
The CHAIRMAN said it was a difficult matter to deal
with.

Mr. JONES said when the men came to him from the
Annie Rose, he told them the men at the north end did not
go to work until they came down. They said the fact of
getting a cart brought them down sooner, and they always
started before the time for turning to, and got down in time,
so that as to the men not keeping to time correctly if carted
down, he' believed viceversa would be the fact, and more
work would be got out of the men by taking them down.
Mr. Mc.ELnoY : I find this to be the case that the south
end mesters will have an advantage over the north end
masters, inasmuch as they can cart the men any where they
please, and keep them as long as they please, when we want
them. I don't want any master to have the privilege ,of
paying two shillings a week more than I do. If you allow
them to cart their men down, I will 'claim the privilege of
paying my men two shillings a week more wages, and I will
do it.
The CHAIRMAN : The men, you see, are not to be paid.
Mr. Mc. Mawr : They have been paid.
The CHAIRMAN : But they are not to be paid by this
resolution.
Mr. Mc. Elroy : But if they were not carted down to the
south end of the town, they would come to work for youor
emectbtuhteyifwthilleynaort wecoark for u
carted down
Now,bythe if you agreemastersatt tohesonth
nthis
motion, I will insist upon paying the men as high a ratd, of
wages as any man here ; and I will do it. I don't want
to deceive you. This system has caused more abuses through
the trade than any other system this one system of
carting. I don't wish to allow any man to pay a higher
rate of wages than I do, and if you allow others to cart their
men down to the deck, I will insist upon paying my nien
rrtkores ffa,T bhom.
Mr. DAWSON : you pay them buss money in addition,
that will be paying them higher.
Mr. Mc. Elroy : That has been done. The north end
men have gone up to the south end offices and received 4d.
each, and that gives you an advantage over us to which you
have no right.
Mr. DAWSON : It never has been done by me. I have
paid buss money at the rate of £4 or £5 a week, but I have
not given money to the men.
Mr. MCELROY : I wish this meeting to understand, that
if you pass this motion, I will put the men who work for
me in the same position as the other men.
The CHAIRMAN: But allow me. There is a little ir-
regularity in this. All the members of this association are
supposed to be guided and regulated by the result of a
division, however it may go. It is not fair for a party to
stand up and say, "if this be carried, I will depart from
all your regulations."
Mr. MCELROY : We are overbalanced here by the South-
end masters. There is a greater number of them here than
of those whose interest lies to the North end, and they have
no right to have this advantage over us.
Mr. DAWSON* : You will be at the same liberty to cart
the men down.
Mr. MCELROY : But I don't do it.

The CHAIRMAN : Gentlemen, this is getting a little ir-
regular. The course which we have to pursue will be to
nivide upon the subject; and let it be distinctly understood,
that no money be paid to the men.
Mr. MCELROY : Every man should be allowed to go and
work where he pleases. You have no right to cart them.
• Mr. MCKEVERIGAN : If the amendment has been lost, I
will move another.

The CRAIRMAN : It has been lost, as no one seconded it
Mr. McanoY : I will second it.

Mr. MCKEVERIGAN : I beg leaVe to propose another
amendment. I propose that we adhere to our last resolution,
that no cartage whatever be paid. (Cries of hear, hear.)
I think it is almost disgraceful that the master tradesmen
should cart their men from one end of the town to the other.
There is no necessity for it, and if every member of the
association would only adhere to the rules, then every man
would have fair play. (Hear, hear.)
The CHAIRMAN : That is, that the original resolution
should remain ?
Mr. MelinvEniGAN : Yes ; that it should remain as it
was passed at the last meeting. I think there is no necessity
for carting the men at all. You don't get a quicker turn-to,
nor do the men in the Sandon graving dock work the better
fOr it. We travelled, year after year, down to the Clarence
dock, and 'When it was opened, it was just as far from the
town, and farther, for the same numbers were not then cen-
tralized round the docks, and we had no unpleasantness
whatever about it. The men won't look for it if you don't
give it.
Mr. William WILSON seconded the amendment.
Mr. GRAYSON withdrew his amendment.

Mr. MCELROY : Stand to your old resolution, men.
The CHAIRMA.N called upon all in favour of the amend-
ment to hold up their hands, when the show of hands ap-
peared to De in us favour.

The CHAIRMAN : I believe the division is in favour of the
amendment.' (Hear, hear.)
The amendment was therefore declared carried.

The CHAIRMAN : Now, gentlemen, you have to say what
will be your reply to Messrs.. McLean's note. That, I
think, is a plain course. You must explain to the captain
the consequences of the advance of wages.
Mr. IRVING (of the firm of McLean and Co.) : I did
exo_ain it, sir.

•
The CHAIRMAN : The course that some parties have taken
is to leave the ship in the hands of the owners. Mr. Pope,
for instance, has pursued that course, and has withdrawn
his foreman and apprentices from the ship. Withdraw from
the ship, and leave her in the captain's hands.
Mr. invinvG: Well, we don't consider that altogether fair
for our employers. They are particular friends of ours, and
we wish to assist them as far as lies within our power to do.
Mr. POPE : You have no alternative. If the owners of
your ship give Bs. a day, you ought to give her up.
Mr. IRVING : What if there is a contract ?
The CHAIRMAN : The captain cannot give Bs. then.
Mr. POPE : Exactly. The shipowner may give more,
and the carpenter may wink at it, and carry on the work,
and get plenty of men ; but if you determine not to give I,
and tell the owner of the vessel so,and if he then insists upon
it, you ought to give the vessel up, or else there will be no
way whdtever of carrying out the resolution, and there is no
use of adopting it all.
Mr. Invrism : We have not got any more men.
Mr. POPE : That is no matter, you ask the sense of the
meeting, and I think that is its sense. (Hear, hear.)
The CHAIRMAN : You are only in the same difficulty as
any master would be if the men will not work.
Mr. McLean : We can't do it, for we have a contract for
a portion of the vessel.

Mr.
POPR : Then if you do it, every one else will do the
same,_ and there is an end to the matter altogether.
The CHAIRMAN : The course to pursue will pe this—to
tell the men that you cannot give Bs. a day. Then if ;he
men leave you—

Mr. POPE : If the Men leave you, they cannot get w)rk
anywhere else, provided that the resolution is carried out.
Mr. LEGG : Oh, but they will get work. Men who :eft
me got work with Mr. Jones, on the " City of Boston."
The CHAIRMAN : Did you give Mr. Jones notice ?
Mr. 4GG : I dick♦

,thejassistant- seeretam said• on yeiteiclay
morning he had received a note from Mr, Legg, and as soon

as he received it, he went to the office and met Mr. Story.
He read the note for Mr. Story, and read the names of the
men, and Mr. Story told him he would go to the ship, and if
he found the men working, he would discharge them at
once. (Applause.) •
Mr. MCELROY said he had a ship in the Sandon graving
dock, and of twelve men he had on Saturday, there werenot
three on Monday, but he did not make any advance in
wages. He agreed with Mr. Royle, that it was a very lame
way of doing the thing, by throwing it over upon the cap-
tains or the owners of ships. They could do the thing
themselves without any assistance whatever from the
cap-
tains or owners. A man might as well come forward openly
and honestly, and say " I have advanced the wages," as let
the captain do it. The master carpenter was the persbn
who paid the wages, and not the captain or owner.
Mr. MclaArt : Ve told them that we would not pay the
advance, nor do we intend to pay it.
The. CHAIRMAN : You have taken the right course.
-Mr. POPE : If you are pressed by the owners, you must
only give up the contract.
The CHAIRMAN : Yes, that's the course which you must
pursue. The fact is, you must tell the men that they will
not be paid more than 7s.

Mr. lONEs asked Mr. Cato, had he not been making two
hours in the Brunswick dock.

Mr. CATO : No, we have not got lights. Now, Dir.
Royle, will you give us the names of those men you spoke
of ? If I find that these men are still working at the shil, I
will go down and discharge them. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. ROYLE : Mr. Chairman and Mr. Cato, I am per-
fectly aware that Mr. Cato will discharge the men, but
what I say.is, that the mischief is already done to me, by
allowing the men to be sent down to the ship in carts.
Mr. CATO : It was done without my knowledge, I de-
clare.

Mr. ROYLE : Then it had no right to be done without
your knowledge. Your Foreman had no right to talk he
owner into it.

Mr. CATO : It was done without the knowledge of iny
foreman.

Mr. ROYLE : Nothing of the sort. I *as told myself
that the owner was talked into it by your foreman.

The CHAIRMAN

Who told you, gr. Royle i

Mr. ROYLE : Mr. French,
trenochm,
FOowrlnleery,ofth.iehecsohnsipip, aened he
also told the same story in
Mr. Ferney's office. Both ships are consigned to the same
gentleman. I don't come here to tell lies, Mr. Cato.
I come here to state facts. I saw the men myself at work,
and I certainly will believe what I see.

The CHAIRMAN : Mr. Cato has said it was without his
knowledge, and that he will discharge the men.
Mr. ROYLE : Yes ; under these circumstances, I *ill
remain a member of the association, but unless these Men
are discharged from the different ships, I will beg leave to
withdraw my name from it.

The CHAIRMAN : I think you might even press the
case a little further. If it be shewn that the forenian
has in any way been the cause of the carts going doWn
there, a fine should be levied.

ROYLE : That is what I say, I leave it entirely' in
your hands. The men are there, and they have left the ship
upon being carted down to the " Medora." If the cqn-
signee sent the word that I must cart the men doiwn I
to the ship, I would tell him distinctly that I would not do
so. If we stick to each , other, we may perhaps come' to
some understanding,. but what we do is this, we come here
and pass resolutions, and the next time we meet, thee
days after, we alter them. What for ? For the men 'to
laugh at us, and the merchants, and every one else. Thfre
is a certain class of men going about this town, who go by
the name of the " Forty Thieves." There is some little
honour in these men, but there is none in our association.
(Oh, oh, and cries of order.)
Mr. JONES : I think this is out of order ; it is disgraceful
to use such language. (Cries of hear, hear.)
The CHAIRMAN : It is out of order.
Mr. JONES : It is very improper language—very— every
member of the association must feel that it is.

Several Members : It ought to be withdrawn. (Heir.)
The CHAIRMAN : I expect Mr.. Royle will retract the
observation. It is as well to make some explanation.
It was spoken in warmth and without consideration.
All this altercation has occurred in consequence of
the notice not having been given to Mr. Cato. I hope it
will be done for the future. Had it been done the mem-
bers of this association would be now in a proper position
to meet the matter
Mr

ItoyLE : No, Mr. Chairman, it was not in conse-
quence of the notice not being given. liad Mr. Cato stack
as closely to the resolution as I did, it would not have oc-
curred.

The CHAIRMAN : But you are told he did not know of

Mr. ROYLE : If his foreman, or whoever did it, never
found these men in carts, my men would be all now at work
in the ship.
Mr. CATO : I must again say that I did not know; of
it.

Mr. Rona; : I always toll my foreman of every alteration
which is made here, and he dare not act against it.
The CHAIRMAN ; Well, we can't improve the subject by
discussing it any longer. (Hear, hear).
Mr. WELitoy : I think Mr. Cato is in fault for having
allowed it, and I think Mr. Royle has suffered from it, but I
do not agree in the opinion which that gentleman expressed
of the association, for I think myself as honourable as he,
and I think these little hasty words should be with-
drawn.

Mr. ROYLE : I have seen so much quibbling in the as-
sociation, that I am getting tired of it, and I must say that
there is not much honour amonc, us.
The CHAIRMAN : But we are forgetting the past, and try •
ing to improve for the future.
Mr. JoNEs : Has Mr. Royle seen anything done which
he did not do himself, in the way of giving bounty or hours
extra ? •

Mr. ROYLE : You could not charge me with anything (
the kind.

Mr. JONES : I know that he has given hours extra the
same as other persons, therefore there is no need for all this
recrimination.

Mr. ROYLE : You never could charge me with being the
first to break through any resolution ade in this society.
Mr. JONES : You have done whet we all have done.
The CHAIRMAN : Gentlemen, we are now rambling away
again.

Mr. ROYLE : I have suffered for weeks.
The CHAIRMAN : Now we are doing no business.
Mr. Jorrus : What I say is, that the remarks were un-
called for. They were out of place, and very much against
the respectability of the association, and I think Mr. Royle
should withdraw his hasty word.

The CHAIRMAN : I have no doubt that he will do so

Mr. ROYLE : I know that it was a little hasty, and I feel
that I am somewhat hasty in language, and, therefore, I beg
leave to withdraw the expression. (Hear, hear.) At the
same time, you must bear m mind that I was and am suffer-
ing from the loss of these men, and that would make any
one feel. The men never left you at the "Crown" all at
once.
Mr. JONES : Yes , • five of them left at once.

Mr. ROYLE : Yes ; but twenty-four never left you at once.
Mr. JoNms : They left me and went to Mr. Cato, but I
don't blame him. It was an advantage to the men to go,
and they had a right to make more money if they could,
and I do not blame them either.

Mr. CATO : If you send a note to me I will not employ
them. I wish to _carry out the rules and desires of this body
as much as any man, and perhaps more.
Mr. JONES : We are progressing very well, I think. Wo
could not expect to jump to perfection all at once.
Mr. Roxio3 : I do not think we are progressing at all.
Here we are at the same game all over again. Any man
who wishes to carry on the business, and do the duty of this
association, is completely led astray by the way we are

going on

After some further conversation, Mr. M'LEAN intimated
that TIP would perry ont the desire of the meeting, and if the
owners insisted upon his giving Bs. a-day he would give the
vessel up. (Applause.)
The CHAIRMAN said he had received a. letter from the
Secretary ofthe Shipwrights' Club, in which he was requested,
as chairman of that body, to attend their meeting at half-
past one o'clock. If it were the desire of the meeting,
although at great inconvenience to himself, he would do so.
It was agreed that the chairman should attend the meet-
ing.

fir. GARRETT said he was the last who entered the room,
and had only just come from the Clarence Graving Dock,
and he heard there that the intention of the shipwrights was
to strike that night for Bs. a-day. He heard it from his own
foreman.

The CHAIRMAN : We cannot tell that decidedly until
some step be taken. We have had no notice.

Mr. GARRETT : I thought perhaps some other parties in
the room might have heard something about it.
The CHAIRMAN : I did not, directly or indirectly.
The proceedings then terminated.